Berkshire

West Berkshire, famous for the open expanse of the high chalk Berkshire Downs, provides invigorating walking with freedom, space and wide vistas. The Ridgeway National Trail, an ancient path dating back to iron age times, provides a good route from which to explore the Downs and their facinating history. Notable sites include the Iron Age hill fort at Segsbury Camp, remains of the mysterious Grim's Ditch and the burial mound of Scutchamer Knob as well as bronze age barrows and Roman field systems. Lambourn, home to some of England's finest thoroughbred horses, is a good base from which to visit many of these pre-historic sites, including The Seven Barrows just to the north. You can follow the Ridgeway east across North Berkshire via East Ilsley, Compton, Aldworth and Streatley, following in the footsteps of neolithic ramblers.

Further south the landscape falls from grassy chalk downs, through birch and oak woodland and across commons to the Kennet Valley. Here the countryside is soft and tranquil with green meadows edged with willow. This is a more populated area dominated by the historic market town of Newbury, with the Kennet and Avon canal running through its centre. Newbury has a special claim to historic fame as being the location for two important battles in the Civil War. Donnington Castle, not far north of the town, was beseiged during the War for nearly two years during which time Oliver Cromwell's forces destroyed much of the castle, although the royalist Sir John Boys held out. Only the 14th century Gatehouse remains, which can be visited in a walk from Snelsmore Common Country Park, returning via the picturesque Watermill Theatre on the river Lambourne. A relaxing day can be spent walking along part of the Kennet and Avon Canal discovering some of the villages and open countryside of the area and enjoying lunch at one of the canal-side pubs. For example take a circular route such as one from Woolhampton and including Midgham.

South of the Kennet Valley the chalk escarpment rises again to new heights, reaching nearly 1,000ft. at Inkpen Hill and nearby Walbury Hill. From here there are spectacular views across the Kennet Valley, but they would not have been appreciated by felons hanging from Combe Gibbet, the grisly landmark used to hang highwaymen in earlier times. From Inkpen Beacon the Wayfarer's Walk heads south into Hampshire.

East Berkshire, from Reading to Windsor, is a landscape in which the River Thames features prominantly. Here the mature river has a beauty and stature worthy of its destination, flowing through the nation's capital. Walking a part of the Thames Path National Trail past pleasant meadows, beechwoods, locks and weirs is relaxing and interesting. Cookham is especially charming, with its lock set among woods and attractive backwaters, and its village green surrounded by pretty houses. The hanging beechwoods of Clivedon Reach nearby crowd the waters edge and are magnificent in autumn.

South of the River Thames Windsor Great Park and adjacent Windsor Forest offer lovely scenery and walking opportunities. Near Wokingham the Finchampstead Ridges (NT) provide splendid walking with views over Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey, with heath, woodland and the Blackwater Valley. Bradenham and West Wycombe are good centres for walking through some of the beautiful local beechwods.

Long Distance Paths Traversing Berkshire
Kennet and Avon Walk
Ridgway National Trail
Thames Path National Trail
Three Castles Path

