We made a 1:30 start (summer time is over!) and although we were going to Harwell we did so by heading for Chilton because this allows a route that avoids a dreadful stretch of on-road walking.  We took School Path to the Dismantled Railway and used the embankment to reach Upton.  Using village roads we went through Upton and emerged at the George & Dragon pub, arriving at the footpath that continues beside the Dismantled Railway and on to Chilton.

Once in Chilton, we again used village roads to teach the footpath that runs under the A34 and then due north to the edge of Harwell.  In Harwell we turned briefly east on the Reading Road to the footpath that runs through Princes Manor Farm and on into the cemetery.  We stopped in the cemetery to admire the sad but beautifully maintained War Graves before continuing on.  The footpath terminates at the Didcot Road and we turned east to cross the A34 to reach the now-truncated Driftway Track that leads beck to West Hagbourne.  There are two Byways that run south into the village; we took the second and finally returned to East Hagbourne via School Path.

We reached Upper Cross just 3-hours after starting and we had covered about 8-miles.  All agreed that it was “glorious”.  Will you join us in December?  Very close to the Winter Solstice and as a consequence the distance will be a bit shorter.