walks homepage

Hamstead Marshall

walks

Hamstead Marshall is well served by public rights of way (see map), on which it’s possible to walk off-road through scenic countryside for an hour or more, hardly leaving the parish. There is no challenging terrain, but be prepared to meet livestock, cattle grids, stiles and mud. Walkers with buggies are probably best advised to stick to either the canal towpath running eastwards towards Newbury (which has been surfaced as a cycleway) or the footpath that coincides with the tarmac driveway in Hamstead Park.

Irish Hill Walk

Enborne Wood Walk

These two walks can be combined as a figure of eight walk of about seven or eight miles, centred on Hamstead Mill.

Route details

Beginning at Hamstead Mill, this walk of about three and three-quarter miles takes you westwards along the canal, crosses over Morewood estate land via Irish Hill, and along Irish Hill Road back to Hamstead Mill.

Route details

This three-mile walk begins at Hamstead Mill, eastwards along the canal towpath to Benham Lock in the neighbouring parish of Enborne, and then through Enborne Wood, circling back through Hamstead Park.

Holtwood Walk

These two walks can be combined as a figure of eight walk of about seven miles, centred on the White Hart.

Route details

This three-mile walk starts opposite the White Hart, and takes the driveway up past Plumbs Farm and over a field, then through through Briffs Copse, across more farmland, and then joins a quiet lane to Holtwood. A footpath across Elm Farm land brings you back to the start.

Just west of the White Hart, the Elm Farm bridleway begins a walk of nearly four miles, taking in the site of the former Craven mansion, Hamstead church and the mill, before crossing the park and rejoining the Kintbury road via farmland, and returning to Elm Farm.

Route details

Elm Farm Trail

This two-mile circular walk touring Elm Farm's 235 acres displays organic farming in action, complete with ponds, old hedgerows, pollarded willows, unploughed grassland, old clay pits, and track verges rich in old-fashioned flora. Trail leaflets can be picked up from the start of the walk, where the bridle path leaves the Kintbury Road (opposite the farm car park) or from the farm office.