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Crowthorne to Sandhurst or BlackwaterwalkA varied walk through attractive mixed woodland, heaths and pastures,returning along the Blackwater Valley Path.

Length Main Walk, via Finchamptead: 15¼ km (9.5 miles). Three hours 35 minuteswalking time. For the whole excursion including trains, sights and meals, allow atleast 8 hours.

Extended Walk, to Blackwater: 18½ km (11.5 miles). Four hours 20 minuteswalking time.

Alternative Walk (Circular), via Eversley Cross: 12½ km (7.8 miles). Twohours 55 minutes walking time.

OS Map Explorer 159. Crowthorne station, map reference SU823637, is in Berkshire,7 km SW of Bracknell.

Toughness 3 out of 10 (2 for the Alternative Walk).

Features Crowthorne station was originally built to serve Wellington College and the MainWalk starts out alongside the grounds of this famous public school. It then headswest on a serpentine route through attractive mixed woodland, heaths andpastures, including the National Trust's Finchampstead Ridges.

After lunch in a rural pub in Finchampstead the walk heads south to the RiverBlackwater, with the return route being along the Blackwater Valley Path(BVP). The valley has been heavily exploited for sand and gravel extraction andthe walk route goes past several worked-out flooded pits due for restoration,followed by a fully-restored landscaped area making up Moor Green LakesNature Reserve.

The Main Walk ends at Sandhurst station, with a choice of pubs for tea, but it ispossible to extend the walk to Blackwater (see below).

Walk There are two ways in which you can extend the Main Walk after lunch. A longer

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Options afternoon route joins the BVP further downstream near Eversley Bridge,returning alongside the most recent gravel workings (where some new routesmay become available in the next few years). The other option is to carry onthrough Sandhurst to the next station on the line, Blackwater. Once out ofSandhurst this Extended Walk consists of a pleasant stretch through a park andShepherd Meadows Nature Reserve.

Directions are also given for a significantly different Alternative Walk. Thisshorter variation takes in most of the features of the Main Walk (some in thereverse order), goes to the village of Eversley Cross for lunch and completes acircular route back to Crowthorne. However, the only tea place here is currentlyclosed on weekend afternoons.

There are several ways in which you could combine the Main and AlternativeWalks. In particular, you could save 3¾ km by taking the latter's direct route toHeath Pond at the start of the Main Walk (useful if you miss a train and want tocatch up the main group). In addition, as they share a stretch along the BVP inmid-afternoon, all the different endings (to Crowthorne, Sandhurst andBlackwater) are available to both walks.Much of the area is along the River Blackwater's flood plain and the footpath to EversleyCross on the Alternative Walk is particularly prone to flooding.

Transport Crowthorne, Sandhurst and Blackwater are adjacent stations on the Reading–Guildford line. All trains call at Blackwater, which has a half-hourly service, butonly half the trains stop at Crowthorne and Sandhurst. There are several ways ofgetting to these stations from central London. The shortest journey time (takingless than an hour) is from Paddington, changing at Reading. The other routes arefrom Waterloo and take about 20 minutes longer (via Guildford) or 40 minutes(via Wokingham).

Travelling via Reading is more expensive than the other routes, but a ticket forthis route allows you to return by any of the alternatives. If you travel out fromWaterloo the cheaper ticket is valid for either of these routes, but not for returningto Paddington.

There are buses along the A321 parallel to the railway but none through thevillages along the walk route, so you would need to call a taxi if you wanted toabandon the walk.

If driving, there is a small station car park at Crowthorne and a larger council-managed one at Blackwater. Parking is possible in the residential streets nearCrowthorne and Sandhurst.

SuggestedTrain

Take the train nearest to 10:15 from either Paddington (via Reading) orWaterloo (via Guildford), depending on your chosen route. An earlier train isadvisable if you plan to do one of the longer walk options in winter.

Lunch On the Main Walk the suggested lunchtime pub (after 8 km) is the up-marketQueen's Oak (0118-996 8567) near Finchampstead's parish church, whichserves good freshly-cooked food to 2.30pm, later at weekends. A little furtheralong the main route there is an alternative pub/restaurant in the centre of thevillage, the Greyhound (0118-973 2269). On the longer afternoon route a shortdetour would take you to the Tally Ho (0118-973 2134) at Eversley Bridge,2½ km further on.

