Help me plan my stay in Reading, UK!

March 5, 2013 7:59 PM

Mr. msmanners is being sent to the UK for 2-3 months and he's bringing me and the kids. We're staying in Reading and he's commuting to Newbury. Help us figure this out. We leave in 1 week, my head is spinning!

With 2 kids under 4, it's been recommended we stay in Reading instead of Newbury as there is more to see and do and it's closer to London. But Newbury is an option - is it worth considering?
Where would be the best areas to stay in Reading? Somewhere central that's walkable with activities for the kids nearby and highway access for his commute. Safe and quiet at night would be nice as well.
My husband's expenses will be covered by his work, but not for myself or the kids. We'll be in an extended stay apartment with a kitchen, so how much should I budget for weekly groceries plus the occasional dinner out?
I was thinking of heading into London by train frequently but fell out of my chair when I saw the cost! And the kids were free! Are there more economical passes I can buy or is renting a car a better option?
At home we like to get around on our bicycles, is Reading a cycling friendly town? Are there any bike rentals or do I have to purchase a bike or ship mine from home?
I've heard that admission is free to museums, galleries and such. If that's not the case (or there are hidden costs) what can I expect to pay to take my kids for frequent adventures?
Bonus for weekend daytrip recommendations outside of London.

Any information is greatly appreciated.

posted by msmanners to travel & transportation around Reading, England (12 answers total)

Replying because there are no others so far ... what little I know is from when I worked in Newbury over 20 years ago. It is (was) quite a small town, and although it's quite pleasant you may well find more to do with kids in Reading. On the other hand, ages two and four don't need much more than Newbury has, and it would be more convenient for you as a family. I don't know enough about Reading to advise about bikes or areas to live.
Yes, museums and galleries are (were) all free.
Train service between Newbury and London is fast; I lived in London and commuted daily. Costs have changed greatly since I was there but passes are cheaper, and pre-booked tickets less expensive than standard fares.
Don't go to London by car; if you get to London you don't want to have to park there, nor do you want to pay the fees to take a car into the city; traveling around London is best done by bus and underground.
Visit Oxford, if the weather is suitable rent a punt and spend a day on the river, visit Stonehenge, visit country pubs and little villages.
Do rent a car for trips around and about, just not London - but car rental costs are higher than in the US.

I hope someone with more recent knowledge will give you better details.
posted by anadem at 9:04 PM on March 5

I commuted to Reading from London for a short period last year. You do get better deals if you book ahead, when I commuted from Milton Keynes I got tickets two months in advance if I wasn't planning on getting a season pass. also look out for deals, sometimes train companies have specials on off peak tickets during school holidays etc. There are also 2 for 1 deals with your train ticket for some London attractions to look into.

Look into the trainline website which allows you to buy a travelcard for getting around London, or Plus Bus if you are going somewhere else.

Day trips, Bath or Oxford might be easy from Reading. The south west part of the country is really pretty and there are a lot of places I'd like to go like Salisbury and Exeter. Charmouth is great for fossil hunting if the kids are into it. This is the time if year to go as winter weather exposes more fossils. Lyme Regis is nice too.

As for Museums and galleries, yes the main ones are free. I used to pop into the National Gallery and just look at one painting in my lunch hour when I worked near Trafalgar square. You do pay for entry to special exhibitions. If it's popular tickets go fast so again book early. Be prepared for queues at the Natural History museum to see the dinosaurs.

Its a bit out of your way but I love the Museum of London. I would add this to the list of places to check out.

I commute by boat every day on the Thames clipper. This is not for tourists, you would need to bring your own guide book, but I think its a fantastic way to see the city. Take the kids up to Greenwich. There's the park, the Cutty Sark and the market. One of my favourite London parks is Richmond Park, loads of deer, huge park, you almost forget you're in London. Haven't been to Kew yet, but hear its lovely. You do have to pay for admission for that one.

UK train fares are the steepest in Europe. Especially London. When I commuted to London I spent more on my season ticket than I did rent. Each year the fares go up above inflation rates and each year I'm shocked there isn't a revolution.just a week of grumbling in the Metro and then business as usual. You just end up accepting it in the end.
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 11:02 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

My mum lives in Newbury, and my sister in London (I live in Portland, Oregon, for info on where my perspective is coming from).

