Our Programme of Walks and Events

Meeting Point: Station Road car park by the Village Hall, Pangbourne
Post Code: RG8 7AN, Lat/Long: N51.4842°, W1.0883°, OS Map: SU633765

Meet at Station Road pay-and-display car park by the Village Hall in Pangbourne for a 10:30am start. (The car park is free on Sundays.)

If coming from Reading by train, the 10:15 Didcot service from Reading stops at Pangbourne at 10:23. (The walk from the station to the car park is about 3 minutes.) If you're arriving by train and it's running late, please contact me so we can wait for you.

We will cross the Thames to Whitchurch and follow the Thames Path towards Goring and return via a cross-country route. There will be a picnic stop about half-way around and an optional pub stop at the end. The route is hilly in places and you can expect some muddy footpaths.

Please bring a packed lunch as usual.

Leader: Lee P. 07780 683 521

Meeting Point: Car park on Pinkney's Drive, Maidenhead Thicket/Pinkney's Green
Post Code: SL6 6QG, Lat/Long: N51.5263°, W0.7694°, OS Map: SU854815

This is a change from the original Turkey Walk; it is shorter and we take a different route to the turkey farm.

Meet for a 10:30am start at the free car park on Pinkney's Drive. Leave the M404 at junction 9b (Maidenhead Thicket roundabout) turn left onto Henley Road and then right onto Pinkney's Drive. The car park is on the left.

A varied walk initially taking us over farmland to the agricultural college at Burchetts Green where we may see emu, wallabies, wild cats and red squirrels. Taking a permitted path from High Wood we cross a golf course and pass through several woodlands stopping for lunch in Inkydown Wood. We will exit Quarry Wood to the interesting and noisy Copas Turkey Farm. We then head through Bigrith and Cookham Dean commons, bypassing Winter Hill Road and over Pinkneys Green back to the car park.

When pre-walked there had been a lot of rain and the ground was very muddy in places, particularly through one ascent. Strong boots, gaiters and poles would be beneficial.

Please bring a packed lunch and drink, there is also the possibility of a pub stop at the Golden Ball in Pinkney's Green near the end of the walk.

Leaders: Ann and Kathy 07800 728 667 or 07794 406 438

Meeting Point: Wheel Orchard car park, off Station Road, Goring
Post Code: RG8 9HB, Lat/Long: N51.5218°, W1.1371°, OS Map: SU599806

Meet up for a 10:30am start at the Wheel Orchard pay-and-display car park behind the Catherine Wheel pub in Goring. This car park is free on Sundays.

The walk starts along a very attractive section of the Thames Path. After emerging above Whitchurch, it climbs the hill, goes through three farms before entering Great Chalk Wood. The walk then enters more open countryside before returning to Goring. There are some steep hills.

Please bring a packed lunch and drink, as usual.

Led by the Pang Valley Ramblers.

Meeting Point: Woolhampton Village Hall, Bath Road, Woolhampton
Post Code: RG7 5RE, Lat/Long: N51.3973°, W1.1807°

West Berkshire Group will be hosting the meeting on Saturday 30^th November at Woolhampton Village Hall. Arrangements for the day are as follows:

10:00am: Hall opens for displays to be set up etc.

10:30am: A choice of walks of between about 4 and 6 miles starting from the hall.

12:30pm: Lunch in the hall (bring your own picnic – tea, coffee etc. available – alternatively there are two pub within 10 minutes' walk) plus an opportunity to look at displays about the other Berkshire groups and their activities, and to chat with other members.

1:30pm: Presentation by Ramblers Holidays with Q&A (they will also have a display).

2:00pm: Presentation by a Ramblers Trustee with Q&A, followed by formal AGM business.

3:00pm: Talk by Dr David Peacock The Place Names of Berkshire.

What's in a name? Rather more than might at first be apparent if you start to look into the meaning of local place names. David will explain the origins of many of Berkshire's names and explain the ways in which to identify where place names originate from, drawing on examples from across the county.

David researches, writes and lectures on the history of the Newbury area from the stone age to the present day. He has taught evening classes in local history for Oxford University, Newbury College and West Berkshire Museum.

