Best Foot Forward Vol 1 No 2

BEST FOOT FORWARD The magazine for ramblers and walkers

Vol 1 No 2

Where to walk - Windsor

Winkfield Circular

Walking to the top of Scarfell Pike Identifying wild flowers Book reviews

Windsor to Eton

Ascot to Windsor Thames Path: Staines to Windsor Crowthorne to Martins Heron

INDEX Walking to the top of Scarfell Pike

Page 7

Winkfield Circular

Page 3

3 miles

Page 12

Ascot to Windsor Where To walk Windsor

Page 14

Page 10

Identifying wild Flowers

8 miles

Windsor to Eton

1 mile

Page 15 Page 17

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Thames Path Staines to Windsor 8 miles

Crowthorne to Martins Heron 10 miles

Page 18

top of SCARFELL

Walking to the

PIKE

Having made the ascent twice before via the Wasdale Head route, we decided to take the Barrowdale route via Esk Head and come back down via Sty Head.

Suitably dressed in walking boots, t-shirts (it was a very warm day), daypack (with wet weather gear, just in case, the weather can change so fast here.), spare socks, fleeces, fluids, maps, energy food, plasters, Vaseline, and Wainwrights book ‘The Southern Fells’. We caught the bus from Keswick to Seatoller from where we would start our walk.

Seatoller is a small picturesque village with a few houses, but no shop or pub. So make sure you have every thing you need before arriving there. You can buy some items from the farm shop at Seathwaite, but the range is limited and there is also a tea room and toilets, the last until you come back down again.

At the bus stop we checked our map and compass to make sure we were heading the right way to take the road to Seathwaite. So with our hearts fall of joy for the beautiful rugged scenery we would be seeing, we headed off the wrong way. After a short distance it came to our notice that the few people that had gone the same way as us, had now vanished, and also the fact the road we wanted was only suppose to be a short distance from the bus stop gave us a inkling we may have made a wrong turn. We decided it was best to re-check our compass and after a little discussion and the fact I was not using the compass correctly, we turned around and went back the other direction (must learn to use a compass properly).

“must learn to use a compass properly”

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Walking besides the river Derwent, we made our way towards Seathwaite and the official start of the path to the top of Scarfell Pike.

Arriving at Seathwaite, which is a farm with a camp site, we made sure we had every thing we needed before making the trek up the mountain.

At this point we checked our map, to make sure we would be taking the right path and subsequently went the wrong way and ended up in a field a short distance away from the farm with no exit (this time not caused by my bad compass reading). Deciding this could not be the well trodden route described in Wainwrights book of The Southern Fells, we made our way back to the farm, luckily only a short distance away, and rechecked our map.

Finally deciding it was best to ask someone, we were pointed in the right direction, and we were now off this time going the correct way.

With the river Derwent gurgling beside us we made our way towards Stockley Bridge and our first choice of which path we should take. After crossing the bridge you can turn right and follow the left hand fork of the Derwent or go straight ahead and follow the right fork. As it is a fairly steep climb following the right fork, we decided we would come back that way instead of tiring ourselves out at the beginning of our walk. If I had known in advance that the path following the left fork of the Derwent would not be very wide in places and with a bit of a drop down to the Derwent. Being a suffer from heights, I would not have had to then transverse these parts limpet like, hoping no one was coming in the opposite direction, whilst staring at the sky. (I would have vehemently suggested doing the steep climb now as it would strengthen our leg muscles for crossing the scree’s later on.)

So deciding our route, we followed the path along the left fork of the Derwent. The path here has been reinforced with stones, and is more like walking up stairs then a dirt path.

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After a little while one of my fellow walkers decided that people pay a lot of money in there local shop buying bottled water from similar water as the Derwent. So we stopped for awhile whilst they climbed down the bank to fill their water bottle so we could taste the water as god intended, and listened to the various words I’m sure god did not intend after they fell in. It’s a different taste I have to admit, not sure if the sheep dung and other items that must get into the river helped, but it is different.

