Meet outside Goring & Streatley Station in time for a 10:10am start. This is shortly after the 09:55am departure from Reading (08:57am London Paddington), which arrives at Goring & Streatley at 10:08am. If the train is delayed, the start of the walk will be too.
We will start out from Goring (a quiet, Thames-side, Oxfordshire village and former home to George Michael) and head up into the rolling hills on the western edge of the Chilterns. Our route follows the field-side and woodland paths to Crays Pond and onto Checkendon, where we’ll head into the wood to search out the famed Black Horse. Stoke Row, where the Marahaja of Benares sunk a well to provide water to Ipsden will be the lunch stop, before we continue through mixed woodland open fields to Greys Court, a Tudor National Trust house, on the outskirts of Henley-on-Thames. The bustling town of Henley is famous for its regatta and is the end of our walk.
The walk will require two single train fares: For those that don’t have a Railcard, we will try to travel in groups to take advantage of GroupSave or Network Railcard discounts. If you wish to do this, please meet at 9:25am prompt outside the Three Guineas pub, and carry some change. At the time of writing, the discounted fares are £2.95 Reading to Goring (full price £4.50) and £3.30 Henley to Reading (full price £5.00). Trains back to Reading run half-hourly.
You will also require some cash if you want to buy anything at the Black Horse: this treasure of a pub doesn’t have an electric till, but does normally have a good selection of local beers. There will be the option to have food in Henley before returning to Reading.
This walk is part of National Young Ramblers 2018. However, we would be delighted to welcome all people on this walk, whether you are attending our event or not.
Sat Nav: RG8 0EW or 51.5211 -1.1327
Grid Ref: SU602806