Vol. 1 No. 1
Walking in the Autumn Is walking good for you
INDEX ARTICLES
WALKS
NEWS
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WALKING IN THE NEWS
NEW SUPER FOOD
Katy Bowman a biomechanist from California says walking is the new super food. Saying that one hour of intense exercise at the gym, does not offset the consequences for sitting for 10 hours a day. Bowman who is the author of the book Move Your DNA: RestoreYour Health Through Natural Movement, says walking is just as imperative as eating. She suggests there are movement nutrients similkar to dietry nutrients. Which your body needs to stay in shape.
BEN NEVIS L ANDSLIDE
On the night of the 13th-14th September a landslide occured on Meall Cumhann, causing a large amount of debries to fall on too the trail up Glen Nevis. The John Muir trust has closed the path in the interests of public safety. Even though the damage to the path is not serious a significant amount debries is on the path, including large rocks. More serious is the large amount of unstable debries above the path, which will need to be removed. The trust says it could take until late October, before the path is reopened.
CHINA’S GL ASS WALKWAY China has opened its glass walkways in the Tianmen mountains. Brave tourists may get stunning views walking the new paths set in to the side of the mountain. To ensure the fears of people park authorities broke a pain of glass then drove a car over it, to prove its strength. The walkway joins a 1,410 ft glass bridge, the worlds longest over a 984 ft deep valley.
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K L A W O SWINLEY FOREST T E R WHE
BERKSHIRE
Covering about 2600 acres, Swinley forest is a favourite place for ramblers, family walks, cyclists and mountain bike riders. From its cultivated forest, natural woodland and open heath lands its a magnet for wild life and plants. Swinley forest was once part of Windsor forest and was used for hunting by Kings and Queens over hundreds of years. Queen Anne was known to love hunting here, even if she could not ride a horse any more and followed the hunt in her carriage. The Forest is situated between the towns of Ascot, Bagshot, Bracknell, Camberley, and Crowthorne and covers an area which was once moorland, as indicated by the names of some of the hills, such as Broadmoor, Owlsmoor, Wishmoor, Gormoor, Whitmoor and Englemere. Situated just off Nine Mile Ride, is Caesar’s camp a stone age fort, dating back to about 500 to 300 BC.
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Swinley forest and its brick pits is a site of Special Scientific Interest, and has protected areas for the birds that live there. As well as the extensive woodland, the nationally rare lowland heath found here, means Swinley forest forms part of the Thames Basin Heaths, a designated Special Protection Area, due to the rare ground nesting birds that live here. This includes Wood lark, Dartford warbler and European nightjar which nest in open parts of the forest. Swinley forest has an extensive net work of forest paths, mountain bike trails and a number of set walks. And well worth a visit. The Heritage trail and Nature trail guides can be found in this magazine.
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HERITAGE WALK SWINLEY FOREST
3 miles Dog Friendly Passable by Pram, Mobility Scooter, and Wheel Chair START The Look Out Discovery Centre Nine Mile Ride, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 7QW Coordinates - N51.388 W0.740 PUBLIC TRANSPORT Stations - Bracknell (4 miles away), Martins Heron (3 miles away) Bus - From Bracknell Station 171 South Bracknell Circular. Get off at the Birchhill Recreation Ground stop. Walk the way the bus goes and take the first path on your left. Walk to the end of the path, then turn to your left. Follow the path until you see a pedestrian crossing on your right. Cross the road and you will see the entrance to the Look Out on your right. 5
Note Swinley Forest is a working forest. This means paths can be closed or detours may occur. Paths can be churned up and be very muddy, making it impossible for pram, mobility scooters and wheel chair uses to navigate. Start - Looking towards the Look Out, head towards the left and go through the gate. Head up the left hand side of the building, pass the cafe, and go through the gate. We are now at the red star marked on the map.
