Directions

Take the M4 to jct 8/9 then A404(M) as far as the junction with the A4 (Bath Road) at Maidenhead Thicket. Turn left, follow the road westwards for about 1 mile to a mini-roundabout where turn right on Burchett's Green Road. After half a mile along winding road turn left up lane (signposted "To the Dew Drop"). Keep on this lane ignoring any RH turn-offs until eventually the road straight ahead becomes a track. At its end the pub should be visible down slope on your right.

Nat Grid Ref: SU824815

Location

The Dewdrop Inn is a Brakspear pub, offering a good range of food including roasts, steak, ham egg & chips, chilli, liver, fish pie, scampi, etc, plus veg option and daily specials (but, we understand, not sandwiches on a Sunday). They have their own website at http://www.thedewdropinn.co.uk/
If you select the "Where We Be" option from the Home page there is a location map with telephone number.

They have a car park (but it's not huge) so if you are eating it's a good idea to get there early. There is very little scope for parking on the track leading to the pub. The landlord is absolutely fine about us leaving cars there during the afternoon, but respectfully asks that we don't clutter up the car park to the detriment of potential eating customers (we understand he has had problems in past when a group of cyclists filled the car park with their cars before opening time then disappeared, which deterred all his potential lunch customers). If you are just coming for a pint or two around 1.30-1.45 before the QW he hasn't a problem as most of his lunch customers will be there by that time anyway.


Public Transport

Not quite so easy this way, you need to take the train to Maidenhead or Twyford station (pub is about 4 miles from either) and then a cab. There's a half-hourly service on the Paddington to Reading line on Sundays.

Map

Walk Information

Exactly 3.5 miles, a bit of a climb through woodland on first stage but rest pretty easy going with just a few stiles and kissing-gates. Some excellent views across the Thames valley.

Route & Question Sheets

Starter Clues

Visible along side of pub.

1. "Purify your soul" it's said
And then within you're free to tread

2. Not one of the West Wing chaps
Superior type, perhaps

3. 'Holiday' hotel that you may recall
After getting married back in the fall

Stage 1

Go left out of pub car park to top of slope, then turn right. Keep ahead following the narrower woodland path, then at cross-paths, take footpath uphill to left. Ignore any turn-offs and keep ahead to finally reach junction with road. Turn left and follow this metalled track ignoring turn-offs. Stage ends at point where track veers off to right.

4. Doh! Whose ales you drunk here?
(Probably Brakspear's, it's so near)

5. Not encouraging salesmen, so can you see
Why Avon's in this vicinity?

6. Track current month after current day
Not easy to spot when it's facing away

Stage 2

Leave the track (which veers right) and keep straight ahead on footpath down slope, then at bottom turn right along lane. Follow the lane for about 200 yards then just before RH bend in road, take footpath to left into trees. Shortly pass through kissing gate and bear right into field. Keep ahead on this path with fence on left, which takes you in general direction of a large black & white striped painted house in distance. Follow path over stile and along LH side of house to road. Turn left and keep to LH pavement all the way to junction opposite the Crown pub, where stage ends.

7. The mob are heading west
But their tail has been suppressed

8. Chap from the friendly society
Helping you get from A to B

9. They've squared the circle? That's partly right
And provided the Upper House with light

10. One who's familiar with exertion
And could be needy through conversion?

Stage 3

Turn left down Hall Place Lane, at the end keep along footpath to the left of Lane End House. Stage ends at kissing gate.

11 "I'm the only one" said he
So maybe this needs an apostrophe

12. They look a bit dilapidated
A quarter got decapitated

13. There's another of these with '10' in brass
Beyond which Mr Brown may pass

Stage 4

Go through kissing gate and then follow footpath sign across field towards trees. On reaching driveway go left and walk towards building. NB NO ANSWERS ON SHORT UNDERLINED SECTION THAT FOLLOWS. Turn right and follow path round front of college. Continue ahead to Veterinary Surgery Car Park on left. Soon bear left between trees, following Public Footpath sign. Follow this path with metal fence and animal cages on right. Continue between more trees. Stage ends at bottom of slope after path emerges into open, close to pond on right

14. Animals on the run?
They've lost at least fifty-one

15. Sevenoaks, we must concede
Has a couple more than you really need

16. Making high notes in this place?
You must look in the trumpeter's case

Stage 5

Keep ahead to trees in distance. Go through metal kissing gate and then straight on through wood. After a short distance the path reaches far side of wood and there is a fine view of the Thames Valley (Hurley village lies immediately ahead of you). Turn left and continue along path to kissing gate at end (you may wish to make use of the picnic area on left along here). Turn left at kissing gate and go back into wood. Stage ends at post with yellow arrow just beyond another metal kissing gate.

