June Walks Giveaway: Pangbourne, Berkshire

This walk is reproduced from our popular walking book 'Berkshire Pub Walks'

📥 To download this walk and take it with you, click here!

PANGBOURNE, BERKSHIRE

Distance: 3 miles 

WALK HIGHLIGHTS

Quite short, completely flat, and easy to follow, this walk should suit everyone. It also features a lovely stretch of the Thames Path. What more could you want from a walk? Oh yes a riverside pub waiting for you at the finish, it’s got that as well. There’s a good spot for feeding the ducks/geese/swans early on too. 

RECOMMENDED PUB (in case you’re reading this in the future, when pubs are open again) 

The Swan - a beautiful 17th-century listed building with oak beams and open fires in the winter, plus a superb terrace overlooking the River Thames. 

HOW TO GET THERE & PARKING 

Pangbourne is well signposted from junction 12 of the M4 and surrounding areas. Follow signs towards Beale Park and Basildon Park and you will see The Swan on the right, opposite the railway station. Sat Nav: RG8 7DU.

Parking: The pub only has a small car park, so use the public railway car park opposite if necessary.

THE WALK 

1. Turn left out of The Swan and before you reach the railway bridge turn left onto The Wharf (if you look carefully you can see a public footpath sign) and take the narrow path left of the railing. Turn left at the end of this path. Head straight on over a track and along to a road, cross over the road and turn left onto a pavement until the pavement ends at a footpath sign showing the Thames Path going leftish and straight on. Go through a gap in the hedge and turn left through the car park of the Dolphin Centre to a kissing gate in the left corner.

2. Go through the gate and onto the path by the River Thames (past a duck feeding area) and continue on the path through copse and over a small bridge. Keep going until you cross a bit of raised path over some reed beds. Walk over a bridge and through a gate where you turn right, heading away from the Thames. Stay on this path with a fence to your left and a little stream on the right until you reach a large gate. Pass by the gate and turn left to pass through the railway arch and follow the track around to the right, where shortly, you will see a footpath sign pointing through a gate on the left.

3. Follow the path along the right edge of a field until you reach a road. Turn right onto the pavement and cross over when convenient, passing a school on your left. Turn left onto Kennedy Drive. Stay on this road as it passes the back of the school then, as it bears around to the right, look out on the left for a large telegraph pole after which an unmarked pathway heads left. Follow the path to a gate with a yellow footpath arrow on it. Go through this gate and a kissing gate and bear right along the right edge of a field.

4. Soon you will see a kissing gate to the right with various footpath signs, but just carry on in the same direction until you reach an open gate. Go through the gate and then straight on across the field until you reach the River Pang. Turn right before the river and pass to the left of a clump of trees to a metal kissing gate. Go through onto a clear path between trees and keep straight on as it turns into a cul-de-sac.

5. At the end of the road turn left to pass the Co-op, then cross over at the zebra crossing and continue along to the roundabout. Turn right towards the railway bridge. You’ll need to cross the road to go under the bridge, then cross back again and proceed past the road that leads to Pangbourne station and along to The Swan.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Beale Park is a wildlife park and gardens situated between the villages of Pangbourne and Lower Basildon. Highlights include the collection of small exotic animals, farm animals and birds, children’s play areas and paddling pool, and the miniature train which tours the park.

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