Westbury Walkers

On Sunday, 13th July, 24 members of Westbury Walkers assembled in South Wraxall for an eight mile walk.

The walk started from alongside the 15th century village church, notable for having a saddle roof with a pinnacle at each end and a ball in the middle which is very rare in Wiltshire.

The walkers continued past the Manor House, which was regularly visited by Sir Walter Raleigh who with his friend Sir Walter Long sat in the room now named after him and smoked pipes of tobacco – the first smokers in England. The house was featured a few years ago by the BBC in a series about stately homes which were not open to the public.

The group then joined the MacMillan Way for a short distance, before passing through Norbin Farm, and then through the grounds of Stonar School. Upon entering a field they were somewhat taken aback when they came across what appeared to be a small tiger alongside the footpath but this turned out to be a very lifelike stuffed toy. The group shortly after this arrived at Great Chalfield Manor owned by the National Trust and lunch was taken nearby.

Passing Little Chalfield Manor on the way, the route then took the walkers along a footpath through two fields containing a large group of very attentive young steers who became increasingly bold and one even tried to nibble a walker’s rucksack.  Everyone was quite relieved when they were on the other side of a farm gate.

Report by Philip Toop