Berkshire: Open Heathland and History

Travel interests in Berkshire

A trip to Berkshire can focus on different things: open heathland, the combination of chalk downland and a hillfort, or a route for walking, cycling or horse riding. These differences can help you decide what to focus your time outdoors or your interest in history on.

Heathland and the history of the commons

Greenham and Crookham Commons are the largest contiguous area of open heathland in Berkshire. After decades of military use, the commons were officially reopened to the public on 8 April 2000. For those interested in history, this sequence adds a clearly dated turning point to the landscape. The scope of the access information is also important when planning a visit: the main paths are level and accessible to people with limited mobility, cyclists and horse riders. This accessibility statement applies to the main paths. Check current access information before your visit.

Walbury Hill and Walbury Camp

Walbury Hill is the highest chalk down in England. Walbury Camp, the largest hillfort in Berkshire, is located on the hill. Walbury Camp is recognised as a Scheduled Monument; this designation recognises its national significance. The superlatives answer different questions: the chalk down is ranked at the scale of England, while the hillfort is ranked at the scale of Berkshire. When reading the names, you can distinguish the landscape feature from the historic site, rather than combining the two statements into a single claim about size. For a trip that includes both, Walbury Hill and Walbury Camp are distinct points of interest at the same location.

Plan around your activity on the Three Downs Link

The Three Downs Link is a bridleway, walking and cycling route through Berkshire. Its description primarily answers the question of which modes of transport are suited to the route. This is a different planning consideration from the commons: there, the focus is on the level surface and accessibility of the main paths; on the Link, it is on travelling on foot, on horseback or by bike. Trail conditions and waymarking can change, so check current route information before setting out. This lets you factor the Link’s permitted uses into your plans without equating them with the access information for the commons’ main paths.

Find a hotel to suit your reason for travelling

First, consider whether the heathland, a historic site or using a route is your main priority. This step is especially useful in a region with different reasons to visit: comparing hotels is more meaningful when it reflects your own plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: 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 main travel overview: South East England.