What we’re about
The Berkshire Walkers are a walking and social group aimed at people in their 20s and 30s and is part of The Ramblers.
We are based in Berkshire, mainly around Reading, Newbury and Slough, and provide walks at a variety of lengths on weekends and summer evenings. We also have regular socials such as pub meets, meals out, ten-pin bowling and trips to museums and places of interest. All are welcome to join the Berkshire Walkers for a walk, whether you are already a keen walker, or just starting down the path.
Your first three walks are FREE for new members. We are part of the Ramblers and we are always keen to meet new members. You can join here.
Annual membership is exceptionally reasonable (just over £3pm on Direct Debit). Membership also gives you access to our social events that aren't advertised on Meetup and socials happen at least two-three times a month. With membership, you can also join any of the other 500 Ramblers groups, including other Berkshire groups and those nearby in Surrey, Sussex, Oxfordshire, and Hampshire.
Joining The Ramblers in general brings all the benefits of being part of the UK's largest walking organisation, with discounts available in many walking shops (e.g. 15% at Cotswold Outdoor). You will also receive a magazine 4 times a year, about walking in the UK and things that affect your rights to walk through our amazing and varied countryside. Your membership fees also contribute to The Ramblers' efforts to promote walking as a healthy pastime, to campaign for access and to fight for maintained access to our rights of way. What's not to like?
Not all our members are on Meetup, so there will be more people on walks than are shown on Meetup. For a general idea, we typically get 10–20 people on our walks. Please note that our social events are not usually listed on Meetup: our socials are for our walkers only (including those new to the group with an interest in joining), and can be found on our website.
PLEASE NOTE: This event costs £15 per person. To purchase your ticket, you must complete the Google Form and transfer £15 per ticket to the BW bank account.
We hope you’ll join the Berkshire Walkers for our grand SUMMER SPECTACULAR Ceilidh on Saturday 2nd August. It will be an evening of ceilidh dancing, with Scottish Country Dance Band Strathallan providing the live music.
We hope to see as many past and present BW members as possible, as well as friends and family, and ramblers from our neighbouring groups. Please note, there's only 60 tickets on sale, so if you're interested in attending, please show your interest as soon as possible as well as buying a ticket.
Doors will open at 18:30 for a 19:00 start.
If you're planning on driving, there's a car park with limited spaces for those using the village hall on hire. Alternatively, there's a larger public car park opposite the village hall, where a parking fee of £1 applies. There are also regular train services from Reading and Didcot, with the station being roughly a 5-minute walk from the station.
For those of you new to ceilidh dancing – don’t fear! We’ll have a ‘caller’ – a person who will teach us the dance moves and shout out the moves we need to do next, making it easy for anyone to join in, no matter how much ceilidh dancing experience you have. We’ll have two sets of dancing from approximately 19:00 to 20:15, and 20:45 to 22:00.
To keep costs down, we won’t be providing food and drink, but you are encouraged to bring your own on the night. There’s also a Co-op down the road.
This event is being organised by the Berkshire Walkers 25th anniversary subcommittee team: Andrew, Ed, Georgia, Michael, Paul, and Shannon.
Terms & conditions. The Berkshire Walkers account is used only to streamline payments to suppliers. In the event of a supplier failure, Ramblers and Berkshire Walkers are not liable for reimbursement. We are not able to offer refunds for this event. By signing up for this event, you are accepting these T&Cs.
As far as we are aware, the BWs first hosted a ceilidh to celebrate the group’s 10th anniversary. This proved popular, so the group has held several ceilidhs since. We also held a ceilidh for the National Young Ramblers (NYR) weekend when we hosted it in Berkshire, which, in part, led to a ceilidh being a regular feature on NYR weekends. We therefore thought a ceilidh was the ideal way to celebrate the group’s successful 25 years!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- A Cotswold Odyssey, 17.5 miles, moderateKingham Station, OX7 6UP
A long but rewarding circular walk through picturesque Cotswold countryside and villages, including Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower Slaughter, Stow-in-the-Wold*, and Upper Oddington.
