Walks near Maidenhead 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 Maidenhead and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Maidenhead.
Hanborough Circular via Blenheim Palace (Oxfordshire)
1 hour from Maidenhead, 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).
Guildford Circular via Compton (Surrey)
1 hour from Maidenhead, 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).
Henley-on-Thames to Marlow (Oxfordshire)
30 minutes from Maidenhead, with one change.
Beginner-friendly: Cross the river, make sure it’s on your left, and keep walking all the way to Marlow! You can't go wrong.
Waterway: two thirds along the River Thames.
Lunch: There’s nowhere to eat en route so either pack a lunch or eat in Marlow at the end — there are many cafés, pubs and restaurants there.
4 end-of-walk rewards: the Bull Inn, the Old Brewery, the Prince of Wales, or the Marlow Donkey
Warnings: Very popular and busy. Be warned that the river bank is prone to flooding, making sections of the route impassible — if that happens there will be many other ramblers who you can follow for the alternative route.
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Windsor Circular via Windsor Great Park (Berkshire)
15 minutes from Maidenhead, 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.
Henley-on-Thames Circular via Hambleden (Oxfordshire)
30 minutes from Maidenhead, with one change.
Highly recommended: Thames towpath, open riverside meadows, quaint brick-and-flint hamlet, ancient woodland, wooded hillside terraces, parkland estate and Georgian market town.
Woodland: a fifth under tree cover.
1 lunch spot: the Stag and Huntsman (1h45 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Bull on Bell Street, or the Old Bell
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Henley-on-Thames to Pangbourne (Oxfordshire)
30 minutes from Maidenhead, 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.
Mortimer to Bramley (Berkshire)
30 minutes from Maidenhead, 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.
Farnham to Blackwater (Surrey)
45 minutes from Maidenhead, 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.
Pangbourne to Goring & Streatley (Berkshire)
30 minutes direct from Maidenhead.
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 direct from Maidenhead.
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.
Shiplake to Henley-on-Thames (Oxfordshire)
15 minutes from Maidenhead, with one change.
Riverside Thames path, bluebell and beech woods, open agricultural fields, gentle hills, golf course, historic village and market town riverfront.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Greys Court: A family home, delightful gardens and an idyllic setting (National Trust; 3h15 in; 2h30 to visit).
2 lunch spots: the Plough (45 mins in), or Greys Court tearoom (3h15 in)
4 end-of-walk rewards: the Bull on Bell Street, the Old Bell, the Saracen's Head, or the Bird in Hand
Warnings: Can flood after rain.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club and Round Reading Walk (inc. GPX).
Sunningdale to Windsor (Surrey)
1 hour from Maidenhead, with one change.
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.