March/April 2010

Our Group encourages car sharing, and walkers often meet at specified car parks.  Drivers usually appreciate it when a voluntary contribution is made by passengers.   As a guide, 8p per mile per passenger is considered an amount which reasonably covers the costs incurred by the driver. Please note increased fuel contribution.

All coach walks start from Newbury Wharf

Remember to bring clean shoes to wear in the coach for the return journey

Members and walkers are reminded that they attend walks in this programme at their own risk and that they are responsible for their own personal safety.   

PLEASE NOTE THAT WALKS 'START PROMPTLY' AT THE TIME STATED IN THE PROGRAMME.  

To view a map giving the location of the meeting point, click once on the grid reference.
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Tue 9 Mar      10:00 am       Leader:  Julia W                                      Tel:  01488 657133
Park considerately in Kingsclere (there are car parks off Anchor Road opposite the church and off Swan Street).  Meet by the church, grid ref SU 525587, for a walk on local paths     6 miles

Fri 12 Mar      8:00 pm         Evening Meeting, Mencap Centre, Enborne Gate, Enborne Road, Newbury

                                                Admission £1.50 including tea/coffee

The Wildlife of West Berkshire Living Landscape – a talk by Jacky Akam and Phil Dean of Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust.

The West Berkshire Living Landscape area covers 10 square miles of lowland heathland, ancient woodland, reedbeds, rivers and streams including Greenham and Crookham Commons, Bowdown Woods, and Thatcham Reed Beds.  It is an initiative of the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust and delivered in partnership with West Berkshire Council.

At this talk we shall learn more about the Living Landscape and the wildlife that lives in it. In particular we'll be taking a close-up view of the fascinating insect life all around us, especially the damselflies, dragonflies and butterflies.

            PLUS

The launch of our new book ‘The Kennet Valley and Beyond’.  The book will be on sale at the special, bargain price of £6.00.  The book has over 40 walks, of varying lengths, which are along and around the valley of the River Kennet. See our Maps and Books page for more details.

Sat 13 Mar    10:30 am       Leader:  Fred C                                       Tel:  01635 281621
Park near the Harrow PH, West Ilsley, grid ref  SU 471826, for an easy paced walk with extensive views.  Bring a drink & a snack.     4.5 miles

Sun 14 Mar   10:00 am       Leader:  Lesley W                                    Tel:  01635 45689
Meet at the Wharf car park in Newbury, grid ref SU 473672, for a walk to Speen Moor, Benham Valence Park, Hampstead Park and Enborne.  There will be a pub stop at the Red House for coffee, but bring a picnic lunch.  Costa coffee will be available after the walk.     9 miles

            OR

Sun 14 Mar   10:30 am       Ramblers Association 75^th Anniversary Loddon Valley Group
Reading Town:  This walk is described in detail in the booklet  An Invitation to Sixteen Led Walks in Beautiful Berkshire.  The booklet can be downloaded from our home page.   5 miles

Tue 16 Mar   10:00 am       Leader:  Joan C                                   Tel:  01235 835618
Meet at Goring main car park (free parking in side roads), grid ref SU 599807, for a hilly walk to Elvendon Priory, Great Chalk Wood and the Thames Path.     6.5 miles

Sat 20 Mar    10:00 am       Leader:  Lyn G                                   Tel:  01672 513294
Meet in the car park near Hungerford station, (not the station car park) grid ref SU 340685, for the Standen Manor walk from the new book of local walks to be published in 2010 by West Berkshire Ramblers.     7 miles

Sun 21 Mar     8:30 am       Leader:  Joan C                                  Tel:  01235 835618
Meet at the Wharf car park, Newbury, grid ref SU 473672, for car share to Southend, Bucks (approx 76 mile round trip), or meet at Southend on the green at 9:30 am, grid ref SU 752898, for a hilly walk in the Chilterns to Fingest, Cadmore End and Turville.  Pub stop for lunch or picnic.     11.5 miles

