Pangbourne Circular

Start : Pangbourne Railway Station entrance. (Postcode RG8 7DY) Grid ref. SU 633 766.
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(S/E) Exit Pangbourne Station and take the right onto the station approach. At the crossroads with Station Road (A329), cross the road and you find a footpath in front of you called the Wharp. Walk down the footpath (North East) and you arrive at the River Thames. Continue straight until you reach Whitchurch Road.

(1) Turn left onto Whitchurch and walk North across the bridge. You arrive at the toll. Walk on the right side of the road, please note there is no pavement by the toll, and turn left onto The Mill (don't let the "private property" sign stop you, it is not intended for walkers but for cars). At the end of the road, turn right (North) and you arrive at St Mary the Virgin Church. After the church, turn right and you arrive on the High Street (B471).

(2) Turn left onto the High Street (B471) and walk up the road North for 490 m. Please note that there are no sidewalks for the last 70 m and you must walk on the hard shoulder. Turn left onto Hartslock Bridleway. Walk along it for 1.2 Km after which the bridleway becomes a footpath going through a forested area on the edge of the River Thames. Continue on this path for 1.6 Km.

(3) Turn right onto a field and walk up the hill (North East). Exit the field at the top of the hill and turn right onto the main path. Continue on this path for 690 m. You then arrive at a junction with a footpath ahead of you bordered by bushes. Continue straight (South East) on this path. After 150 m the footpath merges with a countryside road called Coombe End. Turn left and walk on the road for 620 m. (Please note there is no pavement so you need to walk on the road, but it is not busy).

(4) You arrive at an intersection with a footpath through Coombe Farm on your right. Enter Coombe Farm. Just before reaching the barns, you find a footpath on your left. Take this footpath, crossing through a field and then through Beech Wood. When you come out of the wood, the path splits into 2. Take the path on the right (South West). You first walk through a field and after 410 m you enter a forested area. 500 m further, the footpath merges with the B471.

(5) Come out of the woods and walk down B471 (South) until you reach the memorial monument. Then the pavement is discontinued and you need to cross carefully the B471 to find the continuation of the pavement on the other side of the road. Walk on the pavement for 310 m. Then you arrive back on the High Street. There is no pavement on the High Street for 70 m between Hartslock Bridelway and Hardwick Road. Walk down the High Street for 310 m (South East).

(2) Turn right onto the alleyway leading to St Mary the Virgin Church. After the church, turn left onto the footpath leading to the High Street (B471). Turn right (South) onto the High Street (B471). Walk past the toll and cross over the bridge. Continue straight on Whitchurch Road until you reach the junction with the Boathouse Surgery car park on your right and the Pangbourne River Meadow Car Park on your left.

(1) You see the footpath leading to the station on the edge of the Boathouse Surgery car park on your right. Follow this footpath parallel to the River Thames until you reach Station Road. Cross over Station Road and walk up the road opposite where you are leading to the entrance of the train station. (S/E)

Start: Pangbourne Railway Station entrance. (Postcode RG8 7DY) Grid ref. SU 633 766.
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Transport :

• Train : Pangbourne Railway Station.
• Parking: Pangbourne Railway Station. (Fee Apply)

Facilities :
Toilettes: Pangbourne Station

Refreshments :

• George Hotel, Pangbourne
• Elephant Hotel, Pangbourne (Looks quite posh)
• The Swan, Pangbourne (Has a terrace and view of the river)
• Greyhound Inn, Whitchurch
• The Cross Key, Pangbourne (Has a beer garden)

Terrain :

• Stile-free
• Road-crossing: crossing of Station Road at the start. Then a couple of meters on Whitechurch on Thames High Street on the hard shoulder/ no sidewalks. Crossing the bridge, there are no sidewalks when we get to Whitechurch Village by the toll. However, all the cars stand at a standstill waiting to pay the toll. On the way back you need to cross the B471 as the pavement stops and the continuation is on the other side.

Dog policy : No dog allowed

Gears: Walking boots or shoes, raining gear

Find more details, pictures, and stories about this walk at The Flamingo Hiker here.

- St Mary the Virgin Church
- Whitchurch Toll Bridge