Monday November 13, 2006

An Autumn walk around Binfield

To help us get over the jet lag - more on that tomorrow we decided to do a walk near our house in pretty Binfield village. As some of the paths are used by horses and get muddy we thought as it has been so dry this would be a good time of the year to do the walk. We started in a small area known as Wick's Green where folks can take their dogs/children for walks. Many of the lanes around this area have very attractive names as we shall see. We crossed the grassy area and met a lane Wick's lane crossed it and entered a wide path called Monk's alley. The path grew narrower and by a farm we turned right into Green lane this was beside Tippen's wood initially and the green name was right as the leaves are still green on many trees.

The path slightly rose and to our left we could see Ashley and Bowsey Hills at the very top where we met Carter's Hill and turned right. Along this road are some very smart and nice houses outside the main Binfield village. By a Grove Cottage we turned left into Orange Hill. We then took a path by a hedge and went through two fields. The stiles here are very particular to this area and are easy to pass through with no climbing involved. At Billingbear Farm we turned right to meet the busy B3018. This road was crossed and to our left we could see Allanbay Park with a large pond in its grounds. At Hill farm we turned right and walked along a very straight and featureless lane Hill Farm Lane. Eventually at Stubbs Hill we saw the Binfield cemetery and walked on a path by the B3018 again until we met the pretty 14th centruy Binfield Parish Church.

At this point we turned left into Terrace Road North and had a quick pit stop at the Jack O' Newbury pub which has been here since 1730. Jack O' Newbury was a famous cloth merchant in Henry eight's time - a man of merry disposition and honest conversation! After that break it was a short stroll back to the car park.