Applepie Hill

Hill, Mountain in Berkshire

England

Applepie Hill

The road to Hampstead Norreys
The road to Hampstead Norreys Credit: Steve Daniels

Applepie Hill is a prominent geographic feature located in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. This hill is part of the larger Berkshire Mountain range, which stretches across several states in the region. Rising to an elevation of approximately 1,200 feet (366 meters), Applepie Hill offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

The hill derives its unique and somewhat quirky name from a local legend that dates back to the colonial era. According to folklore, a group of settlers once stumbled upon a grove of wild apple trees atop the hill and decided to bake a pie with the fruit they found. As the story goes, the resulting apple pie was so delicious that it became a local legend, and the hill was subsequently named Applepie Hill.

Today, Applepie Hill attracts both locals and tourists who come to enjoy its picturesque beauty and the recreational opportunities it offers. The hill is a popular destination for hiking enthusiasts, offering a variety of trails that cater to all skill levels. Visitors can explore the dense forests that blanket the hill, taking in the vibrant colors of the foliage during the autumn months.

Nature lovers will also appreciate the diverse wildlife that calls Applepie Hill home. The area is home to numerous bird species, including hawks and owls, making it a haven for birdwatchers. Small mammals such as rabbits and squirrels can also be spotted darting through the underbrush.

Overall, Applepie Hill is a cherished natural landmark in Berkshire County, offering visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the region's natural beauty and experience a slice of local history.

If you have any feedback on the listing, please let us know in the comments section below.

Applepie Hill Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 51.513526/-1.2340181 or Grid Reference SU5379. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

The road to Hampstead Norreys
The road to Hampstead Norreys
Field of wheat near Compton
Field of wheat near Compton
Ilsley Road in Compton
Ilsley Road in Compton
The lych gate to St Mary and St Nicholas Church
The lych gate to St Mary and St Nicholas Church
St Mary and St Nicholas Church in Compton
St Mary and St Nicholas Church in Compton
Disused railway bridge over Aldworth Road The bridge carried the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway over Aldworth Road.
Disused railway bridge over Aldworth Road
The bridge carried the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway over Aldworth Road.
The Compton Swan on High Street
The Compton Swan on High Street
Fields and Fences near Aldworth
Fields and Fences near Aldworth
Footpath to Aldworth Fieldside path between Pibworth and Dumworth Farms.
Footpath to Aldworth
Fieldside path between Pibworth and Dumworth Farms.
Paddocks by Downs Road It's quite horsey round here.
Paddocks by Downs Road
It's quite horsey round here.
Farmland, Hampstead Norreys Fields of wheat, oil-seed rape and barley rising on the south-eastern side of Hackney Bottom.
Farmland, Hampstead Norreys
Fields of wheat, oil-seed rape and barley rising on the south-eastern side of Hackney Bottom.
Farmland, Compton A crop of wheat alongside the dismantled railway near New Farm.
Farmland, Compton
A crop of wheat alongside the dismantled railway near New Farm.
Ilsley Road, Compton On this evidence, Compton is an unremarkable village somewhere in West Berkshire east of the A34. It used to have a branch of the Pirbright Institute until the good folks at Pirbright, Surrey (where the HQ is) took the view that West Berkshire was just a bit too far west to be considered civilized <span class="nowrap"><a title="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirbright_Institute" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirbright_Institute">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>
Ilsley Road, Compton
On this evidence, Compton is an unremarkable village somewhere in West Berkshire east of the A34. It used to have a branch of the Pirbright Institute until the good folks at Pirbright, Surrey (where the HQ is) took the view that West Berkshire was just a bit too far west to be considered civilized LinkExternal link
West along Ilsley Road, Compton This road takes travellers straight out of Compton <span class="nowrap"><a title="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1398426/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1398426/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>
West along Ilsley Road, Compton
This road takes travellers straight out of Compton LinkExternal link
The Foinavon, Compton Photo taken at about 15 minutes before sunset on an August evening.

Earlier Geographs show that this pub was - until a few years ago - known as the 'Compton Swan', in Greene King's ownership.  

The present pub-sign shows a black horse jumping a fence.  A quick web-search reveals that Foinavon - trained at a local yard - was the winner of the 1967 Grand National, at odds of 100-1.  His victory came about after a number of horses fell at the 23rd fence, while others pulled up.  Foinavon's rider kept a cool head, cleared the fence and left the rest of the field standing.  <span class="nowrap"><a title="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foinavon" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foinavon">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>

When I first posted this item I guessed that the pub had been renamed in 1967 after the victory at Aintree.  But Fly <a title="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3878799" href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3878799">Link</a>   - who lives locally - tells me that the change (from 'The Swan') came much later, when it was taken over by the present owners.  

