BOOKING REQUIRED: Mapledurham House and Chiltern Way loop

This walk requires advance booking via Meetup (see Website link) and is limited to 30 walkers. Please do not turn up without booking, only sign up if you intend to come, and cancel in good time if you can no longer attend so that someone else can take your place.

This 10 mile circular walk from Reading centre features views of the River Thames, a visit to the grounds of the 12th century Mapledurham Estate, plus a section of the Chiltern Way on the return route.   

The walk heads out of Reading town centre, into Caversham and onto a stretch of path both along and near to the River Thames. Our destination is the village of Mapledurham, home to the striking 900 year-old St Margaret’s Church, as well as Mapledurham House, a Grade 1 listed building. Its grounds, where we may have our lunch stop,  also feature a working water mill.

We’ll start our return journey with a short climb through Park Wood, overlooking the Thames, and along a section of the Chiltern Way which skirts the edge of Mapledurham golf club. Passing through the villages of Chazey Heath and Toker’s Green we'll reach the edge of Caversham, where we’ll  get a fine view from a small (suburban) hill.

The last section of the route involves another green area of Caversham - Balmore Park - which leads us to Fox and Hounds pub, where we can stop for a drink. The Fox is a ten minute walk over the Thames from our end point at Reading station.