The Look Out
After going through the gate head straight ahead towards point 1. 1. You will see a gate on your left, with a path on your right. Head straight ahead towards point 2. 2. At the T-junction head straight ahead towards point 3. 3. At the junction head straight ahead. Later on in the walk you will be coming down the path on your left. Path heading towards Caesars camp
4. At the next junction take the path on your left 5. At the next junction, carry on straight ahead towards Caesars camp. 6. At the next junction, take the second path on the left. 7. Caesars camp, a iron age fort, is through the kissing gate on your right, and is worth taking a look. There is a notice board, with a map and information about the protected site. Caesars camp
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Caesars camp
8. At the next junction go straight ahead. 9. Carry on straight ahead at the next junction. 10. At the next junction, the ground turns a little sandy. Take the path on your left. 11. We have now reached the most confusing junction on the walk. We need to take the second path on our left, beside a small water reservoir. You will know you are going the right way if you have a chained link fence on your left hand side. 12. At the next junction turn to your left. There is a sign post pointing towards the Look Out. 13. Carry on straight ahead at the next junction. Now we are back at point 3 on the map, and we turn right so we are heading back towards the Look Out. Head back to the Look Out going back through points 2 and 1.
To see a visual walk through of the Heritage trail go too The Reluctant Ramblers YouTube channel. Were you will find a visual walk through of this Views along the route walk and many others.
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Is walking good for you
There is now evidence to suggest that regular walking is better for you then jogging.
Walking like most exercises can strengthen the heart and lungs increasing overall fitness, and can help with weight loss and tone up muscles. It also helps boost circulation, which can help prevent varicose veins. But unlike jogging it has a low impact, so causes less damage to joints or causing injury. Yet it can offer all the benefits of jogging. Because more people are able to walk at a constant speed than run, its more beneficial form of tissue-cleansing, specially for the over 50’s. Walking is also better for the spine then jogging as it puts less stress on the discs. And the best thing is you can see the benefits of walking reasonably quickly, although that depends on each individuals fitness level, age and how often they walk. The University of Essex have found that walking also reduces stress levels, improves mood, enhances psychological well being and improves attention and concentration. So over all the answer seems to be yes, walking is good for you.
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NATURE TRAIL SWINLEY FOREST
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App
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Dog Easy Frie ndl y
6m
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Start and Finish The Look Out Discovery Centre Nine Mile Ride, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 7QW Coordinates - N51.388 W0.740 Public Transport Stations - Bracknell (4 miles away), Martins Heron (3 miles away) Bus - From Bracknell Station 171 South Bracknell Circular. Get off at the Birchhill Recreation Ground stop. Walk the way the bus goes and take the first path on your left. Walk to the end of the path, then turn to your left. Follow the path until you see a pedestrian crossing on your right. Cross the road and you will see the entrance to the Look Out on your right.
Field near Mill Pond
Just pass the Go Ape Centre
Start go through the gate beside the Go Ape centre to the left of the Look Out. Follow the path which runs straight in front of you. 1. At the junction carry on straight ahead. 2. Don't follow the marker which says you should go to your left, this just sends you to another marker sending you back to your right. Instead go straight ahead. 3. If you wish to visit Mill Pond take the path on your left. This path is normally muddy all year round. If you decide not to visit Mill Pond, continue straight ahead towards point 5, you can see the pond a little further down on your left 4. Mill Pond - After visiting the pond return back along the path you used to reach the pond, and turn left at point 3 towards point 5.
Path just pass Rapley Lake
Mill Pond
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5. Turn left towards point 6. 6. At this junction you have a path leading to your left, and a little further down one to your right. Carry on straight ahead with a farm on your left hand side. If you have a dog, you may wish to put it on its lead before reaching this point, as there is normally sheep in the fields on the left. 7. Turn right here. This path can be a bit hard to see, its a short distance pass the farm buildings on your left. 8. Turn left at this junction towards the lake. 9. Carry on straight ahead at this junction. Follow the path beside the lake and turn to your right at point 10. 11. At this junction turn to your right. There is a sign post here pointing towards the Look Out. 12. Turn left just pass a old metal gate. 13. At the T junction, turn right. 14. Carry on straight ahead.
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15. Turn right at the next junction. 16. Turn left towards the Old Bracknell road. 17. Carry on straight ahead at this junction. 18. There are a number of paths at this junction, looking towards the sign turn to your left down the Old Bracknell road. 19. Carry on down the Old Bracknell Road. 20. Continue walking down the Old Bracknell road. 21. Continue straight ahead. Rapley Lake
22. We are now back at the path leading to the Look Out. Turn left, so we are heading back to our starting point. 23. Carry straight on towards the Look Out.
