Berkshire


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-nbsp">WHY?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Author Jerome K Jerome described Sonning in his book <em>Three Men In A Boat </em>as the most &#8216;fairy-like little nook on the whole river&#8217;. It&#8217;s picture book pretty and has the kind of riverside lustre Hollywood stars, rock legends, and ex-Prime Ministers love. We see you George and Amal Clooney, Jimmy Page, and Theresa May. Just don&#8217;t expect to find a property bargain. A poky cottage not much bigger than a London flat has a similar price tag.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/03/ADS_5661-Coppa-Sonning-snug-new.jpg" alt="coppa club great house sonning" class="wp-image-62609" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/03/ADS_5661-Coppa-Sonning-snug-new.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/03/ADS_5661-Coppa-Sonning-snug-new-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/03/ADS_5661-Coppa-Sonning-snug-new-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/03/ADS_5661-Coppa-Sonning-snug-new-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Something for everyone from hip hangouts to a cosy pub, Sonning caters for all. Sashay over to <a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/hotels-travel/great-house-sonning/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Coppa Club</a> and fight Amal Clooney for the last outside Insta-famous igloo in the sun. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VillageHamper" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Village Hamper</a> is a simple café selling delicious soups, sarnies, and cakes. On the opposite side of the river is <a href="https://www.thefrenchhorn.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The French Horn</a> – a traditional restaurant that&#8217;s a masterclass in classic French cookery. </p>



<p>If it&#8217;s a walk and pub kinda day, <a href="https://www.bullinnsonning.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bull Inn</a> in the centre of the village is the picture perfect English pub, loved by locals. Finally, <a href="https://millatsonning.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Mill at Sonning</a> is a theatre and restaurant. Tickets include a two-course meal and you can pop into the super-cool Waterwheel Bar – a fab place to grab a coffee, a cocktail or afternoon tea. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<p>To be honest, Sonning is not a shop-til-you-drop kinda place. Go four miles West and you&#8217;ll hit Reading where you can go wild in high street giants like John Lewis, M&amp;S, Zara, Next, H&amp;M, and Apple. For a boutique shopping experience you&#8217;re seven miles from Henley and its<strong> </strong>mix of national staples (Waitrose, Mint Velvet, Joules, Space NK) and independent brands –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fluidity-f2.com/">Fluidity</a>&nbsp;for designer fashion,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.brookhouseinteriors.com/">Brook House</a> for interiors,&nbsp;kids store <a href="https://www.tigersntiaras.co.uk/">Tigers &amp; Tiaras</a> and lifestyle shop <a href="https://www.calvertjones.co.uk/">Calvert Jones.</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/new-feel.jpg" alt="hilton skin clinic" class="wp-image-62066" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/new-feel.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/new-feel-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/new-feel-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/new-feel-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Hilton Skin Clinic</figcaption></figure>



<p>There&#8217;s a doctors surgery, but for all your other healthcare essentials, you&#8217;ll want to head to Caversham up the road where there&#8217;s a dentist, osteopath, chiropractor, and opticians. Also in Caversham, you&#8217;ll find Muddy fave <a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/lifestyle-2/wellbeing-lifestyle-2/review-hydrafacial-with-hilton-skin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hilton Skin Clinic</a> where skincare dreams come true, plus our national Muddy Award Winner <a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/lifestyle-2/wellbeing-lifestyle-2/review-glow-facial-with-rebalance-skin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rebalance Skin</a> whose facials and expertise are second to none. Nearby Woodley have nail salons and beauty clinics for the full wax works and TLC. For the Godfather of all spa days, look no further than <a href="https://nirvanaspa.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nirvana</a>, just 15 mins by car.</p>



<p>Get your sweat on at a number of gyms &#8211; all in striking distance from the village. There&#8217;s a nearby David Lloyd and <a href="https://debbiewyerpilates.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Debbie Wyer Pilates Studio</a> isn&#8217;t far. If you want to get out on the water, head to nearby The Swan at Streatley and join <a href="https://www.thesuplife.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SUP Life</a> for a paddleboarding session on The Thames or try your hand at SUP Yoga.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY </h2>



