{"id":"69847949533dbb4b7311886c","title":"Walk 408 Speen Snelsmore Common And Bagnor","path":"walks/scrapbook/by-year/2019/volume-30-oct-to-dec-2019/walk-408-speen-snelsmore-common-and-bagnor","contentMarkdown":"# 🥾 Walk 408 - Speen, Snelsmore Common and Bagnor\n\nWe had our BWW Christmas lunch on Saturday 7th December, which was optionally preceded by a 7.5 mile walk. The walk started from two different locations! Eight of us (plus two dogs) started from outside the Hare & Hounds Hotel in Speen, while seven more started from Newbury railway station, but we soon joined forces to do most of the walk together.\n\nI was in the party that started from Speen, which was led by Mike. We left the Hare & Hounds and took an alley way between the A4 Bath Road and Speen Lane, a much quieter road, which we followed followed for half a mile before heading south on a footpath that crossed the River Kennet and then the Kennet & Avon Canal.\n\n![The two parties joined here on the Kennet and Avon Canal.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume30/images/meeting_point.jpg)\n\nAfter crossing the canal, we waited briefly for the other party, which was led by Alison, to join us. All of us then followed the canal towpath westward for a mile, crossing the canal at Enborne Bridge. As we approached the bridge where the A34 Newbury bypass crosses the canal, we left the towpath and followed a rather noisy path that followed the dual carriageway for a short distance.\n\nWe joined the Lambourne Valley Way and passed the 'Lady Well' (a natural spring emerging into a covered stone trough) on our way back to Speen. Next we headed north-west, crossing through the golf course at Donnington Grove Country Club to reach Donnington Castle.\n\n![The Lady Well. A natural spring feeding a stone trough.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume30/images/lady_well.jpg)\n\nThe twin-towered gatehouse is all that stands of this 14th century castle although the footings of the walls are still there. The view across to Newbury is quite impressive from here. Continuing north-west, we crossed the A34 and passed another bit of the golf course on our way to Snelsmore Common.\n\nThis mixed woodland was quite muddy with parts of some paths being waterlogged, but that's to be expected this time of year. Looping back, we left the common and passed part of the golf course again as we made our way to the picturesque hamlet of Bagnor.\n\n![The remains of Donnington Castle, near Speen.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume30/images/donnington_castle.jpg)\n\nPassing by the old cottages and pub, we left Bagnor by crossing the River Lambourn at Bagnor Bridge and then crossing under the A34 dual carriageway before arriving back at Speen. See our route on Google Maps.\n\nAfter changing out of our muddy boots, those who had arrived by train were able to leave their boots and rucksacks in the cars of those who had driven to Speen, so that we were all quite presentable when we entered the Hare & Hounds. There we met up with other members of the group, who hadn't done the walk, for a quick drink before our Christmas lunch.\n\n![Sitting down for our Christmas lunch.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume30/images/xmas_lunch.jpg)\n\n*Thank you to Mike and Alison for leading this walk and to Jane for organising the meal.*\n\n## 📸 Back to Volume 30\n\nReturn to volume index","contentHtml":"

🥾 Walk 408 - Speen, Snelsmore Common and Bagnor

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We had our BWW Christmas lunch on Saturday 7th December, which was optionally preceded by a 7.5 mile walk. The walk started from two different locations! Eight of us (plus two dogs) started from outside the Hare & Hounds Hotel in Speen, while seven more started from Newbury railway station, but we soon joined forces to do most of the walk together.

\n

I was in the party that started from Speen, which was led by Mike. We left the Hare & Hounds and took an alley way between the A4 Bath Road and Speen Lane, a much quieter road, which we followed followed for half a mile before heading south on a footpath that crossed the River Kennet and then the Kennet & Avon Canal.

\n

\"The

\n

After crossing the canal, we waited briefly for the other party, which was led by Alison, to join us. All of us then followed the canal towpath westward for a mile, crossing the canal at Enborne Bridge. As we approached the bridge where the A34 Newbury bypass crosses the canal, we left the towpath and followed a rather noisy path that followed the dual carriageway for a short distance.

\n

We joined the Lambourne Valley Way and passed the 'Lady Well' (a natural spring emerging into a covered stone trough) on our way back to Speen. Next we headed north-west, crossing through the golf course at Donnington Grove Country Club to reach Donnington Castle.

\n

\"The

\n

The twin-towered gatehouse is all that stands of this 14th century castle although the footings of the walls are still there. The view across to Newbury is quite impressive from here. Continuing north-west, we crossed the A34 and passed another bit of the golf course on our way to Snelsmore Common.

\n

This mixed woodland was quite muddy with parts of some paths being waterlogged, but that's to be expected this time of year. Looping back, we left the common and passed part of the golf course again as we made our way to the picturesque hamlet of Bagnor.

\n

\"The

\n

Passing by the old cottages and pub, we left Bagnor by crossing the River Lambourn at Bagnor Bridge and then crossing under the A34 dual carriageway before arriving back at Speen. See our route on Google Maps.

\n

After changing out of our muddy boots, those who had arrived by train were able to leave their boots and rucksacks in the cars of those who had driven to Speen, so that we were all quite presentable when we entered the Hare & Hounds. There we met up with other members of the group, who hadn't done the walk, for a quick drink before our Christmas lunch.

\n

\"Sitting

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Thank you to Mike and Alison for leading this walk and to Jane for organising the meal.

\n

📸 Back to Volume 30

\n

Return to volume index

\n"}