Programme of Walks and Events

Sunday 8^th April: 8¼ Mile Walk - Pangbourne and Sulham Wood (Cancelled)

Sorry! This walk has been cancelled.

It will be rescheduled later in the year.

Saturday 14^th April: 8 Mile Walk - Newbury - Walk Leaders Training Day (moderate)
- joint with the Berkshire Walkers 20s and 30s group

Meeting Point: Newbury Railway Station (North entrance) Cheap Street, Newbury
Post Code: RG14 5UN, Lat/Long: N51.3979°, W1.3229°, OS Map: SU472667

We will start at 10:45am from the North entrance to Newbury Station, after the arrival of the Reading train.

Our walk will take us over familiar territory in Berkshire - a little canal, a golf course, some common land, a broken castle and a pub (or, perhaps two) - all of which bring their own interest and excitement as you would expect from a BWs (or BWWs) walk. This walk however, will have a few extra features for those wanting to learn more about leading walks, including:

- what is the leader's job?

- where should the leader be in the group (front, middle or back)?

- how fast should the leader walk?

- how do you manage a group (when and where to stop for a rest/drink/food and how long to stop for)?

- when to watch, when to ask, when to show and when to tell.

Whilst the walk will be of interest to leaders and potential leaders, it will also be a good walk for those who (for now) don't want to be lead.

Leader: Lee P. 07780 683 521

Sunday 15^th April: 10 Mile Walk - Crowthorne and the Blackwater Valley Lakes (easy/moderate)

Meeting Point: Morgan Recreation Ground car park, Lower Broadmoor Road, Crowthorne
Post Code: RG45 7LA, Lat/Long: N51.3663°, W0.7932°, OS Map: SU841637

A 'loopy' walk through Crowthorne's Nature Reserves and the Blackwater Valley Lakes, which starts at 10am from the car park behind Crowthorne Fire Station (Morgan Recreation Ground) accessible from Lower Broadmoor Road.

From there we walk up in a large circle round Broadmoor Hospital, picking up the Devil's Highway (an old Roman Road) and from there down Butter Hill on the Three Castles' Path into Wildmoor Heath and Edgebarrow Woods Nature Reserves, across the railway line at Sandhurst and through Ambarrow Nature Reserve to Horseshoe Lake, where we will stop for lunch by the lake. After lunch we will continue through the Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve with its many bird hides and then return to Crowthorne, skirting Finchampstead Ridges across Beech Hill and Coalpit Copse and back over the railway.

Following the boundary of Crowthorne's other famous institution, Wellington College, we return to Crowthorne High Street where those that wish to, can partake of tea and cakes at the nearby Beaton's Tea Rooms, or if you wander a little further, alcoholic beverages can be enjoyed at the Crowthorne Inn.

Leader: Sue H 07969 532 586

Sunday 22^nd April: 9¾ Mile Walk - Assendon, Bix and Greys Court (moderate)

Meeting Point: Middle Assendon, B480, north of Henley-on-Thames
Post Code: RG9 6AS, Lat/Long: N51.5646°, W0.9351°, OS Map: SU739856

Park in the long lay-by along the B480 in Middle Assendon, south of the Rainbow Inn, and meet near the pub for a 10:30am start.

The walk will take us through Bix Bottom and Warburg Nature Reserve to Crocker End. From there we will head to Greys Court, passing through Lower Highmoor and Shepherd's Green on the way. We will then return to Middle Assendon via Bix. There will be a picnic lunch stop about half way round and an optional pub stop at the end. Hopefully the bluebells will be in flower in the woodlands.

Please bring a packed lunch and drink as usual.

Leader: Julia C 07804 797 071

Saturday 28^th April: 9 Mile Walk - Barkham and a Brewery (moderate)

Meeting Point: Rook’s Nest Wood car park on Barkham Ride, SE of Wokingham
Post Code: RG40 4EU, Lat/Long: N51.3857°, W0.8679°, OS Map: SU788657

Meet at the Rook's Nest Wood car park on Barkham Ride, south-east of Wokingham, for a 10:30am start.

This is an undulating circular walk that takes in Barkham, Arborfield Cross and a nice industrial estate! The reason for the latter is because this is home to the five-year-old Siren Brewery – the raison d'etre for this particular walk. We will stop here (about a mile from the end of the walk) long enough to sample a few beers at their "Tap Yard". (For the nearest bus route, see the Leopard buses 3 and 3B from Reading/Wokingham and Bracknell respectively.)

