Saturday Walk: Mortimer to Aldermaston (or Theale)

#2026-10-10T10:03 

Distance 15.9 km 9.9 miles. Difficulty 3/10.

A walk visiting Silchester with its old church, Roman city walls and amphitheatre. 

Trains: Get the 10:03 Newbury train from Paddington changing at Reading onto the 10:37 Basingstoke train, platform 1, arriving Mortimer 10:50. Get a return to Mortimer. (In practice this is usually accepted for the return journey, but you could be required to buy a single from Aldermaston (or Theale) to Reading). 

A Freedom Pass is valid as far as Reading on the Elizabeth Line (Bond St 9:09, Paddington 9:13, Ealing Broadway 9:26). Arrive Reading 10:12 for the same Basingstoke train. You will still need tickets onward from and back to Reading.

Return from Aldermaston xx:26, changing again at Reading

It is possible to extend the walk to Theale where there is a more frequent service.xx:30 (direct services at 16:18, 17:20, 18:21).

Lunch Calleva Armss  (tel. 0118 970 0305) 

Tea – if you make Aldermaston  early enough, there's the Canal Trust café but it closes at 4 .

Otherwise, there's the Butt Inn  

Directions here

 t=1.33