“The Downs… are among the highest, most spacious, and most divinely carved in rolling ridge and hollow flank .”

— Edward Thomas

In recent years walking festivals across the UK have become firmly established on the walkers’ map. They are a great way for both locals and visitors to get to know an area.

Last year (2019) we were excited to be part of the inaugural North Wessex Downs Walking Festival. Coordinated by the North Wessex Downs Partnership, the two week long Walking Festival offers a huge variety of walks and events to help you discover what makes the Downs so special.

We had planned to bring you some exciting walks as part of the festival programme this year (June) but sadly, like the Chilterns Walking Festival which we are also proud to be part of, all were stopped in its tracks by the covid-19 virus pandemic! All is not lost, however, as the chalk hills where we love to walk are still here and our inspiring guided walks can be rescheduled for you to enjoy at a later date. In the meantime, it’s time to make your shoes happy with an amble through some of our festival walks ‘up on the Downs’.

North Wessex Downs

The North Wessex Downs form part of the chalk hills of southern England. The Downs cover an area of 668 sq miles (1,730 sq km) and, designated an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’, they are renowned as one of England’s finest landscapes.

The north eastern part of the North Wessex Downs, from Ashdown House in the upper Lambourn Valley to the River Thames at Streatley, is also known as the Berkshire Downs (although much of this area today lies within the county of Oxfordshire). The landscape here is characterised by open rolling farmland and horse gallops and the humps and bumps of pre-history are evident everywhere. Ancient tracks lead us up on the Downs to the most ancient road of all, the Ridgeway, and under the big broad blue skies the panoramic views are awesome. All this makes for exhilarating walking!

A ‘Venerable’ Nordic Walk from Blewbury

The wide tracks over the rolling Downs are good Nordic walking terrain and the ‘venerable’ village of Blewbury (as described in its Saxon charter) is a perfect place from which to start a good walk. The long climb up from the village takes us over the Gallops (this is Dick Francis country!) to the Ridgeway and Lowbury Hill. After taking time to survey the site where King Ethelred and Alfred fought off the Danes we descending to back to Blewbury passing the Iron Age hillfort on Blewburton Hill. A very rewarding day engulfed by panoramic views yet captivated by the detail of the butterflies, the wild flowers and the call of yellowhammers and curlew!

Thanks for a great walk - what a beautiful landscape!

Poets and Giants – Literary Hitchhiking

There are many literary connections with the North Wessex Downs - poets and writers all united by their deep love of nature and the English countryside. We often tread the same paths, walking in their footsteps and our Festival walk up on the Berkshire Downs around the historic village of Aldworth is no exception. As we walk and explore the north-eastern fringes of this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty we discover association with no less than eight celebrated poets, including three poet laureates!

A fascinating walk, thank you! The views, the giants and all the literary references along the way were great. And the perfect pub stop too!

Hamstead Park Revealed

In contrast to our usual walks up on the Downs, this short walk in association with the Berkshire Gardens Trust explores the Kennet Valley to the west of Newbury. The highlight is the historic Hamstead Park, a former mediaeval deer park with royal connections and which, for many years, was part of the Lord Craven estate. We discover its fascinating history – the castle mottes, the park pale, the old manor fishponds and the enigmatic gateposts which rise surreally in the open parkland to give us a clue to the existence of a magnificent house since long vanished.

betjeman memorial window (john piper), all saints church, farnborough

Spontaneous Berkshire Days – Literary hitchhiking

Another of our Literary Hitchhiking walks – this one features the celebrated poet Sir John Betjeman who once lived in the sleepy downland village of Farnborough, the highest village in Berkshire! Our walk starts near the village at the Saddleback Farm Shop - perfect for stocking up on some walks snacks. We immerse ourselves in the Downs walking the byways of bygone times where Betjeman and his family once walked – the thick hedged green lanes, the broad open tracks of the ancient Ridgeway passing the Lord Wantage Monument, and the Roman road of Old Street heavy with the heady scent of elderflower. A highlight of the walk is All Saints Church and the beautiful stained glass window, designed by John Piper in memory of John Betjeman.

the long winding coomb of streatley warren

Up on the Downs

On this walk we step out the historic village of Aldworth set high in the Downs above Streatley and famed for its Giants and pub - The Bell Inn! The footpaths take us over the fields to Streatley Warren, a favourite spot of the poet Edward Thomas, to admire the long views over the Thames to the Chiltern Hills. From here we head along the Ridgeway National Trail and up Lowbury Hill to survey the site of a Saxon battle. Returning to Aldworth we discover the Giants and an ancient yew tree immortalised in the poetry of Lord Tennyson. Our walk is ended and the Bell Inn beckons - an unspoiled quintessentially English hostelry and the perfect place for all discerning walkers to take a rest!

Wish we lived nearer, we had a fantastic time when we walked with you. The views were brilliant!

20190913_Stile on the Ridgeway.jpg — Save the Date!

Don’t miss the 2021 North Wessex Downs Walking Festival:
5th to 20th June 2021

Can’t wait ‘til then?

As the government starts to relax the covid-19 virus lockdown and the great outdoor is cautiously re-opening, Pipsticks Walks is pleased to announce a phased reopening of our activities! Our regular Nordic walking programme is now open for booking and we will be adding to our programme of guided walks and other activities in the coming months. Our bespoke private guiding services are also now available. So please do check our website and follow Pipsticks Walks on twitter and facebook, or simply get in touch to discus your requirements and provisionally book your own very special guided walk. We look forward to walking with you!