6 Quaint Villages with Train Stations on the Great West Way

There are many ways to travel the Great West Way between Bristol and London; by bike, boat, car, foot or by public transport using the Great West Way Discoverer pass. If you choose to explore by rail, you can easily hop between vibrant cities like Bath or Bristol, historic towns like Windsor or Newbury, and even small, sleepy villages where you can enjoy a taste of traditional English village life. Here are six picturesque villages you can stop at along the route that all boast their own train station, offering the perfect combination of easy accessibility and out-of-the-way tranquillity.

The Historic Wiltshire Village of Pewsey

Sharing its name with the surrounding Vale of Pewsey - an ancient and unspoilt landscape in the centre of the Great West Way route - Pewsey is a large village with plenty of amenities including shops, cafes, pubs and of course, a train station. There are lots of walks to enjoy along the canal or through the surrounding countryside. Just outside the village is Jones's Mill, a Wiltshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve where you can walk amongst woodlands, fens and wet grasslands, spotting rare plants and beautiful wildflowers.

Pretty Pangbourne, near Reading in Berkshire

The Berkshire village of Pangbourne boasts a selection of independent shops, pubs and cafes, and was once home to Kenneth Grahame, who wrote the beloved children's book the Wind in the Willows. The River Thames runs through the village, offering lovely riverside walks to visitors, as well as the chance for some wildlife-watching. Pangbourne Railway station is on the Great Western Main Line between London Paddington and Bristol, making this an easy stopping-off point as you travel along the Great West Way. The large town of Reading - with its fascinating museums, bustling shops, and historic connections to the likes of Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde - is also near to Pangbourne and easy to reach by train.

Picture-Perfect Freshford, in Somerset

With a train station that will whisk you to either the Georgian city of Bath or the pretty market town of Bradford on Avon in around ten minutes, you might be surprised to discover just how rural the Somerset village of Freshford feels. This countryside idyll offers a breath of fresh air; here you will find narrow streets lined with higgledy-piggledy cottages, as well as fantastic views over the surrounding countryside. There are lovely walks heading out from the village in all directions, including a picturesque stroll through woodland and river meadow to Iford Manor Gardens where you can enjoy a walk through flower-filled terrace gardens followed by tea and cake in the cafe.

The Quiet Berkshire Village of Kintbury

Surrounded by the stunning countryside of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Kintbury has everything you could want in a village; pubs, a bakery, shop and post office. The village also offers direct access to the Kennet & Avon Canal, which can be explored by foot, bike or boat. Nearby are two bustling, historic market towns - Newbury and Hungerford - which can also be reached by train and are well worth a visit for a spot of shopping or something to eat.

Canalside Great Bedwyn, in Wiltshire

Located in the stunning landscapes of the Vale of Pewsey, in the centre of the Great West Way, the Wiltshire village of Great Bedwyn is connected to the rest of the route by road, rail and canal. This pretty village offers lots of lovely hikes, including a walk to 200-year-old Wilton Windmill, with stunning views over the local countryside. Or you could explore the peaceful Kennet and Avon Canal on a narrowboat trip or towpath cycle ride. Of course, nothing completes a traditional English village like a traditional English pub, and in Great Bedwyn you will find an award-winning independent freehouse, The Three Tuns, serving high quality food and drink.

The Berkshire Village of Woolhampton

A few miles East of the pretty market town of Newbury is Woolhampton. This small village boasts a couple of country pubs, riverside walks along the River Kennet, and its own railway station with direct links to nearby Newbury and Reading. Somewhat confusingly, the railway station at Woolhampton is not named after the village itself, but after Midgham - another village just down the road!

Ready to plan a Great West Way adventure by train? You can visit these pretty villages plus plenty of other fascinating destinations and attractions along the way. Book a Great West Way Discoverer pass for an easy and convenient way to use public transport, with the option to hop on and off at stops all along the route.