Goring Stile Free Walk, Chilterns

Start: Wheel Orchard car park, Goring (RG8 9HB). Grid ref: SU 599 806

(S/E) Leave the car park past the side of the public toilets and walk along the designated footpath towards the High Street (A). Turn right onto the High Street (B4009), head up the hill and over the railway bridge. Cross Wallingford Road and go down the lane opposite, marked with a 'Chiltern Way Extension' sign, for 120m.

(1) Where the lane bends slightly to the right, turn left along a fenced tarmac footpath to another road. Go straight ahead passing modern houses and, when the road ends, stay in the same direction along a tarmac path for 50m.

(2) Turn right through a fence gap on a path marked The Chiltern Way Extension. Cross a track and follow the path between fences to cross another track to a kissing gate. Go through and continue for 200m round the side of a hill until another kissing gate is reached. Pass through the gate and follow the main footpath for 650m, ignoring all paths left and right (including the left fork 10m after the gate), to reach a lane.

(3) Turn right, cross the road and almost immediately turn left (North-North-East) up a footpath signposted to Beech Lane and Woodcote. Follow the path for 670m to meet a junction of tracks. On the way the path passes between high hedges and trees, then bears right uphill through Wroxhills Wood (B).

(4) At the junction turn right (South-East) along the wide bridleway and continue walking through woods for 520m to emerge with a field on the right and wooded glade on the left. Continue for a further 270m to reach a wide hardcore track (C). Bear right downhill ignoring the gate/footpath on the right just before the junction and pass a metal gate to reach a road.

(5) Turn left (South-East-East) along it and after 130m, turn right onto a bridleway. Walk uphill through Old Elvendon Wood for 720m until reaching a road (B4526). Cross it, go through the kissing gate opposite and head across the field to a gap in the hedge. The path continues between hedges for 150m. It bears right and left, then descends to a junction of tracks.

(6) Turn right onto the hardcore bridleway and follow it as it gently descends past Bottom House Farm (D). As the bridleway narrows through woodland, continue for a further 560m to emerge at a path junction. Turn sharp left onto a track that climbs through a wooded area to the junction with the Chiltern Way.

(7) Turn right along the Chiltern Way to Goring. After 50m ignore a track on the left (E). After a further 90m go over a crossing track.

At a grassy area bear right (F) and continue walking downhill to a kissing gate at the edge of the wood. Pass through this gate into a field and walk 50m to the next kissing gate on the right-hand side of the field.

Go through that gate and walk up a steep hill, keeping the hedge to the right. Follow the hedge for 860m through this field and the next. At the corner, walk through the gate to playing fields, ignoring the footpath forking to the left.

(8) Cross (North-West) the large recreation area with football pitches to a gate in the hedge on the other side leading into housing.. Follow the road as it bears left and right until it reaches the Reading Road. Turn left and head to a T-junction. Turn right over the road, then left over the railway bridge. Continue down the High Street, turning left along the original path into the car park.(S/E)

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