Our Programme of Walks and Events

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.

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.)

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 10:40am start at the Wheel Orchard pay-and-display car park behind the Catherine Wheel pub in Goring. This car park is free on Sundays. If coming by train, the 10:18 Didcot Parkway service from Reading stops at Goring and Streatley station at 10:30 and it is a five minute walk from there to the Wheel Orchard car park.

The walk starts along the Chiltern Way through open countryside, woods, hills to nature reserve with lovely views of the Thames valley and back along the Thames Path into Goring.

Please bring a packed lunch and drink, as usual. There is also the option of a drink at the Catherine Wheel pub at the end of the walk.

Leader: Jo S 07821 415 161

Meeting Point: The Greyfriar pub, 53 Greyfriars Road, Reading
Post Code: RG1 1PA, Lat/Long: N51.4588°, W0.9754°

Here's a chance to meet up with your walking friends for a glass of good cheer before Christmas.

We'll be starting at The Greyfriars pub (not far from Reading railway station) at around 1:30pm and going on from there on a festive tour of some of Readings finest pubs. Feel free to drop in and out as we move round the town. Why not take the opportunity to do a spot of last minute shopping while your there. We will stop and eat at around 6pm at a suitable pub.

Organiser: Rob C. 07786 116 988 or mail(at)berksww.org.uk

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

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: English Heritage car park on Wall Lane, Silchester
Post Code: RG7 2HP, Lat/Long: N51.3616°, W1.0882°, OS Map: SU635628

Start at 10:30am in the free (English Heritage) car park on Wall Lane, just north of the remains of the Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum.

This circular walk follows part of the wall of the Roman town, visits the Amphitheatre and explores a bit of Pamber Forest. The route includes a section of the Brenda Parker Way. There will be a picnic lunch stop about halfway round and a pub-stop three-quarters of the way round.

Please bring a packed lunch and a drink as usual.

Leader: Rob C. 07786 116 988

Meeting Point: Windsor Great Park Open Air car park, A332
Post Code: SL4 2BD, Lat/Long: N51.4617°, W0.6155°, OS Map: SU962745

Meet for a 10:30am start at the Windsor Great Park Open Air free car park - the last one on the right if driving towards Windsor on the A332 through the park.

A nice winter walk taking in part of the Long Walk, down to the statue of George III on his Copper Horse, over towards Saville Gardens (toilet stop and a quick stop for a cuppa tea) onwards to Guards polo club, passing another bronze of Prince Albert, heading back to Cumberland Gate and through the Windsor Great Park, with a watchful eye for any deer and back towards the Long Walk with wonderful views of Windsor Castle (weather permitting).

Please bring a packed lunch and drink, as usual.

Leader: Lexi W. 07973 327 286

Meeting Point: Ockwells Park, Ockwells Road, Cox Green, Maidenhead
Post Code: SL6 3YU, Lat/Long: N51.5032°, W0.7358°, OS Map: SU878790

Meet for a 10:30am start in the free car park in Ockwells Park, Ockwells Road, Cox Green, Maidenhead. Its signposted from junction 9A of the A404.

A walk in East Berkshire seeing the 15^th-century Ockwells Manor and the medieval church at Shottesbrooke in its splendid parkland setting. Lunch stop in White Waltham either packed lunch or The Beehive public house. Expect some of the paths to be muddy.

Leader: Joyce (W&D) 07887 375 322

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: Car park in Hambleden village, Henley-on-Thames
Post Code: RG9 6SG, Lat/Long: N51.5727°, W0.8688°, OS Map: SU784865

Meet for a 10am start at the car park in Hambleden village (by the Stag and Huntsman pub).

The walk is a westward loop around the Hambleden valley via Southend, Turville and across to Frieth for a pub stop at the Prince Albert. (For those on the walk I led last summer this is the other half of the loop we started then when approaching this pub from east.) The return from the Prince Albert is via Frieth to St Katherine's Convent then down through the woods to Pheasant's Hill and Hambleden. Sadly no tea and cake at the church in February!

Approx. 430m ascent. Some walkers may find a pole or two useful as the going can be slippery in places.

Leader: Keith A. 07766 275 377

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.