St James Way
This is an English stretch of the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrim's trail to the ancient cathedral in Santiago. This stretch goes from the Abbey Ruins in Reading to the port of Southampton (112km).
Day 1 - Reading to Mortimer
Walked October 2023
This, mainly flat, 19.8km walk starts at the Reading Abbey Ruins and and follows the Kennet and Avon Canal out into the countryside before head south through woodland towards Mortimer.
Park in Mortimer near St John's Church. There is a car park at the community centre across the road (https://w3w.co/minute.cube.plates). Catch the 2a or 2 (correct as of 25th Ocotber 2023) bus to Reading and get off at the museum. Walk through to the Abbey Ruins to start the walk.
The route on the map is marked as St James's Way but has been relabelled on the ground as Camino Ingles to Santiago. Follow these blue discs along the route.
Exit the Abbey onto the river/canal path and turn right.
Follow the Kennet and Avon Canal out of Reading.
At the swing bridge turn left onto the road and continue following the Camino markers until you return to St John's Church in Mortimer Common.
Day 2 - Mortimer to Basingstoke
Walked 11th March 2024
This 20km walk starts in Mortimer and finishes in Rooksdown, Basingstoke. It takes in a number of historic churches, a priory and the Roman town at Silchester.
We street parked in Park Prewett Road, Rooksdown, Basingstoke (Grid ref: SU 613 538). We then caught the LINK bus to the Basingstoke Railway station and the train to Mortimer. If you favour a shorter walk, get off at Bramley instead of Mortimer.
To allow for the use of public transport to get from Basingstoke to Mortimer, the route starts at the railway station in Mortimer, takes in the church and a field route, before joining the St James Way at Silchester.
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20. Golf course