# 🥾 Walk 636 - Hannington, Cottington's Hill and Bluebells

When we pre-walked (did the recce for) this walk a couple of weeks ago, it was sunny but very muddy underfoot. There were also a lot of bluebells in flower. On Saturday 27th April, when we led the walk for twelve people (including a newcomer trying us out) the weather was very dull and grey. On the plus side, it wasn't windy, it didn't rain, the paths were less muddy and the bluebells were still in flower.

We started from the car park on White Hill and immediately began following the Wayfarer's Walk south-eastward. After the steep climb past Stubbington Farm, we had a slow descent from Walkeridge Farm to the hamlet of North Oakley.

![Following the Wayfarer's Walk through Stubbington Farm.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/wayfarers-walk-stubbington-down.jpg)

We continued to follow the Wayfarer's Walk, as it passed through The Manor Farm and Freemantle Farm. On reaching Frith Wood, we were greeted by a spectacular display of bluebells. Even better than during our pre-walk.

It seems that no matter how impressive the bluebells look to the naked eye, the camera always struggles to do them justice. Nevertheless, most of us took photos when we stopped (on several occasions) to admire them.

![One of the many patches of bluebells in Frith Wood.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/bluebells-frith-wood.jpg)

Leaving Frith Wood, we crossed a field into Patchbourne Wood where we saw more bluebells, mixed with wood anemones, celandines and other woodland flowers.

We left the Wayfarer's Walk and followed White Lane to a crossroads where we joined Hannington Road. We left this road on reaching a finger-post signpost with a wellington boot attached to it, signifying that we'd joined the Welly Boot Corner Walk. This interestingly-named local walk took us through the woodland of Hay Wood and Warren Bottom Copse, which were also home to many more bluebells.

![The Wayfarer's Walk between Frith Wood and Patchbourne Wood.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/wayfarers-walk-frith-wood.jpg)

We stopped by Sheeplane Plantation and sat on a dry corner of a field for lunch. Although we hadn't seen any sun today, the wind was gentle as we ate our packed lunches and chatted.

After lunch, we continued following the Welly Boot Corner Walk to its end at the village of Hannington. When leading this walk in previous years, we've stopped for a drink at The Vine, but this has sadly closed, like many country pubs have done in recent years.

![The Hannington transmitter mast on Cottington's Hill.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/cottingtons-hill-mast.jpg)

From Hannington, we followed Meadham Lane, then an unnamed lane that took us up to Cottington's Hill and the transmitter mast. Now at the highest point on the walk, we descended through Stubbington Down and back to the White Hill car park from where we'd started. See our route on Google Maps.

![More bluebells at Warren Bottom Copse.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/bluebells-warren-bottom-copse.jpg)

*Thanks go to Emma and Rob for leading this walk and Rob for the write-up.*

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