Details of some of the previous walks undertaken by the group are given below.
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OCTOBER 2026
Six walkers met for this 8 mile October 9th walk at the 16th century Royal Oak Inn at Wootton Rivers, a charming  village named after the family who originally owned the manor farm and mentioned in the Domesday Book. We climbed for 2 miles along  a verdant track and through mature woods of chestnuts and beech trees up to the car park below Martinsell Hill,  where we collected our 7th walker and then continued on up to the site of the old iron hill fort with its clear evidence of Neolithic flint mining pits and agricultural terraces. At the summit, we paused to enjoy far reaching views of Pewsey Vale to the south and the ancient Wansdyke to the north. We then skirted Martinsell along the Mid-Wilts way to another settlement called Giant’s Grave before descending steeply towards Oare House, a mansion built by a London wine merchant in the 18th century. Here we paused for a swift lunch and then crossed fields planted beet and blue-flowered chicory onto the Kennet and Avon canal for the final 3 miles of the walk. We saw several interesting and intriguing vessels including the converted ship’s lifeboat pictured. The rain caught up with us on the final mile and we were relieved to reach the Royal Oak at about 2.30 pm for drinks and cake.  A varied and enjoyable walk.

SEPTEMBER 2026
Our September 8 mile walk took place on the 11th, starting from Wadswick Country Store. The weather was sunny and we walked past Hazlebury Manor and Box to St Christopher’s Church, Ditteridge which was open for us to look inside and we took a coffee break. Our pretty field walk continued through Alcombe and past Shockerwick, across the railway and as we climbed up to Kingsdown we stopped in a field for lunch with lovely views. Walking through pretty Henley and Blue Vein hamlets we reached Chapel Plaister where again the chapel was open for us and we received a super short talk about the building and its history. Then a short step back to Forage for the 16 of us for refreshments on the café balcony. As we were leaving we were amazed by an acrobatics display by two people on the top of two biplanes that were taking off from the airstrip – perhaps heading to a local airshow. Thanks to Ros for this pretty and eventful walk.

AUGUST 2026
Our Friday 7th August 2026 walk of 7½ miles started from the NT Car Park in Lacock at 10a.m. Sixteen of us set off on this hot dry day: pleasant but not unbearable like some recent weather. We walked over the Avon bridge with good views of Lacock Abbey and then turned right over fields, crossed the old Roman Road (no visible ghosts of Legionaries), then were surprised to find ourselves in fields of maize which happily the farmer had cut a path through. We walked through the pretty SSSI woods of Spye Park, climbed through the fields by the manor house – seeing hares in the fields and with fabulous views SW over the valley towards Melksham. We stopped for lunch in the shade of the churchyard of St Anne, Bowden Hill, again enjoying the views. The Victorian church itself was proudly displaying a new buttress after recent serious renovation work. After admiring the stone hut over spring that still feeds Lacock Abbey, we walked down the hill and across Bewley Common to Reybridge and returned to Lacock by the old ford and packhorse bridge and passing St Cyriac’s Church and the many other quaint, historic buildings for welcome refreshments. Lots of thanks to Sarah for leading this walk.

JULY 2026
Ten of us met at Wadswick Country Store for our walk on Friday July 10th which had been shortened because of the high temperatures over 30C and we started earlier at 08:30, finishing for refreshments at Forage 10:30. We walked along lanes and fields, passing a rare Corsham trig point and looking out vainly for the Westbury White Horse (the visibility was not excellent), to Hazlebury Manor. There we detoured through woodland to reach the good viewpoints of hilltop Colerne and of Box in the valley below before wandering through Box Woods via another viewpoint (almost on top of Box Tunnel, and looking at the second Box Tunnel entrance) and then directly back to our start. A pretty walk of about 3½ miles in all.

JUNE 2026
Our June 8 mile walk on Friday 5th attracted ten of us and started from Waitrose in Chipping Sodbury. It seemed rural right from the start, although we walked along the edge of housing estates, because we followed the River Frome on wide grassy paths. This took us to Old Sodbury Church where we stopped for coffee and admired the views towards the River Severn from its hilltop location. The Cotswold Way took us on to Old Sodbury (Iron Age) Hill Fort, and then lanes to the pretty village of Horton and across fields (where we paused for lunch with a view) to Little Sodbury. The walk finished across fields to Little Sodbury End and across the impressive Sodbury Common with grazing cows to our start point. The rain held off, the temperature oscillated between hot and cold depending on whether the sun was hidden by clouds, and it was undulating rather than the hilly walk we usually expect in the Cotswolds.

