Goring Circular walk

An undulating route through Berkshire with lunch at The Bell, a refreshingly traditional pub.

Far Views from Streatley Warren upper rim SWC Walk 17 Goring Circular [Streatley Warren Extension]
Far Views from Streatley Warren upper rim

SWC Walk 17 Goring Circular [Streatley Warren Extension]

Jan-18 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

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Thames Crossing (Goring to Eyot) SWC Walk 17 Goring Circular
Thames Crossing (Goring to Eyot)

SWC Walk 17 Goring Circular

Jan-18 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

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Streatley Warren (ridge in the SW corner) SWC Walk 17 Goring Circular [Streatley Warren Extension]
Streatley Warren (ridge in the SW corner)

SWC Walk 17 Goring Circular [Streatley Warren Extension]

Jan-18 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

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Book 3, Walk 17, Goring Circular Even the sign had a preservation order, 9 June '07
Book 3, Walk 17, Goring Circular

Even the sign had a preservation order, 9 June '07

Jun-07 • mew2005b on Flickr

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Book 3, Walk 17, Goring Circular Aldworth, 9 June '07
Book 3, Walk 17, Goring Circular

Aldworth, 9 June '07

Jun-07 • mew2005b on Flickr

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Jun-07 • Andrew Murphy

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Jun-07 • Andrew Murphy

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Length

Main walk: 18km (11.2 miles). 5 hours 30 minutes. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow at least 9 hours.

YHA Version: 12.5km (8 miles)

Maps

OS Landranger Map 174 Explorer Map 159 and 170

Toughness

4 out of 10

Features

Leaves Goring with a pretty vista over the Thames, before following the Ridgeway path up on to the Downs.

Lunch is at the excellent Bell Inn in Aldworth (a CAMRA Pub of the Year, cosy in winter, beer garden in summer). St Mary's, the village church, is worth a visit.

There are longer and shorter afternoon routes. They both end with a steep climb, and a lovely view over the Thames, before a steep descent, and re-crossing the Thames into Goring

Walk Options
  • Streatley Youth Hostel (YHA) have produced a 12.5km (8 miles) version of this walk. Their Goring via The Bell pub at Aldworth Circular has 2 differences. It is almost the same in the morning, however it takes a slightly shorter but hillier route at the start up on to the downs over Lough Down. The afternoon's return route is 2 miles (3 km) shorter. Both are shown as options on the map. The walk is in the form of a beautifully sketch map drawn by Martyn Hanks, and is re-produced here with permission. Download from the link above. YHA - Streatley Youth Hostel - beds from £15, rooms from £25 (2013 prices)
  • Streatley Warren. Add 1.5km (1 mile). There is a longer morning option along the Ridgeway Path to Streatley Warren. The 'summer' version sticks to the footpath. The 'winter' version cuts across a nature reserve that's closed in summer (the difference is small). Please note that due to sensitive wildlife, the path over Streatley Warren Nature Reserve is only between 31st Oct and 1st March (at the time of writing). NB The public footpath around it is always open. If you wish to find out more information about a particular restriction, telephone the Open Access contact centre on 0845 1003298, quote OS grid ref. (for Streatley Warren) SU551810 or contact English Nature who look after Streatley Warren. The closure affects less than 1km of the route.
  • There is a short out-and-back walk to a pub in Four Points, near Aldworth, a little after The Bell
Travel

Trains go from London Paddington to Goring and Streatley, journey time is one hour. (Catching a fast train to Reading and changing there can reduce your travel time to 45 minutes.)

Saturday Walkers Club : Take the train nearest to 9.50am from London Paddington

Lunch
  • The Bell Inn Aldworth, RG8 9SE (01635 578272). Pub with Grade II listed interior which has been in the same family since the 18thC. Twice CAMRA pub of the year. Real Ales accompanied by plain simple warm rolls, soup and traditional puddings heated in the Aga and served noon - 2.45pm Tue - Sun. (Closed on Mondays). Located 7.5 km from the start of the walk.

  • Four Points Inn Aldworth, RG8 9RL. Pub in a 17th Century thatched building. Very good value set menus. Open all afternoon weekends, closes 2pm weekdays.
Tea

In Streatley

Across the river in Goring:

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By Train

Out (not a train station)

Back (not a train station)

By Car

Start RG8 0EP Map Directions

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Help

National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Traveline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234

Version

Mar-22 DAC

Copyright © Saturday Walkers Club. All Rights Reserved. No commercial use. No copying. No derivatives. Free with attribution for one time non-commercial use only. www.walkingclub.org.uk/site/license.shtml

Walk Directions

Full directions for this walk are in a PDF file (link above) which you can print, or download on to a Kindle, tablet, or smartphone.

This is just the introduction. This walk's detailed directions are in a PDF available from wwww.walkingclub.org.uk