Pangbourne to Theale, around Reading

A hilly walk from the River Thames through bluebell woods to the hospitable village of Theale in the Kennet

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Around Reading

Technical sheet

37422111
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.08 km
  • ◔
    Calculated time: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: No
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 62 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 59 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 106 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 42 m

Description de la randonnée

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

(S) Go down to A329 road from the station forecourt and carefully cross the road into 'The Wharf' opposite, keeping left at Waterside House. Follow the path to a road.

(1) Cross and turn right under the railway bridge. At the main road turn left, crossing to the other side at the pedestrian crossing. Keep in the same direction (East) past the Post Office, Meadow Lane and Horseshoe Rd.

(2) Turn right at a footpath sign. Cross the road into a footpath to the right of the church hall and pass through allotments. Keep ahead through the swing gate at the path junction, cross the field and head for the bridge over the ditch.

(3) Continue ahead across the next bridge at the field boundary and the second field to the road. Turn right, cross the stream.

(4) After a bend in the road take footpath, left, on the rising ground through the field. Go through the gate and up steps into Sulham Woods. At the crossing, the track continues uphill on the footpath.

(5) At the next path junction take well-marked path to the right and continue on this path until reaching the car park. Keep ahead to the road.

(6) Cross the road and continue on the footpath ahead through an open area. Pass to the right of a small pond to the corner of the wood.

(7) Here leave the public footpath and take the local path ahead into bluebell woods. Keep to the high ground just inside the wood ignoring paths on the right.

(8) Emerge from the wood, turn right and soon re-enter the wood on a steeply descending path. Take care. At the bottom of the hill keep ahead across the meadow. At the cross path bear left into the wood and turn right on a public footpath. At the next junction turn left on the permitted path inside the wood (Beal's Copse).

(9) At the end of trees turn right on a public footpath.

Here enjoy more open views of the North Downs, with Watership Down of rabbit fame visible between the radio mast at Hannington on the left and Beacon Hill with its ancient hill fort on the right.

Cross the bridleway with field boundary on the left at first then on the right as indicated. Keep ahead at the next crossing track and go over the new bridge into the thicket.

(10) Cross the motorway on the impressive footbridge. Pass buildings on the right and cross a stile into a track at Pond Farm. Follow the track round to the left and turn left into lane leading to the pretty Hamlet of North St. The route continues along the road to the corner.

(11) Then turn left along the footpath with a golf course on the left. Keep ahead through housing to reach the village of Theale where refreshment is available. Keep ahead under the road bridge, cross two roundabouts and go up the hill to the railway bridge and access to Theale station. (E)

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 44 m - Pangbourne Railway Station
  2. 1 : km 0.23 - alt. 43 m - Road
  3. 2 : km 0.61 - alt. 42 m - Footpath sign
  4. 3 : km 1.37 - alt. 43 m - Bridge over the ditch
  5. 4 : km 1.87 - alt. 49 m - Bend in the road - Footpath
  6. 5 : km 2.24 - alt. 99 m - Path junction
  7. 6 : km 3.04 - alt. 103 m - Road
  8. 7 : km 3.42 - alt. 102 m - Corner of the wood
  9. 8 : km 3.85 - alt. 97 m - Emerge from the wood
  10. 9 : km 4.59 - alt. 70 m - Beal's Copse
  11. 10 : km 5.53 - alt. 47 m - Motorway footbridge
  12. 11 : km 6.67 - alt. 47 m - Footpath - Golf course
  13. E : km 8.08 - alt. 47 m - Theale Railway Station

Practical information

In the nearby area

The Old Bath Road This route from London to the west was first shown on Gough's Map, drawn around 1360 by an unknown map-maker whose name wasn't Gough. When stage coaches first appeared in the 18th Century the luckless traveller had to put up with muddy, rutted roads and frequent breakdowns and risked being "held-up" by the notorious Dick Turpin and other highwaymen. It's said that Turpin used to hide in a secret room in the Olde Lambe Inn at Theale. By the 1960s the traffic had increased so much that the M4 was built and Theale was by-passed to become the pleasant backwater it is today.

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of the author.