®The Great West Way
The charming market town of Hungerford boasts stunning countryside and impressive transport links with a strong position on the ®Great West Way, a 500 mile navigable touring route between London and Bristol.
To The East
On the east, visitors can explore England’s Capital, the ideal entry point to the ®Great West Way, featuring world-renowned royal sights and rich cultural heritage. If you are starting your journey in London, be sure to make the most of the Great West Way Discoverer Pass, offering unlimited off-peak train travel from London Paddington/Waterloo, to Bristol Temple Meads. Here, you can stop off at Hungerford, conveniently placed on the main train line from London Paddington.
With Hungerford sitting along the east of the route, in West Berkshire, visitors can enjoy the towns charm and heritage, whilst also exploring its surrounding landscapes of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a walkers paradise when venturing along the Great West Way! Along these historic paths, and a short distance outside Hungerford, nearby landmarks can be found when entering the county of Wiltshire, including Crofton Beam Engines and Wilton Windmill. Centrally located along the route, and venturing up into the Cotswolds, Wiltshire showcases some of the most picturesque scenes, with patchwork fields, chalk plateaux and irresistibly pretty villages. It’s not all rural heartland, of course, there’s market towns, Medieval cities and World Heritage Sites to explore too.
The Western End
At the western end of the ®Great West Way you’ll find Bristol and Bath, close neighbours geographically, but with distinct personalities! While Bath is loved for its classical Georgian architecture and romantic literary connections, Bristol is a riot of alternative art, music and dining experiences, most famous for Brunel and Banksy.
The ®Great West Way offers more than just getting from A to B, with its route made for self-guided travel, where unexpected diversions turn into big adventures. Thanks to the A4 Great West Road, the Great Western Railway, River Thames, Kennet and Avon Canal, and multiple foot and cycle paths, this flexible touring route will have you stepping off track and discovering a whole world of hidden gems! Relax in riverside towns like Reading, step foot into characterful villages like Pewsey and venture through plenty of lush, green landscapes including 3 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty!
Based on ancient paths through idyllic countryside, historic landmarks, quaint villages and elegant towns, the Great West Way showcases all that quintessential England has to offer.
