Thatcham Reedbeds & Greenham Common, Berkshire Circular Walk Inbox

Date: 
Sunday, 21 July 2024 - 10:00am
Walk Leaders: 
Renate and Chris Wright
Leader Phone: 
home phone: zero two zero eight nine four three four eight zero six mobile: zero seven seven five three three eight two eight zero eight
Meeting Point: 
Car Park at The Nature Discovery Centre Lower Way Thatcham RG19 3FU Free parking
Distance: 
6/7 miles
Maps: 
Explorer 158 (Newbury & Hungerford)
Travel: 

M4 Junction 12 take the A4 exit to Theale/Reading at roundabout 1st exit on
to A4 Bath Road continue approx. 8 miles on A4. Thatcham is signposted off
A4 on to The Moors continue on to Lower Way, follow the Nature Discovery Centre signposted on left. There is no convenient train option.

Route: 

The walk starts and finishes at the car park. We follow a well laid out narrow
path through the reedbeds crossing small streams, the Kennet & Avon Canal
at Bull’s Lock for a short stop, onwards under the railway and gentle uphill (in heavy rain it can flood under the railway) along the edge of Bowdown Wood
Nature Reserve to Bury Bank Road a busy road lacking a pedestrian path
a visibility vest for the backstop is necessary as we walk in single file
up to the cattle grid and then cross over into Greenham Common. Head to
the old Airfield Control Tower, known as Cold War Tower, steps up to the
observation deck, magnificent view over the full expanse of the Commons,
central runway to take the nuclear armed bombers housed in bunkers till
1992. The blue gate (not on the walk) is a reminder of the women’s peace
movement. In the afternoon the walk continues east along the Commons
through trees over the canal past Widmead Lock back to Bull’s Lock .
Continue along the reedbeds and the Thatcham Lake to the car
park.

Lunch: 

Packed picnic lunch, seating outside the Control Tower Café and/or under
trees nearby. The queue is long and the service desperately slow at the
Café. We aim for a 1-hour lunch stop only which incl. going to the observation deck at the top.

Notes: 

Beautiful Nature Reserve, a created space for wildlife habitat for birds
insects and wildfowl managed by the Wildlife Trust. Easy walking, gravel
tracks and lanes. But the road crossings need the greatest attention and
care by each walking friend. Please bring a hat sunglasses suncream plenty
of water and walking sticks. If you have a vis vest please bring it along.