Walks near Newbury by train
Berkshire · South East England
Stations: Newbury Racecourse · Newbury
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations near Newbury and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Newbury.
Hanborough Circular via Blenheim Palace (Oxfordshire)
1 hour from Newbury, 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.
Time: 3h30–7h
3 lunch spots: Woodstock (1h30–3h 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 Newbury, 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: A spectacular Arts and Crafts memorial chapel decorated by Mary Watts.
Time: 3h30–7h
1 lunch spot: Watts Gallery café (1h30–3h 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).
Mortimer to Bramley (Berkshire)
30 minutes from Newbury, with one change.
Highly recommended: Little known but quietly wonderful. Beautiful rather than spectacular, in a humble English village pathways sort of manner. Mostly secluded.
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.
St Mary the Virgin Church: on the site of a Roman temple.
Time: 3h30–6h30
1 lunch spot: the Calleva Arms (1h30–3h30 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.
Henley-on-Thames to Pangbourne (Oxfordshire)
30 minutes from Newbury, 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.
Time: 5h–10h30
1 lunch spot: the Red Lion (1h30–3h30 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.
Farnham to Blackwater (Surrey)
45 minutes from Newbury, 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.
Time: 5h30–11h
1 lunch spot: the Foresters (2h30–4h30 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 from Newbury, with one change.
Highly recommended: Woods, hilly, river and quaint village.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Time: 3h30–7h
3 lunch spots: Streatley (2h–4h in) — Pierreponts, or the Swan at Streatley and the Coppa Club; plus the Bull (2h–4h in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Miller of Mansfield, or the Catherine Wheel
Warnings: Relatively busy.
Source: Trains2Green.
Kintbury Circular via Combe Gibbet (Berkshire)
7 minutes direct from Newbury.
Recommended
Time: 4h30–9h
1 lunch spot: the Crown & Garter (3h30–6h30 in; close to end of walk)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Blue Ball, or the Dundas Arms
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Pewsey Circular via Pewsey White Horse (Wiltshire)
15 minutes direct from Newbury.
Chalk downland, the Pewsey White Horse hill figure, the River Avon and a quiet village, with spectacular views.
Pewsey White Horse: A 20th-century chalk hill figure cut into the downs above Pewsey.
Walk details: Visit Pewsey Vale (photos).
Bedwyn Circular via Chisbury (Wiltshire)
15 minutes direct from Newbury.
Pretty villages of Little Bedwyn and Chisbury, farmland with expansive views, and the Kennet & Avon Canal.
The Kennet & Avon Canal: A historic canal with a towpath running past Great Bedwyn and the Crofton pumping station.
Warnings: Some steep steps over the canal and railway at Little Bedwyn, avoidable via a road alternative.
Walk details: Visit Pewsey Vale (photos).
Castle Cary Circular via Cadbury Castle (Camelot) (Somerset)
1 hour direct from Newbury.
Somerset Levels fringes, hillock, quiet residential streets, charming market town, dry green valley, ancient holloway, pastures, shallow river valley, hillfort plateau, steep ascents, large WWII airfield remains and broad plateau with views.
Time: 7h
Warnings: Steep ascents and descents.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Pangbourne Circular via Goring (Berkshire)
30 minutes from Newbury, with one change.
Part-wooded ridges, open pastures, wildflower nature reserve, Thames river meadows, beech woods and Thames-side villages.
Time: 4h
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Goring & Streatley Circular via Aldworth (Oxfordshire)
30 minutes from Newbury, with one change.
Undulating downs, Thames-side views, Ridgeway path, chalk hills and quaint villages.
Time: 5h30
Warnings: Steep descents.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).