Walk Report

Woolhampton Circular, Saturday 5th February 2011
13 walkers, 21 miles - leader Steve Singleton
Thirteen walkers from London and Thames Valley Groups met at Midgham Station (which is actually at Woolhampton) at 8:36 precisely on a windy February morning. There had been showers earlier on, but by the time we met, the weather was dry and cloudy; it was to stay like that all day. We set off on roads through Woolhampton, then picked up a path through Midgham Park to Midgham village. We carried on westward towards Colthrop Manor, with views over towards Thatcham, before turning north via Bucklebury Common to the Slade for elevenses. Jerome thought that the elevenses stop was well chosen, having sheltered under the same tree for lunch on a Thames Valley Group walk he led a few months earlier. We carried on north and east via the outskirts of Westrop Green and Frilsham, and then crossed the M4 to Yattendon for lunch. The four people who ate at the Royal Oak said that the food was good; the leader can confirm that the beer was in good condition, as it should have been as the brewery is just across the road from the pub! After lunch we carried on eastward, crossing the M4 again, to Bradfield Village, before following the valley of the River Pang upstream, and then turning south to walk through Chapel Row towards Woolhampton. This part of the walk was directly into the fresh wind, and without shelter! At Kiff Green Jerome decided to leave the group and hurry back along the road to catch the 16:24 train, as the trains were only once per hour. The others who had come by train went with him; the rest of us took a more leisurely route on footpaths and got back at 16:35, having covered approximately 21 miles.

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