Tue 23 Mar   10:00 am       Leader:  Joan C                                   Tel:  01235 835618
Meet at the Swan PH, Compton, grid ref SU 521799.  Please park considerately in side roads.  Walk to The Ridgeway and Shrill Down.     6 miles

Thu 25 Mar   10:00 am       Leader:  Joan C                                  Tel:  01235 835618
Meet at Ashdown House, grid ref SU 283822.  Walk to Compton Beauchamp, Ashbury and Bishopstone.  Pub stop for lunch or picnic.     11 miles

Sat 27 Mar    10:00 am       Leader:  Paul F                                   Tel:  01488 685238

Meet at the John O’Gaunt Inn, Bridge Street, Hungerford, grid ref SU 339688.  A six minute bus journey from the town hall will be followed by an unhurried intrinsic return walk via Anvilles to arrive back just before 12:30 pm for food and/or drink.     4 miles

Sun 28 Mar     9:30 am       Leader:  Greg M                                       Tel:  01635 45802
Meet at the car park at Bedwyn Station, grid ref SU 279645. The walk will start shortly after the arrival of the train from Reading (dep 08:44), Theale (dep 08:51), Thatcham (dep 09:00), Newbury (dep 09:06) and Hungerford (dep 09:17) which is due to arrive at Bedwyn at 09:24. The walk will be to Little Bedwyn, Burridge Heath and Castle Copse. Trains from Bedwyn are currently scheduled to depart at 12:42 and 14:42.     6 miles 

[N.B. if you intend to travel by train, please verify the time in the week beforehand in case replacement buses are in operation or there are timetable changes]

            OR

Sun 28 Mar   10:30 am       Ramblers Association 75^th Anniversary Pang Valley Group
Stanford Dingley and the River Pang:  This walk is described in detail in the booklet  An Invitation to Sixteen Led Walks in Beautiful Berkshire. The booklet can be downloaded from our home page.     5 miles

Tue 30 Mar   10:00 am       Leader:  Julia W                                     Tel:  01488 657133
Meet in the car park at Walbury Hill, near Combe Gibbet, grid ref SU 370621, for a walk on local paths.     5 miles

Sat 3 Apr         2:30 pm       Leader:  Richard M                                Tel:  01635 867407
Meet at the car park at the east end of Walbury Hill, grid ref SU 380616, for a walk to Highwood Farm, West Woodhay, Inkpen and Combe Gibbet. There's a steep descent at the beginning and a steep ascent at the end.  Bring a drink.     7 miles

Sun 4 Apr        9:30 am       Leader:  Greg M                                   Tel:  01635 45802
Meet at the car park at Bedwyn Station, grid ref SU 279645. The walk will start shortly after the arrival of the train from Reading (dep 08:44), Theale (dep 08:51), Thatcham (dep 09:00), Newbury (dep 09:06) and Hungerford (dep 09:17) which is due to arrive at Bedwyn at 09:24. The walk will be to Little Bedwyn, Dodsdown and Shawgrove Copse. Train departures from Bedwyn are currently scheduled at 14:42 and 16:42.     10 miles 

[N.B. if you intend to travel by train, please verify the time in the week beforehand in case replacement buses are in operation or there are timetable changes]

Tue 6 Apr      10:00 am       Leader:  Sheila T                        Tel:  01635 45085
Meet at Sheepcot Playing Field, Gatehampton Road, Goring on Thames, grid ref SU 605803, for a walk to Upper Gatehampton and Wroxhills Wood.     6 miles

Sat 10 Apr                             Ramblers Association 75^th Anniversary   Windsor and District Group

Punch Bowl and the Great Park:  This walk is described in detail in the booklet  An Invitation to Sixteen Led Walks in Beautiful Berkshire.