Continuing on our way we reached the base of Great End, where we decided to rest in the sun shine and have our lunch. If you like rugged views, you will not be disappointed, as the views from here are stunning. Sheep wandering around, amd it, always surprise me how they manage to stand on nearly vertical slopes.

After a 30 minute break we continued on to Esk Hause, where the path turns into a more conventional dirt track.

“of the many routes of approach to Scarfell Pike this from Barrowdale via Esk House is the finest” Wainwright describes this route as “Of the many routes of approach to Scarfell Pike this from Barrowdale via Esk Hause, is the finest. The transition from the quiet beauty of the valley pastures and woods to the rugged wilderness of the mountain top is complete, but comes gradually as height is gained and after passing through varied scenery, both nearby and distant, that sustains interest throughout this long march.”.

We continued on our way to the hardest part of our walk, crossing large areas of scree, stepping from boulder to boulder. As so many people have gone before us its easy to make out the route you should take and there are cairns which help mark the way. After crossing the last of these scree’s, we come to a steep slippery sloop, which we go up hand over hand, bringing us at last to the final walk to the top.

After a little rest, we start to make our way back down. This time going via Sty Head. We decided on this

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route back so we could see Sprinkling Tarn and Styhead Tarn on the way, two mountain lakes, mentioned by Wainwright as worth a visit.

Going by the number of tents that were set up here and the number of people fishing it is also a popular place for angling.

The path way again has been reinforced with stones, so is more like going down stairs until you reach the valley floor were the Derwent flows.

At this point we decided that following the path was a long way around and it would be quicker to cut out a large part by going straight ahead over the grass, the folly of this decision was discovered very quickly, when my foot went into an underground stream which had decided to come to the surface just here for a short while. And a very boggy area which we could not see from the path. So after probably taking twice as long as we would have had, had we stayed on the path we are now back beside the Derwent.

There is no real path until you come to the steep slope leading back to Stockley Bridge, but walking beside the bank of the Derwent is easy to traverse and the Derwent is very shallow, when you may need to walk in the river.

“path again is more like stairs” Reaching Styhead Gill the path again is more like stairs winding back and forth down the steep slope, passing Taylor Gill Force (a waterfall), and bringing us back to Stockley Bridge.

We head back towards Seatoller and what we hoped was the bus back to Keswick and a well anticipated pint in the pub. We had planed to take about 7 hours, but with various rest periods and taking some time looking at the views. We had taken over 9 hours and had missed the last bus by some considerable time. After finding out that none of us had a signal on our phones to ring for a taxi, one of us remembered there was a telephone kiosk just up the road ( shows my wrong compass reading was useful after all).

Spending a little time trying to remember how to use a public telephone, I finally got hold of the local taxi company, who told us we were in luck. He had just had a cancellation and would be with us after he drops of his present fare. So after an hour wait for the taxi, we were finally on our way back to Keswick, with only 20 minutes to last orders.

Telling the taxi driver we wanted to go too Keswick, he seemed a bit surprised, as he said most fares he got from Seatoller were for people who had come down the wrong side of the mountain and wanted to go too Wasdale Head a £50 fare.

Back in Keswick we just managed to get a pint after pleading with the publican as we had just managed to miss last orders. After that it was back to the hotel and a good nights rest.

If you do get the chance of walking up Scarfell Pike it is definitely worth it, which ever way you decide to go.

Make sure you are properly prepared and wearing a decent pair of walking boots. Unlike some people I saw wearing sandals and one woman, high heals. But as a few of them made it to the top, I suppose you can wear sandals, if you don’t mind a few stubbed toes.

6.

Winkfield Circular Easy 3 mile walk around the village of Winkfield in Berkshire

Dog friendly-field behind the church may contain farm animals.

Because parts of the walk cross fields with out a defined path, people with mobility problems will have trouble crossing them.

