Up the Clumps - 8 mile leisurely walk - starting with a short bus ride from Benson to Shillingford

Meet at the Bus Stop by Benson Marina  at 9:35 ready to catch the 09:44  River Rapids X40 bus to Shillingford - Kingfisher bus stop (near Wharf Road) where our walk will begin at 09:50.   Parking is available at Benson, along St Helen's Ave..  Or join the bus from Reading Town Centre at 08:45am. We will be walking from Shillingford, via Dorchester and Wittenham Clumps back to Benson.   

Join as we walk across open fields to the pretty village of Dorchester - with views across to Wittenham Clumps.  We'll stop at the Snug Cafe in Dorchester for a mid morning break, before seeing a bit more of the village. We cross the River Thames at Days Lock - where national Pooh Sticks competitions were held in the past.  We'll then make our way up Wittenham Clumps & find somewhere suitable to stop for lunch at the top of the hill.

We'll return on the South side of the Thames, until we cross the river at Shillingford Bridge, heading back along the Thames path to Benson, where there is a pleasant riverside cafe should you wish to pause here a while at the end of the walk.  Kayaks & canoes are also available to hire at Benson Marina.

Today's walk will be at a slower leisurely pace, and the bus ride is included to keep the distance slightly shorter due to warmer weather.   

For a slightly longer route, you may choose to walk from Benson to Shillingford along the Thames path instead of taking the bus to the start point.  It's about 2 miles and we'd suggest you allow 45-50+ mins for this.  We also return along this footpath at the end of the walk.