{"id":"69847963533dbb4b73118ab3","title":"Walk 129 Caversham And Mapledurham","path":"walks/scrapbook/by-year/2014/volume-10-oct-to-dec-2014/walk-129-caversham-and-mapledurham","contentMarkdown":"# 🥾 Walk 129 - Caversham and Mapledurham\n\nOn Saturday 25th October whilst some of our group had ventured to Cornwall we successfully managed to lead this 8½ mile walk around Caversham, Collins End and Mapledurham which we had to cancel on the first attempt back in January 2014 due to the River Thames being dangerously flooded and torrential rain.\n\nSixteen turned up for the walk including several new people and a few from other local Ramblers walking groups, one of which was a near-by resident who knew interesting facts about the area to share with the group.\n\nThe weather was unusually mild and sunny which was nice after the disappointment in January.\n\n![Stopping for our picnic lunch in Bottom Wood.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume10/images/bottom_wood_picnic.jpg)\n\nWe headed off from the Mapledurham recreation ground heading west along the Upper Woodcote Road before turning off down a track near Blagrave Farm and suddenly into the countryside away from the urban buzz of Caversham. We passed next in a north-west direction changing course several times making our way through the Caversham Heath golf course.\n\nEventually we came out on a reasonably long stretch of concrete track where we had to carefully avoid a fair amount of traffic which had not been expected. It transpires it was all heading to a Christmas craft and gift fair at Mapledurham House. Having checked the web site as an aside this actually sounds like it may be quite an interesting event to go to one year for those who struggle with present ideas.\n\nOur concrete track ended near Lilley farm, we next had a drink stop and headed south west down a sweep of open pasture land before crossing the road at Mapledurham and picking up a west direction bridleway that heads to Whitchurch via Hardwick House. We have walked this track before many years ago and it is remembered well by the walk leader for the Boze Down vineyard and alpaca farm further west.\n\n![An autumnal scene in Bottom Wood.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume10/images/bottom_wood_autumn.jpg)\n\nNo time today for vineyard and alpaca viewing we turned off the track and followed a hilly hair pin bend type footpath into Bottom Wood. Here we had a lunch stop and had time to admire the autumn colours and leaf fall.\n\nAfter lunch we left the wood in a north-west direction exiting near Pathhill Farm and crossed an open grassed valley to Collins End.\n\nIn Collins End years ago we would have next gone to The King Charles Head pub but sadly this is now converted into a private residence so we instead tracked back into Long Ground plantation to come out to a good view point over the River Thames.\n\n![Heading to Collins End.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume10/images/collins_end.jpg)\n\nAfter a pause for a drink stop and photographs we went down the fairly steep slope returning to the Hardwick bridleway. We then repeated a short stretch of the bridleway before turning right, past the Mapledurham house and followed a track back at the base of a hill and almost on a level with the River Thames. After approximately 2.5 km we turned off left up a slope, along a residential road and after one more left turn proceeded back across the recreation ground to the start.\n\n![View of the River Thames from Long Ground plantation.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume10/images/river_thames_viewpoint.jpg)\n\n*Thank you to Mike for leading the walk, taking the pictures and writing it up.*\n\n## 📸 Back to Volume 10\n\nReturn to volume index","contentHtml":"

🥾 Walk 129 - Caversham and Mapledurham

\n

On Saturday 25th October whilst some of our group had ventured to Cornwall we successfully managed to lead this 8½ mile walk around Caversham, Collins End and Mapledurham which we had to cancel on the first attempt back in January 2014 due to the River Thames being dangerously flooded and torrential rain.

\n

Sixteen turned up for the walk including several new people and a few from other local Ramblers walking groups, one of which was a near-by resident who knew interesting facts about the area to share with the group.

\n

The weather was unusually mild and sunny which was nice after the disappointment in January.

\n

\"Stopping

\n

We headed off from the Mapledurham recreation ground heading west along the Upper Woodcote Road before turning off down a track near Blagrave Farm and suddenly into the countryside away from the urban buzz of Caversham. We passed next in a north-west direction changing course several times making our way through the Caversham Heath golf course.

\n

Eventually we came out on a reasonably long stretch of concrete track where we had to carefully avoid a fair amount of traffic which had not been expected. It transpires it was all heading to a Christmas craft and gift fair at Mapledurham House. Having checked the web site as an aside this actually sounds like it may be quite an interesting event to go to one year for those who struggle with present ideas.

\n

Our concrete track ended near Lilley farm, we next had a drink stop and headed south west down a sweep of open pasture land before crossing the road at Mapledurham and picking up a west direction bridleway that heads to Whitchurch via Hardwick House. We have walked this track before many years ago and it is remembered well by the walk leader for the Boze Down vineyard and alpaca farm further west.

\n

\"An

\n

No time today for vineyard and alpaca viewing we turned off the track and followed a hilly hair pin bend type footpath into Bottom Wood. Here we had a lunch stop and had time to admire the autumn colours and leaf fall.

\n

After lunch we left the wood in a north-west direction exiting near Pathhill Farm and crossed an open grassed valley to Collins End.

\n

In Collins End years ago we would have next gone to The King Charles Head pub but sadly this is now converted into a private residence so we instead tracked back into Long Ground plantation to come out to a good view point over the River Thames.

\n

\"Heading

\n

After a pause for a drink stop and photographs we went down the fairly steep slope returning to the Hardwick bridleway. We then repeated a short stretch of the bridleway before turning right, past the Mapledurham house and followed a track back at the base of a hill and almost on a level with the River Thames. After approximately 2.5 km we turned off left up a slope, along a residential road and after one more left turn proceeded back across the recreation ground to the start.

\n

\"View

\n

Thank you to Mike for leading the walk, taking the pictures and writing it up.

\n

📸 Back to Volume 10

\n

Return to volume index

\n"}