	Guide Books: [For further information or to purchase]
	Walking in Berkshire by: Robert Wilson. The south Berkshire pinewoods and heathland, the peaceful rural Thames between Cookham and Streatley, the majestic Downs and the tranquil Kennet and Avon Canal, together with some remote villages are all explored through these routes. The guide contains full colour OS based maps and numerous photographs. The walk locations are: Windsor and Eton; Windsor Great Park; The Look Out, Swinley Forest; Finchampstead Ridges; Cookham; Remenham Hill; Wargrave and Bowsey Hill; Pangbourne; Streatley; Stratfield Mortimer and the Devil's Highway; Padworth; Bucklebury; Donnington Castle; The Ridgeway; Farnborough and Leckhampstead; Lambourn Downs; Kintbury and Hungerford; Kintbury and Hamstead Marshall; Inkpen.
	Village Walks in Berkshire by: Berkshire Federation of Women's Institutes. Berkshire's villages and countryside have a rich heritage of ancient manor houses, farms, cottages, parish churches, rivers and footpaths. The twenty five routes in this newly revised and updated book introduce the walker to some of the prettiest villages in the county including Holyport, Cookham, Chapel Row, Boxford and Aldworth. Each walk instruction also includes details on how to get to the start, where to park and what there is to see en route. There are suggestions about where to get food and drink nearby and brief notes on the history of the area. The routes vary in length from 3 to 7 miles.
	50 Walks in Berkshire & Buckinghamshire by: Nick Channer. Includes 50 themed walks of between 2 and 10 miles. There are clear, easy-to-follow route descriptions, including detailed sketch maps, for every walk. The walk locations include: Buckinghamshire - Stowe; Milton Keynes; Bletchley Park; Fenny Stratford; Addington; The Claydons; Mentmore; Quainton; Ivinghoe Beacon; Brill; Hartwell; Chequers; Coombe Hill; Chesham; Chalfont St Giles; West Wycombe; Turville; Hambleden; Marlow; Burnham Beeches; Stoke Poges; Dorney; Eton Wick. Berkshire - Windsor; Sunningdale; Windsor Great Park; Maidenhead Thicket; Cookham; Wargrave; Dinton Pastures; Wokingham; Finchampstead; Reading; Pangbourne; Frilsham; Stanford Dingley; Brimpton; Hermitage; Donnington Castle; Greenham; Farnborough; Chaddelworth; Combe Gibbet; Enborne.
	100 Walks in Oxfordshire and Berkshire compiled by: Les Maple. An omnibus of local walks covering the whole of Oxfordshire and Berkshire, with about two thirds in Oxfordshire and one third in Berkshire. All areas of both counties are covered so no matter where you find yourself, a walk in this book will not be far away. The walks vary in length from 2 to 12 miles, the majority being in the 4/6 mile range. They are listed in the contents by length, making it easy to find routes that suit your circumstances. In addition to the route descriptions, details are given of points of interest along the way, places to eat and drink and where to park the car. Sketch maps and route descriptions are on facing pages.
	Rambling Around Reading - 1st Series by: David Bounds. A practical guide to over 100 miles of easy walking all within a seven mile radius of Reading. Twenty four circular walks are included, mostly between 3 and 4 miles, through the beautiful countryside of Berkshire, Oxfordshire and north Hampshire. This guide is one of the 'Rambling for Pleasure' series published by the East Berkshire Ramblers' Association Group. All these guides produced to very high standards with clear accurate route descriptions, excellent quality coloured mapping and a full colour illustration for each walk.
	Rambling Around Reading - 2nd Series by: David Bounds. A further 100 miles of easy walking all within an eight mile radius of Reading. Twenty four circular walks are included, mostly between 4 and 5 miles, through the beautiful countryside of Berkshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire. Walking locations include Gillsmithers Wood and Drawback Hill, Rotherfield Greys and Stony Bottom, Highland Wood and Walk Shaw, Whitchurch Hill and Boze Down, Ufton Green and Padworth House, Devil's Highway and Beech Hill, Swallowfield Park and Thatcher's Ford, Theal Lake and Whitehouse Green, Lower Shiplake and the Lock, plus many others.
	Rambling in East Berkshire by: David Bounds. A practical guide to over 125 miles of easy walking across the eastern side of the Royal County. Twenty four circular routes, of average distance 5 miles, from the hillsides above the Thames at Wargrave and Cookham, to the glades of Windsor Great Park and Finchampstead Ridges. Walking locations include Cookhamdean Common and Bisham Woods, Woolley Green and Shottesbrooke, Littlewick Green and Prospect Hill, Ashley Hill and Dewdrop Inn, High Knowl Wood and Penny's Lane, Rebecca's Well and Bottom Boles Wood, monks Alley and Orange Hill, Virginia Water and Coworth Park, Round Hill and Caesar's Camp, Woodcray Manor and Sand Martins, plus many more.
