{"id":"6984792a533dbb4b7311862d","title":"Walk 633 Swallowfield Farley Hill And Blackwater River","path":"walks/scrapbook/by-year/2024/volume-48-apr-to-jun-2024/walk-633-swallowfield-farley-hill-and-blackwater-river","contentMarkdown":"# 🥾 Walk 633 - Swallowfield, Farley Hill and Blackwater River\n\nSaturday 13th April was the perfect spring day – plenty of sunshine, blossom and birdsong. Following a couple of weeks of heavy rain, the warmer weather this weekend enticed nineteen walkers (including three new walkers trying out the BWWs) to join us for a 6.6 mile walk, starting from the Parish Hall in Swallowfield.\n\nWe set off through Swallowfield Park, following the River Broadwater to the thirteenth century church of All Saints, passing the river flood monitoring station on the way.\n\n![Standing outside All Saints church, Swallowfield.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/swallowfield-all-saints.jpg)\n\nThe churchyard was full of spring flowers, including our first glimpse of bluebells and forget-me-nots. On leaving the pretty church-yard, we encountered our first section of mud as we passed through a gate before heading north east along a much dryer path between hedgerows.\n\nFollowing the recent rain, the fields beyond the hedges were partly flooded and a flock of Egyptian Geese, together with a lapwing were making the most of the shallow ponds that had been created.\n\n![Bluebells of blue, white and pink in All Saints churchyard.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/swallowfield-bluebells.jpg)\n\nWe then turned onto a path heading south towards the George and Dragon pub, after which we walked along Nutbean Lane, before turning right onto a footpath just past Wheeler’s Farm. Here, we had to negotiate another muddy section and those with walking poles were at a distinct advantage.\n\nFortunately, the next section of the route was very much dryer through the water meadows next to the Broadwater River and it wasn’t long before we passed where the Broadwater divides into the Whitewater and Blackwater Rivers. Apparently, in summer, after low rainfall, the Whitewater can hardly be seen.\n\n![The River Broadwater at the confluence of the rivers Whitewater and Blackwater.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/the-broadwater.jpg)\n\nOn reaching the Ford near Jouldings Farm, we followed a track northwest towards Wheeler’s Copse. A small section of this track is often flooded during the winter months and local walkers have established a short diversion through a neighbouring field, which we made good use of, having found the flooded track totally unpassable.\n\nOn reaching Wheeler’s Copse, there was the most magnificent carpet of bluebells for us to admire. From here, we walked north along Sandpit Lane to Farley Hill, where there were flowering cherry trees in full bloom and we were accompanied by the sound of pheasants.\n\n![The path was badly flooded approaching Wheeler's Copse.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/wheelers-copse-flood.jpg)\n\nContinuing north towards Farley Castle, we then headed west towards New Plantation, which was our lunch stop, with plenty of fallen trees for everyone to sit on and a few more bluebells.\n\nAfter lunch, we headed west along the edge of the plantation and then re-entered Swallowfield Park, where there was a magnificent row of old oak trees. It wasn’t long before we rejoined our outward path through the park, past the church and back to the Parish Hall. See our route on Google Maps.\n\n![A sea of bluebells at Wheeler's Copse.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/wheelers-copse-bluebells.jpg)\n\n![Cherry Blossom at Farley Hill.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/farley-hill-cherry-blossom.jpg)\n\n*Thanks go to Sue B for leading this walk and writing it up. (Photo by Rob C)*\n\n## 📸 Back to Volume 48\n\nReturn to volume index","contentHtml":"

🥾 Walk 633 - Swallowfield, Farley Hill and Blackwater River

\n

Saturday 13th April was the perfect spring day – plenty of sunshine, blossom and birdsong. Following a couple of weeks of heavy rain, the warmer weather this weekend enticed nineteen walkers (including three new walkers trying out the BWWs) to join us for a 6.6 mile walk, starting from the Parish Hall in Swallowfield.

\n

We set off through Swallowfield Park, following the River Broadwater to the thirteenth century church of All Saints, passing the river flood monitoring station on the way.

\n

\"Standing

\n

The churchyard was full of spring flowers, including our first glimpse of bluebells and forget-me-nots. On leaving the pretty church-yard, we encountered our first section of mud as we passed through a gate before heading north east along a much dryer path between hedgerows.

\n

Following the recent rain, the fields beyond the hedges were partly flooded and a flock of Egyptian Geese, together with a lapwing were making the most of the shallow ponds that had been created.

\n

\"Bluebells

\n

We then turned onto a path heading south towards the George and Dragon pub, after which we walked along Nutbean Lane, before turning right onto a footpath just past Wheeler’s Farm. Here, we had to negotiate another muddy section and those with walking poles were at a distinct advantage.

\n

Fortunately, the next section of the route was very much dryer through the water meadows next to the Broadwater River and it wasn’t long before we passed where the Broadwater divides into the Whitewater and Blackwater Rivers. Apparently, in summer, after low rainfall, the Whitewater can hardly be seen.

\n

\"The

\n

On reaching the Ford near Jouldings Farm, we followed a track northwest towards Wheeler’s Copse. A small section of this track is often flooded during the winter months and local walkers have established a short diversion through a neighbouring field, which we made good use of, having found the flooded track totally unpassable.

\n

On reaching Wheeler’s Copse, there was the most magnificent carpet of bluebells for us to admire. From here, we walked north along Sandpit Lane to Farley Hill, where there were flowering cherry trees in full bloom and we were accompanied by the sound of pheasants.

\n

\"The

\n

Continuing north towards Farley Castle, we then headed west towards New Plantation, which was our lunch stop, with plenty of fallen trees for everyone to sit on and a few more bluebells.

\n

After lunch, we headed west along the edge of the plantation and then re-entered Swallowfield Park, where there was a magnificent row of old oak trees. It wasn’t long before we rejoined our outward path through the park, past the church and back to the Parish Hall. See our route on Google Maps.

\n

\"A

\n

\"Cherry

\n

Thanks go to Sue B for leading this walk and writing it up. (Photo by Rob C)

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📸 Back to Volume 48

\n

Return to volume index

\n"}