MAY 2026
Eleven of us set off from Avebury car park, for our 9 mile walk through this landscape full of neolithic monuments, on Friday 8th May. The weather was pleasantly and unexpectedly warm and sunny, with occasional cloud cover. We headed off past the iconic Silbury Hill and then walked up to the impressive West Kennet Long Barrow. This is a fascinating tomb which is partly excavated and interesting to look in and there were fabulous views from the hill towards Avebury and beyond. We then followed field paths past The Sanctuary (site of stone circle and start of the Ridgeway) and Overton Hill to join the Ridgeway before dropping down to follow the ancient processional Avenue standing stones back in to Avebury for lunch by the National Trust café. Julia had researched the various historic monuments and ably briefed us about them. A couple of our walkers stayed in Avebury to look round, while the rest of us climbed up to Windmill Hill (another Neolithic site) and back into Avebury along field tracks and past the church to finish with refreshments together at the café. Thanks to Julia and Alison Little for leading the walk.

APRIL 2026
Our April walk took place on Friday 10th, from the Neeld Arms pub in Grittleton. Seventeen of us set off, which was an impressive turnout, probably helped by the dry weather, the winter mud having been dried out by the recent heatwave, and the walk being advertised as “flat” (this turned out to be true!). Walking through fields and along quiet lanes, admiring spring blossom and a few Bluebells, our route took us to three pretty villages and churches at Alderton, Luckington (famous for the filming of Pride and Prejudice) and then Littleton Drew (where we stopped for lunch). Being near Malmesbury several of these fascinating churches are on the Athelstan Pilgrim Way and we also discovered the “White Walls Way” that connected them too. After the nine mile walk many of us stayed for relaxed drinks at the Neeld Arms afterwards. This walk was a “first” as the group has never walked from Grittleton before.

March 2026
Ten of us set off for our walk on Friday 6th March, from The Crown pub in Bathford. We all enjoyed the picturesque walk despite it being 10 miles rather than the 8.5 mile advertised! We were helped by dry skies and Peter’s ability to point out fascinating items along the way including the WW2 bunkers, a wolf sanctuary, a skeleton, and the mausoleum of Bath benefactor Ralph Allen at Claverton Church. There was also Browne’s Folly, which we walked uphill to from the start, then we continued to Monkton Farleigh and down along the River Avon to Dundas Aqueduct for lunch. The canal was very quiet, which may be why we saw two Herons. We returned via Brassknocker Hill, Claverton Down (getting a good view through the sparse foliage of the university’s impressive “tin tray” training ramp), Claverton, and the Kennet & Avon Canal. Refreshments were available in the Crown afterwards.

 

February 2026
Nine of us set off from Burton Farm Shop for our walk on Friday 13th February, enjoying the blue skies and those wearing wellies again had an advantage. The route was lovely, taking us though fields and pretty villages: West Kington and West Kington Wick to reach Nettleton Shrub where we admired (with the help of the diagrams David had brought) the site of the important Roman settlement at the junction of Broadmead Brook and the Fosse Way “a day’s march from Bath.” Rain started after lunch and we were well watered as we walked through Nettleton and Nettleton Green and so ready for a cuppa and the impressive selection of cakes at the farm shop. Thanks to David for the interesting and scenic walk.

January 2026
On Friday 9th January 2026 our 7.5 mile walk started from Hartley Farm Shop and Café, Winsley, The ten of us walked into Bradford-on-Avon to the sports fields behind the Wiltshire Music Centre where excavations of summers 2002 and 2003 revealed Roman remains including villas just below the surface (and were covered over again). Alison, who’d seen the excavations, talked us through it with maps and her photos. We then walked towards Lower Wraxall, around Cumberwell Golf Course through Haugh and back. The storm, with heavy rain not the threatened snow, had passed before we started our walk so it was largely dry. Those wearing Wellies were glad of it!

