Our Programme of Walks and Events

Meeting Point: Outside the Duke of Edinburgh pub, Woodside Road, Winkfield
Post Code: SL4 2DP (Click it to see it on Bing Maps and use their route planner.)
Lat/Long: N51.4299°, W0.6673° (Click to see it on Google Maps and use their route planner.)
OS Map: SU927709 (Click it to see it on an Ordnance Survey map on Streetmap.co.uk)

Meet outside The Duke of Edinburgh pub for a 10am start. Please park considerately along the roadside surrounding the pub and consider car sharing.

This flat walk takes us on tracks and footpaths, fields and meadows surrounding the hamlets of Woodside, Brookside and Burleigh. We pass gated properties and small cottages, before crossing Ascot Heath where we follow the Three Castles Path across the world famous Ascot Racecourse. From here we enter Sunninghill Park, winding through woodland paths to walk alongside the tranquil Great Pond.

Please bring a drink and snack. No need for packed lunch as the walk will finish by lunchtime.

Leader: Ann W. 07800 728 667

Meeting Point: The Duke of Edinburgh pub, Woodside Road, Winkfield
Post Code: SL4 2DP (Click it to see it on Bing Maps and use their route planner.)
Lat/Long: N51.4299°, W0.6673° (Click to see it on Google Maps and use their route planner.)

Our Christmas lunch this year is at The Duke of Edinburgh pub and will start at 1:30pm.

The cost is £30.75 for the two-course meal and £36.25 for the three-course meal. These prices include VAT, service charge, coffee and mince pies. Full payment is required to confirm your place, along with your menu choices. Deadline for booking is Saturday 23^rd November. Please contact Jane for payment details.

Please note we are limited to 30 places, so this event is on a first come first served basis.

For the fabulous Christmas menu, please visit the pubs website and let Jane (not the pub) know your menu choices. Click here for the Christmas Menu. Also, please advise Jane if you have any food allergies or dietary requirements.

Once you have booked a place, if you later find you are unable to attend, please advise Jane by Thursday 5^th December, so a refund can arranged within the pub's Terms and Conditions.

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

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

Meeting Point: Crowthorne railway station, St Francis Close, off Duke's Ride, Crowthorne
Post Code: RG45 6LS (Click it to see it on Bing Maps and use their route planner.)
Lat/Long: N51.3669°, W0.8189° (Click to see it on Google Maps and use their route planner.)
OS Map: SU823637 (Click it to see it on an Ordnance Survey map on Streetmap.co.uk)

Meet on the east (southbound) side of Crowthorne station in time for a 10:10am start. If travelling from Reading station, please take the direct 09:50 service. Free parking is available a few minutes' walk away on the road at Wellington Business Park (RG45 6LS), or alternatively there is an APCOA car park at the station.

We'll begin by joining the Three Castles Path past Horseshoe Lake and Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve, before heading over to California Country Park, where we will stop for a picnic lunch and also allow time to visit the café. The walk finishes back in Crowthorne, from where trains run hourly back to Reading.

Depending on the recent weather, there first half of the walk could be muddy in places, so please bring appropriate footwear. As usual, please bring a packed lunch and a drink.

Leader: Chris F. 07984 255 322

Meeting Point: Outside the Harrow pub, Main Street, West Ilsley
Post Code: RG20 7AR (Click it to see it on Bing Maps and use their route planner.)
Lat/Long: N51.54021°, W1.32317° (Click to see it on Google Maps and use their route planner.)
OS Map: SU470825 (Click it to see it on an Ordnance Survey map on Streetmap.co.uk)

The walk will start at 10:30am for outside The Harrow pub. Park considerately in Main Street, West Ilsley.

An escape perhaps from Christmas shopping, this is a scenic circular walk with expansive open views of the West Berkshire Downs and Southern Oxon.

We will head north-west out of the village of West Ilsley and reach via a track known as Old Street a place strangely called Lands End. Many fine open views will be seen during this early part of the walk. From Lands End we head north via a scenic valley to reach the ancient Ridgeway route. We then head west along the Ridgeway to The Lord Wantage Memorial monument. History note - Lord Wantage was a co-founder of what later became the British Red Cross Society.

A lunch stop will be had at the monument which will provide for good views over South Oxon. After lunch we start our return via tracks to Farnborough. One footpath on the pre-walk was slightly overgrown and is being reported for attention, on the day we may need to walk in the field next to the track. If the church is open we can see the stained glass window in memory of the poet laureate John Betjeman who resided in Farnborough. We then return to West Ilsley by one of several routes, depending on how muddy the early tracks are found to be on the day the route back may be varied with the distance overall ranging from approximately 10 to 11.75 miles.

If we have recently had heavy rain, some of the return paths after Farnborough may be a bit muddy. As usual bring lunch and plenty of drink.

After the walk we have an option for a social drink at the Harrow pub, may be Christmas shopping ideas not yet purchased can be discussed.