On the Alternative Walk there are two equally good lunchtime pubs alongsidethe village green in Eversley Cross, 6¼ km into the walk: the Frog and Wicket(0118-973 1126) and the Chequers (0118-402 7065).

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Tea The suggested tea place in Sandhurst (just past the station) is the friendlyVillage Inn (01252-873220), which serves tea and coffee. An alternative pubappealing to real ale drinkers is the Rose & Crown (01252-878938), passed onthe way to the station. The nearby Old Mill Coffee Shop & Cafe (01252-878562)unhelpfully closes at 3pm (2pm Sun).

There are no convenient places near Blackwater station, so if you are doing thisextension the suggested tea place is Pistachios in the Park (01252-878574) atthe entrance to Sandhurst's Memorial Park, which is usually open to at least 5pmin summer (earlier in winter). Allow 35 minutes for the final 2½ km to Blackwaterstation.

There are no pubs or cafés near Crowthorne station, but the Good Food Deli(01344-772872) at 194 Duke's Ride has some indoor tables; however, it closesaround lunchtime at weekends.

If you run out of options at the end of the walk there are station buffets atReading, Guildford and Wokingham when you change trains.

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Walk Directions

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Walk Options ( Main+Ext. | Alt. )M. Main Walk (15¼ km)i. Main Walk, with longer afternoon (17¼ km)x. Extended Walk, finishing at Blackwater (18½ km)xi. Extended Walk, with longer afternoon (20½ km)a. Alternative Walk, via Eversley Cross (12 km)b. Alternative Walk, extended to Blackwater (15¼ km)c. Alternative Circular Walk (12½ km)

Walk DirectionsIf you are doing the Alternative Walk (or want to take a short cut at the start of the Main Walk), go to §4.

1. Crowthorne Station to Ambarrow Court (2 km)a. Arriving from Guildford/Farnborough

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Leave the platform near the front of the train. Bear right, go up a flight of steps to theB3348 (Duke's Ride) and turn right to cross over the railway. On the other side of thebridge, turn right again into St Francis Close.

b. Arriving from Reading/WokinghamLeave the platform near the back of the train. Go through a parking area and turnright into St Francis Close.

Go through a pedestrian side gate to the left of the main gate to enter a small housingdevelopment (this is a public footpath). At the end bear left to continue on a tarmac path,heading S. This winds round behind the new houses and soon becomes a long straightpath running between the railway (on your right) and the grounds of Wellington College .In 600m the path curves round to the left and comes to a back entrance into the collegegrounds. Turn right as indicated onto a fenced path, with sports pitches and later a golfcourse on your left. You pass a Memorial Grove of young lime trees and the path works itsway back towards the railway. In 350m, just after entering a wooded area, turn right at athree-way footpath sign and carefully cross the railway tracks into Ambarrow CourtNature Reserve .For a short cut (saving 500m) you could now go straight ahead on the public footpath for about150m, then veer left onto a path going down to the reserve car park. If you do this, continue thedirections at §2.For the suggested route around this small nature reserve, immediately turn sharp left.The path runs parallel to the railway for a short distance, then veers right to meet a widerpath, where you turn left. 80m further on, bear left down some steps and cross a woodenfootbridge onto a surfaced path (or keep ahead on the step-free path, which curves roundto the same point).Follow this path round to the right along the southern boundary of the reserve. At the endof a meadow on your right and shortly before an exit to a main road, turn right to continuealongside the meadow. After heading N through a more wooded area the path comes tothe reserve car park.

2. Ambarrow Court to Finchampstead Ridges (1¾ km)Go through the car park and cross the A321, taking care as there is no pavement andthe traffic is quite fast. Take the footpath just off to the right heading W alongside a highwooden fence. In 250m this comes down to a lane at a bend.Keep ahead on the lane, soon ignoring a footpath off to the left. In 150m, as the lane bendsto the left, go past a private drive on the right but then immediately turn right past a metalfieldgate onto a broad track into a wood, signposted as a public footpath. After briefly goinggently downhill the track starts to climb steadily. In 200m ignore a fieldgate ahead andfollow the path to the right along the edge of the wood. In a further 250m the path bendsleft, now with pasture on both sides.In 150m you enter a wood and have to follow the footpath up a potentially awkward sunkengully, as a new wooden fence blocks easier side routes. At the top of a short climb the pathswings round to the left and then heads W along the top of a wooded slope. In 250m thepath comes to a T-junction with a byway where you turn left.Follow this track gently downhill for 400m as it as winds its way through the wood, laterwith houses and paddocks on the left. Where the track turns sharply left, just after “Rorke'sDrift”, bear right past a wooden barrier into the south-eastern corner of FinchampsteadRidges.

