Countryside
West Berkshire Council owns and manages some incredibly interesting and important countryside locations which provide excellent opportunities for quiet recreation, relaxation, walking and enjoyment of wildlife
· A locally important Country Park of over 100ha at Snelsmore Common
· The recently restored Greenham and Crookham Common which was opened to the Public in 2000.
· Large areas with public access at Padworth, Bucklebury and Wokefield Commons
· A major environmental education facility at the Nature Discovery Centre
· 700 Miles of public rights of way (footpath, bridle way, byway) within West Berkshire, and
· 2 National Trails which pass through the District.
West Berkshire Countryside also boasts Nature Reserves, Commons, The Countryside Ranger Service, Countryside Visitor Services and Public Rights of Way. For further information on these, please see the links on the left of the page.
We welcome and encourage quiet recreational activities at all of our countryside locations. Occasionally however some restrictions may apply, for example to protect breeding bird species. Some of our sites have designated public areas and these make excellent venues for organised activities; corporate barbeques or lunches, running and orienteering events, and local society gatherings. In this case the Council must have a completed Indemnity form for insurance purposes. This provides us with basic information about the event and provides reassurance that the organising body carries the necessary insurances. The Form can be downloaded by selecting the link on this page, please return it to The Countryside Manager.
For Frequently asked questions on the Countryside Service, please see the Downloads section to the right of the page.
RobAppleby_smaller.jpg "Walking in Bowdown Woods, Greenham")
