Best walks in Berkshire by train
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations in Berkshire and plan your next day of green.
Windsor and Eton Riverside Station Circular via Windsor Great Park
1h 15m from Reading, with one change.
18km. Gentle ascents. 5h–8h.
Beginner-friendly: A gigantic well-signposted park. It’s completely fine to deviate from the suggested route — explore as you like! The lunch stop is a simple café, so no messing around with booking a table in advance.
Highlights: Windsor Great Park, Windsor Castle, and Windsor.
Lunch stops in Windsor Great Park (2h30–4h30 in): the King And Castle, or Savill Garden Visitor Centre Cafe. Other lunch stop: Water Lilies at Windsor Great Park (3h–5h in).
End-of-walk rewards: the Two Brewers Pub, the Prince Harry, or the Royal Windsor.
Pangbourne Station to Goring & Streatley Station
8m direct from Reading.
Easy: 8km, gentle ascents. 2h30–4h.
Beginner-friendly: Just keep the River Thames on your left and follow it up to Goring.
Lunch: A walk so short that you don’t need lunch — just eat at one of the many options in Goring & Streatley.
End-of-walk rewards: the Swan at Streatley and the Coppa Club, Pierreponts, the Miller of Mansfield, or the Catherine Wheel.
Buying train tickets: Buy a return ticket to Goring & Streatley (it’s fine to disembark at Pangbourne, because Pangbourne is en route to Goring & Streatley) (that’s assuming you’re coming from the east or south (aka London/Reading) — if you’re coming from the north or west you need to buy return ticket to Pangbourne instead).
Mortimer Station to Bramley Station
15m direct from Reading.
Easy: 12km, gentle ascents. 3h30–5h30.
An essential walk! Little known but quietly wonderful. Beautiful rather than spectacular, in a humble English village pathways sort of manner. Mostly secluded.
Highlights: Remnants of Calleva Atrebatum (includes ruins ofthe original walls, and a large amphitheatre where gladiatorial combats entertained up to 7,000 people at a time) and St Mary the Virgin Church (on the site of a Roman temple).
Lunch stop: the Calleva Arms (1h30–3h in; excellent).
End-of-walk reward: the Bramley Inn.
Kintbury Station Circular via Combe Gibbet
30m from Reading, with one change.
Tough: steep ascents. 16km. 4h30–8h.
Lunch stop: the Crown & Garter (3h30–5h30 in; close to end of walk).
End-of-walk rewards: the Blue Ball, or the Dundas Arms.
Didcot Parkway Station Circular via Wittenham Clumps
15m direct from Reading.
19km. Gentle ascents. 5h.
Documented by Railwalks — download GPX route
Appleford Station to Radley Station
30m from Reading, with one change.
14km. Flat terrain. 3h30.
Pleasant scenery; picturesque. Riverside path and flat and easy-going. Can be very muddy or boggy; Sections prone to flooding after heavy rain.
Documented by Railwalks — download GPX route
Radley Station to Oxford Station
30m from Reading, with one change.
Easy: 11km, flat terrain. 3h.
Riverside path and flat and easy-going; surfaced. Can be very muddy or boggy; Sections prone to flooding after heavy rain.
Documented by Railwalks — download GPX route
Reading Station to Henley-on-Thames Station
16km.
Flat Thames towpath, riverside parks, wooded sections, pasture fields, meadows, and riverside gardens. Flood risk sections.
Documented by the Saturday Walkers Club.
Maidenhead Station to Marlow Station
15m direct from Reading.
14km.
Thames riverside path, wooded escarpment views, short steep hill, and pretty 18th-century town. Riverside can flood.
Documented by the Saturday Walkers Club.
Aldermaston Station to Midgham Station
15m direct from Reading.
20km. 4h30.
Undulating West Berkshire Downs, ancient woodlands, commons, fields, chalk stream valleys, heathland, canal towpath, and landscaped parkland. Can be muddy.
Documented by the Saturday Walkers Club.
Crowthorne Station to Blackwater Station
15m direct from Reading.
16km. 3h30.
Pine woods, heathland, lakes and flooded gravel pits, riverside meadows, and green belt nature reserves. Flood risk in places.
Documented by the Saturday Walkers Club.
Newbury Racecourse Station to Midgham Station
15m direct from Reading.
18km. 5h30.
Gentle climbs, heathland common, woodland, river meadows, and canal. Swing bridge delays.