Leader: Mike 07938-*8*4*3*6*6*0

In years gone by, when we were residents of Reading, we occasionally led a pre-Christmas pub-crawl for the group, and we thought it about time it was brought back! The venues serve real ale or craft beer but other drinks, including soft, are available.

1) 12:15pm meet up at Castle Tap, 120 Castle Street, RG1 7RJ (near bottom of Castle Hill on right when heading uphill, having crossed over the IDR from central Reading)
2) Lunch Stop: Street-food at Blue Collar, Hosier Street, RG1 7QL. Choose from four kitchens with covered heated beer garden and draught beer from Double-Barrelled brewery: food purchase on individual basis on the day with no prior booking made. https://www.bluecollarstreetfood.co.uk/blue-collar-corner
3) The Allied Arms, 57 St Mary's Butts, RG1 2LG
4) Phantom Brewery, Meadow Road, RG1 8LB
5) The Greyfriar, 53 Greyfriars Road, RG1 1PA
6) Three Guineas, Station Approach, RG1 1LY

If you are unable to join us from the start, but would like to do so later in the afternoon, please call one of us for our location, which can't be predicted as not a timetabled event!. Please note this social won't be going on late into the evening as allegedly we're maturer and wiser than in days of old!

Leaders:
Adam 07709 032516
Jude 07585 234836

Meeting Point: Basingstoke Canal Fleet Wharf car park, Fleet
Post Code: GU51 3QR (Click it to see it on Bing Maps and use their route planner.)
Lat/Long: N51.2765°, W0.8423° (Click to see it on Google Maps and use their route planner.)
OS Map: SU808536 (Click it to see it on an Ordnance Survey map on Streetmap.co.uk)

Meet for a 10:30 start on Boxing Day at the Basingstoke Canal Fleet Wharf car park just off the junction of Reading Road South and Aldershot Road in Fleet.

The walk goes along the Basingstoke Canal, crossing over to heathland, on to Tweseldown Racecourse and to Ewshot for lunch. After Church Crookham we return via the canal.

Bring a packed lunch and drink as usual. You will also need waterproofs and strong shoes or boots.

Leaders: Mark 07949 633477 and Julie 07762 825121

Meeting Point: Blackwater Station car park, Station Approach, Blackwater
Post Code: GU17 9AB (Click it to see it on Bing Maps and use their route planner.)
Lat/Long: N51.3316°, W0.7763° (Click to see it on Google Maps and use their route planner.)
OS Map: SU853598 (Click it to see it on an Ordnance Survey map on Streetmap.co.uk)

What3Words: ///wizards.forgives.nickname (Click to see location on What3Words.com)

Meet for a 10:45 start by Platform 1 of Blackwater railway station (the car park side). The car park is accessible from The Meadows roundabout on the edge of Camberley. (Parking cost £1 for the day on Sundays.) By train from Reading, take the 10:20 service, which stops at Blackwater at 10:36. (Trains back to Reading leave every half-hour.)

This is a leisurely circular walk to Minley Woods, including heathland and woodland with a few gentle inclines and declines. From the station car park we walk over to Hawley Common, which is a short distance away and we will pick up the route via Hornley Common and make our way into Minley Woods. Minley Woods is home to Minley Manor, a Grade II listed country manor house which nowadays is used as a wedding venue. We will stop for lunch in Minley Woods (probably at the place I used to escape too in lockdown.) We shall stop at the Crown and Cushion pub for a quick drink, before crossing back into Hawley Common and pass around Hawley Lake before heading back to the station. It's likely to be muddy in places, therefore please wear appropriate footwear. Please bring a packed lunch and drink, as usual.

Things to note: Hawley Common and Hawley Lake are part of the Minley MoD Training Area. This walk follows the public rights of way which are always open to the public, but occasionally you may hear gun fire or see soldiers training in the area.

Please bring a packed lunch and drink, as usual.

Leader: Jen H. 07979 508 927

Meeting Point: Earley Railway Station, Station Road, Earley, Reading
Post Code: RG6 7DY (Click it to see it on Bing Maps and use their route planner.)
Lat/Long: N51.4409°, W0.9181° (Click to see it on Google Maps and use their route planner.)
OS Map: SU752718 (Click it to see it on an Ordnance Survey map on Streetmap.co.uk)

What3Words: ///mini.again.sweep (Click to see location on What3Words.com)

Meet at Earley station in time for a 10:30 start. At the time of writing, the 10:24 service from Reading is scheduled to arrive at 10:29. Paid parking is available at the station (£6) or alternatively there is plenty of free on-street parking nearby (mostly south of the A329). Please park considerately, and check signage for details of restrictions on single yellow lines.

After a short stretch on mostly quiet, suburban roads, we will walk around Maiden Erlegh Nature Reserve, then along alleyways and across green open spaces to pick up the River Loddon. We'll stop for lunch at Dinton Pastures Country Park, and then call in at The Coffee Deck for a drink and/or cake while we enjoy the view across the lake. Our return route leaves the park via the opposite bank of the Loddon and skirts around South Lake Park.

Please bring a packed lunch and drink, as usual.

Leader: Chris F. 07984 255 322