Compton

St Mary and St Nicholas, Compton

What could be better than the Berkshire Downs for a new year's day walk to clear the head after the previous night's celebrations?

This walk starts at the Compton Swan pub in the centre of Compton. The church with its fine 13th century tower is actually outside the village, but it makes a nice heading for this post. You walk along two village streets, cross under the former railway bridge and you are immediately on a track, sometimes open, sometime hedged, which leads up to the Ridgeway.


In the open bits, you can see the Downs stretching away to the west.


Once at the Ridgeway there is a choice between walking along it (which is what we did) and crossing over to make a circuit around Lowbury Hill and rejoining it later.

The route then follows the Ridgeway for a couple of miles with the Downs stretching out ahead.


After crossing another disused railway bridge, due north of Compton on the same line as the earlier one, you head south along gallops, with nice views to the west, to return to the village.


From: West Berkshire Council leaflet: Walking in West Berkshire 1.

Map: Explorer 170 (Abingdon, Wantage and Vale of White Horse).

Conditions: blue sky, very cold, ground frozen.

Distance: 5 miles.

Rating: Three stars. Quiet open country, but little of interest to see.