The Royal County of Berkshire has many beautiful small towns varying in size from small to reasonably large. Many of the towns serve as commuter towns due to their close proximity to London and all have great transport links with the Capital.
The main town in Berkshire is Reading. With a population of over 150,000 at the latest census Reading is a vibrant town less than 30 minutes from London by direct train. Cross Rail has recently been extended to this quaint riverside town and consequently house prices have seen a considerable increase in value due to this. Caversham is a desirable part of Reading as it has great schools and a lovely riverside location. Also it is a short walk to the main train station and its connections to London and just beyond the train station is the town’s main shopping area centred around the modern Oracle shopping arcade. Other areas of Reading include, Tilehurst, Newtown, Whitley and South Reading.
Newbury is another Berkshire town which is based on the River Thames. It has a very authentic feel and old world charm. Home to tech giant Vodafone, Newbury is at the West End of the County with great access to Bristol and the South West via the M4 motorway. Newbury is famous for its racecourse which is just on the outskirts of the town and attracts thousands of visitors to the area each year. The Hennessy Gold Cup takes place each November and is the highlight of the Newbury racing calendar.
Windsor is the most famous town in Berkshire due the presence of Windsor Castle which is a residence of Her Majesty The Queen. Most of the streets in the town date back to the mid 19th century and this along with the Royal influence make Windsor a popular tourist attraction particularly in the Summer months. Windsor has a safari park and is also home to Legoland which is a very popular family resort which attracts people from all over the country. Set on the Eastern edges of Berkshire Windsor is not only close to London it also has close proximity to both Heathrow airport and Paddington railway station making it very accessible.
Maidenhead, like many of Berkshire’s towns, is set on the River Thames. It has a population of around 70,000 people and it has good communication links with both London and Bristol by train and by motorway. Maidenhead is surrounded by small settlements such as Bray, Pinkney’s Green, Cox Green and Taplow, which is actually in Buckinghamshire. They have a football club which is based on York Road and the Maidenhead half marathon is a regular in the sporting diary. The Maidenhead regatta is a large annual event, and even though it’s not as famous as the neighbouring Henley regatta, it still acts as a testing ground for Olympic hopefuls.
Berkshire is blessed with many beautiful small towns that each has a unique feel about them. With great transport links and a Royal link the towns in Berkshire are a real joy.