Whether you are looking for short walks with your family or a long-distance trail, much information is available from the Tourist Information Centre (mostly free leaflets) and Corsham Bookshop (mostly guidebooks). Both are on Corsham High Street. These include the free “Corsham Walking Map” regularly updated by the Town Council showing all local public footpaths (Rights of Way), and (free) guides to Corsham’s Eight Heritage Trails – of various lengths – which include lots of information on sights you will pass. The rest of the range includes books of local walks (including some “in the Chippenham area”), local walks to see butterflies, and one that is more like a treasure hunts. The Corsham Bookshop also sells many maps, including Ordnance Survey maps of this area, National Parks, etc. And there is the Library!

Corsham Park is a lovely area for walks of varying length, such as the short walk from St Bartholomew’s Church to the pretty lake and back. Below are details of a longer walk for you to explore more of it. For young children, walks can be made more exciting with resources such as Go Find It cards encouraging them to identify plants and wildlife, or to spot colours and shapes.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0711264457
https://www.sensorytrustshop.org.uk/products/gofindit-game-combo-pack

Corsham Park and Lanes Circular Walk 
This can be seen on the Corsham Walking Map, Ordnance Survey, etc. It is 3.5 miles long, which is likely to be take than two hours.
From the Church/Avenue follow the path northeast through the park, keeping the lake away to your right and passing through several kissing gates, until you get to the junction with the main road (A4). Avoiding the A4, turn right there and take the first right and first right again along the quiet lanes. This will take you past Park Farm (on the right) and a hundred metres or so beyond the farm there is a kissing gate in the hedge which takes you through a field and back into the park at the east end of the lake. These paths are all shown on the “Corsham Walking Map”, Ordnance Survey, etc.

Corsham Walking Festival hold an annual weekend of local walks typically on the second weekend of June, and the site includes details of other walking groups including our church walking group and Corsham Wanderers. The same team created the eight local Heritage Trails. As well as finding these leaflets in various places in town, the routes can be seen and downloaded from the Corsham Walking Festival website.   corshamwalkingfestival.org.uk/

Athelstan Way. This 100 mile pilgrimage route for walking and cycling, which connects 36 churches across North Wiltshire, was launched in July 2024 and is gradually being opened up. It is named after King Athelstan who was the first West Saxon king to have effective rule over the whole of England. He died in AD 939 and is buried in Malmesbury, which he chose as his capital. As well as walking sections on your own, guided walks are organised from time to time: see the web site.
https://athelstanpilgrimway.org/

Ramblers, formerly the Ramblers’ Association. Lots of useful stuff, including guidance for walking in our increasingly frequent hot weather.
https://www.ramblers.org.uk/safety-summer-walks-top-tips-and-essential-kit

They are a campaigning organisation for our footpaths and arrange walks through local groups including in our area.
https://www.ramblers.org.uk/

Get Wiltshire Walking: walking groups organised by Wiltshire Council in Corsham and elsewhere as part of the national Walking for Health initiative. At the time of writing these varying short walks of less than two hours start from the Springfield Centre, Corsham, at 09:30 every Wednesday.
https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/leisure-cycling-walking-and-running

National Trail: This is the national site about National Trails (routes which you can enjoy walking all of part of: our nearest is the Cotswold Way) including the King Charles III England Coast Path project.
https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/

The Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a beautiful area on our doorstep and their volunteers organise guided and self-guided walks, including at times the Cotswold Way.
https://www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk/

The North Wessex Downs AONB has similar resources and includes the stunning Vale of Pewsey. Much of it showcases the flora and fauna of the internationally rare Chalk Grassland.
https://www.northwessexdowns.org.uk/

This is a useful Ordnance Survey site with guides on map reading and navigation.
https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/

This is Wiltshire Council’s page on the county’s rights of way, including their definitive map (“Wiltshire Council Rights of Way Explorer”)
https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/recreation-rights-of-way

The Countryside Code (Revised 2023)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-countryside-code/the-countryside-code-advice-for-countryside-visitors
Prettier version:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1159335/Countryside_Code_A5.pdf

The Highway Code (revised 2023) which includes guidance for walkers and groups on roads.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code

For further information or to give suggestions about more links or activities talk to me (Richard Hovey) or email me at walking@greatercorshamchurches.org.uk

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