3. Finchampstead Ridges to Heath Pond (1¼ km)There are many paths through this National Trust woodland and you might like to explore it morefully. If you deviate from the route suggested here, climb to the top of the ridge and turn right to go tothe north-eastern corner of the NT land, by the entrance to a house called “Edge of the Hill”. If youdo this, continue the directions at [•] below.For the suggested route through this wooded ridge, turn left and take the right-hand of twopaths into the wood, heading NW and going gently downhill. At the bottom of the slope youmight have to negotiate a boggy area alongside a small pond on your left. You soon come

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to a path junction by a wooden bench where you turn right, the start of a steady climb tothe top of the ridge.In 100m the path starts to climb more steeply. A little further on keep ahead (slightly to theleft) at a crosspaths to go up a slope on a broad path. At the top you come to a grove ofpine trees with a couple of wooden benches and a fine view back over the BlackwaterValley to the Hampshire hills beyond.From the viewpoint, head N (away from the view) towards a road, but in 40m veer rightpast a gnarled tree onto a grassy path through some heather, gradually approaching theroad off to your left. The path leaves Finchampstead Ridges by a bend in the B3348, withthe entrance to a house called “Edge of the Hill” on your right and a striking view downWellingtonia Avenue .[•] Cross the road carefully and turn right to walk along the pavement. In 50m turn left offthe road onto a signposted byway, with a NT sign for Simon's Wood. Go past the entranceto several large houses and continue on a track downhill through the wood. After the pathlevels out keep ahead at a major path crossing, now with a more open area on your left. Ina further 80m veer left onto a narrow path across this heathland.In 100m cross a wooden footbridge over the southern tip of Heath Pond and veer right togo along its edge. At its north-western corner you come to a T-junction with a long straightbridleway known as the Devil's Highway , with heathland ahead on your left.Continue the directions at §8.

4. Crowthorne Station to Heath Pond direct (1¼ km)a. Arriving from Guildford/Farnborough

Leave the platform near the front of the train. Go up the station's approach road andturn left onto the B3348, Duke's Ride.

b. Arriving from Reading/WokinghamLeave the platform near the back of the train. Go through a parking area and turnsharp left to go back across the railway bridge on the B3348.

Go along the left-hand side of the B3348 to a large roundabout. Carefully cross over boththe A321 and the B3348 (with a striking view up Wellingtonia Avenue ) and take thebyway signposted “Unsuitable for motor vehicles”, heading NW.Continue along this long straight track (Heath Ride) for 700m. At the first major pathcrossing, just after a house called “Heritage”, turn half-left onto a long straight bridlewayknown as the Devil's Highway , past a NT sign for Simon's Wood and heading W. In150m keep ahead at a major path crossing to continue along the northern edge of HeathPond.If you were taking a short cut on the Main Walk, go to §8.

5. Heath Pond to Moor Green Lakes (2 km)To continue the Alternative Walk to Eversley Cross, turn left off the bridleway at the farend of the pond to go along its western edge. At its southern tip, cross a wooden footbridgeand bear right onto a path across the heath. At a path crossing in 100m, turn half-right tohead S, staying on the edge of the heath. Where the heath ends, keep ahead at a majorpath crossing to enter a more wooded area.The track goes uphill through some rhododendrons and leads into a tarmac drive. Followthis past several large houses to the B3348, with another view down Wellingtonia Avenue.Turn right and go along the pavement for 50m to a right-hand bend (where you can see thetraffic clearly in both directions) and cross the road with great care. On the other side ofthe road is the imposing entrance to a house called “Edge of the Hill”, with FinchampsteadRidges to its right.There are many paths through this National Trust woodland and you might like to explore it morefully. If you deviate from the route suggested here, make for the bridleway running along its southernboundary and turn right onto it to reach Dell Road (a public footpath from its western boundary alsoleads out this road, 200m higher up). If you do this, continue the directions at [•] below.

