West Berkshire Downs - ancient woodlands, commons, pubs and pretty villages

HIGHLIGHTS

• An area of outstanding beauty with undulating landscapes and fine views
• Paths that cross the valleys of the Kennet, the Bourne and the Pang
• Pretty lunch destination in the Pang Valley
• Passing the Bucklebury Estate - one of the largest in southern England
• Walking through one of Berkshire's largest heathlands
• Walking along the Kennet and Avon Canal to end up in a riverside pub

WHAT TO EXPECT - HIKING INFO
Distance: approx 21km (c.13 miles)
Estimated Duration (approx): 7 hours walking
Difficulty: Moderate

DESCRIPTION
Come and join me for a West Berkshire adventure.

The day will be a mixture of walking on ancient paths, through autumnal woods and pretty villages with some fine views along the way. We will meet dog walkers and locals on our paths, and as well as frequent a pub or two on our way :)

Undoubtedly, it will be a good day out at the beginning of the autumn months, all within an hour's train journey from London.

ps. My walks make time to enjoy the views, take in local history, and look at interesting buildings along the way.

PROGRAMME
You can choose to meet at London Paddington or the Hike Starting Point. The applicable time and meeting points are detailed below.

LONDON STATION MEETING DETAILS
08.00 - Group save assemble time:
08.20 - Move to the departure platform
08.35 - TRAIN DEPARTS
09.21 - train arrives at Aldermaston

Meeting Point:
London Paddington. We will assemble in front of the purple Heathrow Express ticket office.

HIKE START POINT
Time: 09.30 am
Meetup Point: Aldermaston Train Station - outside the front

Return
It is impossible to promise a specified finish train and time, but we aim to return to London by 18.23 or 19.12.

Tickets
For those buying their own tickets, please get a return to Migham.

HIKE COST
The cost for the hike is £10 per person

GROUP SAVE
If you want to be part of a group save option, please arrive at the meeting point no later than 08.00am.

Group save train fare is currently £20.70 - if you want to join into the group save, please message me so we can make arrangements.

HIKE INCLUDES

• Guided Hike planned and led by experienced AAA leaders - trained Lowland and Mountain Leaders with Wilderness First Aid Training.
• PayPal fees

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

• Travel costs, unless this option is selected.
• Lunch, drinks or any refreshments
• Souvenirs
• Meetup Fee levied on all purchases via meetup
• Entrance fees to any attractions you wish to visit

RECOMMENDED KIT LIST (full list)

• Suitable hiking shoes or boots
• Waterproof jacket and trousers (Please no jeans!)
• Water [2L recommended]
• Warm/Windproof layer, e.g. Down/Primaloft/Fleece
• Wicking base layer, e.g. Polyester/Tencil/Merino
• Camera & Phone
• Picnic lunch and snacks

CANCELLING/REFUNDS
If you can no longer join the hike, please message the Host listed on here, and update your RSVP status to 'Not going', to allow others to take your place. If the hike is full, and you have messaged us and have changed your RSVP to 'Not going', we will refund you, less than the PayPal/Meetup fees. To obtain this, please email info@aaalondongroup.com after the event, with the email address you use on your PayPal account and transaction reference. If the hike is not full, unfortunately we will not be able to provide any refund.

QUESTIONS
If you have any other questions, please check out our FAQ page; if you are still unsure, contact the event organiser as shown on this event page.
We have operated over 1,000 events in the last ten years without significant incidents and achieved this through meticulous planning. All participants (members and their guests) in any AAA Hiking event or activity are personally responsible for their fitness, safety, and welfare and must be equipped accordingly.

If you have signed up for the event, you acknowledge and accept the AAA Hiking Terms and Conditions as follows: https://www.aaahiking.co.uk/terms-and-conditions

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