ABOUT THIS WALK... HOW TO GET HERE... 3 EXPLORE TWYFORD...

This walk explores Charvil Country Park with its lakes As its name suggests, Twyford developed where two Henley-on-Thames and woodlands reclaimed from old gravel workings and branches of the could be safely crossed. now havens for wildlife. This crossing point was instrumental in attracting trade A321 Slough and travellers between the west of and London, A4 A404 You'll also see some magnificent examples of Brunel's M4 firstly with pack-horses, then wagons and stagecoaches. railway viaducts spanning the many branches of the Twyford The village developed further with the arrival of the

River Loddon. A4 railway from London in 1838. M4 A321 Reading

A329 M4 Bracknell

Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2012 CHARVIL COUNTRY By car: just South of the A4, at the junction of the A321 and A3032. Easily accessible from the M4 via J8/9 or J10. PARK By bus: on the Arriva 850 Reading - High Wycombe route If you remember your binoculars, keep an eye out for 3.5 miles Pochards, Tufted Ducks, Great Crested Grebes, Grey and Thames Travel route 128 Reading - . Twyford’s long history has left a rich legacy of old and Herons and Kingfishers. 2.5 hours interesting buildings, with numerous inns and hostelries By train: services from Reading, Henley, Maidenhead and built to serve the travellers. But it is a very compact and The Lands End Inn and adjacent ford are half-way round further afield. See www.nationalrail.co.uk for train times. ‘walkable’ village, home to a bustling community with a the walk and alternative access is available opposite The good range of shops, schools and all essential facilities. Lands End Inn or from East Park Farm car park. FURTHER INFORMATION Surrounding the village is a network of paths and USEFUL INFORMATION bridleways exploring attractive undulating countryside Visit the Twyford website for along the banks of the River Loddon, Broadwater and plenty more information on the Refreshments: a selection of pubs, restaurants and cafes the surrounding lakes. village and its surroundings... in the village centre at the start or end of your walk, plus other pubs noted en route. www.twyfordvillagepartnership.co.uk Parking: there are Pay & Display car parks in Polehampton Close (off the High St) and at the Station. These leaflets, as well as a Twyford Walking Map, are available on the website or free of charge from Twyford Library, Newberry’s Stationers, There is also free 2 hour parking at Waitrose. Twyford Surgery and local pubs.

An essential companion on these This series of walk leaflets has been produced by the Twyford Village Twyford walks is “Village Walks” Partnership, with funding from SEEDA and support from Hidden Britain. produced by the Twyford & Local History Society.

This is available from Newberry’s, An easy walk past lakes and priced £3.50 and describes a woodlands. Don’t forget complete History Walk. Design by Hidden Britain www.hiddenbritainse.org.uk binoculars and a bird book! 3 4 mile walk past lakes 1 Leaving Polehampton Close car park, cross and woodlands subdivide somewhat but continue heading at the High Street and turn left towards reclaimed from old first towards the railway line and then veering Reading, crossing over the railway and several gravel workings. right to walk parallel to the railway, now on branches of the River Loddon. Immediately Alternative access from your left. Head towards the railway arch used after the small industrial estate, re-cross the road Lands End Inn or East previously. to take the signposted footpath on the left. Park Farm car park. 6 After returning through the arch, turn 2 After 100yds of light woodland, with a immediately to the left, walking parallel to factory on the left, the path comes into the railway. This good path becomes a tarmac

r Loddo open grassland; turn road and is a

left at the junction of n reminder of the paths so that the former gravel buildings are still on King extraction. Just George’s the left. The path Field before reaching Park then curves to the Lane, take a right and keeps close narrower tarmac to the bank of the path on the right lake. When the main past a car park, path veers to the A4 Charvil sports facilities and a Water Meadows left, take a path on school continuing

the right and A3032 O clockwise, on a ld Bath Road Start/End A2032 continue walking in sandy path, past High a clockwise direction Street East Park Farm with the lake on 2 1 pavilion on the left your right for and wooden fencing 500yds. r around football Loddon pitches on the right. Old Rive Nature Reserve 3 A321 7 Charvil Country 6 Park

P a 4 r k La ne 3 Once past the lake and in Loddon When the Valley 7 open grassland sandy path again, fork left on veers off left into the P a r k

the path towards a L housing estate, look a n wooden footbridge e 5 for the footpath sign and the arches of the Parking ahead and follow railway viaduct. the grassy path as it Pub Wh istley M (The section of ill Lane sweeps left through Railway Station Brunel's railway from Copperbridge an avenue of trees. Twyford to Reading Church Brook N The housing estate 0 500 m 1k m involved not only Country Park is still close-by on these viaducts over 0 1/4 mile 1/2 mile the left for a while Ashbury the many branches of Park but then the path the Loddon but deep Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2012 excavations of Cutting through solid chalk. Work on the Cutting meant that Twyford was the temporary terminus of the mainline from 1838 to 1840.)

continues straight ahead across open grassland. As you reach a gap in some trees and come near to the lakeside by a small bridge, veer left to go 4 Keep straight ahead under the arch, still walking around the trees in a clockwise southwards through a gate and ignoring a path off to direction and soon the the right. The path is slightly raised above a lake on the junction of paths at point 2 right and a river on the left. (This old River is the original will be seen. Continue course of the River Loddon.) straight ahead with the factory buildings now on the right to 5 After 500yds, the path bends right and there is a exit onto the wooden kissing gate on the left. If you wish to visit The Old Bath Road If you enjoyed this Lands End Inn or look at the ford, then drop down to and thence walk in Twyford, Whistley Mill Lane here. If not, continue following the path back to the why not try another in a clockwise direction around the lake. The paths may starting point. in this series?

© 2012 Twyford Village Partnership. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure Visit the website or accuracy in the production of this leaflet, no liability for any error, omission or www.twyfordvillagepartnership co.uk inaccuracy can be accepted. Scan the code!