Nearest train station: Pangbourne
Berkshire is blessed with some cracking wild swimming locations, not because a large section of the River Thames flows through the county.
Pangbourne Meadow is a particular highlight, being one of the best wild swimming spots near London and perhaps in the whole of South East England region. Some claim!
Within a stone’s throw of the picturesque Berkshire village of Pangbourne, this beautiful, wide section of the River Thames offers a potential three mile swim upstream in clear, clean water surrounded by grass banks with a clear view of the neighbouring Chiltern Hills. What’s not to love!
You can also head (or indeed swim) upstream northbound the direction of the village of Goring-on-Thames, which will reward the adventurous swimmer with many a pretty pub and more.
How to Get to Pangbourne Meadow
We’ve provided detailed instructions on how to the riverbank by Pangbourne Meadow by various means of transport below, as well as general travel information nearby.
By car
Enter the postcode RG8 7DA into your sat nav, which will take you the nearby Pangbourne River Meadow Car Park. The River Thames should be immediately in sight, though head up the path on the right (which shadows Whitchurch Road) which will lead to onto the Thames Path. Keep walking along the path until you come across a desired place for to decamp and go for a swim – there are river entry points along the way.
The village of Pangbourne lies around 6 miles north of Reading and is accessed from the M4 via the A340.
By public transport
Pangbourne is served by a train station, which is on the Great Western Railway between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway. You can also get to Pangbourne by train from nearby Reading and Oxford from the north. From Pangbourne Train Station, the meadow is only a 4 minute walk away.
There are also plenty of buses to Pangbourne from Reading and other nearby settlements.
By bike
While this section of the Thames Path, with is grassy meadows, isn’t ideal for cycling up and down the riverbank, there are plenty of routes in and around Pangbourne and up to the neighbouring villages along the Thames. If you cross over the Whitchurch Bridge, this section of the Thames Path (heading west) does become more suitable for cyclists.
Take a look at the Pangbourne and Whitchurch Cycle map, or if you fancy going further, the 30 mile schlep from Pangbourne to Maidenhead as documented by TV legend Timmy Mallett!
What else is nearby Pangbourne?
You can continue up the Thames northbound (walking or indeed swimming) to the village of Goring-on-Thames. Cross over the Whitchurch Bridge and head west along the Thames Path for some gorgeous walks along the riverbank with plenty of wild swimming opportunities along the way.
If you follow the River Thames eastward, you’ll also eventually come across Aston, just outside Henley-on-Thames, which another great wild swimming spot on the Thames.