Wallingford to East Ilsley. A classic day of two halves. The first half is along the banks of the Thames on flat alluvial clay, tree lined with glimpses of life along the river – a link between the high tracks of the Chilterns before and the Berkshire Downs after. There’s time for lunch in the only substantial villages along the way, Goring and Streatley, facing each other across the river, and then there’s a long climb up to the empty, windswept Downs for the rest of the day, with late summer hedgerows providing some colourful relief.
Maps: OS Explorer 171 Chiltern Hills West and 170 Vale of the White Horse
Length: 14.5 miles/23.2 km
Difficulty: Early section along Thames is mostly clay paths, lumpy and hard in summer, muddy in winter. Then there’s a steep climb to 612 feet (nearly 200m). Along the Downs, mostly chalk/flint paths, fairly level but rough on the feet.
Getting there and away
Cholsey station is on the GWR network and from there an hourly bus 136 takes you to Wallingford’s central market place (timetable). See Alternatives below for other ways to start this section.
There is also a heritage railway line which runs spasmodic services between Cholsey and Wallingford.
An overnight is assumed at East Ilsley. There are no buses but a taxi may be possible to Didcot Parkway or Goring stations.
Along the way
Wallingford: Well worth a look around the town as you start the journey. The town has an unusually rich history in various eras and the ford and later bridge here was a major Thames crossing point. The remains of the Norman motte and bailey castle, mostly destroyed during the Civil war, are enclosed in a pleasant garden. The market place has some fine buildings and the robust St Mary-le-More church. St Leonard’s church, by the river, is older and has traces of Saxon construction.
North Stoke is a prosperous looking village by the Thames: Michael Caine and Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan both lived here. The 13th century church (above) has a rare survival of medieval wall paintings.
Goring: Rather than crossing straight over it’s worth having a look round the town. The church is partly 12th century but oddly pebble dashed. There are several very old pubs, but regrettably closed. George Michael lived and died here, at Mill Cottage.
Goring Gap: The chalk of the uplands was formed when a shallow sea covered most of Britain. This was later pushed up and buckled and severely eroded. The ancestral Thames cut through maintaining its flow to the south east, creating this narrow gap.
Directions
From the market square in Wallingford, return the way you came on Day 4: walk north to the High Street then across the Thames on the stone bridge. After 100 yards take the track beside the camp site, and continue ahead past Newnham Farm, then right along the track, passing under the road bridge to meet the Ridgeway. Continue ahead skirting the grounds of Carmel College (1.3 miles/2 km), then on a hedged track through a golf course, eventually to North Stoke (2.5 miles/4 km). Turn right towards the church. The path continues right through the chuchyard, then along a narrow path. Next follow the field edge bending right, continuing close to the river, although it’s not really visible until Little Stoke Manor (3.2 miles/5.2 km), where the path now runs right along the river bank for about 1.3 miles/2 km.
The lock and weir on the Thames at the twin villages of Goring and Streatley
Take the wide track into South Stoke (5 miles/8 km) and follow the road through the village, continuing ahead. The path is now on a high scarp between the river and the railway where the Thames has cut through the chalk at Goring Gap. Opposite the Berkshire Downs are visible, to be climbed later, and a lock and weir are below. Continue ahead on a variety of roads and tracks as far as Cleve Mead (6.5 miles/10.5 km), where the Ridgeway leaves the road to the right. Continue ahead to the High Street, turning right to cross the bridge to Streatley, passing the Swan (7 miles/11 km), and up the hill.
Turn right at the Bull pub and follow the road. Two successive left forks take you into Rectory Road (7.7 miles/12.25 km), past the golf club. Continue for 1.5 miles/ 2.4 km then at Post Box Cottage take the chalk and flint path rising ahead of you. This continues to rise relentlessly to over 600 feet/185m near Warren Farm (10.5 miles/17 km), to the high tops of the Berkshire Downs. The route is now very clear ahead for 2.5 miles/4 km until the Ridgeway makes a sharp turn right (13 miles/ 21 km) . Instead carry straight on (sp East Ilsley), along a grass track towards the village. Continue on this path past a small copse down to the road (14 miles/22.5 km) and follow this to the right into the village.
Alternative routes
If you don’t fancy waiting for a bus at Cholsey here are two alternatives (shown in the sketch plan):
1. Walk along Papist way and Ferry lane to the Thames, then follow the Thames path north through Cholsey Marsh nature reserve as far as the road bridge. To get to the bridge pass under it then take the footpath bending left and up the ramp. At the far end take the asphalt path down to the Ridgeway, turning right under the road. This adds about 3 miles/5 km to the route.
This peaceful stretch of the Thames has the Ridgeway on the Oxfordshire bank and the Thames Path on the Berkshire bank. Three Men in a Boat is set along here and the Bull Inn in Streatley features in it
2. Or you could take a short cut by following the Thames path south from Ferry lane, through Molesworth to Streatley, picking up the Ridgeway there. The Thames path will be a very similar experience to this section of the Ridgeway and this shortens the route by about 2 miles/3 km.
Another alternative for the strenuously inclined: just after Streatley, take the steep footpath over Lardon Chase and Lough Down, climbing to 138m and with fine views at the top. This starts further up Streatley Hill beyond the Bull.
Breaking the walk
Goring and Streatley provide the ideal stopping points on the route. In fact beyond, there is nothing until East Ilsley. There are several cafes and the Miller of Mansfield pub in Goring. Across the river, the Coppa Club at the Swan in Streatley is a thriving upmarket pub-bistro (not a club at all) with nice terraces beside the river. The Bull further up the hill is a more traditional pub with a pub classics menu.
You can also break the journey altogether at Goring and Streatley as there is a GWR station here.
Accommodation
There is very little accommodation in the sparsely populated Berkshire Downs. I stayed at the Swan in East Ilsley (right below) which has basic but comfortable rooms. The Swan at nearby Compton also has rooms.
There are more options in Goring and Streatley – if you prefer to break your journey there – including the pubs mentioned above and a youth hostel.