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For the suggested route, take the narrow path between a NT sign and chevron boards andfollow this level path through the heather and gorse, gradually moving away from the roadand at one point forking left to stay near the edge of the ridge. At the end of the heather gopast a gnarled tree and veer left to come to a grove of pine trees with a couple of woodenbenches and a fine view over the Blackwater Valley to the Hampshire hills beyond.From the viewpoint, bear right to find a path leading downhill through the ferns. Keepahead at path crossings until you go past wooden barriers onto a permissive bridlewayrunning along the southern boundary of the NT land, marked by a ditch and a wire fence.Turn right and go all the way along this straight track, eventually going past a woodenbarrier onto a lane (Dell Road).[•] Turn left and go all the way down Dell Road to a T-junction. Turn left and go along LowerSandhurst Road for 150m. Opposite a house called “Blackwater View” turn right into thesmall car park for Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve .

6. Moor Green Lakes to Eversley Cross (3 km)Take the gravel path from the back of the car park heading S (or the public bridlewayrunning alongside it). You soon come to the first of the reserve lakes on your left,Colebrook Lake North. At the end of this lake you pass a viewing hide and the two pathsmerge briefly to cross a backwater on a wooden footbridge. At the end of Colebrook LakeSouth the two paths turn left in front of the River Blackwater.Later you will return to this spot from the path on the right and repeat this short stretch of riversidepath, up to the footbridge.Head E along either path for 100m, then fork right onto a footbridge over the river (andinto Hampshire). On the other side, take either of two paths bearing left, which soonmerge. Continue along the winding path with the lakes of Blackwater Valley Watersportson your left. The path crosses an access road and at the end of the lakes goes across acleared area underneath electricity pylons.After going through some trees the path comes out onto a narrow common. Go along itsright-hand side and bear right at the end onto a residential road (Moulsham Copse Lane),soon reaching a small triangular green on the right. Turn right to go along the side of thegreen. On the far side turn right briefly onto a tarmac lane but almost immediately veer leftinto the driveway to #23 and take the tarmac path to its left.Go along this fenced path through a housing development, heading W and crossing tworesidential roads. At a Y-junction just past some metal barriers, fork right. This leads to awooden footbridge over a ditch and a gate into a small meadow. Keep ahead along its left-hand edge and continue on a path between hedges which swings left in front of a fishinglake. The path turns back to the right and goes past a house to a minor road (Fox Lane),with the B3272 just off to the left.In very wet conditions this footpath might be flooded. If you are unable to skirt around the problemreturn to the housing estate and make your way to Fox Lane via the main road.Turn right onto Fox Lane, away from the main road. In 200m, where the road swings rightat a sign for Watmore Farm Fishery into Eversley Quarry, bear left (staying on Fox Lane)and follow it to a T-junction with the B3272. Turn right onto the main road to reach the largevillage green in Eversley Cross, with its two pubs on the left-hand side of the road: theFrog & Wicket and (just past the junction with the B3016) the Chequers.

7. Eversley Cross to the River Blackwater (1 km)The onward route is to head N on the B3016 (Longwater Road) towards Finchampstead.From the Chequers it is simplest to walk straight up the B3016 from the road junction; fromthe Frog & Wicket you can bear left across the village green and make your way past atree-lined pond to this road.On Longwater Road you soon pass the distinctive timber-framed Martineau Cottages onyour left. Continue for a further 400m – there is a pavement on one side or the other – tocross the River Blackwater again at Finchampstead Bridge, with an old county boundarypost marking your return to Berkshire.

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You will be turning right to join the Blackwater Valley Path (BVP), which is 150m awayfrom the river at this point. Strictly speaking you should continue along the road and thenturn sharp right onto the signposted public footpath to return to the river, but at the time ofwriting there was a short cut from the bridge: a riverside path which merges with the BVPjust beyond a small water treatment plant.Continue the directions at §12.

