Our Favourite Festive Local Walks (To End With An Elusive Beer)

Christmas downtime and hanging out with family and friends lends itself perfectly to getting outdoors and walking in nature. It is the perfect way to reflect, connect, and reset after a busy year.

We’re lucky at the Elusive taproom, as there are plenty of green spaces and walks around us. That also means you can end a big dose of fresh air and vitamin D with a locally brewed beer or two. We’d love to host you.

If you’re in the local area over the festive period, here are some ideas for getting outside.

California Country Park  (approx 1.2 miles from Elusive Taproom)

California Country Park (RG40 4HU) covers 40 hectares and is set within 100 acres of ancient bogland and lowland heath. It offers scenic walks, wildlife watching, fishing and more. Open every day throughout the year, there are 2 walks at the park.

The Longmoor Lake walk is 0.9 miles long on well-maintained paths.

The Woodland Walk is 2.2 miles long. The Woodland Walk takes into the 8,000 year old Longmoor Bog on a specially constructed boardwalk. This is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest, due to its abundance of rare sedges and mosses. This includes Heathland, Longmoor Lake and woodland.

The Park is about a half an hour walk from Elusive Taproom, so you can shake off the cobwebs in the fresh air and meander over to us for a refresher. Find out more about both walks here.

The next two a bit further afield, but are both excellent options:

Simon’s Wood (approx 3 miles from Elusive Taproom)

Simon’s Wood (RG45 6AE) is a serene National Trust woodland near Wokingham, perfect for peaceful walks. The wood showcases one of the most recognisable features in the local landscape with an avenue of impressive redwood Sequoia trees (also known as Wellingtonia trees), planted in 1863.

There’s a 1.3 mile trail, starting and ending at Simon’s Wood car park. On the trail, you can explore the views, flora and fauna of the broadleaved and coniferous woodlands, the naturally created Heath Pond, and the rare delights of a heathland habitat.

Finchampstead Ridges (approx 2.8 miles from Elusive Taproom)

Also managed by the National Trust, Finchampstead Ridges offers far-reaching views towards the Hogsback Ridge in Surrey, and is one of the National Trust’s oldest acquisitions, having been in its care for over 100 years. To visit, you’ll need to park in Simon’s Wood car park, Wellingtonia Avenue, Finchampstead, Wokingham, Berkshire RG45 6AE.

As a reminder, our opening hours over the Xmas and New Year period are below: