The White Hart circular, Hampstead Norreys

Start : The White Hart circular, Hampstead Norreys (RG18 0TB) Grid ref. SU 531763

(S/E) From The White Hart, go back towards Newbury, cross the road.

(1) Go through the churchyard, then across the sports field in front of the village hall.

(2) Join a footpath on the line of the old Didcot-Newbury railway, and follow this for a mile or so (South-West).

(3) 100yds after it passes under a road bridge, find a way up the bank on the right, and double back to cross the bridge. (The way here is now obstructed with brushwood, and you will have to get out onto the road to get back to cross the bridge. There is a reasonable verge on the opposite side of the road). Follow this lane for 600yds.

(4) Then go left onto a track and shortly over a stile onto a footpath across fields.

(5) When this reaches another lane, turn left and take the first track on the right in front of Eling Farm. Follow this until a stile leads to a footpath going half left across a field to an obvious gap in the hedge. Drop down through the next field to a ford across the stream and come out on a road.

(6) Go left and left again, crossing a footbridge.

(7) Then turn right on a footpath that soon enters the wood. Continue forward till you meet the back gate of the churchyard.

(1) Go right and walk back to the pub. (S/E)

Start : The White Hart circular, Hampstead Norreys (RG18 0TB) Grid ref. SU 531763

Driving to start: About seven miles from Newbury along the B4009 towards Streatley.

Refreshments : Now the only pub left in Hampstead Norreys, the White Hart is a comfortable country pub that serves good beer and fairly plain pub grub.

Find more walks at Newbury Pub Walks here.