Sue B had organised a short walk and a pub lunch for Sunday 4th June. Eighteen people turned up for the walk and thirteen people attended the pub lunch afterwards. We started the walk at 9:30, which is earlier than most of our walks. This would ensure we finished the walk in good time for the 12pm pub lunch. Even at this earlier time, it was already a warm day, so sun-cream was being applied and hats were being worn. Some of us were even wearing shorts, despite the possible risk of nettles.
Crossing the church grounds, we were soon on a footpath that took us through Church Farm and Edneys Hill Farm before emerging onto a quiet lane called Edneys Hill. After a short walk along the lane, we turned off into a narrow footpath that squeezed between Daffield Farm and Highfield Farm before joining Doles Lane.
We followed the lane to the junction with Barkham Road, crossing it into Sandy Lane, which gradually became a track through woodland. Crossing Bearwood Road into Coombes Lane, we passed through more woodland to Barkham Hill. After a brief stop, we turned left and headed back down toward Barkham, but before reaching Barkham Road, we took a footpath that passed behind Barkham Manor, taking a quick stop to admire their garden and stew-pond. (Originally a pond stocked with fish for Fridays.)
This footpath then joined a track heading back up into the woodland of The Coombes, passing Barkham Rectory on the way. The woodland here is home to plenty of rhododendrons, which were in flower. They look beautiful, but are considered to be an invasive species in UK woodland an have to be carefully managed.
A much more ugly invasion of the woods was waiting for us as we left The Coombes and joined Wood Lane. There was a large pile of rubbish (including empty containers of hazardous substances) dumped by fly-tippers, spoiling the environment. Why??
Heading down Wood Lane, we joined School Road and followed it down to Barkham Road. Here we crossed the main road into a farm and then a footpath passing behind Barkham Grange. Suddenly, we were on Barkham Street, almost opposite Church Lane where we had started the walk. See our route on Google Maps.
It was just after 11:30 and lunch was booked for 12:00, so we left our rucksacks in our cars and walked up to pub, with enough time to spare for a pleasant drink in their beer garden before going inside for an excellent lunch.
Thank you to Sue for leading this walk and organising the pub lunch.
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