Crobra one

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

Crowthorne to Bracknell (Crobra 1) review.

The route starts at Crowthorne high street with plenty of amenities.

It follows the main road to Bracknell. Despite the traffic, the wide path makes this a tolerable walk. To the left is the extensive Transport Research Laboratory and, to the right, the western edge of Bracknell Forest (Photo 1).

The urban walk into Bracknell didn’t look promising on the map, but proved to be a pleasant route that weaves through green spaces (Photo 2).

The final stretch is along the Crowthorne Road. It passes The Green Man in Easthamstead (Photo 3). I took a short detour just after Wildridings Road on the left. A footpath right leads up Bill Hill: a Bronze Age barrow (Photo 4).

The Slow Way ends at Bracknell Station. There are amenities at the shopping precinct north along Station Road.

I agree that this route is probably the best possible under circumstances. It's relatively easy to follow from Bracknell railway station and leads through quiet streets and often footpaths between houses. Pavements and footpaths are safe and wide enough and separate from roads. One exception is Aysgarth road where walkers have go on the street but vehicles have to drive rather slowly there so that it should not be a concern. My only word of caution is to watch out not just for passing vehicles in the last stretch along Bracknell road down to Crowthorne but also cyclists who also ride on the pavement right next to the busy road.

The route starts in Crowthorne, a village with good facilities. The bus service to Bracknell and Camberley passes down the high street. There are pubs, cafes, fish and chips, supermarkets and a toilet at the M&S Express Garage.

The whole route is on excellent paths, almost all with lighting. The first 40% is along a busy main road which passes through woodland, but is noisy. Once you get past this, the route is on excellent "New Town" segregated paths through three suburban estates - Great Hollands, Wild Ridings and Easthampstead. All these paths have good surfaces and lighting. The route ends at Bracknell Bus and Rail Stations with access to all facilities.

There are several fairly steep gradients - 17% uphill for a very short distance, and 14% downhill for a much longer distance (Wooden Hill).

There was one error in the route. The pedestrian crossing across Downshire Way (A322) no longer exists. There is a footpath through an underpass instead.

There are major works on the Golden Retriever roundabout and new pedestrian crossing facilities are under construction. The route was open but with supervised crossing.

The noise and traffic of the southern part of the route is made up for by the pleasant design of the paths into Bracknell.

This is the only feasible route between Crowthorne and Bracknell. It is safe and direct and very easy to follow.

The photos show (1) the route to the underpass under the A322 (2) The construction of a new pedestrian crossing at the Golden Retriever and (3) the roundabout coming out of Crowthorne with fast traffic and poor visibility.





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