Today our hike was led by Richard, who along with Cherry, Tom and Sam have all contributed walks to our programme for the very first time this year. Great news for our group and lets hope first walks will lead to second walks!
The turnout today was surprisingly high considering mileage had double figures, seventeen in all which included one person from another group and four people trying us out for the first time. As Membership Secretary I was caught unawares as I didn’t have enough Membership Forms to go round, I had left them at home. Still, if you’re reading this it is always easiest to join our group online.
The start point of the walk was unfamiliar to me, a side street just off the A4074 in Benson. On arrival it was clear that this was a good meeting point as there was amble room to park up without causing too much obstruction and the bus service, which three people took advantage off, had a stop point the opposite side of the main road.
Hellos exchanged and walk leader speech completed we were off. The route took us across the A4074. Thankfully at this point this main road artery that takes traffic north out of Reading had a 30mph limit in place so it was easily negotiated. We soon picked up the Thames path that leads us towards and just beyond Shillingford Bridge located, oddly enough at Shillingford. As always, it was very peaceful along the waterway and allowed the group to be sociable with whoever we were walking with.
We soon had to cross back over the A4074 which all off a sudden had become rather busy so we had to be patient for a number of minutes. We suffered no alarms and continued on along the Thames Path. Weather was holding up nicely so much so that one or two of us took to applying sun lotion while another had decided to bare his legs. Is this a sign that summer is on its way?
Soon we were to arrive at a fairly familiar site to some long standing members in the group, Wittenham Clumps although today’s complete route had not been devised before, as far as I am aware. Today we approached these two wooded chalk hills from the north. Having made a short steep ascent we stopped at the top to marvel at the surrounding views and try to assess the various settlements that we could locate. We walked onto the second of the clumps where we settled down to have our picnic lunches. I observed the many varieties of crisps that the group was tucking into. I deduced that a picnic lunch is not complete without a packet of crisps. I really should cut back and try to be healthier I know.
We strode on traversing over easy soft footpaths, passing chickens, the odd horse and sheep en route. Did we see cows? Yes, just before lunch prior to our ascent of Wittenham Clumps but for once they were sitting on the ground apparently completely oblivious to our presence.
The walk took us to the edge of the unusually named Brightwell-Cum-Sotwell where we had to carefully navigate a main road before we soon approached the historic town of Wallingford for some well earned liquid refreshment. Wallingford is a town well worth spending a couple of hours looking around as there is quite a bit of history attached to it. At the pub we managed to break down into smaller groups and enjoyed our drinks overlooking the River Thames.
The final stretch of the walk, perhaps a couple of kilometres or so took us back along the Thames Path over Benson Lock and returned to where to have left our cars. Another fine walk completed with the Berkshire Walkers.