Goring Circular Walk

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)

OS Landranger Map 174 Explorer Map 159 and 170

4 out of 10

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

• 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 31^st Oct and 1^st 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

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

• The Bell Inn Aldworth, RG8 9SE (01635 578272). Pub with Grade II listed interior which has been in the same family since the 18^thC. 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.

In Streatley

• The Swan at Streatley High Street, Streatley, RG8 9HR (01491 878800) Possible tea stop. To be researched.

Across the river in Goring:

• John Barleycorn Hotel Manor Rd, Goring-on-Thames RG8 9DP (01491 871813)
• The Catherine Wheel Station Rd, Goring-on-Thames (01491 872379)

After the walk, please leave a comment, it really helps. Thanks!

You can also upload photos to the SWC Group on Flickr (upload your photos) and videos to Youtube. This walk's tags are:

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

Mar-22 DAC