Walks from Goring & Streatley

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.

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).

Rolling Chilterns countryside, beech forest trails, quiet country lanes and three pubs en route.

Warnings: Muddy after rain.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Thames towpath, a Brunel railway bridge, a steep climb into Hartslock reserve and Great Chalk Wood, with far-reaching valley views.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

The River Thames: England's best-known river, whose towpath (the Thames Path National Trail) carries long stretches of nearly every walk in this set.

Hartslock Nature Reserve: a steep chalk hillside reserve above the Thames known for rare orchids and commanding views over the river valley.

Great Chalk Wood: an ancient hilltop woodland on the Chiltern escarpment, carpeted with foxgloves in season.

Time: 2h30–4h30

Lunch: The Catherine Wheel and John Barleycorn pubs in Goring.

Warnings: Two short steep climbs and one longer climb; Great Chalk Wood may be muddy.

Walk details: Round Reading Walk.

River Thames at Streatley and a steep climb through the National Trust chalk downs of The Holies and Lardon Chase over the Goring Gap.

Hilly: a quarter on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

The River Thames: England's best-known river, whose towpath (the Thames Path National Trail) carries long stretches of nearly every walk in this set.

The Holies: a National Trust chalk down above the Goring Gap, restored from former motorbike-scrambling land, with sweeping valley views.

Lardon Chase: a National Trust open chalk escarpment with fine views over the Goring Gap to the Chiltern Hills.

Time: 2h–4h

Lunch: The Catherine Wheel and John Barleycorn in Goring; the Swan Hotel in Streatley; the Bull near the high point.

Warnings: A steepening climb up Streatley Hill and a steep descent from Lardon Chase.

Walk details: Round Reading Walk.

Thames riverside path, gently rolling Oxfordshire countryside, open fields and attractive villages.

Warnings: Long, exposed walk.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Stile-free mix of gentle hills, open views and a Thames Path riverside stretch through Moulsford to Goring.

The River Thames: England's best-known river, whose towpath (the Thames Path National Trail) carries long stretches of nearly every walk in this set.

Time: 2h30–5h30

Lunch: The Beetle & Wedge at Moulsford; the Swan Hotel at Streatley.

Warnings: One very steep, awkward footbridge near the lock; some boggy sections.

Walk details: Round Reading Walk.

Gentle Oxfordshire countryside, wide grassy horse training gallops, Ridgeway stretch on Berkshire Downs and riverside walk along the Thames.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Residential streets and a short lane out of Goring join the Thames Path to Whitchurch, a wooded stretch with steep inclines and steps. Then quiet lanes, gravel and metalled tracks and concrete farm paths north of the Thames through Mapledurham and with steep hills on the north side. The final water-meadow section near Goring can get muddy and flood in winter. Follows the Thames Path National Trail as far as Whitchurch, then lanes and footpaths north of the river. The route passes the Mapledurham and Hardwick estates with their horses and organic farm. The walk can be shortened by dropping into Pangbourne at Whitchurch.

Time: 4h–8h

1 lunch spot: the Greyhound Inn

End-of-walk reward: Caversham's Church Street, near the end, has plenty of amenities.

Warnings: Some residential roads have no pavement, though good verge paths exist on each side. The Hartslock woods section has steep inclines and steps. The water meadows can get muddy and sometimes flood in winter.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Great views back over the Goring Gap. A long, varied country route through fields, woodland and along a canal, with few road sections and those mostly quiet country lanes. Crosses the undulating North Wessex Downs, with a couple of hills; the steepest is Streatley Hill near Goring. Mostly easy underfoot in dry weather and though some sections can be tricky in winter and a few paths have brambles to push through. Crosses the North Wessex Downs AONB; passes close to a shooting range at Growcroft Copse where dogs should be kept on leads. Can be broken at Yattendon, roughly two-thirds of the way along.

Woodland: a fifth under tree cover.

Time: 7h–14h

Lunch: There are also a convenience store at Yattendon and two pubs at Cold Ash, roughly a third of the way along.

Warnings: Cattle are present in fields along the route, including a field west of the Pot Kiln at Frilsham, where some walkers have been approached by a frisky herd; alternative footpaths can avoid this field.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A pleasant route starting with a little street walking before public footpaths and the Chiltern Way, through fields and lovely forest, then a long stretch on quiet lanes that were once drovers' roads, with some steep inclines and declines through woods. Narrow and sheltered footpaths and a churned-up bridleway near Henley can be muddy in wet weather. Follows the Chiltern Way Extension in the early part. Woodcote has a convenience store and cafe.

Woodland: a third under tree cover.

Time: 5h–10h

Lunch: Several pubs along the route.

Warnings: Steep steps down to and up from the slightly busy and dangerous A4074 crossing. Narrow, sheltered footpaths and a bridleway near the Henley end become muddy in wet conditions.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Undulating downs, hillier start over Lough Down, shorter afternoon return and Thames-side views.

Warnings: Steep climbs.

Source: A shorter variant of Goring Circular – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).