Hermitage, 505730 12½ miles, Explorer 158, (Hermitage, Curridge, Cold Ash Common, (Bucklebury), Oare, Hermitage)

Starting from the village hall car park. Exit car park turn right, take first right into track (Doctors Lane), ignore footpath to right. At road left to main road and there left again. (There appears to be a Permissive Path , unlabled at time of walk, running from the end of Doctors Lane to opposite Crabtree Lane, if this is confirmed it would be an easier route). Turn right into Crabtree Lane, continue along passed military married quarters on  left, the road becomes a byway. Right at bridle path, in 200yds left at waymark onto footpath. At road right onto Kiln Drive, in front of  2 Kiln Drive turn right onto byway.  At top of slope ignore path to left, continue ahead, at junction near motorway turn left and follow track around quarry. Where road leads into quarry cross and turn immediately left. On entering wood turn right onto byway (Marsh Lane). In about ½ mile reach road here right and in 150yds left at Carbrook Cottage. Right at ‘T’ junction and left at next junction. Continue onto road (B4009).

At road cross into Fisher’s Lane, in ¾ mile cross road into Bucklebury Lane. Ignore footpaths to left and right, Where road bends sharply right continue ahead on byway and immediately fork right. On reaching road turn left. Where made up road ends fork right, ignore footpath on right, just beyond Bridle End house fork left onto bridle way, straight across crossing bridle way. At staggered crossroads right onto footpath (track). Cross stile on left in to field, turn right, down field to cross foot bridge, climb slope to rejoin track and exit onto road with house on left. Pass in front of house and then immediately left into byway (Holly Lane). Cross little stream and continue on byway ignoring crossing footpath. Follow track around to left and enter edge of wood, with wood on right. Join track ahead and continue to road, here left and immediately right over stile into field, keep hedgerow on right. Exit field via kissing gate, follow track through small wood , cross River Pang, and exit onto road, turn left.

At road junction turn left to pass Marlston Farm. At ‘T’ junction right. Where road bears sharply left go straight on onto byway (Burntbush Lane). Ignoring tracks to left and right in about ½ mile come to a road, here right then left through farm yard on RUPP. In a further ½ mile in front of Birch Farm follow track around to left. Where track bears sharply right keep straight on with Birch Cottages on right. Through gate into field, go down field to road. At road sharply left into RUPP on tree lined track. At footpath sign turn right, where track forks keep right. Exit wood onto road here left then right into Chapel Lane. Follow Lane around ignoring Pond Lane and Deacons Lane, cross old railway bridge and so to main road, here right. After school on left cross stile into field, follow footpath around field to cross second stile. Straight ahead  with hedgerow on right to third stile and into Oare. At road left, as road bears right take footpath on left and up steep slope to top of ridge. At ‘T’ junction turn left, go straight ahead on footpath ignoring footpath to right. Pass bench and various paths left and right, where main path forks go right downhill. This path curls back through 180°, follow it around across back gardens to meet road in Hermitage. Turn right and follow pavement back to village hall.

If you encounter any problems with this walk please contact Richard or Nick.