Woolhampton Village Hall is on the western edge of the village on the south side of the A4 and has ample parking. The village is served by public transport connecting Reading, Theale, Thatcham and Newbury:

Hourly stopping trains call at Midgham Station (which is in Woolhampton and approx. 5 mins walk from the hall).

Reading Buses service 1 runs half-hourly and calls at The Angel, Woolhampton (approx. 3 mins walk from the hall).

Meeting Point: Newbury Railway Station at 10:44 or Hare & Hounds Hotel at 10:30 (Coordinates relate to the hotel)
Post Code: RG14 1QY, Lat/Long: N51.4104°, W1.3457°, OS Map: SU456681

A walk to stimulate your appetite for the BWW Christmas lunch (see below).

To accommodate train travellers and for those travelling by car we will start with two parties as follows:-

Rail users - please ensure you carry with you some clean footwear and a bag for your boots and perhaps water proof trousers. Use the 10:12am train from Reading to Newbury, arrival on the south side is expected at 10:44am. Head over to the north side of the railway line and exit the railway station by the ticket office to meet Alison. Alison will depart after the 10:44 train arrives and lead you through Newbury town and onto the Kennet & Avon canal.

Car users - please arrive in time to park and boot up for a prompt start at 10:30am. Park either opposite the Hare and Hounds Hotel, "HHH" in Station Road or at the HHH itself (It would be good for some to park in Station Road as the hotel car park is not huge). Mike will lead you through some quiet parts of Speen and Goldwell park.

Our two parties will meet up at approximately at 11:00am by the Kennet & Avon canal. Our walk will then take us on a scenic tour through the parish of Speen with some history of the parish, back to HHH where the walk will be ending but before this we head on a second loop to the historic Donnington Castle, SSSI Snelsmore Common and the village of Bagnor before returning to the Hare & Hounds Hotel approximately at 13:45pm - in time to change and to get a pre-lunch drink at 14:00pm.

Since the meal is being held in a carpeted area of the hotel please can those parking their cars permit the rail users to store their boots and ruck sacks in their cars whilst the meal is had.

After the meal there may be (no guarantee is made by the leaders) some volunteer car drivers who can take the rail users to a quiet road called Northcroft Lane near Newbury's main shopping street for a 10 minute walk to the station - the roads are very congested to the station. Alternatively there is a walk of approximately 30 minutes from the hotel back to the railway station. Directions for the return to the railway station will be provided on the day.

If you are joining the walk, in order to gauge numbers at the two start points please can you text or email or send a message on Facebook to Mike advising if you are planning to arrive by train or by car. Mike's email is mdd150407(at)gmail.com.

Please replace the (at) with @ in the email address above.

Leaders: Mike and Alison 07938 843660 (M) or 07929 149636 (A)

Meeting Point: The Hare and Hounds, Bath Road, Speen, Newbury
Post Code: RG14 1QY, Lat/Long: N51.4103°, W1.3455°

This year, our Christmas meal is at lunchtime, after an optional short walk (see above). If you are not doing the walk, please arrive at the Hare and Hounds from 2pm, drinks available from the bar, for a 2:30pm sit down (times to be confirmed).

The cost is £26.95 per person, including 10% service charge, for the three-course meal followed by coffee and mince pies. See Christmas menu. A non-refundable £10.00 deposit is required to confirm your place, along with your menu choices. Please contact the organiser to book your place and get payment details. (Please do not contact the retaurant directly.) Deadline is Thursday 7th November.

Please note if you are unable to make the lunch on the day, full payment will still be required.

For those that wish to continue partying the organiser is happy to frequent a pub or two in Newbury after the lunch and of course Christmas shopping may also be on the agenda for some.

Organiser: Jane K 07881 805 156 or janekendrick(at)btinternet.com

(Please replace the (at) with an @ in the email address above.)

A circular walk from Goring along the Chiltern Way and returning along the Thames Path.

Full details to follow...

Leader: Jo S.