8. Heath Pond to Finchampstead (3 km)The intended route was to leave the heath on its western side and turn right onto Wick Hill Lane.However, a public footpath shown on OS Explorer 159 has disappeared from newer versions andthere is no right of way off the heath there. The walk route therefore takes a short scenic loop aroundthe heath but then doubles back to an exit onto another lane (Heath Ride) in its north-eastern corner.This new route is slightly awkward to follow and you could simply head north from the major pathcrossing at the north-eastern corner of Heath Pond, then turn left onto Heath Ride at another pathcrossing after 100m. If you do this, resume the directions at [•] below.For the suggested route, head W along the bridleway for just 100m and then veer right ata path crossing: down a slope, across a small length of boardwalk and up onto the heath.The narrow path curves round to the right through the heather and comes to a morewooded area in front of garden fences.You will eventually be going along the lane on the other side of the houses ahead, but asthere is no exit off to the left you need to keep right, staying close to the garden fences onyour left. As you reach the corner of the heath, ignore a boardwalk ahead (onto a pathleading back to Heath Pond) and instead veer left onto a narrow path heading N throughthe trees. This soon comes out onto a lane (Heath Ride) where you turn left.[•] Go along this long straight lane for about 1 km, heading NW past houses and anabandoned farm. Later there is some new house building and a wood behind a fence onyour left. At the end of this long wooden fence turn left at a junction into Wick Hill Lane,signposted as a restricted byway.Where the lane bends left after 100m, turn right onto a potentially muddy path, signpostedas the continuation of the byway. It soon bends left to head W and in 200m you go past acottage onto a lane. Turn left and then take the footpath to the right of the entrance toWarren Crest Farm. Follow this enclosed path SW past two fields and then down the left-hand edge of a large field to meet the B3016.Cross the road carefully and go over a stile just off to the left. Go diagonally across a largefield, aiming for the church tower 500m away. In the top left-hand corner cross a stile in thehedge to come out onto Church Lane and turn right. In 125m you come to the suggestedlunch stop on the Main Walk, the Queen's Oak pub.If you are taking the longer afternoon route via Eversley, go to §10.

9. Finchampstead to the River Blackwater (2½ km)From the road junction in front of the pub go along the right-hand side of a small triangulargreen towards St James' church (which is normally locked).At the top of the lane go into the churchyard and follow a path around the top of the church.Leave the churchyard in its south-western corner to go downhill on an enclosed footpath.Ignore a footpath off to the right after 100m and continue past a wood on your left and laterplaying fields on the right.If you want to visit the Greyhound pub, follow the directions in §9b.

a. Main routeBefore the footpath goes between garden fences veer right to go along the edge ofthe playing fields, with a tall hedge on your left. At the end turn half-left by achildren's playground and leave the playing fields via a gate in the roadside hedge.Turn right and go along the B3348 for 150m, crossing over at some point.Just past a petrol station turn left onto a footpath, which in 250m comes out onto anunsurfaced lane. The route continues to the right, but a short detour to the left wouldtake you to a plaque on a wooden signpost.

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b. Route via the GreyhoundContinue along the footpath to the B3348 and turn left onto the road. At the Y-junctionahead, the Greyhound is just off to the right down Longwater Road; the continuationof the route is sharply right down the track between the two roads at this junction.From the pub, make your way onto this track and follow it down to a minor roadjunction. Keep ahead on a residential street (Longwater Lane) and follow this for350m, heading SW. As you come to the end of the houses on the right there is aplaque on a wooden signpost.

From the plaque (marking a historical event ) head SW along the unsurfaced lane. At theend keep ahead on a potentially muddy track into the trees, curving gently round to the leftto head S. In 250m the Blackwater Valley Path (BVP) joins from the right (the longerroute via Eversley).Follow the footpath out of the trees, crossing an access track for the old quarry workingsand then a stream on a wooden footbridge. In 100m turn left as indicated over anotherfootbridge onto an enclosed path heading E. At the end of the large flooded pit off to yourleft the path turns left and comes out onto the B3016, Longwater Road.Cross the road carefully and take the footpath heading sharply right. This soon veers left togo around a small water treatment plant and then merges with a narrow path from the rightin front of the River Blackwater.Continue the directions at §12.

