We are so lucky to live in the wonderful walking territory of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, with many bucolic routes to chose from, many with a nice pub at the end.
Here is important advice for walkers in the country:
- The Countryside Code
- Advice from the Ramblers on walking near cows
- Wildlife tips for dog walkers to protect ground-nesting birds
Here are the Lockdown regulations that apply to walking:
You can exercise or visit outdoor public places with:
- the people you live with
- your support bubble
- or, when on your own, one person from another household. (Children under five, as well as disabled people dependent on round-the-clock care are not counted towards the limit on two people meeting outside.)
Outdoor public places include:
- neighbourhood streets, parks, beaches, and the countryside
- public gardens and grounds (whether or not you pay to enter them)
- allotments
- outdoor playgrounds
Local Walks
Donnington Castle & Snelsmore Common (near Newbury)
Walks starting in and around Lambourn
Faccombe circular walk, starting from The Jack Russell Inn
Bishopstone circular walks, starting from The Royal Oak
Hungerford to Ham circular walk
Kintbury and Inkpen circular walk
Circular walks at Sheepdrove Organic Farm
Walks (based on distance) from The Crown & Anchor in Ham,
North Wessex Downs National Landscape walks, cycle and riding routes
West Berkshire Countryside Society Walk Leaflets
Discover the Vale of Pewsey – lots of walking (and cycling) itineraries to enjoy.
Local Walking Books
Walking in the North Wessex Downs Steve Davison £12.95
Pub Walks near Hungerford Alex Milne-White £7.99
Shorter Walks near Hungerford Alex Milne-White £9.99
Local Walking Groups
Local walking groups to join:
West Berks Dining-Walking-Plus Meetup Group
Wellbeing Walks in West Berkshire (formally Walking for Health)
U3A Amblers (contact your local U3A group for details)
How to Get Kids to Go For a Walk
It’s not always easy to get kids outside especially when it’s wet and cold. But as they say there’s no such thing as bad weather if you are dressed appropriately. You can also have a few tricks up your sleeve to tempt them out:
1.set a treasure hunt – challenge them to find a list of unusual things eg a stone with a hole in it, a piece of string, hearing a bird sing, an empty nutshell that has been gnawed by a squirrel, animal tracks in mud
2. bake potatos, wrap them in foil and put one in each coat pocket to keep hands warm – with the bonus that they can be eaten at the end of the walk!
3. puddle jumping – over or in the puddles! If you’re wearing wellies and perhaps waterproof trousers, you can splash as much as you like…
4. dog or farm animal bingo, where you have to spot different breeds and species
5. think about going out after dark: nature spotting with a torch, hot water bottles in the garden for star gazing, toast marshmallows on the barbecue.
If you have any more suggestions please comment below!
One Response
Thanks you Penny post. We always enjoy reading your weekly posting. We never contribute but so enjoy receiving all the local news. We always glean