	Rambling along the Thames by: David Bounds. A practical guide to over 100 miles of easy walking. Twenty four circular walks varying from 3 to 6 miles with the opportunity to sample England's most famous and historic river everytime. This guide is one of the 'Rambling for Pleasure' series published by the East Berkshire Ramblers' Association Group. Walking locations include Coopers Hill and Runnymede, Colne Brook and Ankerwycke Estate, Romney Lock and Eton College, Brunel Bridge and Bray Village, Wildbrook Common and Cliveden Reach, Little Marlow and Riverwoods, Cookham Dean and Winter Hill, Hurley Lock and Temple Park, Culham Court and Henley Reach, Remenham Wood and Mill End, plus many more.
	Kennet Valley and Watership Down by: David Bounds. This guide is a carefully planned and thoroughly researched footpath guide, exploring the hidden countryside between Reading, Newbury and Basingstoke. There are twenty four walks varying between 3 and 7 miles. Walking locations include Padworth Lock and Jacob's Gully, Bucklebury Common and Jennettshill Wood, The Slade and Bucklebury Village, Box Wood and Grimsbury Castle, Speen Moor and Hamstead Park, Newtown Common and Horris Hill, Watership Down and Cottington's Hill, River Enborne and Huntsmoor Hill, Baughurst and Ashford Hill Meadows, plus many more.
	Thames Valley and Chilterns by: David Bounds A thoroughly researched footpath guide containing twenty four delightful walks exploring the River Thames Valley and the Chilterns in Oxfordshire and Berkshire. The routes, mostly linear, through attractive countryside are about 7.5 miles long on average all with a frequent and reliable train or bus return journey. Walking locations include Windsor and Datchet, Slough to Cookham, Furze Platt to Bourne End, Twyford to Marlow, Marlow to Henley, Reading to Pangbourne, Pangbourne to Goring, Cholsey to Goring via Chilterns or Berkshire Downs, Didcot to Appleford, Clifton Hampden to Shillingford, plus many others.
	Waterside Walks in Berkshire by Nick Channer. The 20 circular routes in this book are all between 2.5 and 7 miles in length. They take the walker part of the way along the banks of these waterways and through some of the most beautiful countryside in Berkshire. There is also a seperate section about places of interest to visit nearby such as Wyld Court Rainforest, the Look Out Discovery Park, the Courage Shire Horse Centre, Windsor Castle and the Berkshire museum of aviation. The walk locations are: Eastbury; Hungerford; Boxford; Hampstead Park; Thatcham; Brimpton; Reading; Stanford Dingley; Bradfield; Basildon; Theale; Mortimer; Thatcher's Ford; Horseshoe Lake; Virginia Water; Eton; Cookham; Hurley; Hambleden Lock; Dinton Pastures Country Park.
	Pub Strolls in Berkshire by: Nick Channer. The thirty walks in this all-colour guide combine some of the most beautiful scenery in Berkshire with the opportunity to enjoy a meal and a drink in a good local pub. The strolls are between 2 and 5 miles in length and are suitable for families and all age groups. The full walk locations are: Sunningdale; Windsor; Holyport; Hurley; Aston; Crazies Hill; Waltham St Lawrence; Wokingham; Barkham; Finchampstead; Gardeners Green; Farley Hill; Mortimer; Aldermaston; Pangbourne; Streatley; Aldworth; Hampstead Norreys; Stanford Dingley; Beenham; East Ilsley; Bagnor; Chaddleworth; Boxford; Wickham; Great Shefford; Eastbury; Inkpen; Kintbury; wash Common.
	Chilterns & Ridgeway Rambler's Guide by: Martin Andrew. Thirty walks are described and illustrated. Locations include: Marlborough Downs - West Kennett; West Overton and Fyfield; Avebury Stone Circles; The Ogbournes; Liddington Castle and Bishopstone; Berkshire Downs; Uffington and the White Horse; Kingston Lisle; The Letcombes and Wantage; The Ilsleys; Blewburton Hill to Lowbury Hill; Goring, the Thames and the eastern Berkshire Downs. The Chilterns - North Stoke and Ipsden; Wallingford; Nuffield and Grim's Ditch; Britwell Salome and Swyncombe; Watlington; Stokenchurch; Bledlow and Radnage; Princes Risborough; Monks Risborough and Whiteleaf Cross; Beacon Hill and Chequers; The Hampdens; The Lee; Wendover and Halton; Cholesbury and St Leonards; Tring and the Grand Union Canal; Aldbury; Ivinghoe and Pitstone Hill.
	Walking in the Chilterns by: Duncan Unsworth. The Chilterns are designated an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). The grandeur of a dramatic scarp along the north-west edge contrasts with landscape of a more intimate nature; woods, hedge-rows, deep valleys and charming villages. Using some of a network of nearly 1,000 miles of footpaths and bridleways, this guide describes thirty-five walks in the area. The routes are mainly half day or gentle full day outings, designed to take in the best of the Chiltern landscape and to visit historical curiosities. A general introduction outlines geology, history and natural history of the area, and many more details about things of interest are given within each walk description. Sketch maps are included and the book is illustrated.