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 near Bracknell and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Bracknell.
Guildford Circular via Compton (Surrey)
45 minutes from Bracknell, with one change.
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.
Watts Chapel: Beautiful Arts and Crafts creation of Mary Watts (1h45 in).
Watts Gallery (1h45 in)
St Catherine's Chapel Ruins (30 mins in)
1 lunch spot: Watts Gallery café (1h45 in)
5 end-of-walk rewards: the Withies Inn, Ye Olde Ship Inn, the Britannia, the White House, or the George Abbot
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Similar walk: Walking Post (inc. GPX).
Hanborough Circular via Blenheim Palace (Oxfordshire)
1 hour from Bracknell, with one change.
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. 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.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Blenheim Palace (1h in)
Woodstock (1h30 in)
3 lunch spots: Woodstock (1h30 in) — the Crown, the Back Lane Tavern, or the Star Inn
1 end-of-walk reward: the George and Dragon
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Windsor Circular via Windsor Great Park (Berkshire)
45 minutes from Bracknell, with one change.
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.
Windsor Castle (15 mins in)
Windsor (4h30 in)
3 lunch spots: the King And Castle (15 mins in), Savill Garden Visitor Centre Cafe (2h30 in), or Water Lilies at Windsor Great Park (2h45 in)
3 end-of-walk rewards: the Two Brewers Pub, the Prince Harry, or the Royal Windsor
Source: Trains2Green.
Gomshall Circular via Shere (Surrey)
1 hour from Bracknell, with one change.
Highly recommended
Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.
Abinger Roughs and Netley Park: Hidden woods with ancient trees and flower-sprinkled grasslands, just off the North Downs and Pilgrims Ways (National Trust).
Saint James's Church: see the remains of where a devout anchorite was encased within the church walls (30 mins in).
Shere (45 mins in)
7 lunch spots: Shere (30 mins in) — the Dabbling Duck Café (excellent), Hillys Tea Shop, the William Bray, or the White Horse; plus the Drummond Arms (1h in), Mandira's Kitchen at Silent Pool (1h15 in), or Carb Up and Go (1h45 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Compasses Inn, or the Gomshall Mill
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Mortimer to Bramley (Berkshire)
45 minutes from Bracknell, with one change.
Highly recommended: Little known but quietly wonderful. Beautiful rather than spectacular, in a humble village pathways sort of manner. Mostly secluded.
Ruins of Calleva Atrebatum: once a thriving Romano-British city that survived into the Saxon period. Now ghostly ruins. Includes an evocative full circuit of city walls, and what's left of a 7,000-capacity gladiatorial arena (1h15 in).
St Mary the Virgin Church: charming medieval church on the site of a Roman temple (2h15 in).
1 lunch spot: the Calleva Arms (1h45 in; excellent)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Bramley Inn
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Similar walk: Reading to Basingstoke Community Rail Partnership.
Dorking to Box Hill & Westhumble (Surrey)
1 hour from Bracknell, with one change.
Highly recommended: Vineyard, wooded hills, chalk downland, open grassland. Very beautiful. Magnificent views at Box Hill. Begins fairly quiet, but anticipate a constant Londoner horde near Box Hill itself.
Hilly: two fifths on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.
Woodland: half under tree cover.
Salomons Memorial Viewpoint (3h45 in)
Box Hill Café & Visitor Centre (National Trust; 3h45 in)
3 lunch spots: Mickleham (2h15 in) — the King William IV (excellent; reservations recommended), or the Running Horses; plus Box Hill Café & Visitor Centre (3h45 in)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Stepping Stones
Warnings: Relatively busy. Can be muddy.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Farnham to Blackwater (Surrey)
15 minutes from Bracknell, with one change.
Highly recommended: Deer park, heathland, MOD training area, Iron Age hillfort, reservoirs, stream valleys, woodland, nature reserve, wet meadows, lakeside sandy shores and common.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
1 lunch spot: the Foresters (2h15 in)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Crown and Cushion
Warnings: MOD closures apply.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Henley-on-Thames to Pangbourne (Oxfordshire)
30 minutes from Bracknell, with one change.
Highly recommended: Thames riverside, ancient streets, broad valleys, beech woods, fields, small villages, alpaca farm and toll bridge.
Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.
1 lunch spot: the Red Lion (1h45 in)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Greyhound
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Pangbourne to Goring & Streatley (Berkshire)
30 minutes from Bracknell, with one change.
Highly recommended: Woods, hilly, river and quaint village.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
3 lunch spots: Streatley (2h in) — Pierreponts, or the Swan at Streatley and the Coppa Club; plus the Bull (2h in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Miller of Mansfield, or the Catherine Wheel
Warnings: Relatively busy.
Source: Trains2Green.
Pangbourne Circular via View of the Thames from Hartslock (Berkshire)
30 minutes from Bracknell, with one change.
River Thames valley, wooded hillsides, chalk nature reserve, open fields, quiet lanes and pretty villages.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Lunch: Nowhere to eat en route — pack lunch!
3 end-of-walk rewards: the Greyhound, the Ferry Boat, or the Swan
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Sunningdale to Windsor (Surrey)
15 minutes direct from Bracknell.
Parkland, lake shores, ornamental gardens, light woodland, deer park, tree-lined avenue and historic town streets.
Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.
Windsor Great Park (3h30 in)
Windsor (3h30 in)
1 lunch spot: Savill Garden Visitor Centre Cafe (1h45 in)
4 end-of-walk rewards: the Prince Harry, the Carpenters Arms, the Royal Windsor, or the Boatman
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Gomshall to Guildford (Surrey)
1 hour from Bracknell, with one change.
Fields, wooded valley, pine woods, heathland common, stud farms and canal and riverside path into a historic town.
Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.
Abinger Roughs and Netley Park: Hidden woods with ancient trees and flower-sprinkled grasslands, just off the North Downs and Pilgrims Ways (National Trust).
Shere (30 mins in)
4 lunch spots: Shere (30 mins in) — the Dabbling Duck Café (excellent), Hillys Tea Shop, or the William Bray; plus the William IV (1h in)
3 end-of-walk rewards: the Britannia, the White House, or the George Abbot
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club, Surrey Hills National Landscape and Blackwater Valley Nature Walks.