{"id":"69847961533dbb4b73118a7f","title":"Walk 151 Brimpton Common And Ashford Hill","path":"walks/scrapbook/by-year/2015/volume-11-jan-to-mar-2015/walk-151-brimpton-common-and-ashford-hill","contentMarkdown":"# 🥾 Walk 151 - Brimpton Common and Ashford Hill\n\nDespite the forecast for heavy rain on Saturday 28th March, eighteen of us assembled in the lay-by outside the Pineapple pub in Brimpton Common for this 6 mile walk. We had a few visitors from other groups who'd decided to come along with us instead of going to the walks of their own groups, which is quite flattering.\n\nStarting the walk with the footpath leading from the lay-by, we passed through a field, through Brimpton Common village and on to Wasing Wood. Skirting the wood, we then crossed a field to the church at Wasing Park. Our path took us between the church and Wasing Farm on our way to Shalford Bridge. Here we crossed the River Enborne before heading to Brimpton village\n\n![Passing Brimpton Church on our way from Brimpton to Hyde End.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume11/images/brimpton_church.jpg)\n\nPassing through Brimpton, we continued west and then south to Upper Hyde End Farm, then past Hyde End House and then through Hyde End Farm. (I think we must have been in Hyde End.) Anyway, we found the River Enborne again, which we followed until we came to a bridge.\n\nCrossing the river, we entered woodland and joined an extremely muddy path. This led us to a rather boggy field and finally to Ashford Hill. Although the predicted rain didn't arrive (we just had a brief spell of fine drizzle) our boots certainly got wet on this part of the walk. On the way, we saw some horses. Pat of course, had a carrot with her and fed it to one of the horses.\n\n![Crossing the River Enborne on our way from Hyde End to Ashford Hill.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume11/images/river_enborne.jpg)\n\nOur route then took us through Ashford Hill National Nature Reserve - a mixture of woodland and low-lying meadows - and a gentle hill. It was a bit squelchy under foot until we'd ascended the hill. Then we left the Nature Reserve and passed through farmland again, including a field of miniature ponies. We've seen a few of these on recent walks.\n\nBefore long we were back at Brimpton Common and the lay-by where we'd started. (See our route on Bing Maps.) With the walk finished, we each had a choice to go home or stop off at the pub. Most of us stopped off at the pub - some just for a drink and others for a pub lunch.\n\n![This is becoming a regular sight on our walks. Pat feeding carrots to the horses.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume11/images/horse_and_carrot.jpg)\n\n## 📸 Back to Volume 11\n\nReturn to volume index","contentHtml":"<h1>🥾 Walk 151 - Brimpton Common and Ashford Hill</h1>\n<p>Despite the forecast for heavy rain on Saturday 28th March, eighteen of us assembled in the lay-by outside the Pineapple pub in Brimpton Common for this 6 mile walk. We had a few visitors from other groups who&#39;d decided to come along with us instead of going to the walks of their own groups, which is quite flattering.</p>\n<p>Starting the walk with the footpath leading from the lay-by, we passed through a field, through Brimpton Common village and on to Wasing Wood. Skirting the wood, we then crossed a field to the church at Wasing Park. Our path took us between the church and Wasing Farm on our way to Shalford Bridge. Here we crossed the River Enborne before heading to Brimpton village</p>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume11/images/brimpton_church.jpg\" alt=\"Passing Brimpton Church on our way from Brimpton to Hyde End.\"></p>\n<p>Passing through Brimpton, we continued west and then south to Upper Hyde End Farm, then past Hyde End House and then through Hyde End Farm. (I think we must have been in Hyde End.) Anyway, we found the River Enborne again, which we followed until we came to a bridge.</p>\n<p>Crossing the river, we entered woodland and joined an extremely muddy path. This led us to a rather boggy field and finally to Ashford Hill. Although the predicted rain didn&#39;t arrive (we just had a brief spell of fine drizzle) our boots certainly got wet on this part of the walk. On the way, we saw some horses. Pat of course, had a carrot with her and fed it to one of the horses.</p>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume11/images/river_enborne.jpg\" alt=\"Crossing the River Enborne on our way from Hyde End to Ashford Hill.\"></p>\n<p>Our route then took us through Ashford Hill National Nature Reserve - a mixture of woodland and low-lying meadows - and a gentle hill. It was a bit squelchy under foot until we&#39;d ascended the hill. Then we left the Nature Reserve and passed through farmland again, including a field of miniature ponies. We&#39;ve seen a few of these on recent walks.</p>\n<p>Before long we were back at Brimpton Common and the lay-by where we&#39;d started. (See our route on Bing Maps.) With the walk finished, we each had a choice to go home or stop off at the pub. Most of us stopped off at the pub - some just for a drink and others for a pub lunch.</p>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume11/images/horse_and_carrot.jpg\" alt=\"This is becoming a regular sight on our walks. Pat feeding carrots to the horses.\"></p>\n<h2>📸 Back to Volume 11</h2>\n<p>Return to volume index</p>\n"}