Start - Saint Mary’s Church 51.443334, -0.700423 Finish - Saint Mary’s Church 51.443334, -0.700423 video walk through - https://youtu.be/Gt5IdthXVTw Saint Mary’s Church

Looking towards St Mary’s, walk along the footpath to your front of you. Go through the kissing gate (3) into the next left. You will see a gate (1) which takes you into the grounds field and head towards the bottom left corner. Go through of St Mary’s church. Go through the gate and follow the path the kissing gate (4) and follow the path straight ahead. towards the back of the grave yard. Go through the kissing gate (2) (there normally are horses in this field so you may want to put your dog on a lead before going through the gate) in the left hand corner of the grave yard. (do have a look inside St Marys, which has some beautiful wood work dating from tudor times). Follow the hedge on your left until the field opens out. Head towards the fence straight in 3.

3.

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Go through the gate (5) at the end of the path in to a large field. Head towards the far right hand corner, where you will find a path (6) between the houses. Head down the path until you reach Winkfield Street (7) and turn left and head up the road until you reach the junction where Church Road and Maidens Green meet (8).

Turn left in to Church Road, keep going straight ahead until you see a sign pointing to a public path on the opposite side of the road (9). Follow the path which runs between some fields. Go past the caravan camp continuing straight ahead until the path turns to the right. Go through the Kissing gates at (10) and (11).

    8.

Gate at the back of the grave yard Field behind St Mary’s Church Winkfield Street Gate at point 10.

Cross the small stream and continue along the path which turns to the left, then the right. Keep going until you come out into Grove Lane (12). Turn left and walk up grove lane a short distance, until you see a house with small statues on the wall (13). Take the path beside the house, go through the gate and keep following the path which winds through the fields until you come out on to Braziers Lane (14). (Note these fields generally will have horses and cattle in them)

Traffic can be heavy along Braziers Lane and there is no footpath, but the grass verge is normally kept short and is easy to walk along. Turn left and walk up Braziers Lane until the road bends sharply to the right. On the left hand side you will see a sign saying public footpath (15). Go through the kissing gate and follow the path which follows the edge of some fields before going between some houses and you will come out on to Church

Road (16). Turn left and head back to St Mary’s Church where the walk finishes.

REMEMBER THE COUNTRY CODE Consider the local community and other people enjoying the outdoors.

Leave gates (follow any signs on the gate) and property as you find them and follow paths unless wider access is available.

Leave no trace of your visit and take your litter home.

Keep dogs under effective control.

Plan ahead and be prepared.

Follow advice and local signs.

9.

Where to walk WINDSOR Windsor is situated 23 miles (37 km) from London on the River Thames with Eton on the opposite bank. Little is kown of the settlement before 1070 when William I built a timber motte and bailey here.

Windsor was a nationally significant town in the Middle Ages, certainly one of the fifty wealthiest towns in the country by 1332. Its prosperity came from its close association with the royal household. The repeated investment in the castle brought London merchants to the town in the late 13th century and provided much employment for townsmen. The development of the castle under Edward III, between 1350–68, was the largest secular building project in England of the Middle Ages, and many Windsor people worked on this project.

Although the Black Death in 1348 had reduced some towns’ populations by up to 50%, in Windsor the building projects of Edward III brought money to the town, and possibly its population doubled: this was a ‘boom’ time for the local economy. People came to the town from every part of the country, and from continental Europe.

The poet Geoffrey Chaucer held the honorific post of ‘Clerk 10.

of the Works’ at Windsor Castle in 1391.

With the closures of the Reformation, however, Windsor’s pilgrim traffic died out, and the town began to stagnate about ten years afterwards. The castle was considered old-fashioned and shrines to the dead were thought to be superstitious.

