Guide to walking in the Thames Valley, southern England

Walking in the Thames Valley offers 25 challenging circular walks around the River Thames and River Kennet in the south of England, taking in the Southern Chilterns, the Berkshire and North Hampshire Downs, Southern Oxfordshire and the eastern edge of Wiltshire. All routes are within easy reach of Reading, Newbury, Abingdon and London.

Activities

Walking, backpacking

Seasons

Spring and autumn offer the best walking conditions and clearer skies. In winter some paths may become impassable after heavy rain due to flooding, especially along the Thames.

Centres

Reading, Newbury, Abingdon, London

Difficulty

Walks range from 10 to 18 miles, with one 26-mile, 2-day option, all on good paths. Many routes also have shorter options.

Must See

The Chilterns and North Wessex Downs Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the World Heritage Site at Avebury, the Uffington White Horse, lots of cosy pubs and ancient churches

Walking in the Thames Valley

Author

Steve Davison

Cover

Paperback - Laminated

Edition

First

Published

11 Nov 2008

ISBN_13

9781852845704

Availability

Published

Price £12.00

Walking in the Thames Valley offers 25 challenging circular walks around the River Thames and River Kennet in the south of England, taking in the Southern Chilterns, the Berkshire and North Hampshire Downs, Southern Oxfordshire and the eastern edge of Wiltshire. All routes are within easy reach of Reading, Newbury, Abingdon and London.

While some walks visit Iron Age hill forts, others pass more modern features such as Wilton Windmill and the Kennet and Avon Canal. Some follow sections of the Ridgeway, while others meander along the banks of the Thames. What they all have in common is that they take the keen rambler to some of the best parts of the Thames Valley – a patchwork of open chalk grassland, broadleaved woodland and farmland and home to two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

•     walks from 10 to 18 miles, including one 2-day route
•     shorter, less strenuous alternatives for many of the walks
•     detailed route descriptions with information on local points of interest, OS mapping and vibrant colour photographs