A 20s and 30s Ramblers group.
This 6-mile circular afternoon walk from Egham explores historic Runnymede, and its many monuments and works of art.
Advance booking is not required, but if you plan on attending this walk, please indicate this on Meetup if you can (see Website link), so others can see that there will be plenty of people going.
Pace: medium.
Walk details
Leaving Egham and crossing the A30 bypass, we’ll head out onto Runnymede, an ancient Thameside water meadow world famous at the site of the signing of Magna Carta in 1215. Before reaching the memorials though, we will walk up the Thames Path past an impressive statue of Queen Elizabeth II. Depending on numbers, we’ll have a stop at the National Trust’s Magna Carta tearoom.
It’s after the cafe stop that the Magna Carta monuments begin. In quick succession, we will pass “The Jurors”, the main monument built by the American Bar Association, and the reflective pool of Writ in Water. We’ll have to retrace our steps briefly to the next stop, which is the memorial to President John F. Kennedy.
(*=the JFK memorial, and the acre of land surrounding it, was gifted to the people of the United States when the memorial was built. However, were you to e.g. commit a crime there, you would quickly find out what country you are really in!)
We’ll climb up Coopers Hill – the only ascent of any significance on the whole walk – and follow quiet roads to the final monument of the walk, the Air Forces Memorial. This bears the names of RAF and Commonwealth Air Forces personnel lost in World War 2 who have no other grave – 20,456 names in all. We can walk quietly around the memorial to pay our respects. From the top, there are some spectacular views from Windsor Castle to the west, to Wembley Stadium and central London to the east.
We’ll conclude by descending the hill and crossing Runnymede one last time back to finish in Egham. There is the opportunity for a drink at the Red Lion pub in the town centre, before catching the train.
Travel details
By public transport
Please travel on the 11.24 train from Reading (Wokingham 11.38, Bracknell 11.44) if travelling by train. The walk leader intends to travel on this train; if it is delayed the start of the walk may be as well.
By car
Parking is available at Egham station (charges apply); or park considerately in the surrounding streets.
Notes
Egham railway station
