On a brisk and partially sunny morning 10 walkers gathered in the car park of Calleva Atrebatum the Roman name of today's Silchester. Originally it was an Iron Age settlement and the capital of the Atrebates tribe. It then became a walled town in the in Roman times at a major crossroads of the roman roads of southern Britain.

Our walk took us through varied verdant pastures, woodlands now glorious in their emerald green leaves bursting forth and dry footpaths everywhere! We caught the occasional glimpse of bluebells their heads waving gently in the breeze. A highlight of the walk was our picnic lunch in the Amphitheatre once the scene of gladiatorial encounters and other public events. I am pleased to say there were no unpleasant encounters of any kind on our walk just those of good companionship and chat!

A big thank you to Edward who led our walk and introduced us to some parts of the area that we had not explored before.