The Red House, Highclere

Start: The Red House, Highclere (RG20 9PU) Grid ref. SU 436 601

(S/E) From the Red House, walk away from Newbury along A343 and turn right in 150 yds down the lane. Ignore a left hand turning.

(1) Where the lane bends right by a large modern house, take the footpath over a stile to the left. Follow this for about 1000 yds, first going downhill then up through woods, bearing left through more woods, then across a field to a stile out onto a lane.

(2) Turn left and follow the lane for another 1000 yds to a T-junction.

(3) Go over the stile in front of you. Follow indistinct paths up this field, and aim for a rather obtuse corner in the far hedge, where there is another stile. Cross this, and then a very muddy lane and go forward into a large field. Follow the headland, with the hedge on your left down towards the houses on the road.

The field boundary turns right, and where it turns left again there is a broken stile leading into a footpath with the hedge on the left and a wire fence on the right.

(4) This comes out onto a lane, where take the stile opposite and follow the path through the small field to another stile leading onto the main road (A343).

(5) Cross this and go up the lane opposite.

(6) Turn sharp left at the top. Follow this lane for 1000 yds passing several cottages to the main road, where turn right for 300 yds to the pub. (S/E)

Start: The Red House, Highclere (RG20 9PU) Grid ref. SU 436 601

Driving to start: About six miles from Newbury, take the A343 towards Andover, and the pub is on the right at the far end of Highclere village.

Refreshments : The Red House, Highclere a bit more upmarket than some other pubs, but they serve good Ramsbury bitter, and while not on their menu, they will provide reasonably-priced baguettes.

Find more walks at Newbury Pub Walks here.