Reading is a large town in Berkshire, South England. It is pronounced as Redding and not ‘Reeding’ and is surrounded by River Thames and River Kennet. The Reading became a settlement way back in the 8th century and was an important town for trading in the period of medieval and Tudor. The town is now famous as a commercial center and has many industries like information technology, insurance, and biopharma but was historically known for its ‘3B’s’ which was Bulbs, Biscuits, and Beer. The Reading was declared as the top-ranked place for economic well-being and success due to its great employment opportunities. It is also the largest town in the UK without the city status and has a population of 318014 as of 2011 census.
Apart from Reading being a commercial and retail center it has many tourist attractions including the medieval abbey ruins, Thames countryside and much more. The best way to visit these places is using TravelCar which is a popular car rental in Reading.
Cars at Affordable Prices
TravelCar provides cars to travelers at highly affordable prices and that helps customers travel and explore the city better without worrying about the transport costs. Moreover, there is no compromise on the quality of the cars, they offer high-quality vehicles with all the necessary features. TravelCar offers great deals and discounts on all types of vehicles making it the most sought in budget car hire Reading. The pricing they offer is all-inclusive and there are no hidden charges and thus providing great value for money.
Car Sharing
People on vacation park their cars in parking lots costing them quite a lot of money. TravelCar’s car sharing option helps such people where the parked car earns money for them. Customers can list their car to be rented by the company to their trusted customers. The owner of the car gets paid based on the number of miles driven by the TravelCar client, thus the owner instead of paying money for parking cars in an airport or other locations earns money renting the car to the company. Additionally, the owner of the car can avail discounts and offers on rental cars in the city of travel.
Excellent Customer Service
The company has a dedicated 247 customer service to help with the booking or answer queries. Apart from a short wait time for booking or cancellation, they provide precise answers to your queries. The executives are friendly and knowledgeable and the booking process is seamless and transparent. They help you get the best deals for cheap car rental Reading based on your travel dates and plans. The customer service ensures that car hire in Reading Berkshire UK is quick.
Simple Booking Process:
Car hire Reading station or at the airport is simple. The process of booking a vehicle is simple and you can choose online booking or through phone support. Booking online is quick as the interface is crisp and clear and the whole process can be completed in a few clicks. The registration process is also simple and there is no need to fill unnecessary details making it very hassle-free. There are many payment options to choose from and the payment gateway is secure and so is the customer data.
Insurance
Travelers need not worry about insurance when they car hire Reading Berkshire UK through TravelCar. They offer many insurance packages and one can choose based on the requirements. Customers who have opted the car share option of TravelCar are assured as the car is thoroughly inspected before and after renting so that the car is in the same condition. For others, there is a comprehensive package that covers damage and theft with an insurance cover of up to $ 1 million which includes third-party claims. The customer service provides assistance in case of claims.
Value-added Service
TravelCar offers value-added services like pick up and drop off points at convenient locations including the airport and train stations. At pickup points, the TravelCar agent helps the customer pick the vehicle after verifying the profile and reservation details thus ensuring smooth hand-over.
TravelCar offers a wide range of vehicles from a luxury car hire in UK to a budget car, and one can choose based on the type of travel.
Compact Cars: They come in 2 or 4 door variety and offers the best mileage. Small, economy and sub-compact cars belong to this category which is good for a solo or a small family.
Mid-size cars: Offers more luggage space than the compact cars but is low on mileage. They offer comfortable seating and is suitable for a group of 4 or 5 people.
Full-size cars: Has more storage space with enough leg room and comfortable seating.
Luxury cars: TravelCar offers the best luxury car hire in UK where you can travel in style. It offers very low mileage and is for people who are looking for style and comfort rather than the economy.
Reading has many attractions like the ruins of the medieval abbey, the greenery surrounding the Thames Valley, shopping centers, restaurants and more.
Reading Museum
The reading museum has displays of the past from the Saxon settlement, Medieval Abbey and the 21st century. A gallery of the artifacts of bronze eagle done in the 1st century and was found in 1866 is on display. It also has excavated pieces from Reading Abbey and a copy of the Bayeux Tapestry. The Window’s gallery in the Reading museum houses the artwork of Jacob Epstein, Auguste Rodin and many more. You can also see the Gallery of Huntley and Palmers which depicts the biscuit industry's growth in Victorian times.
Forbury Gardens
Forbury Gardens is a public park close to the railway station. This park was once an open space in the Reading Abbey and after its dissolution, it was used to store guns in the Napoleon era and during the civil war. Somewhere in the 19th century, a huge monument of the Maiwand Lion was installed as a mark of respect to the martyrs of the 66th Berkshire Regiment. It later became a public park and now has a lot of crowd wanting some green space. It has ample lawn space and also a bandstand which attracts office goers at lunchtime.
