# 🥾 Walk 121 - Walk around Watery Wraysbury

Fourteen of us (including three guests) met up at Wraysbury station on Sunday 7th September for this semi-urban 10 mile walk led for us by Christine. (She also wrote the text below.)

Heading towards the village we took the first turning on the left, Tithe Lane passing a much restored barn and granary. The lane soon turned into a footpath and through the trees were glimpses of Wraysbury Lakes, which began life as gravel pits.

Arriving at the High Street we were faced by the ornate (Baptist) church with a glimpse of Wraysbury Windmill to its rear. Having heard much of this attraction from the locals I was disappointed to learn that it had been built as residence, as recently as 1996, in the style of a smock mill.

![Part of the massive trunk of the Ankerwycke Yew. Someone seems to have posted a note into it.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume9/images/ankerwycke_yew.jpg)

Before reaching the NT land at Ankerwycke there was a first sighting of the Air Forces memorial at Cooper's Hill on the other side of the Thames.

After crossing a dry water course we veered to the left and soon paused for a drink stop next to the Ankerwycke yew. Unless you walk up to inspect its ancient trunk it looks uninteresting. According to some sources it was here, not on the opposite bank, where King John signed the Magna Carta.

Heading onwards past the ruins of St Mary's Priory and entering a small wooded area we were treated to the splendid sight of enormous, yellow bracket fungi on a fallen tree.

![Stopping to look at some bracket fungus growing on a fallen tree in the woods at Ankerwycke.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume9/images/bracket_fungus.jpg)

Nearby was the Thames, for the most part hidden by overhanging tree. However through breaks in the trees we had a sight of women paddling a dragon boat, and a few fishermen on the opposite bank at the Runnymede Pleasure ground.

Another stretch of road walking took us to Hythe End, and after crossing the Colne Brook we turned left to follow the brook, with yet more lakes to our right. Approaching the railway line, which we crossed, we had our first sighting of Wraysbury Reservoir. The path alongside the branch line was a little overgrown with nettles and care was needed to avoid stepping into the few holes created by burrowing animals.

Under the M25, a short stretch of road and we were at the western side of Staines Moor. A short walk along a gated access road, which is also a bridleway, yet more water, the Wraysbury River, was to our left. Two kissing gates, with a section of dismantled railway line between them, and we were onto Staines Moor. We chose not to climb up the Butts.

![A dragon boat being paddled at some speed down the Thames near Runnymede.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume9/images/dragon_boat.jpg)

Instead we crossed a couple of raised board walks, evidence of the very wet nature of this area after heavy rain, and sat next to the River Colne to eat our picnic lunch. Sadly the dogs which were enjoying the river had frightened off the swans and herons before our arrival but we were able to watch the planes just after they had taken off from Heathrow.

Northwards, with ant hills, some of which a sign informed us were 200 years old, to the right we crossed the Bonehead Ditch near its confluence with the river and followed a path which eventually led us onto a track alongside the King George VI Reservoir. I was surprised to find that we were being followed by a large vehicle since a bollard prevents entry to this track. With more road walking we skirted the edge of Stanwell Moor village, crossed the river again just below a noisy weir and briefly left the roads behind.

The abundant vegetation, flowers, rose hips and indelible blackberries made up for the rubbish along the cycle track which made negotiating J14 of the M25 straightforward. Entering the outskirts of Slough/Poyle, the northern end of Wraysbury Reservoir was on our left, and a short walk along Horton Road took us to the Arthur Jacob nature reserve. More road walking took us over a nameless, but largish stream and a blue plaque informed us that Milton had lived here for a few years. Horton churchyard is home to many ornate headstones.

![Making our way along a rather overgrown board-walk in Stains Common.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume9/images/overgrown_walkway.jpg)

A left turn down Park Lane took us past Heathrow kennels and cattery and brought us to more former gravel pits. The railway line, with its obligatory two high stiles, had to be crossed again before the path brought us to Douglas Lane and back to Station Road. See our route on Bing Maps.

![Saint Michael's Church in the village of Horton.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume9/images/st_michaels_horton.jpg)

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