Being close to two large towns, the success of The Living people to enjoy it and expand the wildlife habitats within it. celebrate this landscape, create more opportunities for Council have joined forces in an initiative to of land rich with history and wildlife. andBBOWT West Newbury and . coversIt 26km The Living Landscape is on the edge of give wildlife room to adaptandthrive. for wildlife andpeople, reconnect isolated habitats and are they bigandbold; Living Landscapes create space West Berkshire Living Landscape important part of securing its future for generations to come. like you. We are the caretakers of this natural heritage and an landowners and planners but of thousands of individuals, Landscape doesn’t just depend on the support of farmers, Thatcham r eedbeds for the Future for Wildlife Protecting Protecting Landscape 2 and is a mosaic West Berkshire Berkshire West Living Six-mile circular walk walk circular Six-mile Thatcham–Bowdown–Greenham–Thatcham

11.08 Registered Charity No. 204330 Bowdown Woods studded bluebutterfly, round-leaved sundew and or gone, suchasthewater vole, otter, owl, barn silver- species once common inthearea are now threatened tobetween themlessfriendly wildlife. Anumberof habitats have become more fragmented andtheareas landscape,and rich butsomespeciesare struggling as Many birds, thrive inthisdiverse mammalsandinsects of theKennetandEnborne. slopes runningdown into wetland therich river valleys a flat gravel plateau surrounded by ancient-woodland The heathland at Greenham Common isonthetop of return inlarge andflourish numbers. conditions, we could give these speciesachance to webittern. If can provide enoughspace andtheright

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k k k www.westberks.gov.u g www.greenham-common.org.u for Greenham and Crookham Conservation Greenham for (GCCV): the RangerVolunteers 01635 580792, for BBOWT: 01865 775476 for www.gccv.org.u

group contact 01635 281621 group www.naturediscovery.org.uk www.naturediscovery.org.uk www.tverc.or www.thatchamhistoricalsociety.org.u with the local Ramblers: a walk Enjoy local www.wberksramblers.org.u 721279, 01380 Canal: Avon and Kennet the Explore www.katrust.org.u Volunteer on conservation parties: work Volunteer – – Newbury, Wharf, The Museum, Berkshire West Visit 01635 30511. Join the local RIGS Geology Group: 01993 814147, 814147, 01993 Group: Geology RIGS local the Join Thatcham about local historyLearn with the Historical Society: Secretary 01635 863536, and sustainability the at about wildlife Learn 01635 874381, Discovery Centre: Nature about the history out more of Greenham Find Common:

help wildlife us to Help today Trust local wildlife Join your (BBOWT), Trust Wildlife Bucks & Oxon Berks, 4XT OX4 Littlemore, Road, 1 Armstrong Lodge, The | 01865 775476 | www.bbowt.org.uk [email protected] Things to do to Things

Photos: Rob Appleby, BBOWT, Peter Creed, GCCV, Gavin Hageman, Norman Jones, David Kjaer Ben Micklen, James Osmond, Philip Precey and Mike Read Mike and Precey Philip Osmond, James Micklen, Ben Kjaer David Jones, Norman Hageman, Gavin GCCV, Creed, Peter BBOWT, Appleby, Rob Photos: Living Landscape? What makes a Greenham Common Varied andwildhabitats Room forRoom wildlife to adaptto change Connected areas so wildlife canmove freely People aboutandenjoying learning thelandscape Green spaces between ourtowns www.bbowt.org.uk

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reserves, or during the bird nesting season (1 March– (1 season nesting bird the during or reserves, 31 July). control at all times, and on a lead when in the nature and on a lead when in the nature all times, at control Dogs can easily disturb wildlife, particularlyDogs can easily disturb wildlife, keep dogs under close Please birds. ground-nesting

road crossings and a railway crossing that needs particular care. The terrain consists of a towpath, tracks, steep slopes and can get very Theremuddy. is one stile, Enquiries on 08457 484950 for timetable information. timetable information. Enquiries on 08457 484950 for mile. just under one by the walk increases This www.nationalrail.co.u Alternatively, start at Thatcham railway station; there there station; railway Thatcham start at Alternatively, Reading and Newbury from trains regular – visit are plus a shop, toilets and café. Check for opening times Check for and café. toilets plus a shop, on 01635 874381 – www.naturediscovery.org.uk. and information on wildlife and the environment; and the environment; on wildlife and information 2233 for up-to-date information. The Centre is run by is run by Centre The up-to-date2233 for information. of displays and has a range Council, Berkshire West services stop on Lower Way near the Centre – visit near the Centre Way services on Lower stop on 0871 200 Traveline or call www.traveline.org.uk off Lower Way, Thatcham RG19 3FU. Some local bus RG19 3FU. Thatcham Way, Lower off Start at the Nature Discovery Centre, Muddy Lane, Muddy Lane, Start Discovery Centre, the Nature at You should allow three to four hours. hours. four to three should allow You The walk is six miles (without suggested detours). detours). is six miles (without suggested walk The Planning your walk your Planning Nature Discovery Centre Kingfisher Bluebells Lapwing Sulphur knight

Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust Directions Turn left onto a path that 6–mile circular walk through the Living Landscape initially runs parallel to From the Nature Discovery the road. Continue past a tall Centre, walk with the lake on white pole to the gravel path your left. At the far corner and turn left towards Crookham cross a junction of tracks to go Common. through a green gate. Continue 8 You are parallel to the old runway: along the track. At a ‘private A4 3,660 m in length. In 1995 the 1.25 access’ sign, turn right onto to Reading million tonnes of concrete was a small path under the removed, and some reused for the electricity wires. Newbury by-pass. You may see the Benham Hill Exmoor ponies grazing; they are now 1 Excavation of this area uncovered Thatcham many flint tools from 10,000 years rare and are bred on the Common to ago: tools for cutting vegetables, help conserve the breed. scraping animal skins, making Lower Way Nature Discovery START/ holes and sawing. Centre FINISH After some distance, take the left fork and follow this path as Thatcham it runs alongside the road. Turn left at an information 1 Lake board and through the The area of lakes on your right was reedbeds until you reach the 2 9 Bull’s 11a re-landscaped to create river and canal. ‘micro-climates’; different facing Reedbeds Thatcham slopes, drier or damper areas to give Approximately 40 species of Widmead Station 2 Lock insect feed only on reeds. Look out Kennet and Avon Canal 11 varied conditions for wildlife. There for the bloody-nosed beetle are just three or four pairs of lapwings Lower breeding on the Common, but you that gets its name from emitting Farm 3 may see one circling over the pools. a blood-like substance Wetland from its mouth when it The name describes its wavering flight. feels threatened.

River Kennet Keep the lakes on your right At the canal towpath, turn 4 until you come to a gate on your right to go over a bridge. Pass left. Cross the road and down Bowdown 10 Chamberhouse Bull’s Lock and cross the canal Woods Farm the gravel bridleway. Turn left at the metalled track and on the swing-bridge. Turn left 5 Nature onto the road and walk under Reserve Woodland slopes cross the Kennet River to Chamberhouse Farm. the railway. Keep to the right 6 along a track following the The American signal crayfish, an Golf 10 footpath sign until you come course 7a Control escapee from crayfish farms, is tower to a gravel processing plant 7 now very common in the river; on the left and a lake created unfortunately, it carries a disease from a disused gravel pit on 9 that has almost wiped out the native the right. white-clawed crayfish. Evidence of Bury’s Bank Road late Bronze Age activity has been 3 This lake attracts a wide range 8 of birds, such as the little ringed found at Chamberhouse Farm; it is plover, a summer visitor also reputed to have been the site of a Crookham Common late medieval castle. from Africa. Greenham Heathland Common Continue on the track up the hill. Continue ahead between the hedges to the canal. 4 Moving away from the river valley up a wooded escarpment, you 11 The swing bridge crosses a mile- might notice the ground is wet. long straight of the canal built to This water seeps out of the ground by-pass the winding . In at the junction of the London Clay June notice the tall, prolific hemlock and the overlying sands. water dropwort and look out for the bright blue kingfisher as it flies low over the canal. Turn into the car park for Please note the walk is to be followed in an BBOWT Bowdown Woods anti-clockwise direction. Nature Reserve on your left. Our walk turns left on the Take the path in the top corner The numbers on the map indicate points of Key towpath, but you might detour interest along the way. right along the towpath to of the car park and follow it BBOWT nature reserve up a slope between two banks Monkey Marsh lock. Don’t forget that you can help look after Railway Station until you reach a fence on your This has been restored as an old wildlife by keeping your dog on a lead. 11a right. Follow the path along Parking traditional ‘turf-sided’ lock using the fence. modern materials. South of the lock, Notice the majestic, ancient oak there is a ‘pillbox’, a Second World 5 When you reach the car park, Our walk takes you left, but you trees. The bark of oak was once War defence structure. walk along the drive to the Bury’s might detour ahead to the old used in the tanning of leather and When you reach a T-junction, turn Bank Road. Cross the road onto Airfield Control Tower. acorns were fed to pigs. There Head back along the towpath right on a tarmac path. Greenham Common. are over 300 species of fungi in 7a Near the control tower is a map and to the next lock, Widmead. Just Bowdown Woods; spot the yellowy 6 The Old Bomb Site on the left of the path 7 Look underfoot here, most of the information about the Common. The after, cross a stile away from sulphur knight with its unpleasant was used as a wartime munitions site. A pebbles are smooth rounded flints present tower was built in 1951 and the canal. Cross the railway gas-like smell. On a sunny summer’s military structure was demolished and showing that they have been updated in the 1980s. Alongside is a being extremely careful and day look out for the distinctive the bricks left provide shelter for lizards, transported a distance in the great river mosaic created by an artist at New walk straight ahead back to the gatekeeper butterfly. snakes and small mammals. systems that once covered the area. Greenham Arts with local people in 2005. Centre where our walk ends. Design and production: Naturebureau, Newbury. www.naturebureau.co.uk Design and production: Naturebureau, Newbury.

Gatekeeper butterfly Greenham mosaic Bell heather Autumn lady’s-tresses Bloody-nosed beetle Hemlock water dropwort

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