The Furze Bush, Ball Hill

This circular walk brings you to visit Ball Hill areas.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.09 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 38 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 30 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 155 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 115 m

Description of the walk

Start: The Furze Bush, Ball Hill (RG20 0NQ) Grid ref. SU 424 632

(S/E) Walk about 100yds towards Newbury and turn right onto a footpath that seems to go through a private garden. The first stile is very awkward, but the adjacent automatic gate responds to pressure. The footpath bears slightly right and joins the drive to a stud, but follows straight on to meet a road.

(1) Turn right and in 100yds left down a track that makes a circuit of a rather derelict farm, then take the footpath on the far side of the buildings. This goes slightly uphill over fields, then drops down to join a road by the East Woodhay Village Hall.

(2) Turn left, take the right fork.

(3) In 150yds go right over a stile onto the footpath that bears to the left over the field past the back of Rectory Farm to join a green lane that comes out on the road by the side of the drive to the Old Rectory.

(4) Go right for 200yds, then right again onto a footpath by the side of an impressive wall. Follow the footpath down into the dip and up the other side to a gate and stile onto the road.

(5) Cross this and take the footpath to Hayes Farm.

(6) Turn right onto the kinked track that joins a metalled lane in 500yds.

(7) Go right and left for 400yds till this lane meets another at a T-junction.

(8) Then go left to find the footpath on the other side right. Follow this through a thick hedge to the right, then downhill to cross a stream.

(9) In 200yds bear left and left again at the next stile. Go straight on this field path till it reaches a metalled lane.

(10) Go straight on to the T-junction with Ball Hill Road.

(11) Turn right for the pub. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 125 m - The Furze Bush, Ball Hill
  2. 1 : km 0.87 - alt. 120 m - Junction - Road
  3. 2 : km 2.24 - alt. 133 m - Road by the East Woodhay Village Hall.
  4. 3 : km 2.42 - alt. 137 m - Fork - Right
  5. 4 : km 3.27 - alt. 155 m - Old Rectory - Junction
  6. 5 : km 3.72 - alt. 155 m - Junction road
  7. 6 : km 4.1 - alt. 152 m - Hayes Farm
  8. 7 : km 4.46 - alt. 149 m - Junction metalled lane
  9. 8 : km 5.13 - alt. 142 m - T-junction
  10. 9 : km 5.58 - alt. 136 m - Junction left
  11. 10 : km 6.13 - alt. 133 m - Metalled lane
  12. 11 : km 6.48 - alt. 126 m - T-junction with Ball Hill Road
  13. S/E : km 7.09 - alt. 125 m - The Furze Bush, Ball Hill

Practical information

Start: The Furze Bush, Ball Hill (RG20 0NQ) Grid ref. SU 424 632

Driving to start: About four miles from Newbury. Take the A343 Andover Road, turn right just after leaving the town boundary, pass The Woodpecker, and keep straight on for two miles.

Refreshments: The Furze Bush, Ball Hill a busy pub cum restaurant that serves decent bar meals while the restaurant is also available. No sandwiches any longer, but you can probably find something light in the starters menu. At least three proper draught beers on tap.

Find more walks at Newbury Pub Walks here.

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The GPS track and description are the property of the author. Do not copy them without permission.