“there was a resumption of the royal presence” In 1778, there was a resumption of the royal presence, with George III at the Queen’s Lodge and, from 1804, at the castle. This started a period of new development in Windsor with the building of two army barracks. However the associated large numbers of soldiers led to a mjor prostitution problem by 1830, in a town where the number of streets had little changed since 1530.

Windsor Castle was the westernmost sight point for the Anglo-French survey (1784–1790), which measured the precise distance between the Royal Grennwich Observatory and the Paris Observatory by trigonometry. Windsor was used because of its relative proximity to the base line of the

survey at Hounslow Heath.

The substantial redevelopment of the castle in the subsequent decade and Queen Victoria’s residence from 1840, as well as the coming of two railways in 1849, signalled the most dramatic changes in the town’s history These events catapulted the town from a sleepy medieval has been to the centre of empire where many European crowned heads of state would come to Windsor to visit the Queen throughout the rest of the 19th century.

Unfortunately, excessive redevelopment and ‘refurbishment’ of Windsor’s medieval fabric at this time resulted in the widespread destruction of the old town, including the demolition of the old parish church of St John the Baptist in 1820. The original had been built around 1135.

Besides walking around the historic sites of Windsor, the countryside around Windsor is full of public footpaths and Windsor Great Park with the long walk and other walks is a tresure trove for walkers. The National Thames path goes through Windsor.

35Thames Path beside Home Park 3

Windsor Castle at the end of the long walk

36Air Mail letter box 55Queen Victoria on Thames Street 5

Looking towards Windsor Bridge

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Nell Gwynn tea rooms

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Ascot to Windsor An easy 8 mile walk starting at Ascot Station and finishing at the end of the long walk in Windsor Great Park.

Dog friendly Wheel Chair and Mobility Scooter friendly, follow alternative route Start - Ascot Station 51.405875, -0.676391 Finish - Windsor Castle 51.480187, -0.603735 video walk through - https://youtu.be/3b2OT09qays

Golden Gates, Ascot

Starting at the Lyndhurst Road exit at Ascot station, turn left and walk towards Stationhill. At the junction with Stationhill turn right (1) and then turn left (2) into Oliver Road.

Continue down Oliver Road until you see a tunnel going under the railway tracks (3). Go through the tunnel and follow the path, which is called St Georges Lane, straight ahead until you reach the tarmaced road (4).

Continue straight ahead to the junction with the London Road (5).

Cross over the London road, turn left and walk up too the round about (6). Turn right and head down the Winkfield Road. Continue until the last house on the right, where you will find a footpath running off from your right (7). Head down this path towards the Golden Gate (8).

View from Snow Hill

Consort Gate

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The Golden Gates were the previous entrance used by the Royal Family to enter Ascot Race Course. You will pass the new entrance, a non discript white gate, a bit further down Cheapside Lane.

After reaching the Golden Gates, turn left down Cheapside Lane. Go straight at the next junction, where the New Mile Road joins Cheapside Lane (9). Continue along Cheapside Lane until you reach the entrance to Sunninghill Park (10).

Go through the gate and follow the road until you come to a sign saying Private No Entry (11).

Turn to your right and follow the marked public path.

Alternative route This path can become very muddy and can be difficult to traverse in a wheel chair or mobility scooter. As an alternative route, instead of turning into Sunninghill Park, continue until the next junction and turn left into Water Splash Lane. Follow Water Spalsh Lane until the end, then turn left. You will see the entrance (12) to Windsor Great Park on the right hand side of the road.

Continue along the path, going through a gate about half way, until you come out on Sunninghill Road. Cross the road and enter Great Windsor Park through the Ascot Gate (12). You are now on Duke’s Lane. Continue down Duke’s lane, going throught the Prince Consorts Gate, until you come to a cross road (13) which is the second main junction. Turn right and continue along this road, passing The Royal School, until you come to another junction (14) at the top of the hill. You will see Cumberland Lodge on your right. Head to your left and follow the gravel public bridal way, which is marked, towards Ox Pond. After passing Ox Pond, you will see a wide grass path straigh ahead of you. Head up this path and go through the gate in to the Deer Park (15). Contine up the hill towards the large statue of King George III on top of the hill (16).

