C2C = Cycle to Cafe. Circular routes from Goring designed as much for a friendly cafe or two as for the lovely scenery and enjoyable riding.
Swyncombe and Dorchester off-road
A mainly off-road tour of what’s best about cycling in the Chilterns and Thames Valley
Highlights
Lots of them – bluebells in the spring, the Early Norman church, of St Botolph at Swyncombe, a delightful easy bridleway down a dry valley (pictured above), the historic villages of Ewelme and Dorchester, Wittenham Clumps with its Iron Age hill fort. If that’s not enough, there’s also a refreshment stop on an alpaca farm, locations from Midsomer Murders, riverside bridleways and close-up views of Wallingford Castle, once one of the most powerful royal castles in the land.
Hazards
The stretch of route between Roke and Dorchester is flat, across open fields. It should be avoided if there is any chance of thunderstorms.
Traffic at crossings or on short sections of local A or B roads.
Hospitality
Blue Tin Farm Shop (open Wed – Sat) is on route at the top of the off-road climb from Braziers College (4.7 miles)
The route passes through Bishop’s Court Farm in Dorchester to visit the Snug cafe and farm shop (20 miles), and uses a permissive track next to the alpaca fields. There is an alternative publice bridleway 200 yards to the east that does not pass through the farm.
Village shop in Ewelme (14 miles) , lots of choice in Wallingford.
Hints
This route is suitable for being split into chunks or just made shorter, by taking minor roads from Ewelme to Wallingford or directly back to Goring. See the Swyncombe and Ewelme or the Tour des Clumps road routes.
The route finishes at the west entrance to Goring & Streatley station, to use quieter roads through the village. The station has bike-friendly lifts.
Goring to Reading off-road via Kidmore End
Mainly off-road route through the Chilterns from Goring to Reading
Highlights
A great away-from-it-all way of getting to Reading.
Classic Chiltern woodlands with direction arrows on beech trees, bluebells in spring and mud where there is clay on top of the chalk.
Hazards
The stretch of Beech Lane where it enters the woods above Goring can be very muddy, to the extent there is often a little detour path through the trees around the worst bit.
The descent from Tanner’s Lane to Bugs Bottom is quite steep and is the main reason this route is more suitable for mountain bikes than hybrids.
Hospitality
The route passes the Coop supermarket in Woodcote (3.4 miles). The New Inn pub in Kidmore End is near the route at 8.5 miles.
Lots of choice in Caversham
Hints
The route coincides with a short length of National Cycle Route 5 southeast of Kidmore End. However it takes the bridleway descent to Bugs Bottom in preference to NC5 into Caversham, which ends in a flight of steps down the side of a recreation ground.
Essential Reading
A traffic-free route through the major commercial centre that is Reading
Highlights
For 10 miles from Theale to Sonning the route follows National Cycle Route 4 along the rivers Kennet and Thames, providing a traffic-free exploration of the town.
Some other parts of the route are also traffic-free and quite rural.
Hazards
Busy traffic in Pangbourne town centre
Some narrow sections of towpath with tight turns and bridges, on the canal west of Reading.
A blind corner on part of the towpath used by commuting cyclists (at 14.9 miiles)
Shoppers and others wandering around at The Oracle. It is a perfectly legally cycling route, but cyclists should take care and give way to pedestrians.
Busy traffic on the road from Sonning to Playhatch
Hospitality
Cafes in Pangbourne (4.6 miles), Theale (8.5 miles) and The Oracle area of Reading (15.6 miles).
The route takes a short detour at 17.5 miles to visit the Park Kitchen cafe at Thames Valley Park, mainly because of its pleasant setting.
Hints
Reading may no longer be famous for “Beer, Bulbs and Biscuits”, but traces of its industrial heritage are still to be seen. The route passes the site of the former Simonds Brewery and follows the River Kennet through what was once known as Brewery Gut and is now The Oracle shopping centre. Further downstream it passes the Huntley and Palmers biscuit factory, now offices and apartments.
Watership Down
A foray into Hampshire to pay homage to Richard Adams’ famous book about rabbits migrating in the face of development
Highlights
Quiet lanes in rural North Hampshire; the beautiful Bagnor Valley (in West Berkshire)
Hazards
Two crossings of the A4. The rest of the route is relatively quiet.
Hospitality
The Blackbird cafe (10.2 miles)
Honesty Kingsclere cafe (quarter of a mile east of the route at 20 miles)
Yew Tree Garden Centre, Balls Hill (30 miles)
Hampstead Norreys Community Shop (quarter of a mile east of the route at 46 miles)
Hints
The route runs along the foot of Watership Down, which forms part of the Hampshire Downs escarpment. Tackling the climb is not part of the mapped route, but could be taken on as an optional extra, with a mile’s out-and-back detour. The nearest point on the route has an elevation of 129 m, the summit of the road climb is 204m and of the down itself 237 m.
Calleva
Ancient history on our doorstep – the capital of the Atrebates tribe in the Iron Age, which became the important Roman town of Calleva.
