One of my new favorite places to while away a sunny day. Park up at the canoe club, then put on…read moreyour running shoes and jog down along the river to Sonning, pausing on your way to watch the boats navigate the Lock. The lock is one of the nicest i have ever seen- permanently staffed, beautifully kept, with flowers everywhere. On summers weekends they sometimes do cream teas in the lock keepers gardens- which look like a lovely way to enjoy the great british tradition of putting the world to rights life while eating scones with cream and drinking copious cups of tea! The path beyond sonning bridge becomes much quieter, and all the more lovely for it. When you get tired, and head back, collect a few friends and a picnic rug and settle down by the river in the open meadows near the canoe club. Watch the model aircraft buzzing around the sky, the narrow boats and motor cruisers chugging past and remember how simple and lovely life can be :)

A very nice park between the Reading Museum and the Abbey Ruins…read more The site and the Abbey Ruins next door have cultural significance to the area dating back to the 12th century. To get the most out of your visit, I would recommend stopping by the Reading Museum first to read about how the park and ruins fit into Reading's history. The park is a delightful urban oasis located right next to the Abbey Ruins and just about a 5-minute walk to the Reading Museum. It really is a charming green space located in the heart of Reading, offering a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. The park boasts beautifully landscaped gardens, a picturesque pond, and historical features like the famous Maiwand Lion statue. When we visited, it had well-maintained paths that made it a pleasant spot for leisurely strolls. Its historical resonance adds a unique touch to the park's ambiance. If you are interested in a nice place to go to relax or explore, this could be it. The pathways are wide and the grounds are well-kept and pretty. For more specific details and visitor reviews, you can check out local travel websites or the official Reading Borough Council website.

I am sorry to disagree with a fellow Yelper, but David is missing the point of Reading. It's not…read moretrying to be elegant or subtle, relaxing or picturesque. It will never be London or Oxford. It's a city where people live and love, where businesses are based and where children run and play. The elegance is there, you just have to look for it. I've been living here for 9 months now and I've managed to find it in several places, including this one. Forbury Gardens is one of the spots carved out from the hustle-and-bustle. Sure, the buses and traffic trundles past on Forbury Road (aka A329), but that's over there. Outside. Away from the grass and the benches and the peace of a secluded and pretty park. There is a lovely gazebo in the center and the Forbury Band Concert Season is held on Sundays during the summer. Whether you're here for the music or just the peace, bring a picnic! The groundskeepers do a fine job of keeping the gravel level and the litter picked up. As you do take your time and relax, enjoy the Forbury Lion aka the Maiwand Lion, one of the largest cast iron lions in the UK. It's there to commemorate the deaths of 329 soldiers in Afghanistan. No, not the current war. The one back between 1878 and 1880, according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiwand_Lion.

Great gym in the middle of Reading (by Jongleurs). It's not huge, but has everything you need in…read moreterms of equipment as well as expertly run classes (included in the price). The staff there are superb and know most people by name which is nice. The thing that really sold it to me though is that there is no tie-in period and you can cancel at any time.

I signed up to see how it was, and then I decided to cancel the membership after the first month…read more HOWEVER, it turns out that the Advance Gym forced me to pay the second month because "that is what in the contract -- a minimum once payment excluding the first payment on site". AND they charged me £25 more because I refused to pay. So ugly, would never recommend to anyone.

Just went today. We had a great time, very friendly staff, well organized,…read morethe options of equipment was very good, the games were set out through the day very well, good variety of zones to play in and lots of "modes" (team deathmatch etc...) zones are well maintained and had lots of areas to hide and attack from, game was well set up. we had an amazing time!

From the owner: Paintball is one of the most exciting and fastest growing sports in Europe, and we welcome…read morethousands of new participants to this exhilarating sport every year. Our site is superbly located along the A4074, so is easily accessible from Reading, Oxford, the M4 and M40. Whether you are 10 years old or 99 years young, a day of paintball with us will be your most memorable action-packed and adrenaline-filled day out ever!

Your run of the mill 24 hour gym. A few of these popped up in Reading around the same time. I…read morepicked this one as it's close to where I live and seemed big. You have all the things you need to get a good work out. Free weights, weight machines and every type of cardio you could think of. It even has a rolling set of steps if you want to use them. Like most gyms, it's really busy between 6pm and 9pm. As it's 24 hour if you can stomach a late or early workout it's really quiet. I get in early to use the free weights and it's empty enough to get straight to what I want. They also provide classes and personal trainers. The PT's are put up on the wall as you enter so you can see a face, name and their expertise straight up. Manic at peak times, would recommend early or late sessions if you can and want to get the most out of it. Cheap monthly payments and no contract either!

I have done quite a few escape rooms, but this one is definitely one of the best! It was such an…read moreimmersive experience! We were given some background story, to enhance the immersion, too. Just love all the are and detail that went into the decoration and props. Puzzles are varied and fun, and when something seems impossible you can always ask for clue. I have done two rooms, and gutted that the third one, Rebellion, has closed already. Would love to come visit the new room when it's open!

Buzz gym is a good option for a gym if you're a centrally located student in Oxford. Normally they…read morehave student memberships that can be paid monthly so that you don't have to commit during periods when you won't be at school; however, if you're an international student they don't let you use this option because you need a UK bank (you have to pay 3 months upfront which is inconvenient because term is 8 weeks long). The gym was always clean but I often found it pretty busy and had to wait for machines to free up.