Finchampstead and Moor Green Lakes

Grove Lake

A pleasant stroll on a warm afternoon. This five mile walk starts in Finchampstead, but the first half mile is simply down a road, so we started near the lakes and made it four. The car park was temporarily closed for roadworks, as allegedly was the path, but this turned out to be a false alarm.

This is a very simple walk. You follow the path along one side of the three lakes which make up the Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve and when you meet the Blackwater river, you turn left and walk for a mile or so with the lakes on the left and the river on the right.

We particularly enjoyed this display of azalias and camellias exploding out from a house on the opposite bank.



At the end of Horseshoe Lake you turn left and follow the lake edge past the watersports centre to eventually enter the woods and fields on the edge of Finchampstead ridges. After another mile or so you are back at the road in front of the lakes.

From: Waterside walks in Berkshire by Nick Channer (Countryside Books).

Map: Explorer 159 (Reading).

Rating: three stars.


Sightings

The highlight was this heron standing imperiously at the side of the Blackwater. We spoke to some people who were taking photographs and learned that he (the heron, that is) had been there for many weeks. He was not troubled by people passing by, but did not care for noisy dogs.




Flower of the day

Speedwell