The longest day (21st June) saw sixteen of us assemble at Aldermaston Wharf for Mike's walk around Padworth; mostly BWW regulars plus a visitor from another group and a couple of newcomers.
We set off from the railway station, crossed the Kennet & Avon Canal at the lock, and joined its towpath heading westward. Following this out of the village, we continued on the towpath until we reached the Frouds Lane Bridge, where we left the canal and followed Frouds Lane to the south.
Frouds Lane joined the A340 Basingstoke Road, which we followed westward until it crossed the River Kennet, where we left the road for a footpath through fields. A number of streams separated the fields and the route crossed these by way of footbridges.
The banks of these streams were rather overgrown, with all sorts of vegetation, including nettles. Some care was required when crossing, especially for those of us wearing shorts! Luckily some of the better protected walkers went first and attempted to clear the way for us.
Next we joined a well maintained track called Fisherman's Lane, which took us north-eastward, running roughly parallel with the River Kennet, although not close enough to see it.
We branched off the track to take a footpath through a field of barley and then uphill through Home Farm stables, near Padworth College. From a distance, we saw what looked like a zebra amongst the horses. As we got closer, it was revealed to be a horse clad in a stripy blanket!
We left the stables and joined a quiet lane called Raghill, which we followed up to Old Farm.
Crossing the farm, we continued on a practically invisible footpath through large pasture fields, heading north and downhill. From here we gained a good view of West Berkshire.
We stopped for our picnic lunch in the lower corner of the field before joining a more obvious footpath heading north-east along the edges fields and woodlands. This footpath ended at Middle Farm where we continued our walk along a quiet lane heading more-or-less northward to Ufton Green Farm.
From there we followed Ufton Lane as far as Ufton Bridge, which crossed both the River Kennet and the Kennet & Avon Canal.
After crossing this bridge, we re-joined the canal towpath heading south-west, back towards Aldermaston Wharf. En-route we passed the lock at Towney Bridge and Froude's Swing Bridge where Padworth Lane crosses the canal.
Passing a number of moored narrow-boats, some of which were for sale, we entered the village of Aldermaston Wharf where we stopped at the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Tea Room. Between us, several ice creams, cups of coffee, tea, milkshakes and cakes were consumed before finishing the walk with the short distance back to the railway station. See our route on Bing Maps.
On such a pleasant, warm, dry day, the flooding that had prevented us from doing this walk earlier in the year seemed like a distant memory.
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