Goring and Streatley
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Goring and Streatley are twin villages in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the boundary of Berkshire and Oxfordshire respectively, in England. Goring (or Goring-on-Thames) is in Oxfordshire and Streatley in Berkshire, but as everything in these villages is within reasonably easy walking distance of everything else, it seems better to deal with them as one.
The two villages cluster around a bridge across the River Thames, with an adjacent lock and weir. Both villages have their fair share of quaint thatched cottages and pubs.
What distinguishes these villages from many others on the river Thames is their location in the 'Goring Gap', a geological feature where, during the last ice age, the river forced its way between the Chiltern Hills and the Berkshire Downs. As a result the valley is much narrower, with some spectacular views from the tops of the surrounding hills.
Get in
By car
The villages are about 8 miles north-west from Reading on the A329, or about 16 miles south of Oxford on the same road.
By train
- 1 Goring & Streatley railway station, Goring. On the Reading to Oxford line. Trains run every half hour taking about 15 minutes from Reading and about 30 minutes from Oxford. From London, travel from London Paddington Station and, if necessary, change at Reading. Train times (from any station) can be found on the National Rail Planner or by calling 0845-748-4950 from anywhere in the UK.
By plane
Reading is about 11 miles (18 km) away from Goring and has connections to London's main airports:
- Heathrow Airport (LHR IATA) is the nearest and can take 40 minutes on the M40 by car. Alternatively, the RailAir and Heathrow Connect trains can be taken from Reading train station.
- Luton Airport (LTN IATA) is the second nearest and can take 65 minutes on the M1, M25 and M4 motorways. Alternatively, take a train from Reading to London Paddington, then take a train from London Kings Cross to Luton Parkway.
Further information can be found in the 'Get in by plane' section of the Reading article, and then travel on from Reading as described above.
Get around
All locations in and around the villages are walkable or drivable.
See
- 1 Goring Lock. The lock and bridge.
- The views from Lardon Chase, the Holies and Lough Down over the villages and Goring Gap. From the bridge, walk or drive uphill on the Streatley side to the Bull pub, and then continue down the side of the pub up the steep hill to the car park at the top. Lardon Chase opens out to the right; walk to the end for the best views.
- 2 Goring and Streatley Bridge. built in 1923
- 3 St Mary's Church of England Church, Streatley, ☏ +44 1491 875651, icar@thomandmary.org.uk. Built in the 15th century.
- 4 Basildon Park. A late Palladian, early Neoclassical country house built by John Carr for Sir Francis Sykes that is now run by the National Trust. Used as a filming location for Pride and Prejudice, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Downton Abbey.
Do
- Views of the Thames. A series of walks from Goring Railway Station, from 4 to 10 miles in length. Leaflet available from the website.
- Goring Unplugged. A monthly acoustic music night in the village hall featuring local acts. Information is available at the website.
- 1 Goring & Streatley Golf Club.
Buy
Eat
- 1 The Bull, Reading Road, Streatley, RG8 9JJ, ☏ +44 1491 872392. 13th-century traditional country pub, with accommodation, real ales, reasonably priced high-quality food, 3 working open fireplaces, ample parking and a beer garden. This pub in Streatley is a very food-oriented pub (full menu on pub website), with excellent fare at moderate prices. There is an ancient Yew tree, which is the burial site of a monk and a nun executed in 1440 for 'misconduct'. From the bridge, walk or drive uphill on the Streatley side until you reach the pub at the crossroads. It also does bed and breakfast in a range of self-contained en suite cottages alongside the pub garden. £70 double room, £80 twin room, £90 family room, breakfast £7.50 per person extra.
- 2 The Miller of Mansfield, High Street, Goring, RG8 9AW, ☏ +44 1491 872829. This is a traditional oak-beamed eighteenth-century coaching inn. Besides serving bar food and snacks, there is a separate restaurant for dining. The menu is substantial and traditional English roast is available for Sunday lunch. It has 10 rooms, all en suite.
Drink
- 1 The Bell, 3 Ambury Rd, Aldworth, RG8 9SE, ☏ +44 1635 578272. Open Tu-Sa 11AM-3PM and 6-11PM; Su noon-3PM and 7-10:30PM; M closed. This very traditional old pub is located in the tiny village of Aldworth, on the Berkshire Downs about two and a half miles from Streatley. It regularly wins prizes for the quality of its beer and is housed in a 13th-century hall house which has been in the licensees' family for over 200 years, has a large garden and is next to the village cricket ground.
Sleep
- Streatley Youth Hostel, Reading Road, Streatley, ☏ +44 1491 872278. Run by the Youth Hostels Association of England & Wales. £10-14.
- 1 The Swan, High Street, Streatley, RG8 9HR, ☏ +44 1491 878800. This up-market hotel has a great location beside the Thames, ideal for an English summer's day. Many bedrooms enjoy the views and rooms are well appointed. The hotel offers a range of facilities including meeting rooms and leisure club. The restaurant of this up-market hotel (see below) has picturesque waterside views and offers a combination of traditional English and European cuisine. £99-218.
Connect
The area code for Goring and Streatly is 01491 when dialled from within the UK or +44 1491 from outside the UK.
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