Trains to Pangbourne

Pangbourne is every bit England. It's a beautifully picturesque village on the Great Western Main Line, with the River Thames running through it and a higgledy-piggledy mix of buildings, from Victorian terraces to large estate houses trundling along the river. The 60-minute journey to the capital twice an hour (from platform 2) appeals to commuters from Pangbourne and Whitchurch-on-Thames, across the river, as does its access to Reading, ten minutes away, and Oxford, 30 minutes down the line (from platform 1). Pangbourne station is at the edge of the village centre, with all of the village's amenities well within walking distance. The Reading Road, which runs the length of the village, is lined mainly with independent shops, cafes and restaurants, because very few chains have found their way to the village. A footpath opposite the station leads to a section of the Thames Path which runs uninterrupted alongside the river for almost two miles.