Walking and Climbing

You're not going to get height around Berkshire and certainly not around Cambridgeshire. From Berkshire it is a bit of a drive to Wales alright.

There is some lovely walking in Berkshire. For quick days out try the Rambling for Pleasure series - these are specifically written (5 to 10 mile) walks with public transport in mind. Reading library has them in stock to borrow and local bookshops keep them in stock, too. Now I'm the Dad of a 1 year old with a wife in (very) full time education I don't get out much for walks, and these books have been very handy (lifesaver) for quick snack no brainer (I always bring a map out of habit, but you hardly need one) but wonderful walks.

Whilst the banks of the Thames are of course totally flat, there are points such as Goring where the climb up from the Thames is reasonably steep for a short while and gives good views from Lardon Chase. There are plenty of walks in the woods around these parts, too. I've had to adjust to life here since I've been in exile from Manchester!

There are walks from most railway stations once you head out from Slough towards Oxford and from a place like Reading there is a good bus service. For example one route from Reading to Oxford passes up the A4074 and that has plenty of good - if short - walks off it. Another regular bus route is from Reading to High Wycombe which is also good for walking.

height and wildness doesn't exist in the south east. 

the time out books are excellent for walks using public transport.

google "southern downlander" (it's nigh on impossible to get there otherwise) to see about a southern railway downlander ticket £12.50 for a day which covers all southern trains from southampton to ashford and all buses in the brighton/lewes/eastbourne area of the south downs. you need to give two days notice.

the seven sisters is a nice walk with around 600m ascent. want longer then do the whole south downs way loop out of eastbourne.

a lewes circular ditto with up 900m ascent - lewes to glynde via the golf course, straight south up onto the south downs way, down to southease, up the other side and return to lewes at mount harry or before - it's all very clear on a map. there are numerous options on this walk for both distance and ascent - sometimes it's quicker to get here via a brighton fast train and change.

the last section of the vanguard way from berwick to seaford is a stunner of a walk.

a shorter hassocks to lewes is a very pleasant walk atop the south downs.

with south east trains there is wye to dover - another cracker of a walk - and a chance to use the high speed train for only an hour back to london.

closer to london is box hill and leith hill. a train to holmwood then up leith hill, down and norh to th enorth downs way, up box hill and down and up to mickleham and from there by the river to leatherhead. or divert to dorking or box hill stations.

the chilterns are very pleasant and offer a wealth of ineretsing walks between stations.

unless on a well marked or obvious way you WILL need to use a 1:25k map - there are more paths than you can shake a stick at.