10. Finchampstead to Eversley (2¼ km)From the road junction in front of the pub go along the right-hand side of a small triangulargreen towards St James' church (which is normally locked).Instead of going up to the church, turn half-right at the end of the green onto a tarmaclane going up a short slope, signposted as a public footpath. At the end of the old brick wallon your left, keep ahead past a “Private Land” sign onto a wide gravel drive. Go past somehouses and continue on a sunken path going gently downhill.The path soon comes to a wooden kissing gate leading out to a tarmac driveway. Goacross this and through another gate onto the footpath opposite, now heading SW. In250m keep ahead (slightly to the left) at a four-way path crossing.You now simply continue on this enclosed path for a further 1½ km. For most of the waythe path goes between large fields used for grazing horses and there are some attractiveviews to both sides; a short stretch is through a small wood. Towards the end of thissection you cross the driveway to some cottages and continue on the footpath opposite,across a large field. You finally go through a kissing gate and come out onto the B3348.Turn right onto the road and follow it for 150m, round a left-hand bend into the outskirts ofEversley. The continuation of the walk is on the left, a signposted footpath along a broadtarmac drive (Fleet Lane) just before Vann House.If you want to visit the Tally Ho pub, follow the detour below.

Detour to the Tally Ho (+300m)Continue along the B3348. Where it swings to the right and joins the A327, the Tally Hopub is on your left. Return the same way.There is another pub at the other end of the village (the White Hart) but this is a further 500maway, across Eversley Bridge and along the A327.

11. Eversley to the River Blackwater (2¼ km)Head SE along Fleet Lane, joining the Blackwater Valley Path (BVP). In 400m keep tothe left of some old farm buildings and continue along a broad grassy track for a further1 km, heading E alongside a wood and soon with the old quarry workings on your right.Eventually you go over a pair of stiles into a belt of trees and turn right at a footpath T-junction, rejoining the direct route from Finchampstead.Follow the footpath out of the trees, crossing an access track for the old quarry workingsand then a stream on a wooden footbridge. In 100m turn left as indicated over anotherfootbridge onto an enclosed path heading E. At the end of the large flooded pit off to your

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left the path turns left and comes out onto the B3016, Longwater Road.Cross the road carefully and take the footpath heading sharply right. This soon veers left togo around a small water treatment plant and then merges with a narrow path from the rightin front of the River Blackwater.

12. The Blackwater Valley Path to Horseshoe Lake (2¼ km)Head E on the riverside path for 1 km, passing a number of large flooded gravel pits onyour left and crossing a works access track along the way. Eventually two parallel pathsjoin from the left. Keep ahead on either the footpath or the adjacent bridleway, now withMoor Green Lakes Nature Reserve on your left.In 100m keep left by an information panel for the nature reserve to stay on the BVP,ignoring a footbridge over the river. In the next 1 km you pass a couple of locked gatesleading to bird hides overlooking Colebrook Lake South and then Grove Lake. Just afterthe second of these there is a wooden kissing gate on the left in front of a third lake,Horseshoe Lake .If you are doing a Circular Walk back to Crowthorne station, go to §15.

13. Horseshoe Lake to Sandhurst Station (2½ km)Ignore the kissing gate and continue along the riverside path for a further 600m, wherethere is a metal gate leading out to Mill Lane. There is a nice view down the river from theroad bridge here, but the continuation of the walk is to turn left through another gate justbefore the road, on a path towards a car park for the Water Sports Centre.If there are signs of activity you should be able to get hot or cold drinks from a machine in the centre,which has tables in a patio area overlooking the lake.To continue the walk go out through the car park and turn left onto Mill Lane. In 100m turnright into Lower Church Road and go along this long straight lane for 600m. Shortly afterpassing St Michael's church up on the left, and where the road bends slightly left, turnright into Lych Gate Close. Follow this round to the left, past Belfry Mews and then bearright along a short cul-de-sac to a road junction.Cross Yateley Road carefully and head E along the right-hand pavement of the A321. Inabout 350m, after the road has bent right and then left, you pass the Rose & Crown onyour right, a possible tea stop. Shortly afterwards, in a small parade of shops on the right,is the Old Mill Coffee Shop & Cafe, although this is likely to be closed in mid-afternoon.Sandhurst station is a further 250m along the A321, where it goes under the railway bridge(but if you are continuing to Blackwater and do not mind bypassing other refreshmentplaces, you can fork right off the main road just before the station: see the followingsection). The final tea place near Sandhurst station (the Village Inn) is 125m past therailway bridge along the A321, on the far side of the mini-roundabout with Yorktown Road.If you are finishing the walk at Sandhurst, note that there is no footbridge linking the two stationplatforms. For trains to Wokingham and Reading, go up the ramp on the Rose & Crown side of thebridge to Platform 2. For trains to Guildford and Redhill, go up the ramp on the Village Inn side toPlatform 1.

