Section 41 Out
Aldermaston to Ufton
Walk Details
| Map | OS Explorer 159 Reading |
|---|---|
| Distance/Time | 4.5 miles/2.5 hours |
| Start | The Hind's Head in Aldermaston |
| Comment | This is a short but pleasant walk over grassy fields and river banks then canal towpaths. An unpleasant section of roadwalking is avoided by provision of a permissive path. An action that should be far more common. Aldermaston Wharf has much of interest and is worth spending a little time finding out about its history. Sadly the pub at Ufton has now closed. A little further north up the main road is The Spring Inn, or there are facilities at Aldermaston Wharf. |
Walk Instructions
With the front of The Hind’s Head pub on your left, cross over the main road and walk back up the lane opposite. In ¼ mile look for a footpath off left. Go through a gap in the hedge to a metal swing gate and cross straight over the field towards distant trees.
At the far side reach and cross a gated footbridge. Go straight across the field ahead to a second footbridge, then on across the third field to a metal kissing gate and footbridge into a wood. Bear left through the trees to a metal kissing gate onto a busy road.
Cross to the other side and turn left a few paces along the verge. Turn right through a gap in the hedge down steps and across a footbridge into a field. Walk away from the road by a river on your right (this is a permissive path to avoid roadwalking). Follow around the edge of the field to a footbridge in the top corner.
Cross the footbridge and go forward across a rough grassy area. At the far side meet the River Kennet. Turn left along the river bank for ½ mile. At one point, where the path enters tall trees, it leaves the river to cut off a corner. Regain the river bank and keep on to a long ramp upto a footbridge.
Cross the footbridge and turn right to go along the canal towpath, with the canal on your right. Keep along for some way to reach a bridge. Turn right to cross the bridge, then immediately left down to continue on the towpath with the canal now on your left. Continue all the way to pass the lock and meet a road at Aldermaston Wharf.
Turn left over the canal bridge and then immediately right to regain the towpath and continue with the canal back on your right. Pass a Visitor Centre, car park and café and keep on for 1 ½ miles passing Froudes Bridge and Towney Bridge to reach Ufton Bridge where the towpath goes up to a road.
Turn left on the road for ¼ mile to reach the main A4 road. Cross with care to the site of the former Winning Hand pub, now closed, at the other side and the end of the section ( ½ mile to the right up the main road is The Spring Inn, there is a café at Aldermaston Wharf.).