Newbury is a cute little town, and I find the center quite walkable. Haven't spent a ton of time there since my mum moved, but Reading definitely seems more "happening", plus the university is there so there seems to be more cultural experiences. It's worth noting though, that my mum walks home for lunch every day, so if you could find a place to live in Newbury it might be nice to have your husband a bit closer. Traffic in that whole area can be a real pain at times, and a 'short' commute home can take longer than one would expect!

The train to London does seem expensive as an American visiting (but then so does everything!) I found it was cheaper, day of, to buy a 'return ticket' rather than two one ways on separate days. All museums and galleries, as anadem notes, are all free*, which takes the sting out a bit. Definitely don't drive into London if you can help it. Gas ("petrol") is expensive, and there isn't such a thing as free parking. If you must drive into London, find a cheaper car park and leave your car there all day, so you can take the tube and busses around the city. The tube is easier to get the grasp of and more user-friendly, but the buses are cheaper and I really like riding on the top deck Worth the bit of extra effort and time to save a few quid, in my opinion.

Fun things in/around the area:

-- Downton Abbey is filmed at Highclere Castle in (/near) Newbury, so if you haven't caught up yet, do it! You can visit the gardens year round (I believe) and during certain seasons you can visit the inside, too.

-- Donnington Castle is a fun (and small) castle ruins in Newbury to explore; I loved exploring castles when I was younger (and to be honest, I still do!)

-- Stonehenge is a bit further (an all day or one-night trip), but worth it. There are tours you can book that will take you there in a coach (giant tour bus) and pay for your entry - or you could just rent a car and have a bit more freedom.*

-- Scotland is amazing, so if you can make up there with the whole family for a weekend, I highly recommend it!

--"History of the World in 100 Objects" is an awesome podcast/book, and all of the items are on display in the British Museum. I really enjoyed reading the book and then visiting the museum to see all the items!

-- as BAKERSFIELD! notes, the parks in London are great

-- I loved touristy London stuff when we used to visit when I was small.

-- If you're into the theater, there are lots of great drama schools in London that put on reasonably priced shows, and are quite good - if you can't afford West End tickets every weekend!

--the Watermill is a nice local theater in Newbury that my mum loves (never been myself but almost every week she's telling me some show she went to there, so it must be half-decent)

Will come back if I think of more information..

* London Museums and Galleries are free (with the exception of special exhibits, etc), but a lot of the English Heritage stuff does have a fee. I'd say it's worth checking out the things in your area, though!
posted by girlalex at 11:13 PM on March 5

About weekly groceries: In my personal opinion, groceries in the UK are more affordable than in the US... some people argue with me on this, so perhaps it boils down to personal diet etc. but I always spent a lot less in England....But here are some prices on the things that I routinely bought at Tescos...

Liter of Milk: 90p
6 nice eggs: £2 apx.
White Bread: £1.50
Store Brand Cookies: 39p and up
2 lovely nice steaks: £11
2 Chicken Breasts: £3-4
Ken Hom's Green Thai Curry: 2 for £5 (yum yum yum!)
2 Salmon Fillets: £4.50
Broccoli Head: £1
Cauliflower: £1.50
Roast Chicken: £5
Breakfast Cereal: £1.50-£5
Linda McCartney Veggie Sausages: £2
Large bag of pistachios: £1.80
posted by misspony at 11:25 PM on March 5

Oh yes, one more tip: having had lunch in St James park every other day last year ( except of course over the summer when it was closed for the Olympics - we all sat on the grass on traffic islands for lunch for a few months there) I can tell you it is awash with tourists, usually teenagers from Europe taunting various birds which is both highly original and hilarious. Ahem. We discovered there was far less of that mularky on the Birdcage side of the lake as they all tended to torture the animals on The Mall side.

You're also far less likely to have some scared creature flap in your face or poop in terror on you or your sandwich.
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 11:29 PM on March 5

If you have a two under 4 year olds supermarket shopping is probably not a thing you're going to find fun - Sainsburies and Tescos both do online ordering and delivery (and you can look now to get some idea of costs and budget for a weekly shop).

I'd definitely go for Newbury - it's a nice little town and with children that age Reading isn't likely to offer you much more. Newbury is reasonably bike friendly (Reading not so much).

