Castle Bottom (Nature Reserve) via Blackwater Valley Path, 11.5 miles, moderate

Calendar

When:

June 20, 2021 @ 10:45 am

2021-06-20T10:45:00+01:00

2021-06-20T11:00:00+01:00

Where:

Blackwater Station

Contact:

Jen H

Walk

Booking Required limited spaces (19) moderate public transport Walk

This walk is limited to 19 walkers + the walk leader.
Do not turn up for a walk without prior booking, else we will have to turn you away
Follow all safety advice given by the walk leader
It is recommended you bring hand sanitizer or gloves in case you need to touch gates/stiles/etc
If you or someone else from your household has COVID-19 symptoms, please do not attend.

Walk Description
I have no idea why it is called Castle Bottom if you know then please enlighten me as I would be very grateful to know!

Travel Details:

We shall meet at Blackwater station outside Platform 1 at 10.45am shortly after the Reading train arrives. If catching the train from Reading, please take the 10.18 departure which arrives at Blackwater at 10.38.

If driving the car park is adjacent to Platform 1 and you’ll be pleased to know that the station car park is free on Sundays.

Walk Details:

We set off from Blackwater station and pick up the Blackwater Valley Path which is a short distance away, and we follow it until we reach Yateley Lakes. We continue to follow the River Blackwater via Yateley Lakes then pick up the Blackwater Valley Path at Horseshoe Lake. We cross into Yateley/Eversley borders where we make our way to Castle Bottom Nature Reserve and our lunch stop. Castle Bottom Nature Reserve is known by locals as a hidden gem and can only be accessible by foot. After lunch, we cross Blackbushe Airfield (the disused bit) into Yateley Common, and make our way to Wyndham’s Pool for our cake stop before heading back to the station. Please bring a drink, lunch and cake for our cake stop as we shall sit by a lovely pond.

Book a place on this walk by completing the Google Form. We will only use the contact information you provide to get in touch about the walk, or to share if requested with NHS Test and Trace.

If after booking, you need to cancel your place on the walk, please email walkbookings@berkshirewalkers.co.uk so that we can make your place available to someone else.

Please only contact the leader with queries about the walk or if you are delayed on the day.

Booking onto a walk

Most walks do not require advance booking, and you can just turn up on the day. We encourage those comfortable with Meetup to indicate there that you plan to come though, so that others can see there will be plenty of people there – this really helps to encourage new members to come along.
For the few which still have limited numbers, this is handled via Meetup. Follow the link to a walk’s Meetup page (or press 🎟 Register / 🎟 Tickets / 🎟), and mark yourself as attending.
Social and other events may have their own booking system – please see the event description.

Pace Guide

Gentle: led at a gentle pace with regular short breaks for water or rest. Should be suitable for anyone capable of the distance. (Expect 2–2.5 mph.)
Medium: led at an intermediate pace with fewer breaks but still suitable for most walkers. (Expect 2.5–3 mph.)
Fast: led at a quick pace with minimal breaks. May be a challenge for those with less fitness. (Expect 3 mph+.)

Speeds quoted are only a rough guide, including time spent on short water/rest stops and negotiating stiles/gates/roads etc. but not that spent on longer lunch or pub stops.