A member of the Home Counties, Berkshire’s bucolic countryside and its near London is what makes it an area where the majority of people pay top dollar for their property.
The county is often extravagant, and has also been the home of royalty since the 1100s, when Windsor Castle was built. The presence of royals is evident in many places, including the prestigious racecourse in Ascot.
While we work through Berkshire you’ll be amazed at how the riverways in the county add to its appeal.
The Thames runs from west-to-east, widening as it travels and feeding lush water meadows that lie alongside the villages and towns. The Kennet and Avon Canal was also an important route for shipping between to the West Country to London, and is used today by tourists on barges.
Let’s look at the best destinations to visit within Berkshire:
1. Windsor
The two most popular places in the nation are in this beautiful town along the Thames.
Windsor Castle hardly needs introduction It has been in existence since its time under Henry I in the early 12th century, it was the home of the royal family that makes it the oldest royal palace that has been occupied in Europe.
It is easy to get lost in the 5,000-ha Great Park, while you could spend several hours wandering around town, taking in the sights such as Christopher Wren’s 16th century Guildhall.
For little boys, there’s LEGOLAND Windsor which, in the year 2016 was named Britain’s top theme park. It promises a day full of amusements and rides based on LEGO for children aged 12 and up.
2. Newbury
The well-preserved historical town of the central area of Newbury offers a relaxing stroll, and the pathways of the grassy Kennet and Avon Canal are tranquil and peaceful . Newbury Racecourse hosts the Lockinge Stakes in May, which is one of the most important races in the calendar. The home of the stately Highclere Castle is awe-inspiring, located in a vast 220-hectare estate.
It must be included in your plans If you’re a lover of Downton Abbey, as one glance will reveal that this is the location the location where the show was recorded. The house is older than it appears, and dates back to the 1800s. It also features an “Jacobethan” design inspired by the palaces of the 16th and 17th centuries.
A walk along the hills in the countryside parks and then make it there to Donnington Castle, where an 18-month siege was fought during the English Civil War.
3. Bray
If you don’t know about the history of its food, Bray would seem like another well-off and charming town located in the South of England.
Almshouses date back to the 1600s, and the beautiful Church of St Michael, that was built in the 1290s. It has lots of medieval riveting artefacts , such as an enormous brass on the grave of Sir John Foxley.
The Bray’s reputation today is due to its restaurants, since one of four Michelin-starred establishments are located in Bray village.
The more upscale one of them is called the Waterside Inn, founded by the Roux brothers in 1972. Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck has won acclaim for its molecular cuisine since its opening in 1995.
4. Reading
While it’s not given lots of praise for its style, Reading is a large and bustling city centre that has an incredibly prestigious university and all the shopping options you can take care of.
Because it was close to London It was an industrial town in the 1800s, and was blessed with excellent transportation links. It is which is where it is where the Kennet and Avon Canal joins the Thames. You’re also only a few miles to the east of North Wessex Downs, with their lush green hills and crystal-clear chalk rivers If you’re looking for a rural experience.
If you are in the city, look at the ruins that are the remains of Reading Abbey and drop by at places like Reading’s Museum of Zoology, Museum of Berkshire Aviation and the Museum of English Rural Life.
5. Wokingham
In the Tudor era Wokingham was a hub for spinning silk, and only a few hints of the manufacturing process remain. Take a stroll down Rose Street, where the half-timbered homes with higher lower floors would have had weaving machines.
This Victorian Gothic revival town hall situated in Market Place is still at the heart of the neighborhood it has a trendy cafe inside its courtyard and the historical buildings around it house a range of locally owned shops as well as top-of-the-line brands. There are some walks that can be started within the town including the route leading the hill to Fichampstead Ridges, clad with heather and woodland.
6. Hungerford
Near Wiltshire within Wiltshire’s North Wessex Downs, Hungerford is just a few miles far Walbury Hill, which at nearly 300m has the most elevation in the Southeast. The Kennet and Avon Canal curves across the northern part of the town. It also during the 19th century it was used to transport stone and coal quarried from Somerset all the way to Reading across the Thames.
Hungerford Wharf is achingly pretty and a perfect spot to view narrowboats sailing across the channel on a bright day.
The bridge is a great way to get into the town to experience an experience of the southern countryside of England on the main street which is lined with 17th and 18th century homes which include those in the Hungerford Arcade, an antiques center with over 100 dealers in one place.
7. Eton
The opposite of Windsor located on the northern bank of Thames is Eton, a town located on the north bank of the Thames. Eton that is associated to Eton College.
It is among the most famous and prestigious among Britain’s Public Schools, founded by Henry VI. It counts the names of 19 previous British Premiers as its graduates. If you’re unsure about how gorgeous this location is, the school also is home to their private Natural History Museum, open on Sundays. However, you can schedule an appointment for other time slots.
Eton’s main street is lined with rows of historical brick and half-timbered structures that house boutiques that are more expensive, such as an antique bookshop and a delicatessen for you to stretch your legs, there’s a lovely green spaces at the Brocas and South Meadow next to the Thames.
8. Pangbourne
Anyone who is familiar with the children’s novel “Wind in the Willows” will be intrigued to know that the creator Kenneth Grahame retired in Pangbourne in the 1920s.
The village is dotted with beautiful older homes with unique shops. The village is enhanced thanks to the Thames. Along the banks are huge meadows with green water that belong to Pangbourne and is where the village fair occurs every year in June.
In the remainder of summer, they’re the perfect place to have a picnic in the shade of willow trees.
If you’re traveling with your little children, they’ll have a great experience visiting Beale Park. This is a secluded attraction that has farm animals as well as other exotic species like mongooses, lemurs, meerkats and.
9. Ascot
Three villages comprise Ascot’s town Ascot are extremely wealthy and are primarily geared towards Ascot Racecourse that is, without doubt, one of the most famous in the nation. If you are a visitor who shows to race during the 26-day period every year and require accommodation, there are numerous accommodations and eateries.
The course is close with the royal family It was founded through queen Anne at the time of 1711. It located just a few miles away from Windsor.
Royal Ascot Week in June is still extremely popular, bringing around 300,000 people and being regularly attended by the Queen Elizabeth.
From the beginning of 18th-century,, this is a staple in”London Season. “London Season” for the nation’s elite social class.
10. Streatley
A long-standing crossing on the Thames, Streatley is a picturesque village located close to the town of Goring which lies along the County line into South Oxfordshire. The scenery is comprised of wooded hills with a steep slope which are outcrops of Chiltern Range that lies on the eastern edge of North Wessex downs.
The surrounding countryside is managed through The National Trust so you’re free to take a stroll and enjoy some of the views across the village and river and the surrounding countryside. Ridgeway National Trail crosses the Thames at Goring and Streatley in the east.
In this extremely trendy area there’s a wide choice of restaurants and pubs in addition to also an open golf club to guests and in operation since 1895.