Day trips could include Oxford (dinosaurs and shrunken heads, dodos and Alice), London (science museum, London eye, etc), Stonehenge, Cotswold wildlife park, legoland

Most museums and galleries have free entry, and most are very reachable by public transport. However most will have, very expensive, cafes attached - bring your own food and water to make it cheaper.

3 months is a relatively long time to spend without your usual social circles and without your usual childcare. Wherever you end up going it might be worth looking for local playground (shared childcare with an opportunity to meet other parents), and other childcare options. Significantly less people in the UK go to church, or use churches as a default social option than in the US, and thinking about ways to meet people may help - and may help with outing ideas as locals with same age children will have good ideas.
posted by Gilgongo at 11:44 PM on March 5 [1 favorite]

Check out Kids in Museums, which will fill you in on museum and gallery activities for families across the country - they have a very active twitter feed, too.
London Walks has guided walks all over London during the week and on weekends. In London, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, The British Museum, The Museum of London, the Geffrye, and the Museum of Childhood all have great activities for kids: check the sites for listings. The BM, in particular, is something you should schedule 3-4 day visits for and make sure you get involved in whatever little-kids activities are going.

Keep in mind that in many cases, you will be looking at parent-and-child activities at the museum - very few activities other than toddler groups are open to kids under 4. Also be aware of differences in language: a "playgroup" or "toddler group" or 'nursery" in England is usually a form of childcare, rather than an activity: you will not have access to a lot of those, as they are usually over-subscribed and intended for local parents. Many activities for young children are run by the NCT, but these may not be an option for you: the NCT is mostly a childbirth group, and parents with toddlers who are involved are usually those who stayed linked up to their new-mums groups. They can also, depending on the group, take views on childrearing and birth you may not be comfortable with.

If there are mum-and-baby classes where you are, these might be great ways to meet people with kids the same age, and very welcoming. Monkey Music, which toddler-Wylla LOVES, runs classes in both Reading and Newbury. Like many things on a term struture, they might be willing to be more flexible than normal because of your short stay.

Mumsnet and Netmums have their issues, but if you don't get dragged into the gossip-fests, they can have useful advice on kids things. Both have local sites for Reading and (I think) Newbury.
posted by Wylla at 1:40 AM on March 6 [1 favorite]

The price of trains on that Reading route is shocking; they are priced at £17.10 single because the alternative is to drive and then you would have to pay parking and London congestion charge. Look for the off-peak return but that is still £25 return. But, try the bus, it is not that bad and is a fiver. Search "Megabus". I am guessing when you arrive you will be coming into Heathrow. Dont join the rest heading into London on the Heathrow Express and then a train to Reading, get the dedicated coach Heathrow/Reading seach "railair". No matter how little you are in London buy a pre-paid Oyster card at a metro station as it is far cheaper to use the tube with the card rather than cash ticket every time.

I think Reading is a dump, I would pick Newbury every time, especially for a young family. And especially, as it means a shorter commute for your other half meaning he will be back sooner and be able to help with the children. Have a little google street view and you will see what I mean.
posted by priorpark17 at 5:55 AM on March 6 [2 favorites]

Yeah, as a London-dweller desperate for greenery, I think Newbury and its surroundings are amazingly beautiful. I don't know what your current location is, but as a kid I much preferred running and playing in green places.

Get an Ordnance Survey map (or the app) as soon as you get there; they are very detailed maps that show where the public rights-of-way are. These are paths that anyone can walk (and sometimes ride) along, no matter whose land they cross. Many of them are signposted. You'll find many walkers out on them at weekends.

Walks near Newbury - page of links to free PDFs
posted by Pallas Athena at 10:59 AM on March 6

A friend visited Reading last week. He said it was horrible. Apparently, some departments of the university are world class, at that was why he was there, but he felt sorry for everyone forced to live there.
posted by mumimor at 11:04 AM on March 6

I was at Reading U. in 1992, and I took a lot of day trips into London. Of course, it was cheaper then: only like £8 round-trip (with full use of the Tube), so I did it as often as possible with off-peak trips back out.
posted by wenestvedt at 11:44 AM on March 6

Thanks for the information everyone! We've decided to stay in Newbury, as suggested. Now if only we could get our railpass sorted out. It seems like you need a phd to select the best option/price. :-)
posted by msmanners at 1:51 PM on March 14