THE WALK
Distance: 7.5 miles
Time: 3/4 hours
Going: Moderate
Parking: In car park at top of golf course in Streatley and there are several car parks in Pangbourne.
BBC BERKSHIRE WALKING AND SAFETY |  |
Leave the car park following the road up the hill. Go past the first footpath that leads into National Trust woodland called 'The Hollies', and take the footpath after that, by wooden bollards and a litterbin. Follow the footpath alongside the golf course on the right.  | | You'll see these gates into the National Trust's Basildon Park |
Look out for the stile on the right (it's quite easy to miss!). Go over the stile and onto the path, taking you onto a path with woods on your left and a field on your right. Cross another stile on the right. Look out for the yellow arrow sign and follow the path down through the crop field, parallell to the path you have just left. The path slopes downwards. When you get to the bottom of the field by the house, follow the path to the right into another field. Now the house should be to your left. When you reach the tarmac road turn left. Turn right up the gravel track off the tarmac road, following the Byway sign. The path climbs steadily. When the track forks, take the track to the right.  | | The walk along the Thames is quiet and peaceful, apart from the odd fisherman or two. |
When the path meets the tarmac road, turn right onto the road, carrying on up the hill. Follow the road, past Bennet's Wood Farm. Look out for the path on the left as the road swings to the right. Take the footpath, going over the stile. The path follows the field boundary to the right. At the far side of the field, cross the stile into the woods. Keep on the path going downhill into the woods. When you reach the footpath sign at the other side of the wood turn right, keeping the fenceline on your left. The path climbs quite steeply. When you reach the road, turn left.  | | Messing about on the river. |
When you reach the t-junction on the bend, bear left towards upper Basildon, onto a busier road. The road swings left. Where the road is crossed by two paths, take the one on the left to Hare Green Farm. Walk over a cattlegrid. As you go into the stable yard, go past the gravel drive on your right and look out for the stile, opposite the row of stables. Go over the stile and into the field, following the fenceline on your left. Keep following the path as it slopes down the hill. At the bottom of the hill, you'll see dilapidated farm machinery to the right, look out for the stile and go across it into the woods. Come out onto the tarmac road with The Shooting School on your left, and turn right. You are now on the driveway to The Shooting School, when this meets the road look out for the stone sign to the school and turn right. Turn left up the footpath just past Laundry Cottage on the left and Hook End Farm on the right.  | | And more boats! |
The path is a gradual climb and it swings round to the right. As you come out of the woods, cross the playing fields keeping to the footpath on the left. Continue following the path with tennis courts to your right. When you meet Park Wall Lane, turn left towards Lower Basildon and Streatley. Continue following the road past Harley House on the left and ahead of you see the brick gateposts, this is the back entrance to Basildon Park. Stay on Park Wall Lane with the flint wall on your right. Keep into the right-hand edge of the road, it's quite narrow, following the road into Lower Basildon. As you meet the road, opposite the Murco garage, turn left towards Streatley and Oxford onto the A329 and not right towards Pangbourne and Reading. Turn right, signposted to church. Follow the road as it goes over the railway line. With farm buildings on your right. As you reach the farm houses, turn left down the footpath, with the church through the trees on your right. You may feel that you are going in the wrong direction for Pangbourne but you're not! Turn right following the footpath and signs for a swingbridge. Cross the stile and walk down towards the river. When you reach the river turn right walking in the direction of Pangbourne. Look out for Basildon Park on the skyline to the right. Cross the metal bridge into Beale Park. Continue to follow the path beside the river. Follow the path as it leaves the river and goes onto the road, turning left towards Pangbourne. Pass the historic Swan pub on the left.  | | You'll see this weir by The Swan pub in Pangbourne. |
This part of the walk ends just by the railway bridge. You've completed Part Eight of the Berkshire Way Well Done! Berkshire Way Part Nine | 
