The Five Bells circular, Wickham

Start : The Five Bells circular, Wickham (RG20 8HH) Grid ref. SU 394718

(S/E) Take the footpath next to the pub between panel fences; this shortly comes out on a field where follow the path round on the right until it meets a lane down to a road by a primary school playground.

(1) Turn left along the road for about 400yds, go under the M4 bridge.

(2) In 50yds take the track on the left. This shortly bears right along the boundary of the wood, and ignoring side turnings, follow it past a game-bird enclosure. Where the track starts turning to the left, take a kissing-gate on the right into Welford Park. There is now no distinct path.

(3) So just go up the hill, from the top of which you will see a modern redbrick building - the Welford Park CC. Make a beeline for this, but leave it to your right, and follow the perimeter of the cricket field round, keeping it about 50yds on your right, and turning down the slope. After a few yards aim towards the footpath gate you can see into the road.

(4) Take the footpath on the other side, that rises behind the houses.

(5) At the top, just after a joining track from the right, take the signposted footpath left over a cultivated field towards the end of a hedge.

(6) Go right on a track that re-crosses the M4 by a farm bridge. Follow past Tullock Farm, where bears right up the Avenue. After some 400yds this bears left.

(7) In another 200yds turn right along a track for Kiln Cottage. Pass this and continue up through the wood until the main track bears left.

(8) Take a marked footpath to the right, which goes forward through the wood, crossing a brick causeway at one point, passing more footpath signs down to another kissing-gate into a field. Go forward and find another gate out from the bottom of the field into a lane near the primary school.

(1) Cross the road, and retrace your route back to the pub.(S/E)

Start : The Five Bells circular, Wickham (RG20 8HH) Grid ref. SU 394718

Driving to start : About seven miles from Newbury on the upper Lambourn road B 4000. Take the A4 and after crossing the bypass, take the second turn off the roundabout. Wickham is about three miles past Stockcross.

Refreshments : The Five Bells is in common ownership with the John of Gaunt at Hungerford. It has an amazing selection of up to eight properly-kept cask beers, including two or three from the microbrewery behind the pub. The food is very good value, especially the sandwiches and wraps.

Find more walks at Newbury Pub Walks here.