Meeting Point: Car park at the Pot Kiln Inn, Frilsham/Yattendon
Post Code: RG18 0XX, Lat/Long: N51.4542°, W1.2061°, OS Map: SU552731

Assemble at the iconic Pot Kiln Inn, the original home of the West Berkshire Brewery, for a 10:00am start.

A very rural circular walk in the Pang Valley Ramblers home territory. After heading east and just touching Stanford Dingley village the route crosses the river before steadily climbing the southern valley slope to near Chapel Row. After descending to Bucklebury church there is a final gentle ascent over the Burgess and High copses hill back to the Kiln for a well deserved pint - currently Brick Kiln Bitter (WBB) and two excellent Arkell's (Swindon) ales.

Could be muddy in places. Please bring a packed lunch.

Leader: Peter W.

Meeting Point: Back of Beyond pub, 104–108 Kings Road, Reading
Post Code: RG1 3BY, Lat/Long: N51.4548°, W0.9634°

If you have had a gut full of turkey, family, being nice and all the hard work that little lot entails, escape for a few hours to the 'Land of Wetherspoons' with some like minded folk. Here you will find a plethora of reasonably priced snifterettes, and if you need it, more food - just in case you aren't already totally stuffed and need more. Look forward to seeing you there.

Organisers: Jude 07585 234836 and Adam 07709 032516

Meeting Point: Hook Railway Station
Post Code: RG27 9HS, Lat/Long: N51.2801°, W0.9618°, OS Map: SU725539

Meet for a 10:30am start at Hook railway station car park. If coming from Reading by train, take the 09:52 Bournmouth service and change at Basingstoke for the 10:16 London Waterloo service, which stops at Hook at 10:23. The station car park now charges £3.50 for the day on Sundays, but there is a free car park less than ten minutes walk from the station. This is the Crossway Manor car park on Reading Road, RG27 9DU, by Hook doctors surgery.

This circular walk passes through Bartley Heath, West Green, Rotherwick, then through Tylney Hall golf cource and Newnham, before returning to Hook. There will be a picnic lunch stop about half way round and a pub stop at Rotherwick. The walk is fairly flat but expect some muddy paths.

Please bring a packed lunch and drink, as usual.

Leader: Rob C. 07786 116 988

Meeting Point: Lay-by on B480 in Middle Assendon, near the Rainbow Inn
Post Code: RG9 6AU, Lat/Long: N51.5655°, W0.9353°, OS Map: SU738857

Park in the lay-by 150 yards south of the Rainbow Inn, Middle Assendon, which is 2.5 miles NW of Henley on the B480, for a 10:30am start.

The walk climbs fairly steeply through the Warburg Nature reserve then along the Bix valley and through Stonor House and deer park, returning via the Assendon valley. Overall ascent 850 feet.

Please bring a packed lunch and drink, as usual.

Leaders: Alistair and Pauline

Meeting Point: St John Ambulance Centre, Church Road, Woodley
Post Code: RG5 4QN, Lat/Long: N51.4576°, W0.895°

A First Aid course tailored for walkers. It is presented by St John's Ambulance and is subsidised by the Berkshire Area Ramblers. It will be at the St John's Ambulance Centre in Woodley, starting at 6:30pm and lasts about three hours.

Please contact David Turner to book your place.

Organiser: David Turner 01189 774 184 or turnerd2(at)btinternet.com

(Please replace the (at) with an @ in the email address above.)

Meeting Point: Scutchamer Knob car park, south of East Hendred, Oxon
Post Code: OX12 8QU, Lat/Long: N51.5623°, W1.3404°, OS Map: SU458850

Start at 10:30am in the Scutchamer Knob car park (south of nearest postcode OX12 8QU) about 2.5 miles south of East Hendred.

The walk is in two parts, both with uphill sections, across open countryside and downland with lovely views.

Part 1 is 6 miles and loops south clockwise coming back up to the Ridgeway. It then goes west to the Wantage Monument before returning along the Ridgeway to the start and lunch.

Part 2 is 5 miles and loops anticlockwise to West Ilsley before ascending back up to the Ridgeway and back to the start.

Please bring a packed lunch if doing both parts of the walk.

Leader: Pete M.