Programme of Walks and Events
Please note that the Berkshire Weekend Walkers programme may have been updated since this web page was printed. Please check the website for updates.
If you cannot check the website before attending a walk or social event, please contact the walk leader or social event organiser to check for any changes in the details.
Walks: Our walks are mostly planned and led by volunteers from within our group, but we also have joint walks with our neighbouring Ramblers groups. The walks are open to all members of the Ramblers and to anyone interested in joining our group.
Holidays: Our walking holidays are mostly planned and led by volunteers from within our group, but we sometimes use Ramblers approved holiday companies. The holidays led by our group are open to members of other Ramblers groups, but where numbers are limited, priority will be given to members of our own group. (Obviously the holidays run by holiday companies are open to anyone.)
Note: The Ramblers website has a Walk Finder Page where you can find other walks in your area.
Sat Nav references are given as a post code and as Latitude/Longitude co-ordinates. Ordnance Survey Landranger map references for the start point of walks are also provided for the more traditional map reader.
Please be aware that post codes in the countryside may cover a large area and your Sat Nav device will assume the centre of that area, which may not be where we are! It is much more accurate to put Lat/Long co-ordinates into your Sat Nav if you can. (Most of them can accept Lat/Long input. Have a look in the manual.)
Our group has been walking since July 2012 and we've been to all sorts of places in and around Berkshire. Take a look at our Scrapbook pages to see where we've been so far.
October 2017
Saturday 7th October: 8 Mile Walk - Bracknell Regeneration Walk (moderate)
Meeting Point: Outside Bracknell Railway Station, Market Street, Bracknell
Post Code: RG12 1HX,
Lat/Long: N51.4132°, W0.7517°,
OS Map: SU869689
A part urban, part countryside circular walk, that takes us as far as Binfield to the north east of Bracknell. We will stop off at a country pub or two along the way. The walk starts at 11:35am from outside Bracknell railway station and will finish at a pub within the new Bracknell town centre. There we can have a drink; have an early dinner; partake in a bit of retail therapy if you like, or why not all three!
Public Transport: The 11:12 London Waterloo service from Reading stops at Bracknell at 11:32. (Trains back to Reading go at 20 minutes and 50 minutes past the hour.) From Newbury, take the 10:13 and change at Reading.
Bring a picnic lunch. Potential new members and members of other local groups are welcome to join us. (Walk is on Explorer Map 159)
Leader: Jim B 07734 569 216
Sunday 15th October: 9½ Mile Walk - Odiham, Greywell and Mapledurwell (moderate)
- This replaces the cancelled walk at Whitchurch-on-Thames
Meeting Point: Deer Park View car park, off High Street, Odiham
Post Code: RG29 1LJ,
Lat/Long: N51.2549°, W0.941°,
OS Map: SU739511
Meet at the car park at the end of Dear Park View, off the High Street in Odiham (signposted Health Centre) for a 10:30am start. This car park is free on Sundays.
The walk will include Greywell Moors and the western part of the Basingstoke Canal. There will be a lunch stop at Mapledurwell and the pub stop will either be after lunch in Mapledurwell or towards the end of the walk in Greywell. The walk is mostly flat, but likely to be muddy in places. There may be some livestock in fields and short road sections for which any dogs will need to be on leads.
Please bring a packed lunch and a drink as usual.
Leader: Denise 07748 766 371
Sunday 22nd October: 8 Mile Walk - Padworth and Wokefield Common (easy)
Meeting Point: Padworth Common car park, Junction of Rectory Road and Baughurst Road
Post Code: RG7 4JB,
Lat/Long: N51.3788°, W1.1112°,
OS Map: SU619647
The walk begins at 10:30am from the Padworth Common car park, just off Baughurst Road and Rectory Road. The postcode is quite approximate so please use the links above to see where the entrance to the car park is on the map.
This walk, near Reading, offers you a constantly changing scene of small woods, nature reserves and heathland, some quiet and isolated, others popular with families from the neighbouring towns. We will pass a historic house and stop at a pub en route. There are two potential spots for a lunch stop prior to Mortimer, depending on the weather.
Paths are generally quite sound but there are overgrown nettles in some areas and long trousers are advised. There are no ploughed fields to cross but boots are recommended because of possible damp patches in the woodlands. There are very few gradients on this level walk, enabling a steady pace.
Please bring a packed lunch and a drink.
Leaders: Ann and Kathy 07800 728 667 or 07794 406 438
Sunday 29th October: 10 Mile Walk - Frilsham and Bucklebury (moderate)
- joint walk with the Pang Valley Ramblers
Meeting Point: Car park behind the Pot Kiln pub, Frilsham, nr Yattendon
Post Code: RG18 0XX,
Lat/Long: N51.4542°, W1.2062°,
OS Map: SU552731
The Pang Valley Ramblers have invited us to join them for a 10 mile walk. Meet in the car park behind the Pot Kiln pub, Frilsham, for a 10am GMT start. (Don't forget that the clocks go back this Sunday.)
A walk crossing the River Pang twice along two different traverses with long gentle climbs. Outward through Bucklebury and returning via Frilsham. Refresh afterwards with a pint of West Berks Brewery's real ale.
Please bring a packed lunch and drinking water as usual.
Leader: Peter W. (Pang Valley) 01189 841 600
November 2017
Sunday 5th November: 10 Mile Walk - Hambleden and Henley-on-Thames (moderate)
Meeting Point: Free car park next to The Stag & Huntsman Inn, Hambleden
Post Code: RG9 6SG,
Lat/Long: N51.5726°, W0.8687°,
OS Map: SU784865
The walk starts at 10:30am from the car park next to The Stag & Huntsman Inn at Hambleden, there may not be fireworks on the walk but there will plenty of variation.
