A circular walk over the hill, and back through the village of Broad Town.

 

DISTANCE:- 2.5 miles   ALLOW:- 1.5 hours   (app.).

 

1.Cross the road at the bottom (N.) end of the lay-by near the Telephone Kiosk. Go through the wrought-iron gates and over the stile. Follow the path round the edge of the garden on your left. Turn right over the stile. Walk E. with the hedge on your left, crossing two drains over footbridges and stiles. Go ahead and through the metal gate. Bear left (N.E.) across the next field and through the gate. keep on the same heading across the next field and cross a footbridge and a stile. keep to the lower edge of the next field with the hedge on your left. At the far end (near two metal gates and a cattle trough, turn right.     

 

2.With the hedge on your left walk uphill until you reach the stile into the spinney. Climb over and follow the Waymarked path through the spinney, emerging at the top (S) end, near the wood. Without entering the wood, turn right, climbing the path below the wood, until you reach some Lime trees. On the same heading, follow the path below the White Horse, or climb the 100 steps for a closer 'visit' if you so wish ! (Steps built by Form 6 at Wootton Bassett School as their sponsored effort in 1994.(check) !

 

3.From the foot of the White Horse, follow the path up the 'long slope'. At the top the stile is cunningly concealed in the bottom of the gully ! The path now leads up through the spinney, and through a bridle gate where, following the Waymark sign you turn right along the the brow of the hill. When you reach another bridle gate go through it and turn immediately left; keeping the barbed wire fence on your left, follow the brow of the hill until the path begins to lose height. Now bear sharp right downhill, avoiding the road. You are now following part of the Old Coach Road route from Marlborough to Cirencester. At the bottom of the hill is a bridle gate leading to the top of Horns Lane. (This was named for the sound of post horns heard in the days of the Mail Coach).

 

4.Turn right into Horns Lane; leaving the thatched cottage,('The Yews') on your left. This was once an Ale House, and later a Bakery. Almost immediately turn left to follow the Waymark behind the garage, and so follow an interesting route behind some of the older village houses. Turn left along Chapel Lane (which once had a Wesleyan Chapel at the E. end) now known as Preachers' Point and turn right when you reach the main road, to return to your starting point.

 

COTMARSH VARIATION.

 

1.Use the Green Route (a) to take you to Redhills; cross the main road, then turn left and walk up through the village, noting the School on your right, and the Church on your left. The little graveyard has won awards and is delightful; here repose the remains of Geoffrey and Jane Grigson, both famous themselves, and the parents of cookery tele-star Sophie. A little way further up the road is the lay-by where this walk starts. Return by the Brown Route.

2.Alternatively, you can start out as for the Orange Route, and pick up the Red Route at the beginning of Point 2.