The Walkers Guide: Crocus Walk
Brought to you in association with the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust Photographs by Adrian Wallington
THE WALKERS GUIDE : CROCUS WALK - For full PDF map click HERE
The second walk in our walkers guide series takes us to Inkpen for the Crocus walk. A wonderful walk for all the family, through areas of outstanding beauty, history and extraordinary wildlife.We encourage all who do this walk to take photos, comment and rate the route, tell us what you think! Walks can be rated by visiting www.newburytoday.co.uk/walkers guide.Where you can also comment and post photos, alternatively share your photos and comments via our twitter page and facebook.
Help look after wildlife by keeping your dog on a lead and picking up after them.
Please note no dogs are allowed at Inkpen Crocus Field.
Directions
1. Inkpen Common nature reserve to Wayfarer’s Walk
Follow the footpath through the nature reserve, and just before the exit, turn right on to the footpath beside the power lines.After 100 metres, take the left path as it forks, then over the boardwalk to the reserve boundary.Turn right then after 400 metres turn left on to the restricted byway.
At Great Farm turn right along the road, and then at the right hand bend, take the second footpath (beside the wood). Follow the footpath by the hedge, across the road, and up through steeply sloping pasture, heading left of the scrub on the ridge line.
2. Wayfarer’s Walk to Wigmorease Pond
At the ridge, turn right on to the byway (Wayfarer’s Walk), and follow the ridge of the Hampshire Downs for 1. miles, over the road junction and past Combe Gibbet.
After 600 metres, at the clump of beech trees, turn right on to the bridleway.
3.Wigmorease Pond to Lower Green
After a small pond, turn left and head directly down the steep slope, then take the path left, down to the field corner. Take the bridleway beside the tree plantation, then straight on between arable fields to the road.
4. Lower Green to Kintbury railway station
Turn right at the road and head towards Inkpen, carry straight on at the first road junction, and then take the footpath just after the second road junction. Follow the footpath besides gardens and paddocks to Manor Farm, and then straight on through pasture and under a large laurel tree to a private drive.Turn right and follow the drive on to Pottery Lane.After 100 metres, turn right to explore
INKPEN CROCUS FIELD NATURE RESERVE.
Continue to the end of Pottery Lane, and take the footpath straight on at the road junction bearing right across field.Turn left on to
the track, and then just after crossing the stream, bear left at the path junction, then straight on to Great Common Road.
Turn left and follow the road to the main Inkpen Common reserve entrance.
Crocus walk: 6 miles
The song of skylarks is one of the iconic sounds of the countryside. Listen out for the seemingly endless song as it pours down from high above your head. Skylarks are found on grassland and farmland where they nest on the ground. Modern farming methods have led to a decline in the number of skylarks in recent years.
BBOWT is working with farmers and landowners to promote wildlife-friendly practices to help skylarks and other farmland birds.
Brought to you in association with the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust
Photographs by Adrian Wallington
