Three Cs: Caverham, Crowsley Park and the Chiltern Way, 8 miles, easy/moderate

Calendar

When:

May 21, 2022 @ 10:50 am

2022-05-21T10:50:00+01:00

2022-05-21T11:05:00+01:00

Where:

Clayfield Copse car park
Caversham Park Rd
Caversham, Reading RG4 6AA
UK

Cost:

Free

Contact:

Steve E

Walk

Booking Required Circular easy/moderate Limited Spaces (20) medium pace public transport Walk

An 8-mile circular walk from the edge of Reading, taking in a small section of the Chiltern Way and a visit to Crowsley Park country estate.

Booking is required for this walk, which is limited to 20 walkers, via the form here.

Pace: medium.

Walk details

If I’m honest this walk has a few more than three Cs – as it includes Clayfield Copse, our starting point. We’ll head out through Clayfield’s woods and along footpaths on the edge of Caversham to find the village of Chalkhouse Green, from where we’ll join a stretch of the Chiltern Way.

The route takes us to the front gates and into the grounds of Crowsley Park, a 160 acre country estate where we’ll stop for lunch. Tom Baker’s Doctor Who met his dramatic end here in 1981, and it’s home to quite a few horses, as well as some very large satellite dishes.

On the return journey to Reading we’ll pass through quiet fields and along Tagg Lane until we reach the village of Dunsden Green, where we’ll drop into the Loddon Brewery for a refreshing drink (hot or cold).

The final stretch of the walk takes us back to Caversham via the Blackhouse Wood, which lies adjacent to Clayfield Copse.

Travel details

By public transport

Please take Reading bus no. 23 from Friar Street in Reading centre, leaving at 10:30. Alight at Fraser Avenue stop – opposite Clayfield Copse car park – at 10:46.

By car

Please park in Clayfield Copse car park, which is free as far as the walk leader can tell, although it is used by members of the tennis club adjacent to it. Alternative parking can be found at the Milestone Centre, Milestone Way, RG4 6PF – a ten minute walk away.

Notes

If you or someone else from your household has COVID-19 symptoms, please do not attend.
Please bring a packed lunch and a drink.
It might be muddy – please wear suitable footwear.
Please feel free to 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.