1 Jan 2026
Our ten mile walk on 1st January 2026 started from the Pewsey Downs Car Park. Six of us braced the cold but sunny and bright conditions. We climbed up the Tan Hill Way to the Wansdyke and then dropped down to Stanton St Bernard for coffee in the picturesque church with an Arts and Crafts style mural of Christ in Glory painted in 1900 by Maude Berry. A walk along the largely frozen canal followed, to Honeystreet, and lunch in Alton Priors church. As we climbed up to Adams Grave (Long Barrow) the views were amazing although the cold wind had picked up. After walking to the White Horse and admiring its construction we continued along the escarpment and then retraced our steps back via the Wansdyke before heading to Honeystreet Mill café for warm drinks.

Our December 2025 8-mile walk on Friday 12th started from Bath Soft Cheese, Kelston. We walked to the nearby Avon and along that for half a mile admiring the weir, boats and wildlife – including Cormorants and a Kingfisher – then (following the Cotswold Way some of the way) headed up to Kelston Round Hill, then to Prospect Stile, and on to North Stoke churchyard for lunch. Welcome refreshments were enjoyed by the seven of us at Bath Soft Cheese Café with opportunities to buy “essentials” for Christmas. A highlight of the walk must have been the stunning weather. There was light drizzle when we started off, with cloud hanging over Prospect Stile. By the time we stopped for coffee a beautiful blue band of sky was heralded over the River Severn by the advancing Cold Front giving fabulous visibility of the Severn suspension bridges and Penn Hill Transmitter mast. We enjoyed the sunshine for the rest of the walk and the unbeatable views from Kelston Round Hill and Prospect Stile too. Richard and Toni produced mince pies at the coffee break and due to the smaller than expected numbers there were two each!

Nov 2025
We were greeted by beautiful autumn colours and mostly dry weather for our November walk on Friday 7th. This 9 mile linear walk to Box started outside Corsham Town Hall, which was still decorated with red poppies commemorating the 80th anniversary of WW2, where Toni told us some of the history: for example its use as a Red Cross hospital in WWI. The fifteen of us travelled down Middlewick Lane past Nick Mason’s house, to distant views of the Stické Tennis court at Hartham Park, before walking down “Cardiac Hill” and to Weavern Lane. We stopped in pretty Monk’s Wood for refreshments before carrying on past Euridge Manor to Thickwood. We followed a picturesque valley from Lower Eastrip for a more imaginative route to Colerne – for lunch at the war memorial. Afterwards it was downhill (almost!) all the way via Lidbrooks Bottom, Ditteridge and Middlehill to Toast café. Thanks to Toni for this walk.

OCT 2025
Fourteen of us set off along the canal near Bradford-on-Avon Lock for our October walk on Friday 10th. The weather was dry and the narrow boats were an attractive sight as usual. We climbed through Becky Addy woods above Avoncliff up to Westwood Church, next door to the Manor House, where we stopped for coffee and had a look in the church. We then took the path down via Stowford Farm to Iford Manor where we stopped beside the river for lunch, enjoying the pretty view and an enormous ginger cat that wanted attention. Our walk continued to the Friary where a local resident who was passing pointed out notable features, and then on to Dunkirk Mill, Sharpstone, and the top of Freshford. We dropped down to the River Avon to follow the water meadows back through Avoncliff to Bradford’s Tithe Barn where we enjoyed drinks and cake at the café. The walk was about 9 miles and we were blessed with lovely autumn colours as we walked through several woods. Thanks to Julia for this.

 

SEP 2025
Friday 5th September 2025. Thanks to Ruth for today’s walk. Bath is reputedly encircled by seven hills and today our seven mile walk seemed to take us up and down most of them! Happily for the sixteen of us the weather was sunny so we had lovely views of the city from various viewpoints and Ruth briefed us on local history on the way. Most of us travelled by bus to the start in Brunel Square, just by Bath bus station. We walked up around Beechen Cliff to Alexandra Park for a picturesque coffee break. Then through the historic Abbey Cemetery, past Prior Park and down into Rainbow Wood then Smallcombe Wood for lunch. Leaving via Smallcombe Cemetery we climbed to Sham Castle on Bathampton Down and then descended through Bathwick to return along the canal: to finish in Widcombe for welcome refreshments at The Ram, an excellent café and pub.