14. Sandhurst Station to Blackwater Station (3¼ km)There is a choice of routes for the first part of this section, although neither is ideal. The first involvesa further long stretch along the A321 through the town, but does pass a café in the town's park. Thealternative route in §14b avoids the town centre but bypasses all other refreshment places.

a. Main routeFrom the station or the Village Inn continue through the town along the A321. At theend of a parade of shops ignore Swan Lane on the right.You can switch to the alternative route by turning right into this lane, passing the White Swanpub and going under a railway bridge; continue the directions at [•] below.For the main route, continue along the A321 for a further 400m. Shortly after passinga petrol station turn right into Sandhurst Memorial Park to find Pistachios in thePark, the suggested tea place. The walk continues on the tarmac path heading E

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past a skateboard area. Bear right in front of the Council Offices (where there arepublic toilets) onto a broad surfaced path alongside a water channel, leading to thepark's “Balancing Pond”.Keep right to go around the edge of the pond, soon passing an information panelabout it. Just before a footbridge over the pond's outflow, veer right down the slopeon a broad track signposted to Shepherd Meadows. In 100m the alternative routejoins from the right at a crosspaths, in front of a bridge across the River Blackwater.

b. Alternative routeShortly before reaching the railway bridge bear right off the A321 onto a short lanemasquerading as the High Street (according to a poorly-placed sign). Where thisprivate road bends right after 75m, veer left onto a tarmac path and follow this publicfootpath all the way alongside the railway embankment. At the end turn right onto aroad (Swan Lane).[•] Head S along Swan Lane for 400m, with a large water treatment plant screenedbehind trees on your left. Immediately after crossing the River Blackwater turn leftonto the signposted “River Walk”. Follow this path as it meanders alongside the riverfor 750m.As the path approaches some houses fork left onto a footbridge which crosses theriver and then becomes an elevated walkway high above the railway line. On the farside follow the path across a water channel and up to a crosspaths, with a bridgeacross the River Blackwater on your right.

The suggested route is to cross the river and follow the surfaced path through ShepherdMeadows Nature Reserve on the right-hand bank, but if this bridge is closed for repairs(as it was at the time of writing) the path along the left-hand bank is an alternative. In 500mthere is another footbridge across the river where if necessary you can cross over to theright-hand bank.After the second footbridge the path briefly splits and you can take either fork; they rejoin150m later. In a further 400m the path swings left and a footbridge takes you over the riveronto the other bank. The suggested continuation is through a kissing gate in the fence andalong a broad grassy path curving through a water meadow for 400m (with a belt of treesin the middle), but if this route looks waterlogged you can simply stay on the riverside path.At the far end of the meadow keep to the right of a large and busy road junction to findBlackwater station directly ahead, on the other side of the river. The nearest refreshmentplaces (some fast food shops and a couple of nondescript pubs) are in the parade of shopson the other side of the railway. There is also an M&S Café in the Meadows ShoppingCentre on the other side of the A321, but this is more awkward to get to.Note that there is no footbridge linking the two station platforms. Trains to Guildford and Redhill leavefrom Platform 1 on this side. For trains to Wokingham and Reading, go over the railway bridge anddown steps to Platform 2.

15. Horseshoe Lake to Crowthorne Station (3 km)Turn left through the gate onto a fenced path. Initially this heads N between two lakes,then swings round to the right to head E between Horseshoe Lake and a lane. Afterpassing the lake's horseshoe-shaped island on the right you come to its north-easterncorner, with kissing gates on both sides of the path.Turn left off the perimeter path, cross the lane and take the footpath opposite to head Nfor 400m along the left-hand edge of several fields (you may have to negotiate some boggypatches in the last field). Eventually you go through a wooden kissing gate onto a lane andturn right.From here, the route back to Crowthorne station is essentially the reverse of the outward route onthe Main Walk.Almost immediately, leave the lane to go straight ahead onto a signposted footpath, to theleft of a driveway. Follow the path for 250m alongside a rather forbidding wooden fencetopped with barbed wire to the A321. Cross this busy main road, taking care as there is