You are now at the highest point in Windsor Great Park called Snow Hill and on a clear day the views from here are breath taking.

You can now see Windsor Castle in front of you. Walk down the hill towards Windsor Castle, and follow the Long Walk, the straight path ahead of you, towards Windsor Castle. When you get to the end of the Long Walk, go through the gate on the left, which brings you out onto Park Street.

This is where we finish our 8 mile walk.

You will find the two railway stations and bus stops, by heading straight ahead. At the junction where the war memorial is go along Thames Street, the road straight ahead. The bus stops are just before the Old Guildhall. Windsor and Eton Central Station is opposite Windsor Castle at the other end of the Royal Mall and Windsor and Eton Riverside Station is on Datchet Road at the bottom of Thames Street.

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Windsor to Eaton One mile historical Walk around Windsor and Eaton

Dog Friendly Wheel Chair and Mobility Scooter Friendly Start - Windsor Royal Shopping Centre 51.482806, -0.608508 Finish - Eton College 51.492302, -0.609500 video walk through = https://youtu.be/7GiMkymBiB0 View of the Thames from Windsor Bridge

Starting at the entrance to the Windsor Royal shopping centre walk up the slope towards Windsor Castle. Turn right into Thames Street and walk towards Queen Victoria’s statue.

1. When you reach the statue turn left into Castle Hill.

2. Turn right at the second road on your right (Church Street). You will see Nell Gwynn’s House on the left.

3. Continue to the end of the road, then turn right into Church Lane.

4. Turn right at the next junction into Market Street.

5. Turn left into Queen Charlotte Street, the shortest street in England. On your left is Market Cross House.

6. On your left is the Guild Hall. Turn right and head back down Thames Street as it follows the outside of Windsor Castle. Passing the Theatre Royal, George V memorial and blue plaque to the Windsor Martyrs.

7. Cross over the Datchett Road, and walk over Windsor Bridge, into Eton.

8. Continue straight ahead of you along Eton High Street, Eton High Street has a lot of traditional shops, until you reach Eton College, where the walk finishes.

Guild Hall Eton High Street

Eton College

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Thames Path: Staines to Windsor This part of the Thames takes us from the slightly industrial Staines through historical Runnymead, the old home of royalty Old Windsor, Datchet, too the new home of royalty Windsor.

8 miles (14 km) Dog Friendly Because of some stairs, this part of the Thames walk is not friendly to people with mobility problems.

Start - Staines Railway Bridge 51,430643, -0.510638 Finish - Windsor Bridge 51.485895, -0.607895 video walk through - https://youtu.be/NKni3BtE2cQ Starting at Staines Railway Bridge we walk up stream towards Staines Bridge. (1) At Staines bridge we cross over to the other bank, and continue up stream. Go under the

busy M4 motorway and onto Bell Meir Lock (2). Keep following the well used pathway beside the river.

Pass through Runnymead (take a look around the various memorials and Magna Carta memorial) staying beside the river Thames. Pass through Old Windsor and Old Windsor Lock until you reach the Albert Bridge (3). Go up the stairs on to the road and cross over to the other bank. Take the path just the other side on your right, and follow that around back to the bank of the Thames. Go under the Albert bridge, and follow the path which will turn to the right (4) and go up between some fields.

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Keep on the path as it turns left and follows the Southlea Road. You will need to cross the Southlea Road to the opposite path, keep following the road through Datchet Village. Continue until you see a small park on the left of the road (just pass Kris Cruisers), a short distance pass the park there is a sign pointing towards a path leading off to your left. Follow this path which will take you back to the bank of the river Thames (you will get your first site of Windsor Castle in the distance).