AUG 2025
On 8th August twelve of us enjoyed sunny weather for our walk of a little under 8 miles in the Cotswolds. We set off from the Hunters Hall Inn, Kingscote  to walk south through the delightful Bagpath Valley to Ozleworth where we stopped at St Nicholas of Myra Church (Churches Conservation Trust) for coffee. The path to the church takes us circuitously through the manor grounds and we admired those on the way. We returned via Ozleworth Bottom, having lunch by a former lake, then climbed back to the pub with open views of more grand stone houses. The scenery was delightful with pretty fields, hillsides and woods and the occasional hamlet and impressive house. The welcoming pub offered refreshments in their garden for those of us that were able to stay. Many thanks to Sarah for this.

JULY 2025
Walk postponed to August because of temperatures in the thirties.

JUNE 2025
Our June 2025 walk on Friday 6th began from St Mary The Virgin Church, Marshfield. Thirteen of us gathered for the start. The morning shower stopped then on cue and the rest of the day gave us cloud with sunny intervals and a light breeze. The nine-mile walk was titled “hilltop villages” and took us from Marshfield towards Doncombe Bottom before heading through Lucknam Park Hotel grounds and on to Thickwood. We stopped for lunch at the war memorial in hilltop Colerne. Returning to Marshfield we crossed the Fosse Way and passed Ashwicke Hall. The landscape was varied, including pretty woods and fields of ripening crops, and we saw several kinds of purple orchids. After our final ascent to Marshfield many of us enjoyed good refreshment and conversation at Sweetapples Teashop.

MAY 2025
Sunshine and a small herd of goats greeted the start of our May walk on Friday 9th, from Hartley Farm Shop, Winsley. Being the day after the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, our walk had a theme. We set off towards Bradford on Avon along Spoke 7 of their walking wheel and stopped for coffee at the site of the 1944 crash of a Canadian Air Force Halifax bomber. (Now there is just grass and a few trees!) Alison Reynolds took a break from creating a Green Man out of ivy to join us and give a fascinating short talk about the crash, illustrated with photos. We then headed north out of Bradford on Spoke 8 to Inwoods where we stopped for lunch and lovely views, choosing sun or shade according to taste. Then on to Farleigh Wick. After following the Outer Wheel south we rejoined Spoke 7 back to Hartley for refreshments in the sunshine. On this mainly level walk there were masses of Wild Garlic in the woods and a few Bluebells still to delight us.

APRIL 2025
Nine walkers assembled at the Crown in Bathford for our nine-mile walk on Friday 11^th April 2025 in bright sunshine with temperatures in the afternoon reaching 20C or more, which felt amazing for April! The hilly route was designed for us to enjoy three “epic hills” and was indeed good exercise to warm us up for our summer walking if our winter had been too sedentary.

Climbing east up the road out of Bathford we then headed north across the railway and up to the edge of Banner Down before descending to St Catherine’s Valley and along it to Upper Northend Farm. On the way we stopped to admire a model railway track running round an enthusiast’s garden. We then climbed back up to Banner Down for a well-earned coffee break. Skirting Shockerwick and crossing the By Brook we climbed up to the edge of Kingsdown Golf Course, and then walked to Monkton Farleigh.

We stopped on the way at Ashley Wood for lunch and were so impressed by the Bluebells there that we found places to sit in the wood. We continued to Browne’s Folly where the views were again amazing, and we were surprised by a small troop of goats! Finally, a short walk downhill to the pub for a well-earned drink for those able to stay.

MARCH 2025
Twelve of us set off from Selwyn Hall, Box for our 8 mile walk on 14th March to Monkton Farleigh and back, with some imaginative variations from our usual route. The weather was cold, yet warm sunshine broke through from time to time. Winter flowers were still in evidence and blossom starting to appear on Hawthorn and Cherry Trees. We climbed out of Box and admired the view before travelling through Henley, across fields and the Roman Road, for our coffee break by South Wraxall Church. We stopped for lunch at the north end of Monkton Farleigh’s picturesque mile-long avenue and then walked back to Box across Kingsdown golf course. The sociability continued with refreshments in the glasshouse at Toast.

FEBRUARY 2025
Seventeen well-insulated walkers braved the sub-zero wind-chill and hills to join our 8 mile February 14th walk from Selwyn Hall, Box. Cleverly avoiding muddy fields we followed thy By Brook below Shockerwick House before making a steep climb up to Banner Down and a well-earned coffee stop. After a wooded descent we walked up Steway Lane – admiring sweet baby Alpacas – to the Fosse Way. Before getting out of the icy wind we enjoyed views of distant hills. We then walked down through pretty Upper Shockerwick and Alcombe before heading up to the outskirts of Colerne – stopping for lunch at a viewpoint on the way. Skirting Colerne, we walked back to Box through the fields. After the enjoyable exercise, many of us continued chatting over a cuppa at Toast cafe.

