important part of securing its future for generations to come. to generations for future its securing of part important like you. We are the caretakers of this natural heritage and an an and heritage natural this of caretakers the are We you. like return and flourish in large numbers. large in flourish and return landowners and planners but of thousands of individuals, individuals, of thousands of but planners and landowners conditions, we could give these species a chance to to chance a species these give could we conditions, Room for wildlife to adapt to change to adapt to wildlife for Room Landscape doesn’t just depend on the support of farmers, farmers, of support the on depend just doesn’t Landscape bittern. If we can provide enough space and the right right the and space enough provide can we If bittern. Being close to two large towns, the success of The Living Living The of success the towns, large two to close Being studded blue butterfly, round-leaved sundew and and sundew round-leaved butterfly, blue studded Connected areas so wildlife can move freely move can wildlife so areas Connected or gone, such as the water vole, otter, barn owl, silver- owl, barn otter, vole, water the as such gone, or people to enjoy it and expand the wildlife habitats within it. within habitats wildlife the expand and it enjoy to people species once common in the area are now threatened threatened now are area the in common once species People learning about and enjoying the landscape the enjoying and about learning People celebrate this landscape, create more opportunities for for opportunities more create landscape, this celebrate between them less friendly to wildlife. A number of of number A wildlife. to friendly less them between Berkshire Council have joined forces in an initiative to to initiative an in forces joined have Council Berkshire habitats have become more fragmented and the areas areas the and fragmented more become have habitats Green spaces between our towns our between spaces Green of land rich with history and wildlife. BBOWT and West West and BBOWT wildlife. and history with rich land of and rich landscape, but some species are struggling as as struggling are species some but landscape, rich and and is a mosaic mosaic a is and 26km covers It Thatcham. and Newbury Many birds, mammals and insects thrive in this diverse diverse this in thrive insects and mammals birds, Many 2 Varied and wild habitats wild and Varied The West Berkshire Living Landscape is on the edge of of edge the on is Landscape Living Berkshire West The of the Kennet and the Enborne. Enborne. the and Kennet the of slopes running down into the rich wetland river valleys valleys river wetland rich the into down running slopes give wildlife room to adapt and thrive. thrive. and adapt to room wildlife give Living Landscape? Living a flat gravel plateau surrounded by ancient-woodland ancient-woodland by surrounded plateau gravel flat a for wildlife and people, reconnect isolated habitats and and habitats isolated reconnect people, and wildlife for a makes What The heathland at Greenham Common is on the top of of top the on is Common Greenham at heathland The Living Landscapes are big and bold; they create space space create they bold; and big are Landscapes Living West Berkshire Living Landscape Living Berkshire West Greenham Common Greenham Bowdown Woods Bowdown eedbeds R Thatcham Planning your walk Things to do Charity No. 204330 11.08 Registered The walk is six miles (without suggested detours). Volunteer on conservation work parties: You should allow three to four hours. – for BBOWT: 01865 775476 – for Greenham and Crookham Conservation Start at the Nature Discovery Centre, Muddy Lane, Volunteers (GCCV): the Ranger 01635 580792, off Lower Way, Thatcham RG19 3FU. Some local bus www.gccv.org.uk services stop on Lower Way near the Centre – visit Visit West Berkshire Museum, The Wharf, Newbury, www.traveline.org.uk or call Traveline on 0871 200 01635 30511. www.westberks.gov.uk West Berkshire 2233 for up-to-date information. The Centre is run by Join the local RIGS Geology Group: 01993 814147, West Berkshire Council, and has a range of displays www.tverc.org and information on wildlife and the environment; Learn about local history with the Thatcham Living Landscape plus a shop, toilets and café. Check for opening times Historical Society: Secretary 01635 863536, on 01635 874381 – www.naturediscovery.org.uk. www.thatchamhistoricalsociety.org.uk Six-mile circular walk Enjoy a walk with the local Ramblers: local Thatcham–Bowdown–Greenham–Thatcham Alternatively, start at Thatcham railway station; there group contact 01635 281621 are regular trains from Reading and Newbury – visit www.wberksramblers.org.uk www.nationalrail.co.uk or call National Rail Explore the Kennet and Avon Canal: 01380 721279, Enquiries on 08457 484950 for timetable information. www.katrust.org.uk This increases the walk by just under one mile. Learn about wildlife and sustainability at the Nature Discovery Centre: 01635 874381, The terrain consists of a towpath, tracks, steep www.naturediscovery.org.uk slopes and can get very muddy. There is one stile, Find out more about the history of Greenham road crossings and a railway crossing that needs Common: www.greenham-common.org.uk particular care. Help us to help wildlife Join your local wildlife Trust today Dogs can easily disturb wildlife, particularly ground-nesting birds. Please keep dogs under close Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), control at all times, and on a lead when in the nature Philip Precey and Mike Read James Osmond, David Kjaer Ben Micklen, Norman Jones, Gavin Hageman, GCCV, Creed, Peter BBOWT, Appleby, Rob Photos: The Lodge, 1 Armstrong Road, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4XT reserves, or during the bird nesting season (1 March– [email protected] | 01865 775476 | www.bbowt.org.uk 31 July). www.bbowt.org.uk www.bbowt.org.uk Protecting Wildlife for the Future Nature Discovery Centre Kingfisher Bluebells Kennet and Avon Canal 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. Lock ‘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 River Kennet. In at the junction of the London Clay June notice the tall, prolific hemlock and the overlying sands.