🥾 Walk 371 - A Surprise Find in Wickham

Windy best described the weather on Saturday 9th March, with gusts exceeding 50mph. This didn't stop ten of us (including two newcomers) from enjoying a picturesque six-mile walk around Wickham. The walk started off through the hamlet of Wickham, passing the Five Bells pub, before leaving the road for a tree-lined track called Windingwood Lane. This we followed, heading west through Grey's Copse and Wickfield Copse.

Along the way, we saw a group of what I first took to be muntjac deer, running across an open field. Some others in the group were sure that these were hares. The question was answered when I disturbed one hiding by the path, which lept up in front of me and ran off. This close, there was no mistake. It was a hare.

Turning south, we followed an equally muddy footpath down into Radley Bottom. We briefly followed a lane at the bottom of the valley before stopping on a grassy bank for our picnic lunch. Enjoying the sunshine and blues sky, we had to hang on tightly to our sandwiches to prevent them from being blown away!

After lunch, we passed through some woodland at the top of the grassy bank, and followed a path through Radley Farm. Curious cows watched us from their cattle sheds as we passed by. A mixture of footpaths and quiet lanes led us eastward to Elcot, and then northward towards Wickham.

As we entered Wickham, we stopped off to look at the church of Saint Swithun. This Anglo-Saxon church had a few special features that Mike, our walk leader, was keen for us to see. As there wasn't a service taking place, we went inside, after carefully wiping our boots.

Inside was a beautifully carved wooden cover over the font, which had been made originally for the Crystal Palace Exhibition of 1862. There was also an unexpectedly elaborate pipe organ, with three manuals and a pedal keyboard. However, Mike had to get us to look up to see the most unusual feature of this little church. Eight papier maché elephants' heads appearing to support the ceiling - originally made for the Paris Exhibition of 1855.

It was a short walk from the church back to the centre of the village. See our route on Google Maps. After the walk, some of us popped into the Five Bells to sample their excellent selection of ales (and hot drinks).

Thank you to Mike for leading this interesting walk and to Sharon for providing the photos.

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