JANUARY 2025
Eight well-wrapped walkers set off from Merkins Farm, Bradford Leigh, for our walk on 10th January. With temperatures hovering around zero Celsius we were pleased to find very little ice (although our walk leader briefly managed to dance on some) and there was good visibility of distant snowy hills as we explored Wiltshire’s characterful field systems. We passed the Holt Glove Factory Cafe without being tempted to stop and scraped the edge of Great Chalfield Manor before walking through The Common at Broughton Gifford and to the outskirts of Atworth. We returned past Newhouse, Lenten and Little Chalfield Farms for well earned refreshments and exhilarating craic at the friendly cafe at Merkins Farm – only interrupted briefly by an altercation over the last Almond Croissant (which was resolved with some kindly sharing). Near Great Chalfield we saw new fencing etc. showing that the National Trust, having bought the farmland around the Manor, are getting started on their “regeneration” of the land.

NEW YEAR’S DAY 2025
Six intrepid walkers set out from the Springfield Centre on New Years Day 2025 for a joint walk with Corsham Wanderers. The heavens opened with 15 minutes to go so we were discussing about cancelling, but it had eased off by 10 so we decided to ‘see how it goes’. As luck would have it, the intensity of that down-pour was not repeated so we made it to Lacock via Westrop, Easton, Thingley and along the Byde Brook to Reybridge. In Lacock we took advantage of the awning outside the Red Lion for refreshments and gently toasted ourselves under their heaters. The return to Corsham was somewhat shortened as by now we were all a bit damp, and we arrived back around 3. Several of us partook of coffee in the Methuen afterwards where we were seen to be steaming gently!! It was a nice walk, despite the typical winter weather, and not too bad underfoot.

DECEMBER 2024
Our December 2024 five mile walk on Friday 13th started at the Salutation Inn, The Gibb. Ten of us walked along the pretty Summers Lane byway before heading south to Castle Combe where we stopped for refreshments at the Market Cross. We then headed off on the Macmillan Way through the Golf Course, past Lugbury Long Barrow and Goulter’s Mill Farm and then back to The Gibb. Goulter’s Mill is an amazing warren-like house with turrets, bright limewash and stone tiling was mentioned in the Domesday Book. We also enjoyed the peaceful lanes (there weren’t many other walkers about), the autumnal leaves carpeting the ground, and of course pretty Castle Combe. Regrettably, none of us remembered to take photos!

NOVEMBER 2024
Thirteen walkers set out from Biddestone on an overcast and misty Friday 8th November for a circular walk of a little under eight miles. Passing the village pump , the wellhead and the Norman church of St Nicholas we took a footpath across farmland to walk west on the rural Slaughterford Road.  Turning onto a tree lined and Autumn leaf carpeted green lane to the south west we then descended to Slaughterford and onward encountered the remains of the old rag mill. Rag processing here , by water power, supplied the nearby paper mill, one of many mills along the By Brook. Crossing the By Brook we turned south west and followed the edge of Coombe Wood climbing up to Colerne Down and high ground past Hall Farm and Thickwood to Eastrip and Euridge Manor. After our lunch stop we proceeded along paths and over farmland past the remnants of Weavern Farm, to briefly join the MacMillan Way before crossing a stile which took us over more open farmland and then a lane bringing us back to Biddestone and the start. Post walk coffee and cake was enjoyed at Hartham Park Cafe (formerly Sweetpea).

SEPTEMBER 2024
Thirteen of us set off from Box for our eight mile walk on 13th September. The weather was bright and the group strode energetically up the hills to Colerne where we stopped for lunch, enjoying the views from the fields on the way up. Nigel led the walk, linking it to the 40th Anniversary of the Ride & Stride event run by Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust at that weekend. On the way he briefed us on architectural features and their relationship to former landowners/benefactors such as the Northey family in the Box area. On the way we stopped to look in the historic St Christopher’s Church in Ditteridge where we were welcomed by parishioners who happened to be there. After lunch we followed the pretty route back through Thickwood, past Euridge Manor and along the By Brook. Afterwards most of us enjoyed a cuppa at Toast in Box. Thanks, Nigel!