<p>If you love messing about on the river, you&#8217;ll love the annual Sonning Festival which takes place every other year. It&#8217;s basically a regatta with bells on. First-time rowers, local veterans, and Olympic and university Lycra wearers cross oars. There are kids tennis lesson, pond dipping, a scarecrow trail and more. Residents here take pride in their village, so there&#8217;s annual river and village clean ups too.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<p>You have a vineyard on the doorstep courtesy of <a aria-label="Stanlake Wine Estate (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.stanlakepark.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanlake Wine Estate</a> offering tours, a bar, and shop. Make a date to visit heritage homes like <a aria-label="Greys Court (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/greys-court" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greys Court</a> National Trust and <a aria-label="Stonor (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.stonor.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stonor</a>. The Museum of Berkshire Aviation isn&#8217;t far for a history lesson and nose at their jets, nor is the Reading Museum and Reading Abbey Ruins. Nature enthusiasts will love the reaps of walks right on the doorstep where you can glide along the riverside and have a nose at some of the village’s big houses – including the mansion owned by former Sonning resident Uri Geller.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/The-Mill-Auditorium-0389-1.jpg" alt="mill at sonning theatre" class="wp-image-62396" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/The-Mill-Auditorium-0389-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/The-Mill-Auditorium-0389-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/The-Mill-Auditorium-0389-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/The-Mill-Auditorium-0389-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Love theatre? Then you&#8217;ll be giddy to find the <a href="https://millatsonning.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mill at Sonning Theatre</a> on your doorstep. This converted watermill is now a boutique theatre with a packed programme of comedy and musical theatre, plus live music, magic, and talks. Don&#8217;t be surprised to see Brian Blessed and Debbie McGee in the audience (they&#8217;re huge supporters). Oh, and Hollywood hottie and Sonning resident George Clooney has been known to slip into the theatre to get his stage fix. Otherwise, Reading is your best bet for the big tour productions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-price">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE</h2>



<p>The best time to buy? Well, it could be now. House prices have dropped a whopping 41% in the past year, averaging £681,818. Detached houses cost an average of £794,167 and terraces went for around £656,667. However, for sought-after streets, you&#8217;re looking at £1.5m+. A river view? Even more.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property">HOT PROPERTY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/10/sonning-copy.jpg" alt="sonning houses for sale" class="wp-image-69281" style="aspect-ratio:1.4992503748125936;width:640px;height:auto" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/10/sonning-copy.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/10/sonning-copy-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/10/sonning-copy-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/10/sonning-copy-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">For your budding Andy Murray&#8217;s, this 4-bed <a href="https://www.knightfrank.com/properties/residential/for-sale/sonning-eye-berkshire-rg4/hot012283952" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">period home</a> in Sonning Eye, offers 2.5 acres of land and a tennis court. On the market with Knight Frank for £2.6m.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-schools">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p>Take your pick. Nearby all-through schools include co-ed <a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/reddam-house-wokingham/">Reddam House</a> and the impressive girls <a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/the-abbey-school-reading-berkshire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Abbey</a> in Reading. For young children, there&#8217;s <a aria-label="Caversham Prep (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.cavershamschool.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Caversham Prep</a>, <a aria-label="Waverley Prep (opens in a new tab)" href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/waverley-prep-wokingham/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Waverley Prep</a>, and <a href="https://www.lambrookschool.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lambrook</a>, if you don&#8217;t mind travelling a bit further. For teens, co-ed <a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/leighton-park-school-reading/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leighton Park</a> and <a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/queen-annes-caversham/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Anne&#8217;s Caversham</a> both have a stellar reputation. <a href="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/reading-blue-coat-sonning/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reading Blue Coat</a> is on your doorstep, 11-16 yrs with a Sixth Form and fully co-ed.</p>



<p>Sonning is also home to a good state <a href="https://www.sonning.wokingham.sch.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">C of E primary school</a> and in the next village is <a href="https://www.piggottschool.org">The Piggott School</a> – a cracking senior state school. You&#8217;re also in the zone for Reading&#8217;s top notch grammar schools – Reading School and Kendrick. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p>There&#8217;s no escaping Sonning&#8217;s spoon bending former resident. There&#8217;s a tribute to Uri Geller&nbsp;in the form of a&nbsp;bent girder&nbsp;found on the towpath. It was created by the Ehrlrich Brothers, claiming the girder was &#8216;<em>Bent</em>&nbsp;by the power of the mind&#8217;. Ummm, sure it was.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute">COMMUTE</h2>



<p>London bound? You can jump on at Wargrave train station, but you&#8217;re better off boarding at Twyford. It cuts your journey time to as little as 20 mins. A season ticket starts at £5,248. If you&#8217;re driving, London&#8217;s an hour down the M4 (traffic permitting).</p>



<p><em>View the full <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top 300 Best Places to Live</a></em></p>


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