Keep going until you reach the Victoria Bridge (5), go up the stairs onto the bridge, cross to the other side of the road and cross over the bridge to the other bank. Follow the road until you come to a gap in the fence. Go through into Home Park (there is no path here), head back towards the Thames bank road, head down the road until you come to a path leading and rejoin the path. off too your right which again follows the Thames bank.

Keep following the path, until you go through a gate into Follow this path until you reach Windsor Bridge where the a boat yard. To the left of the building in front of you is a walk finishes.

Looking down stream in Staines

Statue of lino workers, staines

Thames path near Church Island

Old Windsor Lock

Thames Path near Old Windsor

Thames Path near Datchet

16.

Identifying Wild

Flowers At this time of year the countryside comes alive (and the cities for that matter) with wild flowers.

Bringing the grey landscape of winter in to a riotous layer of colour. But if like me you have very little idea what most of them are called you can only apreciate there 5Red Clover beauty, but have no idea what they are, but we are in luck. The Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland has a wonderful web site where we can ask some straight forward questions and hopefully it will identify the plants for you. It can be used for trees or any other type of plant, and if you do find something unusual you can register your find. Of course we can carry around our well thumbed books such as The Wild Flowers of Britain, but if like me after 10 minutes, deciding 5Cranes Bill the particular plant doesn't seem 5Campanella to be mentioned.

Or spending the previous week looking at each page and trying to memorise the different plants being mentioned and then deciding during my walk, like Doctor Who, I must have entered an area of the country where a temporal time warp has appeared and no common wild flowers seem to grow. So with our smart phone we can leave one more book behind and hopefully find the name of that wonderful plant we have just seen.

Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland Find Wild Flowers can be found at botanicalkeys.co.uk

17.

Crowthorne to Martins Heron

Passing through the grounds of Wellington College, Wildmoor Heath, Broadmoor, Crowthorne Woods, The Devials Highway, Swinley Forest and Caesar’s Camp.

10 miles (16 km) Dog Friendly Mobil;ity Friendly if you use the alternative route. But may be difficult in wet weather.

Start - Crowthorne Station 51.366725, -0.819328 Finish - Martins Heron 51.407456, -0.724216 video walk through - https://youtu.be/dwvOcLy-q5o

From platform 1, exit the car park and turn right into St Francis close. From platform 2, turn right at the exit and walk up the stairs to the main road. Turn right and head across the bridge, and then turn right into St Francis close.

Go down St Francis close and through the gate into a private car park. Head to the left of the block of flats in front of you.

Where you will find a dirt track, point 1, follow this path besides the railway tracks until you reach point 2. When the path turns away from the railway track, you will come to a gate, which leads into the grounds of Wellington College. Turn right and follow the public footpath. The gounds of Wellington College is on your right, with a row of lime trees on your left.

Keep following the path until you come to a track leading off your left at point 3. Continue straight ahead, and follow the path between the houses, until your reach Cheviot Road at point 4. Turn left and follow Cheviot

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Road until you reach Grampian Road at point 5. Turn left into Grampian Road, a short distance up on your right hand side, you will see a path going between the houses point 6. Follow this path too the end, where

you will come out on to Sandy Lane point 7. Turn left and continue straight ahead. Where sandy Lane takes a sharp right and becomes Edgbarrow Rise, go straight ahead through the gate on to the dirt track (there is a sign saying public path) point 8. Continue along the

main path through the woods, passing a small pond on your left, until you reach the Sandhurst road at point 9. Cross the Sandhurst road and go through the gate in to the Wildmoor Heath Nature Reserve.

Stay on the main path which runs straight ahead. Go through the next gate and continue towards point 10. Continue straight ahead until you come to a gate taking you out of the nature reserve. Go through the gate and keep following the path which swings off to the left and goes up a short steep hill. Head towards point 11 where the path joins the South Road. Turn left and head along the South Road, go through the gate which blocks cars from using the South Road, and continue until you come to point 12. Go through the gate, turn to your right and go

over the style. Continue to follow the path, crossing two more styles.

