Berkshire has so much to offer from scenic open countryside, sports, activities and community events to a historic attractions. There’s no shortage of culture – with theatre, art galleries, music – and sporting events galore.
If you’re looking for a location where you can take in the scenery whilst walking or cycling, you’ll love Berkshire. Much of Berkshire falls within the North Wessex Downs, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. From the heights of Walbury Hill, there are superb views over the county. Swinley Forest stretches over 2,600 acres between Bracknell and Crowthorne whilst the Kennet Valley, between Reading and Newbury, is perfect walking country. The most accessible open space – and a wonderful place to walk, cycle or picnic, is the award-winning Great Windsor Park which may be reached on foot from Windsor town centre.
Set against this scenic backdrop, you’ll discover a fabulous choice of sporting activities. Berkshire is home to 39 golf courses as well as being home to Ascot, Newbury and Royal Windsor Racecourses and to the Berkshire Polo Club. Of the county’s many tennis clubs, Caversham Lawn Tennis Club is regarded as one of the best – and, of course, there’s the highly-regarded Windsor Lawn Tennis Club.
Berkshire has a rich heritage. The county is brimming with historic towns, monuments, castles and churches. Windsor Castle is one of the main tourist attractions but other historic houses worth a visit include the Elizabethan Shaw House near Newbury and Basildon Park, run by the National Trust. Cliveden House is now a luxury hotel but the park and gardens, run by the National Trust, are well worth a visit.
If you’re in need of retail therapy, Berkshire is home to numerous retail centres. Visit the charming Windsor Royal Station, located opposite Windsor Castle in the town’s Grade II Victorian railway station. Here, you’ll discover a range of independent retail outlets, along with continental-style café-bars and restaurants. The Oracle in Reading is a vibrant place to shop with over 80 stores where you’ll find everything under one roof – including places to take a break or pause for lunch.
As you’d expect from a county like Berkshire, there’s a lively cultural scene. The Theatre Royal, Windsor sits beside the castle. The Mill at Sonning, set on the banks of the river, is the only dinner theatre in the UK. The Hexagon Theatre in Reading is a multi-purpose arts venue with a theatre seating 1200 whilst the Corn Exchange, Newbury is a historic 400-seat arts centre offering a full programme of performance from dance, drama and film to music and comedy.
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