I had also conjectured that the pub's owners in 1967 might have been Arkell's, but Fly tells me that it was a Morland's house.

Both Foinavon and his stable-mate Arkle were named after quartzite-capped mountains in north-west Sutherland:

<a title="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2220176" href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2220176">Link</a>   <a title="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2893" href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2893">Link</a>
Mick Garratt links mountains and horses: <a title="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6209424" href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6209424">Link</a>

In my own experience, north-west Sutherland is quite the wildest place on the British mainland.  It was strange to be reminded of its existence by a pub name in a cosy Berkshire village.
The Foinavon, Compton
Photo taken at about 15 minutes before sunset on an August evening. Earlier Geographs show that this pub was - until a few years ago - known as the 'Compton Swan', in Greene King's ownership. The present pub-sign shows a black horse jumping a fence. A quick web-search reveals that Foinavon - trained at a local yard - was the winner of the 1967 Grand National, at odds of 100-1. His victory came about after a number of horses fell at the 23rd fence, while others pulled up. Foinavon's rider kept a cool head, cleared the fence and left the rest of the field standing. LinkExternal link When I first posted this item I guessed that the pub had been renamed in 1967 after the victory at Aintree. But Fly Link - who lives locally - tells me that the change (from 'The Swan') came much later, when it was taken over by the present owners. I had also conjectured that the pub's owners in 1967 might have been Arkell's, but Fly tells me that it was a Morland's house. Both Foinavon and his stable-mate Arkle were named after quartzite-capped mountains in north-west Sutherland: Link Link Mick Garratt links mountains and horses: Link In my own experience, north-west Sutherland is quite the wildest place on the British mainland. It was strange to be reminded of its existence by a pub name in a cosy Berkshire village.
A view from Applepie Hill in mid-August Fields are large, but there are still plenty of hedges - as well as scattered areas of woodland.
A view from Applepie Hill in mid-August
Fields are large, but there are still plenty of hedges - as well as scattered areas of woodland.
Track and farmland, Aldworth A copse stands on the site of Turville Farm.
Track and farmland, Aldworth
A copse stands on the site of Turville Farm.
Farmland, Aldworth Stubble to the east of Pibworth Farm with sunshine in misty conditions producing a fogbow.
Farmland, Aldworth
Stubble to the east of Pibworth Farm with sunshine in misty conditions producing a fogbow.
Show me another place!

Applepie Hill is located at Grid Ref: SU5379 (Lat: 51.513526, Lng: -1.2340181)

Unitary Authority: West Berkshire

Police Authority: Thames Valley

What 3 Words

///shameless.prettiest.zest. Near Compton, Berkshire

Nearby Locations

Applepie Hill

Related Wikis

Compton railway station

Compton railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. Compton was the largest station between Newbury, Berkshire...

Compton, Berkshire

Compton is a village and civil parish in the River Pang valley in the Berkshire Downs about 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Didcot. == Geography == Compton is...

The Downs School, Compton

The Downs School is a comprehensive secondary school in the village of Compton, Berkshire, England. It is a state school run by West Berkshire Education...

East Ilsley

East Ilsley is a village and civil parish in the Berkshire Downs in West Berkshire, north of Newbury. The village is centred immediately east of the A34...

Battle of Ashdown

The Battle of Ashdown was a West Saxon victory over a Danish Viking army on about 8 January 871. The location of Ashdown is not known, but may be Kingstanding...

Perborough Castle

Perborough Castle is the site of an Iron Age univallate hillfort located at Compton in Berkshire. The site covers approximately 14 acres (5.7 ha), and...

The Bell Inn, Aldworth

The Bell Inn is a pub at the village of Aldworth, in the English county of West Berkshire. It won CAMRA's National Pub of the Year in 1990, and received...

Aldworth

Aldworth is a village and mainly farmland civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, near the boundary with Oxfordshire. == Orthography and slight... ==

Nearby Amenities

Located within 500m of 51.513526,-1.2340181
Power: pole
Source: Bing
Lat/Long: 51.5111148/-1.2400712
The data included in this document is from www.openstreetmap.org. The data is made available under ODbL.

Have you been to Applepie Hill?

Leave your review of Applepie Hill below (or comments, questions and feedback).