The walk first takes us south in the Hambleden valley to Mill End. Here we will cross all being well the River Thames just above the water over the large Hambleden weir before heading through the hamlet of Aston and to Henley-on-Thames. In Henley we will cross the Thames a second time, this time rather higher up, head through the town besides the River Thames before joining the Fair Mile road and then the Oxfordshire Way Footpath.
Following a brief climb we come out into the level Deer Park. After the deer park there will be a few minor slopes and some quiet lane walking near and through the village of Fawley. Next we cross farm land and join the Shakespeare Way through Great Wood.
We will stop for our picnic lunch near the end of the walk overlooking the Hambleden valley before we head down to the picturesque village of Hambleden to complete the walk. Having finished the walk there is then the option to have a social drink either at the Stag and Huntsman pub or, if it is open, the village tea shop.
Bring a packed lunch and a drink as usual.
Leader: Mike D 07938 843 660 or 01635 863 831
Sunday 19th November: 10 Mile Walk - Marlow and Burchetts Green (moderate)
Meeting Point: Pinkneys Drive National Trust car park, near Maidenhead
Post Code: SL6 6QE,
Lat/Long: N51.5261°, W0.7693°,
OS Map: SU854815
The walk starts at the earlier time of 10:00am from the free National Trust Pinkneys Drive car park, near Junction 9b on A404(M) near Maidenhead. From M4 turn right, or from M40 turn left, at Junction 9b A404(M) Maidenhead Thicket roundabout (A4 Bath Road). At next roundabout turn left on Henley Road, take next right onto Pinkneys Drive. Car park is on the left a short way along the road. (Note that the postcode is approximate. Please use the map links above to view car park location before setting off.)
A varied walk taking us through, commons, meadows, footpaths and to the interesting and noisy Copas Turkey Farm. Then a steep descent from Winter Hill through woods into Marlow, where we have our lunch stop in the park or by the river. We then join the Thames river path along to Temple Lock, leaving shortly after to make our way into Hurley for optional pub stop if time allows. From here a steep ascent to High Wood which affords fine views over the countryside. Further footpaths lead to the agricultural college where we may see red squirrel, rabbits, emu and kangaroo. Farmland then takes us back to the Common and our start point.
Please bring packed lunch and drink. Cafe and toilets also available at the lunch stop.
Leaders: Ann and Kathy 07800 728 667 or 07794 406 438
December 2017
March 2018
Saturday 24th March to Saturday 31st March: Walking Holiday in South Cornwall
Join us for a week away in South Cornwall on the beautiful Roseland Peninsular, which is an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and recognised for the quality of its landscape and coastal scenery.
A lovely six bedroom house has been reserved in the heart of the pretty fishing village of Portscatho "? please see http://www.classic.co.uk/holiday-cottage/desc-3135.html for more details. The house is located near the beach and just off the main village square where a pub, bakery/convenience store and butchers can be found. There are four double rooms and two twin rooms and all of them are ensuite. The exact price for the week and confirmation of the reservation will be confirmed in July, after which deposits will need to be paid. It looks as if each room will be in the region of £230 for the week (i.e. £115 per person sharing). In addition to the cost of the accommodation, £50 per person towards a food kitty should more than cover the cost of provisions for breakfast, packed lunches and five or six of the evening meals that we'll cook together in the house.
Following the same pattern as previous BWW weeks away in North and West Cornwall, there will be four days of organised walking, leaving two days free to explore more of the local area by yourself. Places to visit include Truro, St Mawes Castle, the 13th century church at St Just in Roseland, Caerhays Castle and Gardens, the Lost Gardens of Heligan and Trelissick.
Rooms will be booked on a first come, first served basis. Please email Sue if you would like to join us.
Update: All places have now been taken.
Please note that for insurance reasons this holiday is only open to members of the Ramblers and priority will be given to members of the Berkshire Weekend Walkers.
Organiser: Sue B 07899 916 748 or seblack.viola(at)gmail.com
(Please replace the (at) with an @ in the email address above.)
Updates to Details
Please note that walks, social events and holidays may be added to this programme at any time. Also we occasionally have to make changes to an item that is already on the programme. If you have printed out this programme, please be aware that it may have changed since you printed it.
If you are unable to check the website before attending a walk, it would be wise to call the walk leader/event organiser to confirm that the details haven't changed.
If you wish to reproduce any of the events from this programme in a local paper, magazine or elsewhere on the Internet, please contact us. Your reproduction could become incorrect and misleading if we update the programme and were not able to alert you of the changes. Also we would like to extend the courtesy of informing our leaders that their walk has been more widely publicised, so that they may expect more attendees than usual.
Please remember that our social events are organised by volunteers, so your co-operation is greatly appreciated. For some events the organisers need to know in advance who is going so they can make the necessary bookings etc. If you wish to attend a social event that specifies a deadline then please contact the organiser before the deadline otherwise you will be putting them to extra trouble and it may not be possible to change the booking anyway.
If there are still some spare places on an event after the specified deadline has passed, a bulletin will be sent out, otherwise you must assume you are too late. (Please don't try to sneak in by contacting the venue and changing the booking without the organisers consent!)
Also, if you are booked on an event and then find you are unable to make it after all, please let the organiser know so that they don't wait around for you, and as they may be able to offer the place to someone else.
Thank you very much for your co-operation.
