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- 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.
- ELIZABETH LINE WALK SERIES: Stratford to Cheshunt, 14.6 miles, strenuousStratford Tube Station , London
Today’s walk takes us from Stratford to Cheshunt along the River Lea as well as the Lea Navigation, both of which offer a scenic route through a mix of urban and natural landscapes. During this walk, we’ll be passing through some of East London’s rich industrial history and transitioning into serene countryside. Starting at Stratford station, we'll start off by walking through the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to offering a stunning mix of vibrant green spaces and urban art installations. This’ll take us to the Lea Navigation path, which was constructed in the mid-18th century and is lined with a mix of historical warehouses and modern residential developments.
As we head into North London, the landscape slowly opens as the sounds of Central London slowly fade starting with Hackney Marshes, where we’ll find broad and green fields. From here, we'll then pass through Walthamstow Marshes, which is a nature reserve that’s known for its wildflower meadows and an abundance of bird life, including herons and swans. Here, we’ll pass the old Middlesex Filter Beds, which is a former Victorian water treatment facility that has since been turned into a nature reserve, and it offers a charming place for a quick rest.
Further along as we approach Tottenham, the scenery becomes more industrial again, which is quickly replaced by the waterside greenery of the Lea Valley. Crossing under various rail bridges and navigating small locks, we'll encounter tranquil stretches where the only sounds are the ripples of water and chirping birds. As we approach Cheshunt, the landscape transitions to rural marshlands, with wider waters and fewer urban sights, where it opens to the Lea Valley Park with its extensive lakes to takes us through to our finishing point at Cheshunt station.
Due to the length of this walk, there’ll be the option to drop off at one of several Greater Anglia/Overground stations between Stratford and Cheshunt. The walk leader plans to stop at Wild Marsh East for lunch, of which the closest station is Northumberland Park if you want to drop out here. For those who want a pint at the end of the walk, we’ll be stopping off at The Red Cow, which is only a short distance from the station.
Ascent: 30m.
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 09:12 GWR service that arrives at Paddington at 09:36. This give enough time to get the 09:52 Elizabeth line service that arrives in Stratford at 10:10. Please note, that we'll be starting this walk from the Westfield Stratford City entrance, so please follow signs to the shopping centre to reach the start point.
DRIVING:
Due to the cost of parking in London and ULEZ, it's recommended that you don't drive to Stratford. Alternatively, you can park at Reading station and take the train from there, 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.
- Window To Another World, 6 miles, leisurelyOxford Station , Oxford OX1 1HS
This 6 mile circular walk from Oxford includes the Thames Path, Wolvercote Common, and two sites that appear in The Book of Dust, Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy set in a parallel world.
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: medium.
This walk will be led by Tom H..
Please see our website for more information about the group.
Walk details
We’ll follow the Thames Path upstream from Oxford through Binsey, eventually reaching the ruins of Godstow Abbey. In The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage, its alternative world equivalent, Godstow Priory, was where Lyra was sent as a baby.
Shortly after the Abbey ruins, we'll pass the Trout Inn, which also features - in parallel universe form - in The Book of Dust. The Trout was where Malcolm Polstead, the protagonist of La Belle Sauvage, grew up with his family. We may stop for a drink here, but this is a popular pub on a Sunday afternoon, so may not be possible depending on the size of the group.
We'll then walk through the village of Wolvercote, before heading south through the vast open spaces of Wolvercote Common and Port Meadow. The final stage back into Oxford is along the towpath of the Oxford Canal through Jericho. At the end of the walk, there is the choice of returning straight to the station or enjoying a drink in one of the many available pubs in the centre of Oxford.
Travel details
By public transport
Please travel on the 11.48 departure from Reading 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 the station - charges apply.
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.
- It might be muddy – please wear suitable footwear.
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.
