Tagged by "Purley"
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Sulham Valley (Longer Circular Walk)
(route)
A varied walk along the full length of Sulham Valley. The walk makes full use of Rights of Way and two permissive paths and despite being in close proximity to Reading is almost entirely within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are many alternative starting points for this walk and several points at which it can be shortened.
I recommend using OS Explorer Map No. 159 for this walk.
Public transport links are available at Theale (rail and bus), Pangbourne (rail and bus), Turnhams Farm (Reading Buses Route 33) and Westwood Glen (Reading Buses Route 15) in Tilehurst and Purley (Reading Buses Route 16).
1. The walk begins at the junction of City Road and Little Heath Road in Tilehurst. From City Road turn left to walk down Pincents Lane. There is a viewpoint over the southern end of the Sulham Valley at a field entrance past the first house on your right. Where the road widens, continue down Pincents Lane past Pincents Manor on your right and the new Turnhams Green offices on your left, continue past the retail park on your right until you see Nunhide Lane on your right just before the Motorway.
2. Turn right up Nunhide Lane. The tarmac lane gives way to a gravel track. Continue along Nunhide Lane past Nunhide Farm and cottages on your right. After the first set of cottages on your left take the path forking left.
3. Continue along this path following the hedge on your left then continue straight on over the crossroads junction with another path, past the wood on your left.
4. After this wood you will see a T junction, take the path left, then continue to follow this path straight on over the Sulham Brook - ignore the path on your right.
5. Continue through the wood with the field on your right until you reach an open field. Continue along the track at the northern edge of this field. Follow the track along the southern edge of the next field then the northern edge of the next field until you meet another track. Turn right along this track and follow it until you reach an old tarmac road - this is the old A340.
6. Turn right crossing over the old Hogmoor Bridge. Immediately on your left on the north side of the river you will see a permitted path. Follow this path underneath the modern A340.
7. You now enter an open field. Proceed in a northwesterly direction to the hedgeline at the far end. There is a stile along this hedgeline. Cross over the stile into the next field, then cross another stile at the next hedge. A detailed map of this permitted path can be found here (copy and paste link):
http://countrywalks.defra.gov.uk/DisplayImage.aspx?Type=Mapboard&IFN=021120003.pdf
8. Turn right onto the track and continue past the buildings on your left then your right.
9. Cross the A340 with care onto the pavement opposite. Walk through Tidmarsh. Cross Mill Lane on your right again with care as this is a busy cut through between Tidmarsh and Tilehurst and continue along the main A340 past the Greyhound Pub and a hexagonal cottage on your right.
10. Immediately after the new road and houses of Strachey Close to your left take the path on your right and follow it around the back of the houses on the main road.
11. Continue to follow the path north crossing over a newly constructed driveway towards a new development on your right. Follow the path around the cottage on your right with a large open field on your left.
12. Turn left onto the driveway passing the lane leading back to the A340 on your immediate left. Continue past the field and the Old Vicarage on your right. Immediately after the cottages on your right take the path into the first field on your right, continuing on the right side through the next two fields until you meet the River Pang once more. Pass through the gate and follow the river until you come to a T junction with a path coming from your left. Turn right and cross over the River Pang.
13. Continue in a northeasterly direction until you reach a crossroads with another path. At the crossroads turn right and follow the path in a southeasterly direction. The path bridges two shallow ditches then crosses over a hedge and bridge with a larger ditch. Follow the path through the next field and cross the stile into Sulham Lane.
14. Turn left into Sulham lane and follow the road north until you reach the T junction with the A329. NB this road is often used as a cut through between Pangbourne and Tilehurst and traffic can be fast. At the junction with the A329 turn right over the bridge then immediately left, crossing the road with care.
15. Follow the path north with the Sulham Brook and houses on your left and a large open field on your right.
16. Turn right onto the concrete road and pass underneath the railway bridge. Leave the concrete road at the entrance to the sewage works and continue to follow the path north in the direction of the Chiltern Hills ignoring the path to your right. Continue with the Sulham Brook on your left until you reach the river Thames.
17. On reaching the Thames Path walk east along the river and through Mapledurham Lock. NB There are refreshments available and places to sit at Mapledurham Lock.
18. Cross over the wooden bridge across a brook entering the Thames with the weir on your left. At this point take the path right and continue along the eastern edge of the field until you meet the access road to Mapledurham Lock on your right. Continue straight on along this access road into Purley.
19. Turn right and walk into Purley village with open fields on your right. Continue through the old village until the road turns sharp left. At this point take the gravel drive to your right.
20. Follow the gravel drive to its end then continue along the path curving west with the back of the houses on your left and a scrubland area on your right. Follow this path through fields until you approach the railway bridge on your left. Cross over the gravel track and continue straight on along the path beside the railway until you reach Westbury Lane.
21. At Westbury Lane, turn left over the railway bridge and continue along this road up the hill through Upper Purley until you reach the A329.
21. Turn right along the A329 in the direction of Pangbourne until you see Beech Road on your left. Cross the A329 with care into Beech Road. Walk up Beech Road until it turns sharp left. Do not follow the road any further but take the path on your right.
22. Follow the path between the houses then turn left and follow the path south along the back of the houses, then continue along this path through the copse. NB The path here does not currently follow the right of way as depicted on the Ordnance Survey Maps. As the line of the right of way passes through crops and is untraceable on the ground, follow the established path directly south into the northern end of Sulham Woods. A new fence has been erected on your right along this entire stretch of path.
23. On entry to Sulham Woods turn right along a permitted path. Follow this permitted path around the northern edge of the wood. Continue to follow this path as it turns south along a trackway with an old chalk pit to your left. Follow the trackway around the western edge of the wood. Where the farm track turns right, keep left and follow the track back into the wood. Turn right along a wide woodland path until you reach a cross roads junction with another path going east to west. Go straight on until you reach another cross roads junction.
24. At this second crossroads of paths take the path right downhill between the fields. You will see houses at the foot of the hill, take the path on your left along the back of the houses. Follow the path until you reach the end of the houses then follow the hedge on your left through a small field until you reach a gate leading onto the Sulham Hill road.
25. Cross over the road into Nunhide Lane. Walk straight on past the Church on your left and Sulham Farm on your right. Follow the gravel track past several paths on your left and right and a pair of cottages on your right until you reach the buildings of Nunhide Farm near the start of your walk.
26. A short distance after the last big house on the left you will see a path going uphill through the field on your left. Take this path. About halfway along you will see a path leading up to an old red brick tower. This is a dovecot and it is a listed building. A permitted path has been created by Sulham Estates to allow access to the tower.
27. Continue along the Right of Way past the dovecot tower until you reach an area of scrub. Take the path right through the area of scrub - ignore the path on your left, this is neither a right of way nor a permitted path. Now pass through a gate and follow the path across another field up to the edge of the wood. Then pass through another gate into the wood. The path goes steeply uphill through the woods with a small stream on your left. Cross the stile up the top of the hill out into a field and follow the line of trees on your left. Cross another stile. The path from here on is fenced until you reach a final stile. Turn left to reach your starting point and the end of the walk.
Please note this is a draft route description and despite having walked the route many times there may be an omission or something that is not clear. I therefore recommend copying and gently penciling the route onto a larger 1:25,000 scale map before setting out.