AUGUST 2024
Our 8 mile walk on 9th August was blessed with sunny weather and a cheerful crowd of fifteen walkers who were keen to enjoy the hilly Cotswolds with its beautiful distant views of the Severn Estuary, and golden fields of ripe barley. Starting from Cold Ashton we walked to Dyrham Village through Dyrham Wood and as we did so congratulated a Canadian group who were on their final leg to Bath of the Cotswold Way. We had lunch in the churchyard at Doyton and returned via Lower Hamswell. Many of us then enjoyed Sweet Apple cafe in Marshfield for refreshments.

JULY 2024
Our eight mile July walk on Friday 12th started at the Cat and Custard Pot pub in Shipton Moyne. The pretty and flat route took us through many summery fields and over countless stiles past Westonbirt House and School (where we relaxed for a coffee break at their golf course), around the Highgrove Estate (too many trees to see His Majesty), and then through some of the enormous historic well-kept Estcourt Estate which has been there since the 14th Century and is now accommodation for a broodmare stud. We detoured to admire St Mary’s Church, Tetbury, and at the end enjoyed refreshments back at the pub in its sunny garden.

JUNE 2024
Our pretty June 14th walk featured a bit of hill climbing and an exploration of the Somerset Coal Canal. Although we did have some heavy rain it was briefer than forecast. Pete Bird led the walk and gave us fascinating facts about the canal, its flights of locks, and other historic features on the way. We had a spirited discussion about whether waterproof overtrousers were a Good Thing. Eight of us set off for the nine mile walk from Monkton Combe. We followed Midford Brook and the disused canal, admired Midford Castle, and then climbed the incline alongside the historic flight of locks through Engine Wood. After passing The Wheatsheaf pub in Combe Hay we started our return by looking for bats in the tunnel under the railway and climbing up to South Stoke. We stopped at the church there with its impressive Norman archway and stories of St James the Greater to whom it is dedicated. We then carried on to Tucking Mill and Monkton Combe via the disused railway and on the way in a hedgerow saw the largest orchid any of us had seen locally (probably a Common Spotted Orchid). The Wheelwrights Arms welcomed us for refreshments.

MAY 2024
A fantastic walk on a glorious day in May up to the Lansdowne monument above Cherhill for panoramic views of our Wiltshire landscape, White Horse and ancient pathways, including the Wansdyke. There were eleven of us on 10th May reminding ourselves of what sunshine was after the drab winter. We walked around Morgan’s Hill and descended to Calstone Wellington before climbing to Oldbury Castle and the Lansdowne monument for lunch. We followed the Wessex Ridgeway and historic Wansdyke back to the car park near Morgan’s Hill nature reserve, where we admired with surprise the flowering orchids. Many of us then gathered at The Pewsham for a cooling drink. Thanks to Toni for the walk.

APRIL 2024
Seventeen of us set off for our 12th April walk with Spring in our steps, enjoying warm sunshine in contrast to recent days, and glad to see that much of the mud on the route had dried up. Our route took us from Holt to Boughton Gifford and Great Chalfield and back. The seven mile walk was imaginative and very pretty: with spring blossom and Bluebells in the hedgerows, and largely flat. It is always a treat to admire Great Chalfield Manor. The cheery group returned to the Glove Factory in Holt where the Wild Herb Field Kitchen provided welcome refreshments.

MARCH 2024
Nine of us enjoyed our 8th March nine mile walk from the Charlcombe Inn, Lansdowne. It’s a lovely walking area and the weather was milder than it had been, although on the higher ground we felt a cold wind! We walked first towards Beckford’s Tower and admired the gold pinnacle (which was the only bit of the ongoing renovations that we could see) and then descended to Weston. Joining the Cotswold Way for a while we then had a coffee stop on top of Kelston Round Hill: there was a bit of mist which reduced the amazing views that can be had over towards the Mendips and the River Severn however the Avon valley was clearly in view. After another impressive viewpoint at Prospect Stile, on the edge of the race course, we had lunch at the pretty church in North Stoke. Many of us enjoyed a drink in the pub afterwards.