For a visual walk through of this walk and other walks, see The Reluctant Ramblers YouTube channel
Cascade near Rapley Lake
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Walking in the AUTUMN Now that Autumn is upon us again, we can look forward to the changes to the landscape and weather. A period of browns and gold's, early nights and cooling temperatures. "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." — Albert Camus
Even though the days are getting colder and shorter, autumn is one of my favorite times of the year to be walking. With a mixture of greens, browns, yellows and golds, nature is at its most attactive. After having seen new areas of the country in the summer, it is a pleasant surprise to go back and revisit the same areas in the autumn. The flowers may be gone, but the trees make up for it, with their stunning colours. Some of the best places to visit this autumn are Stourhead in Wiltshire, Westonbirt in Gloucestershire, the Forest of Dean, New Forest, Thetford Forest, Holme Woods in Cambridgeshire, Kingley Vallet in West Sussex, Faskally Wood in Perthshire, Blenheim Palace, Belsay Hall in 13
Northumberland, the Lake District, The Scottish Highlands, in fact any woodland. And don’t forget our towns and cities, which are full of parks and open spaces. The draw backs of course are more mud and wet and windy conditions. But i’m sure we have all put up with a little discomfort to enjoy our pasetime So its out with the fleeces, jumpers and coats and go and discover the beautiful landscape of the British Isles in the autumn.
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Easy - Approx 2.5 Miles Dog Friendly Start and Finish at the The Jack O’Newbury Public House coordinates- 51.439338 -0.785189 Looking towards the Jack O’Newbury pub, turn towards your left, and head down Terrace Road North towards Wicks Green road. 1. Turn right in to Wicks Green, the first road on your right hand side. 2. After about 100 yards, you will see a gate on your right hand side, which leads on to a dirt public path. Go through the gate and head towards the far right hand corner of the field. You will cross a tractor entrance, which leads in to the field situated on your right hand side. 3. You will now reach a t junction, with a sign post marking the ramblers route. You will see a kissing gate on your right hand side, go through the gate and follow the path which runs along the left hand side of the field 15
4. Follow the path through the hedge, until you reach the road at the end. 5. You have now reached Carters Hill, turn to your right and walk down the tarmac road. 6. After about a 150 yards you will see a sign post on your right hand side, pointing to a public footpath on the left hand side of the road. The Public Path is in fact a private drive and is tarmac ed, go through the gate and follow the drive towards point 7. 7. Just pass a large house on your right, there is a gate situated in the hedge. There is a sign post here, which is buried in the hedge, marked with the Ramblers Route. You can miss it if your not careful. Go through the gate and head to the bottom left corner of the field. 8. Go through the gate. You will now have a hedge row in front of you. Go down the left hand side of the hedge, so you have the hedge on your left hand side. Keep going until you see a gate in the hedge. Go through the gate and follow the path until you reach a tarmac road. 9. You are now on Billingbear Lane. There is a sign post marking the Ramblers Route. Turn to your right and head down the hill. Carry on along Billingbear lane until you the end of the road. 10. We have now reached the B3018. Cross over the road and go through the gate, which is slightly to your left, in to Hill Farm Lane. Continue along Hill Farm Lane towards point 11. 11. Hill Farm Lane now turns to the right and is now tarmac ed. Continue along until the end. You will pass on your right hand side Bowmen of Warfield and Binfield Football Ground.
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12. Turn to your right into Stubbs Lane heading towards Church Lane.
13. Head straight ahead along Church Lane, towards All Saints Church. 14. At All Saints Church turn to your right into Terrace Road North. Continue along the road until you reach the Jack O’Newbury Public House and the end of the walk. For a visual walk through of this walk and others, see The Reluctant Ramblers YouTube channel
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4.5 Miles Easy Dog Friendly
MARTINS HERON TO ASCOT Start: Martins Heron Station Finish: Ascot Station
Start at the exit from platform two head down the ramp and turn to your left and head under the railway bridge.
Coordinates- 51.407377 -0.724507
1. Turn right and follow the path over a small bridge, keep going pass the swings, which are on your right. 2. Continue straight ahead, towards Bog Lane. 3. At the end of the path, turn right and head up Bog lane. 4. After about 100 yards you will see a gate on your right hand side, its the first gate on your right. Go through the gate into Swinley Forest and go along the path in front of you. 5. Continue straight ahead.
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6. Turn to your right and follow the path towards point 7
7. Continue straight ahead
8. You have now reached the most complicated junction on the walk. With seven paths converging at this point. There is a marker post here marking the Ramblers Route and also saying permitted path way, pointing the way we wish to take. This is the path to our right front. 9. Go through the gate at the end of the path, and turn to your left along the Swinley Road, going over the railway bridge. There is no path here and the verge is not very wide.
