SWC Walk 117: Aldermaston to Woolhampton (via Stanford
Dingley) t=swc.117
Distance: 12.6 miles or 20.4 km for those more
metrically minded (with a short cut available reducing route to 9.5 miles or
15.5 km)
Difficulty: 4
out of 10
Train: Take the 10:03
AM Great Western Penzance train from London
Paddington, changing at Reading onto a Newbury bound train (arrive 10:26;
depart 10:43), arriving at Aldermaston at 10:54. Return
trains (all requiring a change at Reading unless otherwise noted) from Midgham
(Woolhampton) are at 16:56 (change Newbury); 18:02; 18:56 (change Newbury); 20:01;
and 22:05. Buy a day return to Midgham.
This walk explores the undulating territory of
the West Berkshire Downs, part of the Wessex
Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
It includes ancient woodland, commons, including Bucklebury Common (the
largest in SE England) and pretty villages. You can find more information about
the walk and download the walk instructions here. This is NOT the walk via Frilsham and the delightful Pot Kiln
Inn – although it shares the same beginning and ending. Instead, it explores a different, but similarly pretty, area with a
nice variety of possible lunch pubs.
The recommended lunch pubs are in the pretty
village of Stanford Dingley – either the Old Boot (01189 745 191)
or the Bull Inn (01189 744 582). The Bull Inn seems to be the preferred
option – but, being Sunday do call ahead. There are some earlier and later lunch
options mentioned in the walk instructions.
Tea can be had at the very pleasant Rowbarge Inn near Midgham Station or if
pressed for time the Angel which is on the same side of the tracks as
the required platform.
Enjoy the walk!
1 comment:
This (edited) from one of the n=3 who were on the walk:
The first part of the walk was overcast, developing into heavy rain just before we reached The Bladebone at Chapel Row. It was fully booked, so we walked on in the rain to The Old Boot at Stanford Dingley after having phoned ahead to make sure they had spaces. It was a success, with high quality food, albeit expensive, and good friendly service. The weather brightened up into warm sunshine as we were sitting in the conservatory at the pub, and we walked back more or less directly to Woolhampton by a route of our own, not following the SWC walk.
We missed a train by a couple of minutes, so waited for the next one at the local pub by the station (a bus that was supposed to run to Reading from the pub did not turn up).
A rather longer day than we had anticipated, but an enjoyable autumnal walk.
w=overcast-then-rainy-then-sunny
Post a Comment