{"id":"69847938533dbb4b73118705","title":"Walk 549 Woolhampton Midgham And Our Christmas Lunch","path":"walks/scrapbook/by-year/2022/volume-42-oct-to-dec-2022/walk-549-woolhampton-midgham-and-our-christmas-lunch","contentMarkdown":"# 🥾 Walk 549 - Woolhampton, Midgham and our Christmas Lunch\n\nOn Saturday 3rd December we did a short walk (about 5 miles) before our Christmas lunch at The Rowbarge pub in Woolhampton. Seventeen people were on the walk and a few more joined us afterwards for the meal. The day was a rather cold and grey, so most of us were wearing our hats and gloves for the first time since the unusually mild autumn. (I forgot to bring mine!)\n\nThe walk started at Midgham railway station, which isn't actually in Midgham - it's in Woolhampton. Heading up Station Road, we crossed the A4 Bath Road and headed up the rather steep and narrow Woolhampton Hill road to Upper Woolhampton. This spurt of energetic exercise soon warmed us up!\n\nLeaving the road, we headed west and north through fields and woodland to Channel Wood, where we stopped for a drink/snack break. We gathered under a large oak tree and munched on our cereal bars, etc. Some people had brought hot drinks in flasks. (I forgot to bring mine!)\n\n![Autumn colours on show in Midgham Park.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume42/images/midgham_park.jpg)\n\nSuitably refreshed, we continued the walk, heading south and west through Midgham Green and into Midgham Park. There were still plenty of yellow and brown autumn leaves on the trees despite the large amount of them carpeting the footpaths.\n\nEmerging from the park into the village of Midgham, we stopped to look at the rather imposing parish church of St. Matthew, built in 1869 in the 13th century style.\n\nBeing on a hill, there were good views from the church grounds. Amongst the recognisable landmarks, we could see the Hannington tower and Watership Down, where we'd been on a walk quite recently. We headed downhill to Midgham Marsh, crossing the A4 Bath Road again and joining the Kennet & Avon Canal towpath at Midgham Lock.\n\n![Stopping to look at St Matthew's Church in Midgham.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume42/images/midgham_church.jpg)\n\nThe rest of the walk followed the canal towpath eastward back to Woolhampton. The towpath changed sides a couple of times at Cranwell Bridge and Oxlease Bridge before entering the large garden of The Rowbarge pub. See our route on Google Maps. We arrived in plenty of time to change out of walking gear and get a drink at the bar before sitting down for lunch. The food was good and so was the company.\n\n![Following the Kennet and Avon Canal near Cranwell Bridge.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume42/images/cranwell_bridge.jpg)\n\n*Thank you to Mike and Alison for leading the walk and to Mike and Jane organising the Christmas Lunch.*\n\n## 📸 Back to Volume 42\n\nReturn to volume index","contentHtml":"

🥾 Walk 549 - Woolhampton, Midgham and our Christmas Lunch

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On Saturday 3rd December we did a short walk (about 5 miles) before our Christmas lunch at The Rowbarge pub in Woolhampton. Seventeen people were on the walk and a few more joined us afterwards for the meal. The day was a rather cold and grey, so most of us were wearing our hats and gloves for the first time since the unusually mild autumn. (I forgot to bring mine!)

\n

The walk started at Midgham railway station, which isn't actually in Midgham - it's in Woolhampton. Heading up Station Road, we crossed the A4 Bath Road and headed up the rather steep and narrow Woolhampton Hill road to Upper Woolhampton. This spurt of energetic exercise soon warmed us up!

\n

Leaving the road, we headed west and north through fields and woodland to Channel Wood, where we stopped for a drink/snack break. We gathered under a large oak tree and munched on our cereal bars, etc. Some people had brought hot drinks in flasks. (I forgot to bring mine!)

\n

\"Autumn

\n

Suitably refreshed, we continued the walk, heading south and west through Midgham Green and into Midgham Park. There were still plenty of yellow and brown autumn leaves on the trees despite the large amount of them carpeting the footpaths.

\n

Emerging from the park into the village of Midgham, we stopped to look at the rather imposing parish church of St. Matthew, built in 1869 in the 13th century style.

\n

Being on a hill, there were good views from the church grounds. Amongst the recognisable landmarks, we could see the Hannington tower and Watership Down, where we'd been on a walk quite recently. We headed downhill to Midgham Marsh, crossing the A4 Bath Road again and joining the Kennet & Avon Canal towpath at Midgham Lock.

\n

\"Stopping

\n

The rest of the walk followed the canal towpath eastward back to Woolhampton. The towpath changed sides a couple of times at Cranwell Bridge and Oxlease Bridge before entering the large garden of The Rowbarge pub. See our route on Google Maps. We arrived in plenty of time to change out of walking gear and get a drink at the bar before sitting down for lunch. The food was good and so was the company.

\n

\"Following

\n

Thank you to Mike and Alison for leading the walk and to Mike and Jane organising the Christmas Lunch.

\n

📸 Back to Volume 42

\n

Return to volume index

\n"}