Walking in the Thames Valley

Walking in the Thames Valley describes 25 adventurous day walks in the area covering the North Hampshire Downs, Berkshire and the Southern Chilterns with easy access to London and Reading. The circular walks vary from 10 to 18 miles, including one 2-day walk, as well as shorter route options for those who want a less strenuous day out.

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Overview

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

Table of Contents

Contents
Introduction
Getting Around
Food and Drink
Accommodation
When to Walk
Kit Suggestions
Walking with Children
Using the Guide
Maps
Access and Rights of Way
Long-Distance Routes
The Walks
Walk 1 Lechlade and a Thames Meander
Walk 2 Wiltshire Ridges and Liddington Castle
Walk 3 The Bedwyns
Walk 4 Fosbury Hill and the Chutes
Walk 5 Faringdon’s Folly
Walk 6 Lambourn Downs: Striding out with horses and dragons
Walk 7 Thames Village Meander
Walk 8 Hanging Around on Walbury Hill
Walk 9 The Letcombe Gallop
Walk 10 Wantage and the Village Challenge
Walk 11 Farnborough: A poet’s hideaway
Walk 12 Cold Ash and Hermitage: A writer’s retreat
Walk 13 Blewbury and its Hillfort
Walk 14 Watership Down: A land of rabbits
Walk 15 The Pang Valley: A river runs through it
Walk 16 Dorchester-on-Thames: An ancient place of worship
Walk 17 The Aldworth Giants and Thurle Down
Walk 18 The Goring Challenge
Walk 19 Oxford Hills and the River Thame
Walk 20 Historic Ewelme and Swyncombe
Walk 21 Roman around Silchester
Walk 22 Chiltern Patchwork
Walk 23 Thames and Chilterns Meander
Walk 24 Hambledon Valley and a Royal Regatta
Walk 25 Cookham and Stanley Spencer

Appendix 1 A Brief History
Appendix 2 Local Geology
Appendix 3 Useful Contacts
Appendix 4 Further Reading
Appendix 5 Table of Walks

Maps

Extracts from the Ordnance Survey Landranger series of maps, at a scale of 1:50,000, are used throughout this guidebook, with overlays showing the routes. However, these maps do not give the same level of detail and clarity as that found on the Ordnance Survey Explorer series, at a scale of 1:25,000 – for example, the location of a path in relation to field boundaries. For this reason walkers may find the larger scale mapping of value on some of the routes. Details of the relevant maps are given with each route description. The Explorer maps that cover the walks in this guidebook are:
• Explorer 157 Marlborough and Savernake Forest
• Explorer 158 Newbury and Hungerford
• Explorer 159 Reading, Wokingham and Pangbourne
• Explorer 170 Abingdon, Wantage and Vale of White Horse
• Explorer 171 Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
• Explorer 172 Chiltern Hills East, High Wycombe, Maidenhead and Rickmansworth
• Explorer 180 Oxford, Witney and Woodstock

Updates

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February 2016

Route Updates

Walk 4 At Point (4) the grid reference is SU339565 (not SU339505 as stated)

Walk 9 Revised route description (changed text shown in bold):

(1) SU398879: From the Market Place walk west down Mill Street passing the Bell Inn, later passing Limborough Close on the right (car park). Just after crossing the Letcombe Brook, turn right along The Wharf for 20m and fork left along the tarmac path beside the Sackhouse Museum. Keep to the left-hand path to cross over Denchworth Road. Go north along St Mary’s Way and then left into Wasborough Avenue to take a path to the right past Stockham Farm. At Stockham Bridge go left, following the course of the Wiltshire and Berkshire Canal, for just under 2 miles (3.2km), passing East Challow (detour to the left along the A417 for 100m to visit medieval St Nicholas’ Church).

On reaching West Challow Bridge, leave the canal and follow the road to the right towards West Challow.

Keep left at the junction passing St Laurence’s Church and where the road bends to the right keep ahead towards the village hall. Ignore the bridleway off to the left, but take the left-hand path at the Y-junction across the fields and footbridge to rejoin the canal towpath and reach the B4001.


Walk 19 Map: This walk is covered by OS Landranger map 164 (not 163 as stated)

Walk 20 Map: This walk is covered 183 OS Landranger map 175 (not 174 as stated)

Walk 25 Revised route description (changed text shown in bold):

(4) SU892871: Cross the bridge and then continue along the riverside path downstream towards Cookham.

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