10:00 am       long walk      8 miles

10:45 am       short walk    5 miles

Sun 11 Apr     8:00 am       Coach Walks:  Walking to Arundel

Tue 13 Apr    10:00 am       Leader:  David B                                   Tel:  01635 253023
Meet at Hurstbourne Tarrant Recreation Ground, behind the school, grid ref SU 385529, for a gentle walk towards Doiley Farm, crossing the main road to The Warren and then to Ibthorpe.     About 6 miles

Sat 17 Apr     10.30 am       Leader:  Ann G                                       Tel:  01249 765881
Meet in the public car park near Hungerford Railway Station (not in the station car park), grid ref SU 340685, for a leisurely walk on field paths and along the towpath of the Kennet and Avon Canal.  Bring a drink.     5 miles

Sun 18 Apr   10:30 am       Leader:  Fred C                                      Tel:  01635 281621
Park near the duck pond, East Ilsley, grid ref SU 493812, for an undulating easy paced walk over the downs with wonderful views.  Bring a drink.     4 miles

            OR

Sun 18 Apr     9:15 am       Leader:  Sue                                             Tel:  07881 501626
Meet in the car park at Newbury Wharf, grid ref SU 473672 for car share to Monks Sherborne Village Hall, grid ref SU 609566, (about 30 miles round trip), for a 9:45 am walk start.  The walk from Monk Sherborne to Ewhurst Park is varied and pretty with (hopefully) plenty of wild flowers at this time of year.  There are no major inclines on the walk, which will be taken at a fairly leisurely pace.  Please bring food and drink for the day.     11 miles

Tue 20 Apr    10:00 am       Leader:  Joan C                                  Tel:  01235 835618
Meet at Court Hill Ridgeway Centre, grid ref SU 394849.  Park in lay-by near the entrance.  Walk along The Ridgeway and downland.      5.5 miles

Wed 21 Apr  10:00 am       Leader:  Roy B                                      Tel:  01235 816763
Park in the public car park in the centre of Chiseldon (near M4, Jnct 15), for a walk on local paths.  The car park is opposite the Elm Tree PH, grid ref SU 187798.  The walk is 5 miles, but after a short picnic lunch break, there will be a further walk of 5 miles starting from a different location, near Liddington.     5 miles + 5 miles

From Wed 21 Apr  (7 nights)  Spain 2010   Walking in the Grazalema National Park, Andalucia
The walks will be taken from the book Walking in Andalucia by Guy Hunter-Watts.

Thu 22 Apr   10:15 am       Leader:  Richard M                                Tel:  01635 867407
Meet at the car park at the junction of Crookham Hill and Old Thornford Road at the east end of Greenham Common, grid ref SU 523645, for car sharing to Selborne (c. 70 miles round trip) and an 11:15 am start from the car park behind the Selborne Arms, grid ref SU 742336.  The morning walk (3 miles) is to Priory Farm and back to Selborne through the Long and Short Lythes.  Picnic or pub lunch in Selborne.  The afternoon walk (5.5 miles) goes up Noar Hill and through the nature reserve, returning via Selborne Common and the famous zig-zag path down Selborne Hanger, created by the 18th century naturalist, Gilbert White.     3 miles + 5.5 miles

Sat 24 Apr     10:00 am       Leader:  Lyn G                                   Tel:  01672 513294
Meet in the public car park on the west side of Walbury Hill, near Combe Gibbet, grid ref SU 370621, for a walk to Combe and Buttermere.  This is Walk 3 from 21 Walks for the 21^st Century.     6 miles

            OR

Sat 24 Apr     10:30 am       Ramblers Association 75^th Anniversary  East Berkshire Group
Dorney Court and the Jubilee River:  This walk is described in detail in the booklet  An Invitation to Sixteen Led Walks in Beautiful Berkshire.     6 miles

Tue 27 Apr    10:00 am       Leader:  Fiona W                                    Tel:  01635 40720
Meet at the car park to the south of Aldermaston Station, grid ref SU 601672.  This is a walk which includes a new permitted path beside the river Kennet.     5 miles

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