The BWWs are a local Ramblers group.
We met at Kintbury railway station for this walk, led by an energetic chap called Ian. It was a small group of walkers: only five of us besides the lead.
We walked westwards along the canal towpath for a short way as far as the footbridge. We crossed the footbridge and passed the splendidly Gothic vicarage on the right. Ian noted the connection with Jane Austen’s sister Cassandra. We then took the footpath that passes alongside the garden of The Blue Ball where Ian, who had clearly done his homework, stopped to mention the Swing Riots. Apparently Colonel Dundas rounded up a number of rioters in this area (?) and they were variously hanged/deported.
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| The gates of St Cassian's Centre |
We walked along Wallingtons Road as far as it goes. It ends at a lodge for St Cassian’s Centre on the right and a footpath leading on straight ahead, which we took. So far it was the same route as this walk I took with Ray in November 2020.
We carried on through the wood – according to the OS map, these woods comprise Catmore Copse and Winterly Copse. At a junction of paths, we turned sharp right leading back towards St Cassian’s Centre and took the path leading across the field, passing Inglewood Farm and the site of the former Inglewood Health Hydro (still marked as such on my map, though it stopped being that some years ago).
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| Sheep near Lower Green |
When we came out on Inglewood Road, we turned left (now diverging from the earlier walk with Ray) and walked along the road for a short way before taking a footpath leading to the left through a stud farm (Templeton Stud?). We followed the well-signposted footpath that skirts the stud and then headed south on footpaths towards Lower Green. When we reached Lower Green, Ian diverted us briefly to see the Church of St Michael, which is indeed very lovely.
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| Footpath through stud |
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| The church of St Michael, Lower Green |
After leaving Lower Green we headed eastwards towards Inkpen and stopped at the Crown and Garter at Inkpen Common. We didn’t go into the pub (though did use its facilities) but did go into a cute little coffee shop next door to it where we bought drinks and some people bought cakes.
After leaving we turned briefly right down Westfields and then left onto a footpath, and then crossed some of Inkpen Common, near to the intriguingly-named Hell Corner.
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| Inkpen Common |
Passed an enormous modern house in extensive grounds with a Rolls parked out the front – from the OS map it might be called Godfreys, but hard to tell.
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| Possibly Godfreys |
This was a pleasant walk through attractive and prosperous countryside on a slightly autumnal but still warm day. It was about 10 miles in length and the latter part was a bit fast-paced for me and the two other chaps on the walk: Ian and the two other women forged ahead while the rest of us lagged in the rear. The walk was written up on BWW's website here.
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