Holiday apartment in Berkshire: heathland, history and trails
Accommodation in Berkshire
Greenham and Crookham Commons form the largest continuous area of open heathland in Berkshire. After decades of military use, the commons were officially reopened for public use on 8 April 2000. The main paths are level and accessible to people with limited mobility, cyclists and horse riders.
File:Reading Berkshire OpenStreetMap 2024-11-10.png
Photo: OpenStreetMap via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Landscape and trails
Walbury Camp, the largest hillfort in Berkshire, is located on Walbury Hill. Walbury Hill is also the highest chalk down in England. Walbury Camp is recognised as a Scheduled Monument in acknowledgement of its national importance. The Three Downs Link runs through Berkshire as a bridleway, walking trail and cycle route. The North Wessex Downs offer hundreds of miles of rights of way for walking. In addition, Sustrans Route 4 follows the Kennet and Avon Canal westwards from Reading through the North Wessex Downs.
Nature
The Nature Discovery Centre offers interactive exhibitions on wildlife and natural history, as well as a café beside the lake. The centre is surrounded by a mosaic of different habitats where wildlife can be observed throughout the year. Windsor Great Park is open all year round, admission is free, and the park offers opportunities for cycling, walking and running. The Savill Garden covers 35 acres and features beautifully designed gardens, woodland and changing seasonal plantings. Swinley Forest has 24 kilometres of cycle trails.
History
Donnington Castle withstood a 20-month siege during the English Civil War. The surviving two-storey gatehouse with two towers, dating from the 14th century, stands within impressive earthworks. Donnington Castle is open during the day at reasonable times.
Culture
The Museum of English Rural Life houses England’s most comprehensive collection of objects, books and archives relating to the history of food, farming and rural life. Windsor Castle includes ceremonial rooms still used by the royal family, as well as historic rooms built for Charles II and his wife, Catherine of Braganza. There is no visitor parking at Windsor Castle; public car parks in the town centre are recommended. Reading Museum displays Britain’s Bayeux Tapestry in a specially designed Bayeux Gallery.
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More local pages: Wasing, Thatcham, Pangbourne, Newbury, Hungerford, Easton, Reading, Inkpen, Wokingham, East Ilsley, Chieveley, Lambourn, Midgham, Streatley, Compton, Crockham Heath, Bradfield, Theale, Winnersh, Frilsham, Wickham.
For the broader travel overview: South East England.
