Nags at Chaddleworth

The sweeping Lambourn Downs lie at the heart of Berkshire's loveliest and most isolated country - an area with a long tradition for racehorse training. Some of Britain's most famous winners have come from yards at Lambourn and West Ilsley and it is quite common to see strings of horses in the surrounding lanes.

Horse racing dates back to the days of chariot races in Greece and Rome, with blockbuster movies like the immortal Ben Hur giving us a flavour of what it would have been like to vie for honours in the mammoth arena. Racing as we know it today has its origins in the period of the Stuart kings. James I established stables at Newmarket and it was here that he kept racehorses and 'riders for the races' - the first royal jockeys.

Towards the end of the 17th century racehorses were beginning to appear all over the country, with many breeders introducing Arabian stock. Three of these stallions were the sires from which all our thoroughbreds are descended. As the sport began to draw spectator interest, it split into two different categories - flat racing and racing over jumps.

Training stables were soon a permanent feature of life in the countryside, but they had to have easy access to large tracts of open downland and grassland over which gallops could be laid for racing practice. As the flinty, chalk soil made this landscape unsuitable for ploughing, the Lambourn Downs were considered ideal terrain for horses to compete with one another and jockeys to sharpen and hone their skills.

Prior to the 1840s horses were treated with little care or compassion. They were taken on long gallops and wrapped in thick rugs to make them sweat. More suitable methods of training were introduced, which enabled trainers to look at each horse individually and assess its potential, fitness level and merit as a future winner.

Take a walk on the Lambourn Downs and you'll find it's not just horses and their jockeys who frequent this breezy corner of Berkshire - walkers love it, too. But often you can go there and be completely alone. Other than occasional birdsong and the sound of trees sighing gently in the breeze, there is not a sound to be heard. There are no obvious indications of modern day life - few dwellings, roads or cars. It is difficult to imagine being more remote or cut off from civilisation than here in the quiet rural backwater of the Lambourn Downs - Berkshire's glorious racing country.

While you're there

Extend the walk around the village of Chaddleworth, with its charming cottages and period houses. The manor was given by William the Conqueror to Robert d'Oyley and it later belonged to the mother of Edward I. The church has a memorial to the Nelson family, a member of whom 'fought two dragoons in the Civil War and was never well afterwards', according to the church register. Listen out for the reassuring tick of the clock inside.

What to look for

As you approach the buildings of Whatcombe, look for the striking bronze statue of Snurge who won the St Ledger in 1990. Whatcombe, one of the largest and most successful studs in the area, has produced several winners over the years. The farm stands on the site of a medieval village and there was once a 12th-century church here. When the church was demolished in the 16th century some of the carved stones were incorporated into the farm walls. Little remains of old Whatcombe, but a glance at the map reveals Nun's Walk, which was part of the road system when the village existed.

Where to eat and drink

The Ibex at Chaddleworth, a Grade III listed building, was originally two cottages before becoming a bakery and an off-licence. In more recent years, the Ibex became famous throughout the racing world when, in the 1980s and early 1990s, it was run by the ex-jockey Colin Brown, who partnered the incomparable Desert Orchid for many years. Low ceilings and a cosy log fire add to the charm of the place. Expect a good selection of bar meals and a varied restaurant menu.