Mortimer to Bramley, around Reading

Start: Mortimer Railway Station (RG7 3NY) Grid ref. SU 672 641

(S) From Mortimer station, turn left into Station Road. Keep left at the road junction.

(1) Turn left again to St Mary's Church on the footpath. Bear left across the brook and turn right alongside the pond.

(2) At the path junction, cross the Brook but keep in the same direction (South-West). Cross a stile and with the brook still on the left, bear left through the gate, and after the next gate, continue to the field boundary.

(3) Turn right and follow the path to a lane at Tanhouse Bridge.

(4) Turn left and keep ahead at the junction.

(5) When the lane goes left, keep ahead around a barrier onto a track, which becomes enclosed as it descends to the left.

(6) At the lane, turn right and right again to explore the Amphitheatre, then follow the grass path back to the lane. Turn right up Wall Lane and turn left through a swing gate.

(7) Turn right at the second gate to go along the Wall, once the ramparts of the Roman town. Pass the North Gate and continue round to a junction of paths at the corner.

(8) Bear slightly right to take the middle path, which goes along the field-edge boundary.

(9) On reaching a large field, cross to the corner of the wood and follow the wood edge before gradually turning left along the boundary to a gate into a lane.

(10) Turn right and continue to a lane junction at Three Ashes.

(11) Bear slightly right and cross the lane to a footpath to the left, enclosed at first, then across an open field. Cross a second stream at the boundary and keep ahead at the path junction with a pylon on the left.

(12) Go through a gate, cross the ditch and turn left at the cross-path just inside the wood. Follow this path around the electricity sub-station until it emerges at the access road.

(13) Turn left along the access road to a road junction.

(14) Cross the cycle and walkway and follow it through a play area.

(15) Turn right to cross a stream and join the main road by Bramley Inn. Turn left to reach the station.(E)

Start: Mortimer Railway Station (RG7 3NY) Grid ref. SU 672 641

Maps: Map OS Explorer 159

Find more information and walks at Round Reading Walks website here.

Calleva Atrebatum, the Iron Age "Wooded Place of the Attrebates" was taken over by the Romans in the first century and became an important administration centre of Rom an Britain. When the Romans left 400 years later the site was gradually abandoned and fell into ruin.