THE
WALK
Distance:
8
miles
Grid reference at start: SU772740
Time: 3 hours
Going: Easy, but take note, parts of the route are
liable to flood after excessive rain.
Parking: The start in the car park at Ashenbury Park
in Woodley, and at the end in The Paddocks car park in central
Wokingham.
BBC
BERKSHIRE WALKING AND SAFETY
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Begin
this walk at Ashenbury Park, getting into the park from the car
park through the yellow barrier.
Follow
the gravel path through the middle of the park and after you pass
through a copse area and the path begins to veer to the right, leave
it and head due North to meet the path running along the lake at
the North end of the park.
You
need to be looking out for a footpath sign taking you down onto
a footpath running alongside the lake.
The
lake should be on your left and the park on your right.
When
the footpath comes out onto the road, cross the road, going straight
ahead into Land's End Lane.
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| Ashenbury
Park is a peaceful place to start this walk. |
When
you reach the junction with Park Lane, turn right by the Land's
End pub towards the ford.
Before
you reach the ford, turn right into the pub's overflow car park
and by a yellow warning sign.
Follow
the footpath through the car park, heading for the white railings
and bridge over the stream.
Cross
over the bridge and head for the far left corner of the field.
When
you reach the stile, cross over it and come out onto the road, turning
right.
Follow
the road past double gates into private fishing lakes, and look
out for the bridleway sign to the right.
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| The
Loddon seems to be a very clean river. |
Go
up the bridleway which runs parallel to the road.
When
you reach the end of the bridleway, cross over the road, and walk
along the bridleway opposite.
When
you reach the end of this bridleway, turn left onto the road and
walk over Whistley Bridge.
Straight
after the bridge, take the footpath on the right.
Follow
this footpath with the Loddon on your right all the way to Sandford
Lane.
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| The
path beside the river is overgrown in some places. |
The
footpath passes over a dirt road to a gravel pit, and also over
a conveyor belt delivering materials to and from the pit, and as
you approach Sandford Lane, a wooden bridge with green railings.
When
you reach Sandford Lane, turn right and almost immediately left
into Dinton Pastures Country Park and alongside Sandford Lake.
As
you approach the large wooden sign at the lake, turn right and follow
the path round the lake.
When
the path forks, you need to take the path on the right. As you walk
down the path you'll pass a sign for Sandford Lake, on the right
as you look back.
The
path follows the Loddon, and there are several places where you
can leave the sand path and walk directly next to the river.
When
you reach the wooden bridge on the right, turn right and walk across
the bridge.
Turn
left after the bridge.
Keeping
the river on your left, follow the path and it eventually passes
under a road bridge.
When
you see the wooden bridge on the left, crossing the river, walk
over it and after you've crossed over it, turn right onto the footpath.
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| The
River Loddon runs through Dinton Pastures Country Park. |
Continue
on the path passing the Park & Ride at Woodley's Showcase cinema
on your left.
Continue
to follow the path along the river, underneath the A329M, and underneath
the red brick railway arches.
And
keep to the path on the right-hand-side of the road, alongside the
river, with the metal railings on the left of the path.
As
you come out onto the Reading Road, turn right and head towards
the traffic lights and The George Pub.
Cross
the road, towards the car dealership, and turn left.
Look
out for the footpath sign on the right, and follow the footpath
down to the river again.
Follow
the path alongside the river, down some concrete steps, forking
left and staying alongside the river.
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| Look
out for this bridge which you need to cross to take you towards
Earley. |
When
you see the footpath sign on your left, turn down the footpath.
Shortly
after you turn down this path, it forks.
Take
the right fork, going through a tunnel under the road.
When
you come out of the tunnel, turn right.
The
path rejoins the river side and you can see Sindlesham Mill hotel
ahead.
As
you reach the car park, continue to follow the footpath on the grass
to the left.
You'll
see the footpath sign in front of you, turn right here.
Cross
the driveway to the hotel, keeping the hotel on your left and heading
towards the wooden bridge.
Cross
the wooden bridge, down to the road. When you reach the road, which
is Mill Lane, turn left.
Follow
the road, which is very busy and has no path, past the entrance
to the Sindlesham Mill nightclub, across the bridge and past The
Poachers pub on the left.
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| You'll
pass The Poachers pub on the left on the very busy Mill Lane. |
Take
care on this road because it is narrow and very busy. As you approach
the roundabout, look out for the Masonic hall through the trees
on your left, and the Nirvana Spa on your right.
Go
straight over the roundabout onto New Road towards Barkham.
As
the road meets Bearwood Road and forks, cross over Bearwood Road
and turn right towards Barkham, going past the entrance to Bearwood
College on your right.
Look
out for The Walter Arms pub on your left, directly after the pub,
turn left into Sadler's End.
After
you've passed a few houses and the path narrows, look out for a
footpath sign on your right.
Take
that footpath, crossing over the stile and into a field.
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| You'll
see this church through the trees on the right. |
Follow
the path as it bears right across the field, towards another wooden
stile and into the woods.
Follow
the path straight ahead into the woods (don't take the path to the
right).
Shortly
after that, a path crosses the path you are on forming a crossroads.
Turn left here, onto the path.
The
path comes out onto a gravel/tarmac road (Woodlands Avenue).
Follow
it down to the main Reading Road, and turn right when you reach
it.
Pass
the Rifle Volunteer pub on the left and Embrook Post Office.
When
you reach the Woosehill roundabout, continue following the road
as it bears left towards Wokingham on the A329.
Pass
St Paul's Parish rooms on the right and then past the Parish Church
of St Paul on the right.
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| The
Queen's Head pub in Wokingham is a welcome sight after walking
8 miles! |
When
you reach the Queen's Head pub on the left, take the stone steps
opposite and cross the road to Wokingham Council's offices.
You
can cut through their car park into The Paddocks where you should
have left a car.
You've
completed
Part Eleven of the Berkshire Way
Well
Done!
Berkshire
Way Part Twelve
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