Pete's Walks - Berkshire Loop
About the Berkshire Loop
The Berkshire Loop is not really a separate long-distance path, it is an extension to the Chiltern Way. It was created in 2010 by the Chiltern Society, to mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Chiltern Way. I have recorded it here as a separate route, as it was created after both of my walks along the Chiltern Way.
I must admit that I was a little surprised when I first heard about the Berkshire Loop as I always thought the river Thames marked the western end of the Chilterns, but in fact the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Beauty does include a section of Berkshire, so it is only fair that the Chiltern Way should be extended to include that part of Berkshire.
Starting at a wood called Coppice Hoop near Penn in Buckinghamshire, the Berkshire Loop branches south from the Chiltern Way, passing just west of Beaconsfield to cross the Thames and enter Berkshire at Cookham. It then heads westwards through Cookham Dean, Pinkneys Green, Burchett's Green and Remenham Hill, before re-crossing the Thames at Henley and entering Oxfordshire. It follows the Thames southwards for a short distance, before turning westwards once more to terminate where it meets the southern extension of the Chiltern Way at Harpsden Bottom. The route is about 28 miles long.
The route is not currently shown on the OS maps, but it is well sign-posted. There is a new edition of the wonderful Chiltern Way Guide Book by Nick Moon that covers the Berkshire Loop (the old edition was far and away the best guide book I've used on any of my walks, and the new sections are up to the usual very high standards). The ISBN number for the new guide book is 978-1-906632-10-6. Most of the factual data I mention in this journal is taken from this invaluable source.
Click here to see a very rough map of the Berkshire Loop (but only if you have already read my disclaimer and notes regarding maps).
Note: I have numbered each photograph (in red) and inserted the same number in the text to show where in the walk the photo was taken.
Looking back over the Thames at Cookham Bridge, to Cliveden (Day 2)