🥾 Walk 79 - Newbury and Bagnor

Sunday 1st December saw eleven of us assemble outside St Nicholas Church in Newbury town centre, ready for an eight mile urban and country walk. An additional feature of this walk was that Mike, the leader, had prepared a few quiz questions relating to parts of the walk.

We started off following an alley way beside the church that took us on to the towpath of the Kennet and Avon Canal, heading west. After about a mile, we crossed over the canal and then over the River Kennet and north towards the village of Speen, stopping off to admire the Saxon church of St Mary the Virgin - believed to be the oldest church in Berkshire.

Next we stopped off to look at Ladywell, an ancient holy well just south of Speen. Crossing the A4 Bath Road in Speen we continued north toward Donnington, passing through a golf course and then crossing the River Lambourn before heading up to Donnington Castle.

While we were wandering around the castle grounds, we were joined briefly by members of the Berkshire Walkers 20s & 30s group, who were also walking in the area. We continued north to Castle Farm and then, crossing a bridge over the A34 Newbury Bypass, up to the edge of Snellsmore Common.

Looping round and heading south we headed to the village of Bagnor, where we stopped for a drink at the local pub. Refreshed, we set off following the Lambourn Valley Way eastward, crossing another bridge over the A34 and passing Donnington Castle again.

Crossing the River Lambourn again, we took an urban route back to Newbury town centre where the walk finished. Some of us stopped off in town for a coffee and cake before going home while others went off to do a bit of shopping.

Take a look at our route on Bing Maps.

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