We will be walking along a number of bridle paths, so expect a bit of mud if it's been raining. Bring a packed lunch and something to drink. [Walk is on Explorer Map 159]

Leader: Jim B 07734 569 216

Sunday 6^th May: Walk - A walk around Exbury Gardens in the New Forest (easy)

Meeting Point: Exbury Gardens, Summer Lane, Exbury, Hampshire
Post Code: SO45 1AF, Lat/Long: N50.801°, W1.3966°, OS Map: SU426003

A trip to Exbury Gardens in the New Forest. This 200 acre landscaped woodland gardens has a collection of Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Camellias and Magnolias alongside well defined paths. There are also many gardens, pools, meadows onto grassed areas to explore. A shop, tea rooms and WC facilities available. Entry is £10:35 purchased on-line or £11:50 on the day.

The plan is to arrange car sharing to get to the gardens by about 11am. (This would mean leaving the Reading area at around 9:30am.) The leader will take us along the main paths, with a break for lunch, and then there will be time to go off exploring in smaller groups or on your own.

Please contact the leader by Friday 27th April if you are planning to go. (kathy.dunmore@ntlworld.com) We can then help arrange suitable car sharing, where possible.

Leader: Kathy 0779 440 6438

Sunday 13^th May: 9½ Mile Walk - Odiham, Greywell and Mapledurwell (moderate)

Meeting Point: Deer Park View car park, off High Street, Odiham
Post Code: RG29 1LJ, Lat/Long: N51.2549°, W0.941°, OS Map: SU740511

Meet at the car park at the end of Dear Park View, off the High Street in Odiham (signposted Health Centre) for a 10:30am start. This car park is free on Sundays.

The walk will include Greywell Moors and the western part of the Basingstoke Canal. There will be a lunch stop at Mapledurwell and there will be a pub stop towards the end of the walk in Greywell. The walk is mostly flat, but likely to be muddy in places. There may be some livestock in fields and short road sections for which any dogs will need to be on leads.

Please bring a packed lunch and a drink as usual.

Leader: Denise 07748 766 371

Saturday 9^th June: 5½ Mile Walk - Twyford, Charvil, Hurst & Ruscombe plus Twyford Beer Festival (easy)
- joint walk and social event with the Loddon Valley Ramblers

Meeting Point: Twyford Railway Station, Station Road, Twyford
Post Code: RG10 9NA, Lat/Long: N51.4757°, W0.8636°, OS Map: SU790758

A short walk around Twyford, Charvil, Hurst and Ruscombe, either returning to the station or joining the leader at the Twyford Beer Festival, King George V Playing Field, Twyford, RG10 0AP. Exact details will be available nearer the time.

The Twyford Beer Festival is well established with beer, cider, soft drinks, food and music available from 12 noon to 9 pm, with all profits supporting Orchid - the men's cancer charity.

Meet at Twyford station for an 11am start. (The 10:52 from Maidenhead arrives 11:00, and the 10:48 from Reading arrives 10:54. Please contact walk leader if coming by train so we wait for you.) Parking at the station is £4 for the day. Car park in nearby Polehampton Close is £1.50 for 4 hours, which is plenty of time if you're doing the walk only.

Walk leader and organiser: Jo F 07979 595 043

Saturday 23^rd June: 8 Mile Walk - Down House, near Orpington, Kent (moderate)
- joint walk with the Pang Valley Ramblers

Meeting Point: Orpington Railway Station, Station Approach, Orpington, Kent
Post Code: BR6 0SX, Lat/Long: N51.3733°, E0.0896°, OS Map: TQ455658

Down House was the home of the famous naturalist Charles Darwin for most of his life. Peter Worsley, the walk leader, has a special interest in Darwin.

Assemble in the booking hall on the arrivals (east) side at Orpington railway station by 10:30am. The full walk is in three parts:-

First, 4 miles to Downe village via Farnborough, we will visit Darwinian sites in the village and then have a lunch break - either bring a picnic, or there is a CAMRA pub or a teashop.

Second, a 15 minute walk to Down House. This is an English Heritage property and admission to the house is about £11. About two hours will be allocated to visiting the house and grounds.

Third, a walk from Down House to Hayes (Kent) railway station via Keston Heath of about 4 miles with an arrival circa 17:00 hrs. This walk is an exact repeat of one undertaken in 1894 with arrival and departure from the same stations.

Contact Peter at peter.worsley01@gmail.com

Sunday 1^st July: 8 Mile Walk - Cholsey and South Moreton (moderate)
- joint walk with the Pang Valley Ramblers

Meeting Point: Car park outside St Mary’s Church, Cholsey
Post Code: OX10 9PS, Lat/Long: N51.5789°, W1.1577°, OS Map: SU584870

If arriving by car, head north west out of Cholsey on Church Road. Park in the car park off Church Road, in the apron before St Mary's Church. (Do not park in the field on the left.) If arriving by train, the church is around a 15 minute walk from Cholsey Station. (Head into Cholsey on Station Road and then out on Church Road.)

This relatively flat circular walk takes us to Aston Tirrold, then Blewburton Hill to Moreton and back to Cholsey. Please bring a packed lunch and drink as usual.

Leaders: Pauline and Alistair 07989 289 099