Highlights
Calleva Atrebatum, the site of a large Roman city near Silchester, to the south-west of Reading. The Roman walls encompass about 40 ha (100 acres). Outside the walls is a well-preserved amphitheatre.
Hazards
Busy traffic in Pangbourne. Crossing the A4 on the return journey. A short busy section of the A340 at Aldermaston Wharf.
Hospitality
Little Roses Coffee Shop, adjacent to Elm Park Garden Centre in Pamber End
Hillier Garden Centre Aldermaston
Tea Rooms, Aldermaston Wharf (not Mondays)
Hints
From Aldermaston Village to Ufton Bridge, the route takes two traffic-free cycle paths. The path from Aldermaston Village to Aldermaston Wharf runs through the fields to the east of the busy A340, but finishes a couple of hundred metres short of NCN4 along the Kennet and Avon Canal at the wharf. Take care on this busy section of road.
Thatcham
Across the hills and valleys of West Berkshire to the market town of Thatcham
Highlights
Quiet lanes and relatively easy climbs in and out of the Pang Valley. an easy traffic-free climb out of Thatcham on Lawrences Lane. The traffic free Eling Way along part of the former Newbury – Didcot railway line.
Hazards
A short section of the A329 leaving Streatley. This road has a weight limit prohibiting heavy vehicles. Crossing the A4 in Thatcham. The junctions are controlled by traffic lights, but a short distance along the A4 on the outward journey has sketchy cycle lanes.
Hospitality
Bella Luna restaurant, cafe and deli in Thatcham High Street (Other cafes in Thatcham are also available)
Hampstead Norreys Community Shop is 300 m east of the route at the end of the Eling Way.
Hints
Just north of Bucklebury, there is a ford on the River Pang, dry under normal weather conditions.
The Boxford
A rebuilt pub/restaurant and the Boxford Alps
Highlights
Lots of quiet lanes and small ups and downs. The roads in West Berkshire are generally quieter than those in Oxfordshire, particularly west of the A34. The Boxford opens early for coffee and cakes and has an all-day dining menu majoring on pasta and pizza.
Hazards
A short section of the A329 leaving Streatley. This road has a weight limit prohibiting heavy vehicles. The steep and twisty descent of Streatley Hill on the return journey.
Hospitality
The Pantry in Yattendon
The Boxford – in Boxford. Check opening hours/days before visiting.
Hampstead Norreys Community Shop is 300 m east of the route at the end of the Eling Way.
Hints
The Boxford Alps is the name given by Reading cyclists to three small hills between Winterbourne and Boxford – a very unwelcome challenge when nearing the end of one of Reading CTC’s Audax rides. This route crosses them in the “easier” direction, though you are always free to reverse the route. You can avoid the Alps entirely by following the Winterbourne Stream south, down the beautiful Bagnor Valley to Woodspeen, then following the River Lambourn to Boxford.
Windsor Great Park
A train-assisted ride to the heart of Royal Berkshire
Highlights
Lots to see and enjoy on this ride: the majestic River Thames, historic Windsor and Eton and the Great Park itself. Large parts of this ride are traffic-free, using the National Cycle Network paths along the Jubilee River and the Thames, and the smooth roads within Windsor Great Park. It starts and finishes at Maidenhead station, which is easily reached from Goring & Streatley on frequent local trains.
Hazards
Some road riding between Datchet and Old Windsor. Road crossings in Maidenhead, but most of the route within Maidenhead is on cycle paths.
Hospitality
Windsor Farm Shop. The King’s own cafe! There are also cafes in Datchet, Old Windsor, Windsor and Eton
The Savill Garden Kitchen and cafe within the Great Park’s Visitor Centre
Hints
Local GWR trains from Didcot Parkway to London Paddington take around 40 minutes to reach Maidenhead from Goring & Streatley station. The service is half-hourly most of the week, hourly on Sundays, and there are no restrictions on bicycles.
The route starts and finishes from the south side of Maidenhead station (the rear entrance) in Shoppenhangers Road.
There is a steep climb from Old Windsor to Bishops Gate, but it is on a quiet public road. The return from the park to Windsor on NCN Route 4 is off-road, but not as steep.
Newbury and the Bagnor Valley
Beautiful valleys and woods in West Berkshire
Highlights
Bucolic scenery along the Pang Valley to the ford at Bucklebury, followed by a gentle climb through the woodland of Bucklebury Common.
The gentle, winding Bagnor Valley.
Hazards
Vehicle traffic on a short stretch of the A329 leaving Streatley
Two crossings of the A4 in Newbury. Both are signal controlled, requiring patience.
Hospitality
Lots of choice in Newbury. A favourite is the Waterside Cafe at the youth and community centre, with an ideal location on the banks of the River Kennet.
Hints
Navigation south of the A4 in Newbury requires careful attention to the route map, as it uses a variety of low-traffic roads and connecting cycle paths, with some sharp turns.