February 2024
Our February walk started from Bathford. We quickly noticed extended flooding from the rain over the last couple of days and Pete our leader was aware of a footbridge that had been washed away near Dundas on the Avon.  Happily his knowledge of the area allowed him to modify the route so we still had an enjoyable walk, although a bit longer than originally intended!
We walked to Batheaston to avoid the flooded meadows and then over the toll bridge, along the canal, and up the disused tramway to Bathampton Down.  Descending to picturesque Dundas Aqueduct we enjoyed lunch there, after which we climbed through pretty Warleigh Wood before descending from near Browne’s Folly back to our cars. The walk – nearly ten miles in the end – was tiring for most of the eleven of us and was slowed by the amount of slippery mud around and for many The Crown in Bathford was a welcome sight!

January 2024
Our January walk started from Kington Langley, which was lovely as it is an area I don’t think we’ve walked before. Fifteen of us joined the route which took us through Draycot Cerne and Sutton Benger. The terrain was level yet varied  and the weather was dry which added to the enjoyment. We were surprised to discover a parsnip harvesting machine was at work in one of the fields we crossed. I don’t think any of us had seen one before, and the highlight for some was scrumping the parsnips that had been left behind in the mud! We finished at the lovely newly-opened cafe by Church Farm. Thanks to Elma for leading this and Ruth for stepping up as back marker at short notice.

New Year’s Day 2024

Richard and Toni were joined by nine intrepid ladies for our New Year’s Day walk, who were resolved to ‘Start the year as we mean to continue.’ We had planned to do a ‘ten-mile hilly walk’ and started with a steep climb from Batheaston up to Banner Down, dropped down to St Catherine’s Brook, climbed up to Ashwicke (enjoying the views) and then down again to St Catherine’s Court for lunch. It became clear that ‘Plan A’ was a bit ambitious for short daylight hours, so instead we followed the Brook back to Batheaston, thus reaching the pub in daylight! There has been a lot of rain, so there was a lot of mud (which two of our walkers chose to encounter closely) and swollen streams although I think everybody kept their feet dry. We valiantly overcame these hazards together and at the end, strangely, people said they’d enjoyed the eight-mile walk!

December 23

20 walkers braved our December walk from the Bell Inn at Lacock, probably in anticipation of the lovely Christmas Lunch we had after the walk. We were able to welcome new people to the walking group which was great. Despite the previous wet weather, the day was sunny and dry. There were flood alerts for Lacock that day but thankfully, although the River Avon was high, we were able to continue our walk over the water meadows to Reybridge and onto the Wilts and Berks Canal. The ground underfoot was very wet and muddy but remarkably, despite the slippery conditions, nobody fell over! We crossed the canal at double bridge, headed up Naish Hill with good views as we climbed. We walked through Bowden Park and down towards Bewley Common, back to the Bell where we washed off the mud and sat down to a very sociable Christmas Lunch. Despite the walk being more of a workout than usual because of the mud, we certainly all ate more than we had burned off! Hey Ho! Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year from the St Barts Walkers.

 

November 23

Our November 10th walk was blessed as the rain stopped just before we set off from Burton Farm Shop for our seven miles, but we were still able to enjoy the fruits of the recent rain: giant puddles to paddle in (those with larger boots found that easier) and streams (supposedly paths?) to walk up. The walk took us through West Kington and Nettleton as we enjoyed the stunning autumn colours on the trees. At Nettleton Shrub, just off the Fosse Way, Colin pointed out the remains of the large Roman settlement there. We finished at the Farm Shop, with its enormous pieces of delicious cakes.

October 23

The warm, sunny autumn weather continued for the twelve of us on our eight-mile October walk from Box. After climbing out of the village along the Macmillan Way, we thought briefly of the Roman Empire as we crossed their ancient road, saw the newly repainted Westbury White Horse in the distance, and stopped for coffee to admire Monkton Farleigh Manor along its mile-long tree-lined avenue. We loved the colourful displays of autumn rosehips and berries in the hedgerows. After our picnic lunch by Kingsdown (and toying with exploding seed heads of Himalayan Balsam on the fringes of the golf course) we walked back down into Box enjoying the stunning views towards Colerne. Temptation then got the better of us and we extended the walk to Toast for coffee and cake.

(for details of the below walks please see St Bart’s walks by Colin 2011-2023)

March 23
Box to Browne’s Folly, Monkton Farleigh and South Wraxall

February 23

January 23

Decemeber 22

November 22

October 22

May 22

April 22

February 22

January 22

New Years Day 22

Joint walk with the Corsham Wanderers in the Lake District 2018