Start : Lambourn Market Square (RG17 8YY) Grid ref. SU 326 789
Those familiar with the village may prefer to start down Bockhamton Road, turning right onto Newbury Road a short distance before Long Hedge.
(S/E) Starting from the centre of Lambourn, take Newbury Street, then Newbury Road, towards Eastbury.
(1) Leave the road at the bottom of Long Hedge, just past the end of the 30 mph limit, and pick up the path of the Lambourn Valley Way (signed) (A). Take care on the last hundred metres before you reach Long Hedge, as there is no pavement, and the road is narrow.
Follow the Lambourn Valley Way for about 1.5 Km, crossing a paddock and a couple of fields (ignore a track with a gate which crosses the path before you reach Eastbury (B)), to a by-way crossing your path, with a barn to your left and a house on your right and a footpath sign pointing to the left.
(2) Turn left here, up the hill. Follow this path over the downs for about 2.5 Km, with a gallop on your right and later on crossing over two gallops (C), till you reach a patch of woodland.
Note that the ‘all-weather’ gallop here is active, and horses may approach up the hill from the right round a sharp bend where it will be difficult to see them coming. Look and listen carefully for signs of activity before crossing the gallop.
(3) On reaching the woodland, the straight on, marked, track shows a ‘caution’ sign, so follow the path as it swings to the left round the field edge. This path joins the main track further up the hill. At the top of the hill, it becomes a tarmac road at Sheepdrove.
(4) Follow this road till it joins the road to Red Barn.
(5) Turn left down the hill to continue towards Lambourn.
(6) To avoid walking down the busy road, take the path down the side of the field on the right. The entry point is immediately after the last house (and at other points down the hill).
(7) At the bottom, turn left onto the Wantage Road to make your way back to the village centre. (S/E)