Exploring Reading, United Kingdom in a Day by Bicycle

Reading is a large historic university town in the southern midlands of England which is usually buzzing with student types, shoppers and business people using cars and public transport to get around. Unfortunately, the city, despite its large size and population, doesn’t have a tour bus! A great alternative to driving or walking is a bike trip around the city. If you’re planning to cycle in Reading here are our favourite sights and cycles to enjoy along the way:

Bike Hire:

First of all, where will you get a bike? If you’re travelling to Reading by car you can, of course, bring your own but if not, take advantage of Readings bike rental scheme. We now have over 200 bikes to rent from 29 Ready Bike docking stations around the city. You can sign up as a member for a mere £50 a year with all trips under 30-minutes free, or as a non-member, your maximum daily rental charge will be £7.00. If you’re planning a longer-term stay, you can buy a used bike on Gumtree or from one of the many bike shops in the city.

Reading Museum – 0.6 miles, 3 min

Wikimedia Commons -Reading Musuem and Town Hall

You barely need to cycle to Reading Museum as it is only 3 minutes by bike from PREMIER SUITES Reading but it’s a good warm up! The museum is one of the cities main attractions with hundreds of fascinating artifacts from the history of Reading and surrounds. Set in the Neo-Gothic Town Hall, the museum is free to enter and has many exhibitions both permanent and temporary to enjoy throughout the year.

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Museum of English Rural Life – 1.1 miles, 8 minutes

Wikimedia Commons – The Museum of English Rural Life

A slightly longer trip next with a stop at the Museum of English Rural Life. This fascinating museum gives an up close and personal look at the lives and routines of English people living in rural areas. They have a great selection of artefacts and objects used by farmers and families and show how things have changed so fast in the modern age. It’s an immersive experience that’s great for adults and children alike and their beautiful gardens alone are worth the trip.

Prospect Park – 2.2 miles, 14 min

Next a trip to the park for a leisurely cycle. Prospect Park is Reading largest open space and gets its name from the fine views across the Kennet Valley and beyond. It contains an impressive Mansion House which was originally built and inhabited by John Liebenrood in the 1800s and is now used as a restaurant and bar. If you don’t fancy visiting the mansion, bring a picnic and enjoy lunch al fresco while enjoying the parks natural flora and fauna,

Museum of Berkshire Aviation – 5 miles, 25 min

Wikimedia Commons – Berkshire Museum of Aviation

Now that you are well fuelled, take a longer cycle to another of Readings notable museums, this one outside of the city. The Museum of Berkshire Aviation is at the historic site of Woodley Airfield, which was once the centre of thriving aircraft industry. It contains some of the UK’s finest examples of aircraft, some of which were used in World Wars and has invaluable archives on site too.

Cycling is the United Kingdom is relatively easy, especially in Reading which is a reasonably bike-friendly city. If you’re planning on travelling to Reading soon, make sure you book accommodation that can accommodate you and your bike with ease. PREMIER SUITES Reading offers more space than a traditional hotel stays with the same standard of luxury you’ll have become used to. Make sure to book with our friendly reservations team or on our official website for access to our best available rates and special offers not available anywhere else.