Day 13 (29 March 2009)

Littleton Drew to Saltbox Farm (9 miles)

It was a crisp and sunny morning. The clocks had sprung forward and we had gone to bed reasonably early and without the usual Saturday night binge. Unfortunately Gill wasn't well enough to face 9 miles so Paul picked me up with Phil & Ritzi Mitzi sharing the front passenger seat. We drove through Corsham towards Box and hung a sharp right on to an unsealed road ,winding, difficult and steep to a tiny little hamlet surrounded by Saltbox farm. The locals had 'no parking ' signs so we took the left fork and parked in a clearing past a gate. Unfortunately the second car containing Dave Keepsake (microsoft tm) and his canine partner Roly the Stool had taken the other fork towards the farmhouse. The short delay was solved by mobile phone and we all headed off with Dave to Littleton Drew on parts of the Fosse Way that could not be called straight roads. This seemed to inspire the dog owners to become camp Roman centurions albeit politically incorrect versions.It inspired me to come up with a pop song 'Bend it' and a Wiltshire group, Dave ,T, Roly, Mitzi Phil & Tich (apologies). At the church /green where we ended up on Day 12 , we set off through scenery that became very varied, criss crossing the river ByBrook throughout. It seemed to be made up of brooks and streams , twee cottages ,and stately manors. In the first mile we had gone through an estate containing rustic buildings , one neo-Shakesperian, one manor house and some cattle sheds. Then a quick flash of a Long Barrow too delapidated perhaps to merit a detour, before the next group of twee cottages , Nettleton Mill and what could pass as tea rooms or an art studio. The road in ended at a large gate with a smaller kissing gate adjoined and slightly hidden by the foliage, where we waited patiently for a party of some 20 walkers coming the other way. From here it was not far to Castle Combe through a golf course , more streams and someone furtively searching with some golfball fishing rod. As we approached Castle Combe there were more walkers and a great view of the 15thC church with the village in the background. A smartly dressed waiter ,smoking outside the pub, acknowledged us as we past through the tourist trap center. I had not realised it had provided a set for Dr Doolittle but we did not linger, leaving the village along the ByBrook and entering an area maintained by North Wiltshire environmental services . Dogs were supposed to be on leads but Mitzi was responsibly carried through the hairy herd of black and white horses grazing as we climbed . Below in the valley was an attractive looking manor with someone lurking in the trees. The others fantasised that paparazzi were there hoping for a glimpse of some American popstar (Madge was mentioned) . On to more twee cottages ,houses bordering on to streams , and a glimpse of a dying breed of pipe smoker. After 5 miles we had arrived in the village of Ford where lunch had been planned at the White Hart Inn , a smart looking 16thC coaching inn. It hadn't become totally foody in the front bar and P,P &T settled down to a lovely pint of Banks and excellent cheese sandwiches. We sat outside in the midday sun , the dogs were happy with a tub of water left outside, and Dave regaled us with his homage to teetotalitarianism and general abstinence. The second half of the walk was shorter and I was fascinated with woods abundant with wild garlic which i foraged for later consumption. The first point of interest was a red Edward VII postbox in a wall seperating various attractive cottages in Slaughterford. We were told there were only 7 left but you can find one on Ebay for £895 ! We came across a muddy track by the side of a dirty farm with all kinds of house and farm junk + old vehicles dumped in the field. In the distance a pair of dodgy looking types stood smoking round a caravan and Phil acknowledged a wave with his walking stick or was it vice versa? It was at this stage that and Phil and Dave engaged in pantomime banter over releasing Roly from his reins. Oh go on let him go, o no I won't etc. Onwards by more streams and brooks, and a couple of fishermen were eating sandwiches near a no picknicking sign. I looked for wild watercress while later Dave spotted a white egret and the twitchers (P&P) took over. It had stayed remarkably warm and sunny and I was looking forward to wine in Pauls' garden.

Bird of the day: Little Egret
Tree of the day: Laurel