On Sunday 25th February, we met up in Snelsmore Common for a six-mile walk around the common and the surrounding area. This was one of the joint walks we've been doing with the Pang Valley Ramblers this year. We had twenty-six people on this walk, which was led by Janet from the PVR. We may just have had more BWWs than PVRs on this walk, which started from a very soggy Snelsmore Common.
Some muddy paths led us through the woodland of the common to the tiny hamlet of Winterbourne, where their only road was closed due to flooding.
A bit further on, we stopped at St James the Less church, by Winterbourne Manor before continuing our route via Lower Farm, Borough Hill and Mudhall Cottage. (A very apt name for today's path conditions.)
We then headed south across farmland to Bagnor, where we passed the Watermill Theatre and stopped in the village briefly for a snack break. (Being only a six-mile walk, no lunch-break had been planned.) The River Lambourn was very high, and had entered Rack Marsh along the footpath. (See picture.)
Then it was uphill and past a golf course to get back to Snelsmore Common, where the paths were as muddy as ever. A couple of times, some shallow wading was required to cross flooded paths.
We made it back to the car park without incident, despite the slippery conditions, having enjoyed a good and varied walk. See our route on Google Maps.
Thanks go to Janet of the Pang Valley Ramblers for leading this walk.
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