The compact between writing and walking is almost as old as literature - a walk is only a step away from a story, and every path tells.
(Robert Macfarlane)
Enjoy our ramblings about walking and the great outdoors. From accounts of our adventures to interesting notes and stories about the special places and things we discover on our walks, plus a few tips to help you enjoy your time outdoors.
Meet me at the kissing gate, I know that's where you want to be…
Romantic Ramblings! The amorous-sounding ‘kissing gate’ is one of many much loved curiosities to be found in the English countryside, and it’s perfect for stealing a kiss on the Feast of Saint Valentine (14th February).
Read MoreMistletoe (Viscum album), the magical sacred plant of the Druids, has become embedded within our folklore, tradition and mythology, particularly at Christmas and New Year. On this festive themed walk we set off to discover more about this special sacred plant and to hopefully find a sprig for ourselves!
Read MoreSpontaneous Berkshire Days
We had planned to bring you some exciting walks as part of the North Wessex Downs Walking Festival programme but sadly the Festival was stopped in its tracks by the covid-19 virus pandemic! All is not lost, however, as the chalk hills where we love to walk are still here and our inspiring guided walks can be rescheduled for you to enjoy at a later date. In the meantime, it’s time to make your shoes happy with an amble through some of our festival walks ‘Up on the Downs’.
Read MoreStroll away, this sweet month of May
May is National Walking Month and a time when many walking festivals would have been held across the UK, including here in the Chilterns. We are proud to have been part of the Chilterns Walking Festival since it began and it saddens us that, in today’s climate of social distancing, the Festival has had to be stopped in its tracks. But all is not lost... Join us for an amble down Memory Lane of our past festival walks.!
Read MoreJoin us for an exhilarating walk under the light of the Full Moon and discover the dark side of the Chilterns!
These evening walks take place on, or near, the night of the full moon. We take time to tune into the sights and sounds of the night and may get to see and hear owls, deer, and more. If the weather is kind, we will be guided by the light of the silvery moon and get to marvel at the night sky. Don’t forget to bring a torch!
This fun, engaging course is about learning and developing the correct Nordic walking technique under the expert guidance of a British Nordic Walking instructor (instructor/participant ratio 1:6 max). You will then be able to enjoy the benefits of regular Nordic walking activities as part of an active lifestyle.
This course takes place at either Shiplake or Pinkneys Green and is available as a single 2 hr session - see course dates below (if there are no suitable dates, please get in touch)
Find your way in the great outdoors! This one day workshop is a great introduction to map reading and the navigation skills you need to enjoy a great walk in the countryside without reliance on a phone app.
You will be amazed how much detail there is on an Ordnance Survey map! On this course you will learn how make sense of it all and gain confidence to plan and follow an interesting route along paths and tracks.
The NNAS Bronze Navigator course is suitable for beginners or those with some navigation experience. It is the start of your journey to becoming an experienced navigator.
This introductory level course usually takes place over two days. We also offer a three-day option.
The course usually takes place in the South Oxfordshire Chilterns and Berkshire Downs around Goring and Streatley.
The NNAS Silver Navigator course will build on your existing map reading and navigation skills (acquired at the Bronze level). We introduce more advanced techniques to equip you with the confidence, knowledge and technical skills required to safely navigate away from paths and tracks in easily accessed, open terrain.
This intermediate level course usually takes place over two days. We also offer a three-day option.
The course takes place in the South Oxfordshire Chilterns and Berkshire Downs around Goring and Streatley.
The Night Owl Course is 4 hrs duration. Start/finish times vary depending on time of year. If there are no suitable dates available, please get in touch.
Our Navigation Bites workshops are ideal for those who want to focus on specific aspects of navigation, such as compass work and walking on a bearing, pacing and timing or contours and land features, or perhaps just a confidence booster.
"Dulce et Decorum est" - in the footsteps of Wilfred Owen.
Join us for this walk in the South Oxfordshire countryside and discover one of our most celebrated Great War Poets, Wilfred Owen.
*** This walk is available for PRIVATE BOOKING only. Please contact us to agree walk date before booking. Minimum group size 2 people. ***
Join us ‘Coming Up For Air’ in the Chilterns to discover George Orwell’s ‘golden country’. His childhood in the Oxfordshire countryside around Henley can be seen to have influenced passages in some of his writing. As we walk it is not difficult to find ourselves in both 1984 and his earlier novel Coming Up for Air.
** This walk is available for PRIVATE BOOKING only. Please contact us to agree walk date before booking. Minimum group size 2 people. **
Thames Path 30th Anniversary Relay
2026 marks the 30th Anniversary of the Thames Path National Trail. To celebrate, the Thames Path National Trail Team, in partnership with Drinkable Rivers, is coordinating a Thames Path Relay along the entire length of the Trail – from source to sea. We are delighted that Pipsticks Walks will to be leading three of the Thames Path Relay walks!
These walks are FREE to attend but you MUST BOOK a place.