After going over the last style, you come out opposite Eastern Lane at point 13.

Alternative Route-: If you can not cross styles or prefer not to.

Instead of turning right at point 12, head straight ahead. Cross over the small round about and turn right at the next junction. Your now on the Lower Broadmoor Road, continue along the road until you reach Eastern Lane at point 13.

Follow Eastern Lane until the end, where it turns into a dirt path, continue along the path and go through the gate over the access road to Broadmoor Hospital and through the gate on the opposite side.

Your now in Crowthorne woods. Continue along the dirt track, until you reach a large dirt road at point 14, this is the old roman road called the devials highway. Turn right here and go through the under pass (point 15) under Foresters Way. Continue along the Devials Highway until you come to a gate across the road point 16. Turn left, and head up the dirt road. After a short distance there is a park bench on a path leading off to the left. Keep going straight ahead until you come to a crossing at point 17.

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Turn right and follow the dirt path to point 18. We have now reached the entrance to Caesars Camp. It’s worth taking a look around this iron age fort. We now continue following the path straight ahead until we reach the end of the path at a t-junction (point 19). Turn left here and keep following the path straigh ahead until you reach the Look Out (point 20). There is a coffee shop, visitors centre and toilets here, if you wish to stop for awhile and rest before continuing with the final third of the walk. We now leave the Look Out by the main exit, using the pelican crossing to cross 9 Mile Ride. Turn

right and follow the footpath using the foot bridge to cross over the Bagshot Road. Once over the Bagshot Road head towards the traffic lights. At the traffic lights turn left into New Forest Ride. Continue along the footpath, going across the first round about. A short distance past the round about you will see a sign on the opposite side of the road which points into Swinley Forest saying public footpath (point 21). Cross over the road and enter Swinley Forest by this path. You now come to a tarmaced path, turn left and head along the path until you get to the y-junction.

Take the left hand fork and continue until the next y-junction, this time take the right hand fork. Continue straight ahead until you reach the third junction (point 22). Turn left and continue along to the next crossing, go straight over. Continue along until you reach the next exit through the fence at (point 24). Turn right onto Bog Lane and turn left on to the path just past the houses (point 25).

Continue following the path, past a childrens play area over a small stream, until you reach the railway tracks (point 26). Turn left and follow the path until you reach Martins Heron Station, where we finish our walk.

20.

Book Reviews Rambling for Pleasure East Berkshire (Third Edition)

By The East Berkshire Ramblers Covering the area around Maidenhead, Wokingham, Bracknell, and Ascot.

This little book has 24 walks with maps and the distances covered range from 3 miles (5 km) to 8½ miles (14 km). The directions on each walk are clear and well described with a well designed and clear map. A few of the walks have alternative routes or starts. Eight walks start from Railway Stations, and I found most of the others started fairly close to bus routes.

After trying about half the walks, I have only found two minor errors which did not effect either of the walks. And a couple of the directions were a bit unclear, but after a quick look around it was easy to get on the right track.

Over all, this book is well thought out, with mainly good clear instructions.

The only thing I would like to have seen, would be information stating if the individual walks were passable by people with mobility problems. Some of the walks were definately usable with mobility scooters or wheel chairs, specially in dry weather. Whilst others were definately not, muddy conditions or unpassable gates.

The London Encyclopedia (Third Edition) Edited By Christopher Hibbert Having done a lot of walking in London, I have always found this book very useful for historical background. It is rather a large tomb, but the kindle edition can be easily carried around, but is not easy to navigate.

Now in its Third Edition it is full of information on buildings, roads and areas. Some that have vanished with history, with a lot that are still with us. Each entry gives us a small snippet of its history, and its present postcode. The entries are in alphabetical order, with two indexs, one general the other on people.

Over all informative and a usful addition if you are going to be walking around Londons many rambling paths.

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