Harpsden and its Woods, from Shiplake, 8 miles, moderate

Calendar

When:

April 3, 2021 @ 11:00 am

2021-04-03T11:00:00+01:00

2021-04-03T11:15:00+01:00

Where:

Shiplake Station

Contact:

Zak

Walk

Booking Required Limited Spaces (11) moderate public transport Walk

PLEASE NOTE: This walk is limited to 11 walkers + the walk leader.

Due to Government and Ramblers restrictions, places are limited on all of our walks. Please do not turn up for a walk without prior booking via the Google form, as we will have to turn you away.

Due to COVID-19, we all need to take extra steps to stay safe. Please follow all safety advice given by the walk leader, including the latest guidelines on physical distancing while out walking.

Please follow the latest government guidelines on the use of public transport and car sharing. It is recommended that you bring hand sanitizer or gloves in case you need to touch gates/stiles/etc. It is also recommended that you bring a face covering, in case of emergencies. If you or someone else from your household has COVID-19 symptoms, please do not attend.

This circular walk from Shiplake via Harpsden has a bit of everything, taking in woodland, farmland, villages, a few hills and a stretch of the Thames Path.

The walk will start from the car park at Shiplake Station at 11:00am, shortly after the arrival of the 10:46 from Twyford (if coming from Reading, take the 10:22 and change there). The walk leader will be on these trains, so if they are delayed, the start of the walk will be. Parking is available at the station (charges may apply – please check), otherwise if driving please park legally and considerately nearby.

The walk begins heading west out of Lower Shiplake to Harpsden and Peveril Woods, designated a SSSI for their woodland flora. After a circuit of these, we cross the Henley golf course to the village of Harpsden itself, climbing the small hill on the far side before returning via Harpsden Bottom and High Wood. The walk continues across rolling fields to Shiplake, joining the Thames Path at Shiplake college to make our way back to Lower Shiplake and our start point at the station, from which trains leave every hour.

Please bring a packed lunch and water to drink. As usual for now, there will be no pub stop on the walk.

Book a place on this walk by completing the Google Form. We will only use the contact information you provide to get in touch about the walk, or to share if requested with NHS Test and Trace. If you wish to bring a friend, then you must BOTH complete the booking form.

If after booking, you need to cancel your place on the walk, please email walking@berkshirewalkers.co.uk so that we can make your place available to someone else.

Please only contact the leader with queries about the walk or if you are delayed on the day.

Booking onto a walk

Most walks do not require advance booking, and you can just turn up on the day. We encourage those comfortable with Meetup to indicate there that you plan to come though, so that others can see there will be plenty of people there – this really helps to encourage new members to come along.
For the few which still have limited numbers, this is handled via Meetup. Follow the link to a walk’s Meetup page (or press 🎟 Register / 🎟 Tickets / 🎟), and mark yourself as attending.
Social and other events may have their own booking system – please see the event description.

Pace Guide

Gentle: led at a gentle pace with regular short breaks for water or rest. Should be suitable for anyone capable of the distance. (Expect 2–2.5 mph.)
Medium: led at an intermediate pace with fewer breaks but still suitable for most walkers. (Expect 2.5–3 mph.)
Fast: led at a quick pace with minimal breaks. May be a challenge for those with less fitness. (Expect 3 mph+.)

Speeds quoted are only a rough guide, including time spent on short water/rest stops and negotiating stiles/gates/roads etc. but not that spent on longer lunch or pub stops.