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10. A short distance after you cross the railway bridge, you will see a kissing gate on the right hand side. There is a sign saying Englemere Pond. Go through the gate and follow the path directly in front of you. There are small tracks running of the left and right of the path, but just continue straight ahead 11. You will come to a wide gravel path, with a path leading from the car park on your left and another going of too your right. Head straight ahead along the gravel path.
12. Where the gravel path finish, carry on straight ahead along the dirt track until you reach point 13. There are a number of tracks leading of to the pond and, sometimes its a bit hard to follow the path. Keeping the pond to your right, you will reach point 13.
13. Go through the gate on to the London Road and turn to your right. Cross the road at the traffic island, and head up the hill. Cross over Gainsborough Drive and continue along the London Road. 14. Turn right into Blythewood Lane, and keep following Blythwood lane until the end, where it joins Burleigh Road. Blythwood lane does turn into a dirt track after about 250 yards. About half way along a gravel path joins it from your left, just keep going straight ahead on the dirt path.
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15. Once reaching Burleigh Road turn to your left heading towards point 16. 16. You have Burleigh Lane on your left, with Kennel Green in front of you. We want to turn right and continue along Burleigh Road. Continue along Burleigh Road until you reach Kennel Avenue at point 17. Going pass The Burlings, Gatscombe Cresent, Walton Drive, Hanover Park, and Highgrove Avenue.
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17. When you reach Kennel Avenue, which is the road in front of you. We want to turn down the road on our right, this is also Kennel Avenue, even though there is no street sign. Continue along until the end of the road.
18. At the end of the road, cross over the busy Windsor Road and go through the gate opposite. Go along the path on the other side of the gate. Which takes you across Ascot race track. Note: During race meetings this gate is locked. If it is, turn to your left and walk up Windsor road, until your reach the second round about. Turn to your left and walk down the High Street. You will see Heatherwood Hospital on your right hand side. Continue until you reach Station Hill the first road on your right .
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19. Turn right at the road which runs around the outside of the race track. Continue walking around the race track, going pass the stands. 20. As soon as you pass the last stand you will see a path on your left going down a slight hill. Follow thr path and then turn left and go through the tunnel which runs under the race track. When you come out the other side of the tunnel continue straight ahead and go through the gate into the High Street. 21. Turn left and head a short distance towards Station Hill, the first road on the right hand side of the road. 22. Walk down Station Hill towards Ascot Station. 23. We have now reached Ascot Station, the end of our walk. To see a visual walk through of this walk and others, go to The Reluctant Rambler Channel on YouTube.
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Easy 3 Miles Dog Friendly Pram, Mobility Scooter and Wheel Chair Friendly
WINDSOR GREAT PARK
coordinates: 51.410329 -0.592435 Public Transport: Trains: Virginia Water Station Buses: 566, 567 from Staines. 500 Sandhurst - Staines Parking: Paid parking at the Virginia Water Lake Visitors Centre.
Start: Virginia Water Lake Visitors Centre. Walk straight ahead to wards the lake. 1. Turn left at the end of the path towards the ford and cascade.
2. Turn to your left and head down the hill towards the cascade. You could head straight ahead and go through the ford, but unless its very dry the water is over knee high. You will see the cascade at the bottom of the hill. Further along the path you will come across some roman ruins on your left hand side and on the right is the remains of the first headway built to dam the Serpentine Virginia Brook to form the original Virginia Water. 3. Turn Left and cross the small bridge. You will see a small picnic area on your right hand side and a drinks and food vendor on your left.
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4. Turn on to the tarmac ed road and head up towards the stone bridge crossing the Virginia Water.
5. Carry along the tarmac road, until you reach a causeway. After crossing over the causeway, you will see a dirt path on your right hand side. Walk along the dirt path, with the lake on the right hand side. Keep following the path, you will have the lake on your right hand side, to you reach point 6.
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6. At this point you have a choice, you can either go to your left and walk to the totem pole, or turn right and head towards point 7. If you choose to go too the totem pole, just head to your right along the tarmac path to reach point 7. 7. Cross over the causeway, and follow the path that swings to your right. Carry straight ahead, keeping the lake on your left hand side until you reach our starting point.
For a visual walk through of this walk and others. Go to The Reluctant Ramblers YouTube channel 26