No refreshments or shops on route, but shops, pubs, cafes at both ends, buses at Kingsclere and train/bus connections at Newbury....

Berkshire Walker

Nothing really to add to the previous reviews - a pleasant and easy way to get between Hungerford and Newbury....

panifex

An attractive route across the North Wessex Downs, which ascends from Newbury in the River Kennet valley to East Ilsley, close to The Ridgeway. The route passes fields (Photo 1) and takes an underpass under the A34. The Slow Way joins the Ilsley Down Riding Route – a reminder of how influential horse training is to the downs (Photo 3). The route into Newbury avoids most of the urban walk by joining the Lambourn Valley Way long-distance path, and ends by following the Kennet and Avon Canal into the town centre (Photo 10)....

Martin Ellis

Overall, a pleasant country route that rambles along a medley of fields, woodland trails and quiet country roads....

Ursula

After crossing the M4 out of Chieveley, the route winds through Bussocks Wood and heads towards Winterbourne and then up to Snelsmore Common. For other options, Chieveley has a shop and a pub, Snelsmore Common has a refreshment kiosk, plenty of outdoor seating and loos....

Ursula

At around the 1.5km mark, a small section of the Brenda Parker Way was overgrown causing us to divert to the road for a short distance. Apart from that, all the other trails were fine and good to see a more solid bridge now built over the stream on Sydmonton Common....

Ursula

For refreshments, after leaving Newbury, there is nothing directly on the route until you arrive at the pub in Vernham Dean itself....

Ursula

But, when checking the usage on Strava heat maps (a good proxy for footpath usage rates) it's striking that one part of this route is extremely faint, the long N-S stretch running east of Brick Kiln Wood....

Daisy C

The steepest section is Streatley Hill outside of Goring. The Slow Way leaves Goring via the Thames bridge and there is a steep ascent of Streatley Hill, which gives great views back over the Goring Gap (Photo 1). Aldermaston Wharf to Goring (Aldgor 1) offers an alternative route to skirt the hill via Grim’s Ditch. The Slow Way passes the brewery (Photo 4) and crosses over the M4. I encountered some cows in the field west of the pub [SU548729] (Photo 5)....

Martin Ellis

Nice route, but we tend to cut across the Lower Way Playing Fields...

steveculshaw

From the village of Vernham Dean, the route follows footpaths and lanes to join the Test Way walking route (Photo 1) as it ascends towards the escarpment ridgeway (Photo 2). The Slow Way follows the Wayfarer’s Walk east atop the escarpment. The route leaves the Wayfarer’s Walk for a footpath that is a direct descent off the escarpment (Photos 6 & 7). The long walk NE into Newbury is a pleasant mixture of quiet village lanes and footpaths (Photos 8 & 9)....

Martin Ellis

The path to the south of Newbury Sewage Works and round past Thatcham Lakes can get extremely muddy. An alternative is after crossing the reed beds, continue north onto Prince Holt Road and follow Lower Way...

Kath Hodgson

The section of the towpath which runs from the bridge at the eastern end of Hambridge Lane to the B3421 can be extremely muddy so an alternative is to use Hambridge Lane instead which has decent pavements...

Kath Hodgson

Exiting the Nature Discovery Centre via the Community Orchard, another gravel track leads towards Lower Way where the route crosses the road into a small housing estate, finally leading to a footpath behind the church and into Thatcham town centre....

Ursula

A walk from Newbury in Berkshire across into Hampshire; taking in Greenham Common, fields and woodland to arrive at Kingscleve on the edge of the North Wessex Downs. The route leaves the lane for footpaths across fields to eventually join the Brenda Parker Way (a long-distance path across Hampshire, Photo 4). The route soon leaves the Way for a more direct path into Kingsclere (Photo 5)....

Martin Ellis

This is a great Slow Way route and maybe the very best way to travel between Hungerford and Newbury. Really enjoyed it.. and the ultra easy navigation made the conversation with my walking partner all the richer....

danravenellison

The towpath is paved and gravel chiiping to another road bridge crossing, but from there is unpaved until the Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre. The road area here is quiet, though there is one relatively busy road to cross....

Paul Kettel

Starting from the bus station in Newbury the route follows the Kennet Canal towpath all the way to Hungerford Railway Station. This leads to it being it is both very direct and flat. The path surface is mainly paved or gravelled with a few gates but would be suitable for wheels....

Barry Dale

Love walk along the Kennet & Avon canal from Hungerford to Newbury. Possible to break the route at Kintbury, where there are various shops & pubs....

steveculshaw

To avoid walking on the pavements from Thatcham town centre it is possible to walk to Thatcham station and follow the canal path from there to Newbury....

YD

The route starts at Hungerford (Photo 1), the point at which the river Kennet first meets the canal....

Martin Ellis

As an alternative, continue along the towpath, passing the Monkey Marsh turf-sided lock, to Thatcham Station....

Martin Ellis

The route crosses the road to continue across Greenham Common on mainly gravel tracks popular with walkers, runners, and cyclists. On exiting the Common there is a small section of road to follow (no pavement) to reach the path across Sydmonton Common....

Ursula

The first section of the route follows the Kennet & Avon canal towpath through Victoria Park and out of Newbury to the Hambridge Road. The route crosses the road to continue on the towpath, perfectly walkable but no longer paved....

Ursula

A straightforward to navigate route along the Kennet & Avon canal towpath which also accommodates National Cycle Network Route 4 towards Newbury....

Ursula