Abbey Ruins
The Reading Abbey ruins lie to the south of the Forbury Gardens and are surrounded by modern commercial buildings. According to historians, Henry VIII in 1538 suppressed the abbey and dissolved the monasteries. He also ordered Hugh Cook Farington to be hanged and thereafter not used. These ruins are now Grade 1 listed and have not been used for more than 500 years. Entry to the chapter house is allowed. The ruins contain a pilgrim’s dormitory which is now a nursery for children and the Gothic style Abbey gateway was also restored.
Mable Durham House
This Elizabethan house was built in 1585 and has been recently refurbished. It lies very close to the Thames River and offers weekday tours. Inside the house lies many wondrous things one of them is the priest hole built in the 16th century to hide clergies. There is also the Mapledurham Hill built in 1400’s and altered over time, this place was a flour mill till the World War II and is in working condition. The house produced and sells energy to the National grid and used the hydroelectric turbine to generate it. There is also St Margaret’s church and a cafe that serves scones freshly baked there.
Kennet and Avon Cannon Walk
It was built between 1718 and 1810; this long waterway was used to transport coal and stones to London from Somerset. It is lined by trees of chestnut and is busy with visitors during summer. This canal towpath attracts a lot of swans and geese and also houses a prison of yesteryear. Towards the east of this waterway is Village Sonning which has the sailing club of Reading with pubs and cafes.
Berkshire aviation Museum
The main attraction of this museum is the aircraft that was in operation in the early 20th century. The other unique exhibits are the jet trainer, jet Gyrodyne, target tug of WW II and a Miles martinet. Apart from that, it has machines manufactured and assembled by Miles Aircraft and anti-submarine bomber called Fairney Gannet and airliner Handley Page. This museum is open on weekends and Wednesdays.
Beale Wildlife Park and gardens
Opened in the year 1956 this zoo is a mix of many things which includes gardens, animal exhibits and an amusement park for kids. This zoo has a barn and snowy owls, macaws, caracaras and more. There are enclosures of alpacas, meerkats, Cameroon sheep, and wallabies.
There is a lot of entertainment for kids with a play area, water garden, and miniature train.
Reading considered as a commercial place has a lot to offer for tourists.
Ascot Racecourse
This famous English racecourse is situated in the town of Ascot. It is renowned for the horse racing of its thoroughbred and is among the leading racecourses in the UK. It is near the Windsor Castle and thus its association with the Royal family of Britain. Visitors can travel to this racecourse hiring a car from TravelCar and can find enough parking space or can take the South West train from reading to Ascot.
Dinton Pastures
Enjoy nature’s beauty at its best at Dinton Pastures. It is a 450-acre green space with many lakes, bird hides and meadows. This award-winning play space has something for everybody who visits it. There are many activities that you can book yourselves in or relax in the park. They have kayaking, canoeing, sailing, fishing boat hire and much more along with having a golf course. Use the south-west trains or the Great Western railways and get off Winnersh, if you are driving then it is 30 minutes’ drive from Reading. Enter RG10 0TH on the satnav to reach here.
The Oracle
Experience shopping like never before at the Oracle. There are stores like the Higo Boss, Kiko Milano, House of Fraser and much more. It is also a place for great dining with riverside cafes, restaurants, and bars. Summer is the best time to visit this place where you can sit and relax by the riverside. During winter, they put up the biggest Christmas tree of the Thames Valley.
You can get here by car using Satnav RG1 2LR, RG1 2AG and by train using the Reading’s train station which is a 5-minute walk.
Legoland
This place is a must-visit for kids and adults alike. This resort has many rides and attractions which includes flying through treetops, escaping dragons, underwater adventure, Star Wars display and much more.
To get to Legoland by car use the Windsor-Ascot road and is a few miles from the Windsor town center. Take the London-Paddington Great Western Railway or the London-Waterloo South West train and then alight the shuttle bus to the park.
Windsor castle
If you are in this area, then it's a must-visit as you can get a bird’s eye view of the city from the Windsor castle. It is the oldest and the largest castle which is still occupied and is the residence of the Queen. There is no car parking for visitors, and hence it is best to use public transport. The train station which is close to this castle is the Windsor-Eton Central or the Windsor-Eton Riverside.
Driving in the UK can be challenging- you need to drive on the left side of the road. The traffic is pretty slow in peak hours. As a visitor to the town of Reading it is essential that you carry your insurance, ID and driving license during the times you drive a car. Insurance is valid only for a year from the date of the last visit to the UK.
The speed limit for vehicles are
| Undivided Roads | 60mph |
| Motorways and dual-carriageways | 70mph |
| Urban roads | 30mph |
| Schools, residential areas | 20mph |
Texting and driving is a punishable offense and so is parking in unmarked ones. Wearing seatbelts is mandatory for drivers and all passengers of the car.
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