Best walks near Bracknell by train
Berkshire · South East England
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations in South East England and plan your next day of green.
Hanborough Station Circular via Blenheim Palace (Oxfordshire)
1h from Bracknell, with one change.
13km. Moderate ascents. 3h30–6h.
Beginner-friendly: A gigantic well-signposted park. It’s completely fine to deviate from the route — explore as you like! Plenty of options for lunch — no need to reserve a table.
An essential walk! It's an easy walk from the station to the beautiful, vast (and free) grounds of the finest example of English baroque architecture. For a somewhat extortionate fee you can also visit the house, but you'd probably want a whole day for that.
Highlights: Blenheim Palace and Woodstock.
Lunch stops in Woodstock (1h30–2h30 in): the Crown, the Back Lane Tavern, or the Star Inn.
End-of-walk reward: the George and Dragon.
Guildford Station Circular via Watt’s Chapel (Surrey)
45m from Bracknell, with one change.
13km. Moderate ascents. 3h30–6h.
Beginner-friendly: No coast or river to follow, but pretty straightforward long lines nonetheless, and Watt’s Chapel provides a lovely reward for reaching the midpoint of the circuit. The lunch stop is a simple café in the vicinity of Watt’s Chapel, so no messing around with booking a table in advance.
A rambler favourite!
Highlights: Watts Chapel, Watts Gallery, St Catherine's Chapel Ruins, and Guildford.
Lunch stop: Watts Gallery café (1h30–2h30 in).
End-of-walk rewards: the Withies Inn, Ye Olde Ship Inn, the Britannia, the White House, or the George Abbot.
Windsor and Eton Riverside Station Circular via Windsor Great Park (Berkshire)
45m from Bracknell, 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 (Berkshire)
30m from Bracknell, with one change.
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).
Sunningdale Station to Windsor and Eton Riverside Station (Surrey)
15m direct from Bracknell.
14km. Gentle ascents. 3h30–6h30.
Parkland, lake shores, ornamental gardens, light woodland, deer park, tree-lined avenue, and historic town streets.
Highlights: Windsor Great Park, Windsor Castle, and Windsor.
Lunch stop: Savill Garden Visitor Centre Cafe (1h30–3h in).
End-of-walk rewards: the Prince Harry, the Carpenters Arms, the Royal Windsor, or the Boatman.
Pangbourne Station Circular via Cold Harbour (Berkshire)
30m from Bracknell, with one change.
Easy: 10km, moderate ascents. 3h–5h.
River Thames valley, wooded hillsides, chalk nature reserve, open fields, quiet lanes, and pretty villages. Can be muddy.
Lunch: Nowhere to eat en route — pack lunch!
End-of-walk rewards: the Greyhound, the Ferry Boat, or the Swan.
Gomshall Station to Guildford Station (Surrey)
45m from Bracknell, with one change.
16km. Gentle ascents. 4h–7h.
Fields, wooded valley, pine woods, heathland common, stud farms, and canal and riverside path into a historic town. Can be muddy.
Highlights: Shere and Guildford.
Lunch stops in Shere (30m–1h in): the Dabbling Duck Café (excellent), Hillys Tea Shop, or the William Bray. Other lunch stop: the William IV (1h–1h30 in).
End-of-walk rewards: the Britannia, the White House, or the George Abbot.
Oxford Station Circular via Port Meadow (Oxfordshire)
45m from Bracknell, with one change.
15km. Flat terrain. 4h–6h30.
Flat riverside towpaths, water meadows, canal towpath, Oxford city streets, college lanes, and historic squares. Can be flooded.
Highlights: Pitt Rivers Museum and Oxford.
Lunch stops in Wolvercote (1h–2h in): the Trout Inn, Godstow, or the Jacob's Inn. Other lunch stops: the Perch (30m–1h in), or the Anchor (2h–3h30 in).
End-of-walk rewards: the Lamb & Flag, Oxford, the Red Lion, the Turf Tavern, the Bear, the Crown, the Royal Blenheim, the Castle Pub, or the Jolly Farmers.
Mortimer Station to Bramley Station (Berkshire)
45m from Bracknell, with one change.
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.
Gomshall Station Circular via Shere (Surrey)
1h from Bracknell, with one change.
Tough: steep ascents. 10km. 3h–5h.
An essential walk! Can be muddy.
Highlights: Saint James's Church (see the remains of where a devout anchorite was encased within the church walls) and Shere.
Lunch stops in Shere (1h–1h30 in): the Dabbling Duck Café (excellent), the William Bray, Hillys Tea Shop, or the White Horse. Other lunch stops: the Drummond Arms (1h–2h in), Mandira's Kitchen (1h–2h in), or Carb Up and Go (1h30–3h in).
End-of-walk rewards: the Compasses Inn, or the Gomshall Mill.
Goring & Streatley Station to Pangbourne Station (Oxfordshire)
30m from Bracknell, with one change.
Tough: steep ascents. 12km. 3h30–6h.
A rambler favourite! Woods, hilly, river, and quaint village. Relatively busy.
Lunch stops in Streatley (2h–3h in): Pierreponts, or the Swan at Streatley and the Coppa Club. Other lunch stop: the Bull (2h–3h30 in).
End-of-walk rewards: the Miller of Mansfield, or the Catherine Wheel.
Virginia Water Station to Windsor and Eton Central Station (Surrey)
15m direct from Bracknell.
16km. Gentle ascents. 4h.
Long walk.
Highlights: Windsor Castle.