{"id":1088,"date":"2015-12-05T02:35:10","date_gmt":"2015-12-05T01:35:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=1088"},"modified":"2015-12-02T00:21:53","modified_gmt":"2015-12-01T23:21:53","slug":"kintbury-and-hamstead-park-berkshire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=1088","title":{"rendered":"Kintbury and Hamstead Park, Berkshire"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">function popwalk(walk) {var url = \"\/Walks\/amap.php?f=\"+walk; varwalkwindow=window.open(url,\"walkwin\",\"height=840,width=1230,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes\"); if (window.focus) {walkwindow.focus()}}<\/script><br \/>\nFirst published in: The Times <a href=\"javascript:popwalk('Kintbury.gpx');\" rel=\"nozoom\" title=\"Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window\">Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/653\/22612169104_63952d2386.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Hamstead Park 1'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/653\/22612169104_63952d2386_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/583\/22612047284_03fb51008c.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Hamstead Park 2'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/583\/22612047284_03fb51008c_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/623\/22846339797_3b086aef89.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Hamstead Park 3'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/623\/22846339797_3b086aef89_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/773\/23240493825_f8a2a01004.jpg\" title='Shepherd&#039;s Bridge, Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Hamstead Park'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/773\/23240493825_f8a2a01004_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/608\/22612059004_e0048ba5db.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Hamstead Park 4'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/608\/22612059004_e0048ba5db_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/648\/22613403603_d0d6059d9b.jpg\" title='path near Shepherd&#039;s Bridge'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/648\/22613403603_d0d6059d9b_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/736\/22846394987_4ecc132b70.jpg\" title='path past the lake in Hamstead Park'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/736\/22846394987_4ecc132b70_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5735\/22612067294_25e16c0d10.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Hamstead Park 5'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5735\/22612067294_25e16c0d10_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5743\/22944689910_9dd43bf249.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Kintbury 1'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5743\/22944689910_9dd43bf249_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/738\/22612075444_79018e0137.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Kintbury 2'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/738\/22612075444_79018e0137_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5752\/22846367197_56d9354330.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal - Dreweat&#039;s Lock'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5752\/22846367197_56d9354330_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5756\/23240521115_2b7cda5c40.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Kintbury 3'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5756\/23240521115_2b7cda5c40_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/619\/22944707880_bbc10fba62.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Kintbury 4'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/619\/22944707880_bbc10fba62_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5782\/23214397096_abfc50e9ca.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Kintbury 5'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5782\/23214397096_abfc50e9ca_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5744\/23214400666_b6a157d725.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Kintbury 6'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5744\/23214400666_b6a157d725_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/690\/22944720380_df1bac308f.jpg\" title='Kennet &amp; Avon Canal near Kintbury 7'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.static.flickr.com\/690\/22944720380_df1bac308f_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nFacebook Link: <script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/wordpress\/?p=1088\" layout=\"button_count\" show_faces=\"true\" width=\"200\" colorscheme=\"dark\"><\/fb:like><br \/>\n<a href=\"javascript:pwindow=window.open('\/Walks\/prn.php?f=1088','pwin','height=700,width=1000,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes');\" title=\"Click for printable version\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Walks\/print.gif\" align=\"right\"><\/a><br \/>\nA blustery afternoon with a driving sky and reports of trees down across Berkshire. It was a day just like this, according to an anonymous poet of the school of William McGonagall, when the old church tower at Kintbury blew down;<\/p>\n<p>\t&#8216;Fate had decreed, come down he must,<br \/>\nAnd Boreas then gave him an extra gust,<br \/>\nAnd down he went with a crashing fall,<br \/>\nClocks, birds, bats, the green ivy and all.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>The church bell, often cursed by the villagers for its loudness, rolled into the River Kennet, and tolls there still &#8211; according to legend. But all we heard as we set out was the ting-ting of the level crossing bell, and the rattle of the London-bound train.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s a very long time since the Kennet &#038; Avon Canal provided &#8216;logistics solutions&#8217; to the broad green countryside of the Kennet Valley. We walked its muddy towpath by still waters through a tangle of willows, reeds and marshy ground. A fisherman had hooked a rainbow trout, but it got away with a mighty splashing as he drew it to the bank. &#8216;That&#8217;s the trickiest bit,&#8217; he sighed ruefully, &#8216;when they catch sight of the net!&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>At Hamstead Lock we cross the humpy canal bridge and entered the green spaces of Hamstead Park. Fine specimen oaks and chestnuts, some very old and storm-blasted, raised skeletal limbs to the racing clouds. A pair of red kites hung on their elbow crooks and bounced in the wind over our heads, craning their heads to assess us from on high.<\/p>\n<p>We came up from the pools and lakes along the Kennet and followed a path beside an ash coppice where ripe sloes hung from blackthorn twigs. They looked so tempting and felt so plump I just had to pop one in my mouth. Ugh! Bitter aloes and blotting paper, as ever.<\/p>\n<p>A tedious stretch of road through Hamstead Marshall led to rutted fields around Barr&#8217;s Farm where Friesian heifers came cantering up to check us out. The silvery light of a stormy winter&#8217;s evening streaked the west as we turned away from the long line of the Berkshire Downs and dropped back down to Shepherd&#8217;s Bridge and the homeward path along the old canal.<\/p>\n<p>Start: Kintbury Station, Berkshire, RG17 9UT (OS ref SU 386672)<\/p>\n<p>Getting there: Rail to Kintbury<br \/>\nRoad: Kintbury is signed off A4 between Hungerford and Newbury. Use Dundas Arms car park opposite station (ticket from pub).<\/p>\n<p>Walk (7\u00bd miles, easy, OS Explorer 158. Detailed directions recommended &#8211; download them with online map, more walks at christophersomerville.co.uk): Left (east) along north bank of canal for 2\u00bd miles to Hamstead Lock (423670). Cross canal; on right bend of road, left (kissing gate) into Hamstead Park.<\/p>\n<p>Ahead (yellow arrow\/YA), following tarmac drive. Pass lake (428667) and curve right; in another 500m, at right bend into The Mews (428661), keep ahead off drive, through kissing gate (YA). Ahead up hedge; in 100m, ahead across grassland to drive (428659). Left; at left bend by memorial, right through gate (431657, YA). Aim a little right to find gate into trees (429656, YA). Follow path and YAs for \u00be mile to road (421651). Right along road through Hamstead Marshall (take care!).<\/p>\n<p>In \u00be mile, right (412657, &#8216;Marsh Benham&#8217;). In 250m on right bend, left (411659, stile, YA), aiming half left across field to farm track (407659). Right\/north up track for 700m to lane (406665). Left to pass Peartree Cottage; in another 100m at junction, right (403665, stile, YA). Aim for middle tree of three; same direction to far left corner of field by conifer plantation (401668). Join grassy track; keep ahead along it. In 150m on left bend, right over stile (400670); descend field to cross Shepherd&#8217;s Bridge (398672). Left to Kintbury Station.<\/p>\n<p>Conditions: Take care on road through Hamstead Marshall!<\/p>\n<p>Lunch\/Accommodation: Dundas Arms, Kintbury RG17 9UT (01488-658263, <a href=\"http:\/\/dundasarms.co.uk\">dundasarms.co.uk<\/a>) &#8211; warm, stylish stopover<\/p>\n<p>Info:  Newbury TIC (01635-30267)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/visitengland.com\"> visitengland.com <\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/satmap.com\">satmap.com<\/a>; <a href=\"http:\/\/ramblers.org.uk\">ramblers.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A blustery afternoon with a driving sky and reports of trees down across Berkshire.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-walks","category-3-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1088","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1088"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1088\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}