17. The king of the software mavericks
And the toothless hero of '66

18. Go round it precariously
Poachers leave expeditiously

19. The final section
Of a viral infection

Stage 6

Keep ahead straight across field, ignore first cross path then at the next junction turn right along metalled path. Stage ends at junction with lane.

20. Something the jockey should heed
It's clear he's not in the lead

21. The quotient will bring
You near the bull ring

22. As the translation makes clear
No crib is necessary here

Stage 7

Turn left along lane, ignore bridleway to right. After passing houses firstly on the right, then on the left, take public footpath on right between sapling protectors. (This is well before the white Dew Drop signpost further ahead). Through gate and follow path to end, then through another gate. Turn left along bridleway back to the pub.

23. Newly built in a rural location
The summer of love made a good foundation

24. It keeps us convicts in gaol
Did they learn how to make it at Yale?

25. Take one thousand and one
In three parts ... and you're done!

Spare clue (in starting bonus area) - Not used on the day

26. Leg, when it is fried
Means fresher air inside

 

Young Walkers Questions

There are just 8 clues to solve... one at the pub, then one on each stage of the walk.

AT THE PUB:

Playing a tune on a pipe is all right
But not if you want to set it alight!

STAGE 1:

You must take heed
They don't have a lead

STAGE 2:

The thunderstorm was very bad
And left this looking rather sad

STAGE 3:

A house you pass by on your way
It sounds like the fisherman had a bad day

STAGE 4:

They are playing two sorts of game
The posts are not all the same

STAGE 5:

Crisps and sandwiches to consume?
This points to an outdoor dining room

STAGE 6:

The first by the roadside you could be viewing
The second is what the hens might be doing

STAGE 7:

Two numbers the same is what you must spot
Add them together and what have you got?

Answers

1) PLEASE REMOVE MUDDY BOOTS (soul/sole)

2) J. R. LAKE, licensee (ref. J R Ewing & Lake Superior)

3) THE DEW DROP INN (ie [Holiday] Inn following Wed [rev.] in The Drop)

4) ASHLEY WOOD HOUSE house-name (anag. DOH WHOSE ALES YOU)

5) CLIFTON house-name (Clifton, Bristol is on R. Avon)

6) FOOTPATH 29 HURLEY (today is the 2nd day of the 9th month)

7) IFAM on padlock (MAFI[A] reversed)

8) AQUAKERB at kerbside (A-QUAKER-B)

9) Large round window (with central square panes) in roof

10) THE GREYHOUND house-name (anag. NEEDY THROUGH)

11) TIGGERS house-name (ref. Winnie the Pooh)

12) 8 stone mushrooms/toadstools outside the Dower House (2 missing tops)

13) POWERDOOR on plate at bottom of gate (ref. 10 Downing St)

14) Broken sign saying [LI]VESTOCK - [DOGS] MUST [BE K]EPT [ON A] LEAD
(LI =51 in roman numerals)

15) FIVE TREES

16) LIFTING KEYS IN BLOWER BOX

17) GATES & STILES (ie Bill and Nobby)

18) GRIPPLE on barbed wire (first letters)

19) 'enza' on label at kissing gate (INFLU-ENZA)

20) WARNING HORSES AHEAD

21) 75 over 3 on hydrant (ie scoring 25 at darts)

22) CORBIN padlock with Italian translation (anag. NO CRIB)

23) 1967 in brick at base of house (Reddings)

24) AMERICAN LOCK 100% US MADE on padlock

25) IMI on fan at end of pub (1 + 1000 + 1)

Spare
26) WHITLENGE on extractor fan below window (anag. LEG WHEN IT)

Young Walker Answers

AT THE PUB: NO SMOKING
It is against the law to smoke in these premises

STAGE 1: CAUTION
Dogs running loose

STAGE 2: Large tree on left struck by lightning

STAGE 3: LITTLE COURT
(Sounds like 'little caught')

STAGE 4: Football and rugby goals in field

STAGE 5: Sign with arrow saying PICNIC AREA

STAGE 6: Information about HEDGELAYING
on noticeboard

STAGE 7: Answer to sum is 670
(335 + 335 on telegraph pole)