* There's an option to drop out at Stow-in-the-Wold via bus, for a 12-mile linear walk.
Advance booking is not required, but if you plan on attending this walk, please indicate this on Meetup if you can, so others can see that there will be plenty of people going.
Pace: fast. Ascent: 310m.
This walk will be led by Zak K.
Please see our website for more information about the group.
Walk details
Our odyssey through the Cotswolds begins at Kingham station, which actually lies between the villages of Kingham and Bledington. We'll make our way through Bledington into the countryside following the Oxfordshire Way to Wyck Beacon for views of the surrounding landscape and on to Wyck Rissington and Rissington Mill as we wind our way through the lakes into the iconic Cotswold village of Bourton-on-the-Water – but not before we take a look at the Iron Age settlement of Salmonsbury on the edge of Greystones Farm Nature Reserve.
Heading on from Bourton-in-the-Water, we head for the village of Lower Slaughter – where no less than five "Ways" converge: the Gloucestershire Way, the Heart of England Way, the Macmillan Way, the Monarch's Way, and the Warden's Way! We follow three of these as they run in parallel into another iconic Cotswold location, Stow-in-the-Wold.
At this point, it's possible to drop out and take the 802 bus back to Kingham, if you'd prefer a 12-mile linear option (though be aware this is infrequent, so you may have a wait). Otherwise, we'll continue out via Maugersbury to Upper Oddington, before roughly following the River Evenlode back towards Kingham and the end of our odyssey!
Possible café/pub stops in Bourton-in-the-Water and/or Stow-in-the-Wold, depending on timing and numbers on the day (and toilets are available in both locations, in any case).
Travel details
By public transport
From Reading, take the 08:19 train (08:45 from Oxford), arriving in Kingham at 09:10 in time for the start of the walk. The walk leader will be on this train – if it's running late then the start of the walk will be delayed accordingly. Return trains once an hour.
By car
There is a car park at Kingham station, where charges will apply (via APCOA). Please allow time to park, pay, and be ready at the start point in time for the walk.
Dogs
Dogs welcome on this walk, provided they are kept under control at all times and placed on a lead when requested by the walk leader.
Please see our dogs policy on our group website for more details.
Notes
- Please bring a packed lunch and plenty of water.
- While the walk isn't planned to be super-fast, we will need to move at a reasonable pace compared to many of the group's shorter walks, given the distance to be covered.
Please see our group website for more information: https://www.berkshirewalkers.co.uk/
Please contact the leader directly if you are delayed on the day or can't find the group (find contact details on our website). We are unlikely to respond to Meetup comments or messages sent on the day in enough time to be helpful.
- Evening views of Newbury, 6 miles, leisurelyNewbury railway station, Newbury
Tonight's evening walk will give us some wonderful of Newbury as well as the surrounding countryside. Starting the north side of Newbury station, we’ll start off by walking through the Market Square before walking alongside St Nicolas’ church to follow the canal towards Northcroft Park, which we walk through towards the water meadows. After some time, we’ll arrive back to the Kennet & Avon Canal, which we’ll walk along a little bit of it before following the dirt path towards the Enborne Road. Once there, cross over it to the field, which you then follow around to the footpath down the middle of the next field. Walk down this footpath to go up the hill to get the views of Newbury, and then at the top of it, we'll follow the footpath alongside the bushes to head towards the school and towards Newbury. From here, we'll start heading back towards Newbury station via City Park to finish the walk. For those who want a pint at the end of the walk, we’ll be visiting The Dolphin, which is close to the station.
Ascent: 51m.
This walk will be led by Michael v..
Please see our website for more information about the group.
TRAINS:
The recommended train to get from Reading is the 18:06 GWR service that arrives in Newbury at 18:35.
DRIVING:
Newbury station has a good sized car park, where parking fees apply.
DOGS:
Dogs are welcome on this walk as long as they're well behaved.
Please contact the leader directly if you are delayed on the day or can't find the group (find contact details on our website). We are unlikely to respond to Meetup comments or messages sent on the day in enough time to be helpful.
