River around Reading/Swindon area - help please.

Chaps,

Planning to meet a mate around this area on the evening of the 15th in preparation of chucking in at midnight. I live on the Isle of Wight and he's in Warwickshire - so Reading-ish seems middle distance for both of us... although he never figures in the fact I have to get a ferry, the miserable sod

Anyway, the point is it's a heck of a journey for a day's fishing so to give us as much time in the water as possible I wanted to ask advice re which river to plump for and any day-ticket stretches...or free ones? (preferably and critically with a cheap b&b or a caravan site... or a pub with rooms above?)

We're primarily barbel/chub anglers however as it's a social and a rare chance to meet up we're more interested in getting a few dips in the rod.

Any help would be very much appreciated..
Cheers,
Gus

Reading Prom is free fishing, where the Kennet joins the Thames. Yu can get day ticket fishing on the Kennet at Aldermaston, at the Old Mill Hotel.

There are probably other day ticket bits of the Kennet bu I do not know them.

Most of the RDAA's Kennet river and canal sections are available on a generic day ticket, Pm me for contact details about getting one via post if you are interested.