Swinley Forest Mtb and Walking

6.8 miles (11 km)

This forest in Bracknell has miles of good walking trails and some good mtb trails as well.
This circular route starts at the look out centre just to the south of Bracknell.... From here you can follow trails heading south toward Bagshott Heath on the edge of Camberley. More trails then lead north past Rapley Lake and the Mill Pond before returning to the car park.

In the park you will find the excellent Swinley Bike Hub which hires bikes and gives full details of the trails in the park. These include a Green Trail, Red Trail and Blue Trail. The trails are suitable for riders of all levels, from beginners to advanced.
The forest is also a great place for wildlife with woodland birds including Nightjar, Dartford Warbler and Woodlark.
The area includes an Iron Age Hillfort which you can reach on the circular Swinley Forest Lookout and Caesars Camp Walk.
Postcode: RG45 7EX
Pubs and More Info
The Look Out centre has a nice cafe where you can enjoy refreshments after your exercise. There's picnic tables outside if the weather is good.
The Three Castles Path passes through the forest and offers an opportunity to extend the walk. You could follow the trail north east to Englemere Pond or south west towards Crowthorne, Sandhurst and the lovely Tri Lakes Country Park. The longer Bracknell Circular Walk uses part of the trail to create a 25 mile loop around the forest.
The Wokingham Way passes through the area and the pretty Bramshill Forest is also not far away. Here you can explore the RSPB's Hazeley Heath and look out for red kites, dartford warblers and deer. In nearby Hook there's also some pleasant trails along the River Whitewater in the pretty Bassets Mead park on the eastern side of the town.
The Ascot Walk visits the forest from the train station in the nearby town. Here you can also visit the famous racecourse, home to Royal Ascot.
Just to the south you could pick up the Bagshot Park Walk. This takes you past the noteworthy royal residence to the pretty Rapley Lake. The Grade II listed house has been country home of Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex since their 1999 wedding.
The Three Castles Path passes through the forest. This historically themed long distance trail will take you from Windsor Castle to Winchester Castle, visiting the ruined Odiham Castle on the way.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Berkshire Walks page.