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no pavement and the traffic is quite fast into the car park for Ambarrow Court NatureReserve .The route described below is the most direct, but if you are not in a hurry you could follow one orboth of the two short trails shown on the information panel at the back of the car park: to the rightthrough Ambarrow Court (the reverse of the Main Walk route in §1) and to the left around the tree-lined slopes of Ambarrow Hill.For the direct route, take the right-hand of two paths from the back left-hand corner of thecar park (looking from the road), heading NE and climbing gently through the trees. At apath junction in about 100m, turn half-right onto a long straight path (a public footpathcoming up from the A321). In 150m the path comes to a crossing point over the railwayline, guarded by a pair of kissing gates.Go through the gates and cross the railway tracks carefully. On the other side turn left ontoa broad path, heading N with a tall hedge on your right. Later this goes past a MemorialGrove of young lime trees, with a golf course and sports pitches behind a chainlink fenceon your right. At the end of the fence there is a back entrance into Wellington Collegegrounds, where you turn left as indicated.Follow the path back to the railway and round to the right, continuing between the railwayand the college grounds for 600m. At the end go through a small housing development andout through a pedestrian side gate to find Crowthorne station on your left. For refreshmentsthere is a convenience store at the junction with the main road ahead (Duke's Ride); theGood Food Deli is 100m away in the parade of shops off to the right, but is usually closedon weekend afternoons.Note that there is no footbridge linking the two station platforms. For trains to Guildford and Redhill,go through a parking area on this side of the railway to Platform 1. For trains to Wokingham andReading, go over the railway bridge and down steps to Platform 2.

Walk Notes1. The grounds of Wellington College are open to the “Friends of Wellington College” but not to the

general public. The college itself is 750m away and not visible from the public footpath.2. There is an information panel in the central picnic area on Archaeology at Ambarrow. Ambarrow

Court was built in 1885 but the large manor house fell into disuse after WWⅡ. The site was eventuallybought by the local council and turned into a park in 1986.

3. The trees along Wellingtonia Avenue were planted in 1869. Sequoiadendron giganteum was namedafter the Duke, who had died in 1852 shortly before the giant redwood was discovered in the SierraNevada.

4. Note that any house with less than ten bedrooms in this affluent part of Berkshire seems to be calleda cottage.

5. The Devil's Highway was the name given by Britons to the Roman Road between London andSilchester (Calleva). There are many dead-straight roads and tracks in the area, but surprisingly feware actually shown on the map as Roman Roads.

6. Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve supports a wide range of wildlife. The viewing hides are onlyopen to members but there are several places where you can get good views from the perimeterpath. The reserve is due to be extended to include the flooded pits to the west.

7. The lakes of Blackwater Valley Watersports are usually less tranquil than those on the other side ofthe river.

8. The name Eversley means ‘wild boar clearing’, hence the boar on the village sign.9. The large timber-framed houses on Longwater Road were built between 1890 and 1905 by the

philanthropist John Martineau and are known as Martineau Cottages (there are others in Walshamle Willows, Suffolk). Each house had uplifting mottos carved over the door or windows.

10. The Blackwater Valley Path runs for 37 km, from the river's source near Aldershot in Surrey toSwallowfield in Hampshire, just beyond where the river merges with the Whitewater to become theBroadwater.

11. Finchampstead's pub claims to be the only one in the country called the Queen's Oak. An iviedplaque on the green commemorates the planting of an oak tree in 1887, the 50 year of Victoria'sreign.

12. St James, Finchampstead dates from the 12 C and retains many of its Norman features, includinga semi-circular apse. The brick tower was added in 1720.

13. The plaque records the spot where in 1501 HenryⅦ was told that Prince Arthur's bride, the infantaKatherine of Aragon, had arrived at his hunting lodge. Arthur's early death and her subsequentremarriage to his younger brother Henry had momentous consequences for English history.

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14. Horseshoe Lake is used for sailing and similar activities. Its name comes from the shape of its smallisland.

15. Shepherd Meadows Nature Reserve consists of wildflower meadows and woodland alongside theRiver Blackwater. It is named after the wildlife artist David Shepherd.

» Last updated: November 25, 2019

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