On Wednesday 10th May, we had our first weekday evening walk of the year. With time after work before sunset, the next few months will see more of these evening walks. Fine weather ensured nine people (including a couple of newcomers, trying us out) attended this four-mile walk around Barkham.
Starting at around 6:50pm, we set off from St James' Church in Barkham and followed a footpath from the end of Church Lane, through Church Farm and Edneys Hill Farm, emerging on to a quiet road. After following this road for a short while, we took a footpath through to Dales Lane, before crossing the main Barkham Road into Sandy Lane.
This lane took us past houses and fields before crossing Bearwood Road to become Coombes Lane, and unadopted road that gradually transformed into a muddy track. I say muddy, but the recent dry spell meant that the mud was quite solid. With Bearwood Lakes golf course on our right and The Coombes woodland on the left, we continued on this track before turning off into the woods along a rhododendron lined path.
Zig-zagging through mixed woodland, we crossed a stream on a wooden bridge. The stream was practically empty due to the recent unusually dry weather. At one point, we spotted a deer in the woods, but it didn't stay long once it heard us coming.
Having done almost a complete loop through The Coombes, we emerged onto the driveway of Barkham Manor Farm, which we followed down to Barkham Road. A short walk along the narrow pavement of this busy road brought us to The Bull pub. Most of us stopped for a drink in their pub garden before walking the last leg, down Barkham Street, back to Church Lane, where the walk had started. See our route on Google Maps.
The sun was setting as we got back to the cars at around 8:45pm. The walk had taken less than two hours, including the stop at the pub. Let's hope we get similar weather for the next evening walk, which is next Wednesday.
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