Walk 4

STARTING POINT - "George & Dragon" Potterne (Ref. ST995594)

This is a circular walk of approximately 5 miles.

This walk starts at The George and Dragon Inn (See Note - 2) situated at the cross roads in the centre of the village.
Take the lane opposite The George and Dragon - Coxhill Lane - take the first turning to the left, this is just after Woodbridge House then after approximately 45 meters take the turning to the right following the metalled road.
After about 100 meters the road turns righthanded to Blount's Court Farm but our path (PP No.34) continues straight ahead entering the field by means of the stile situated between a kissingate to the left and a walnut trees to the right, from here the footpath runs straight ahead towards the young tree which can just be seen on the skyline.
Having negotiated the stile by the kissingate follow the line of the post and rail fence on your right to a stile in the barbed wire fence ahead, here you keep the hedge close on your right, soon the hedge is left behind but the path continues in a straight line to climb the hill crossing Potterne Field, which was once a part of the communal or 'Open Field' system of agriculture which dates from medieval times.

At the top of Potterne field and a little to the right of the path is 'Potterne Little Tree' (See Note-14) A little way past the tree you come to a Bridleway (PP No.45), turn right and follow this path to its junction with Sleight Lane (Pp No.50), cross Sleight Lane to enter Grubbe Wood (See Note-6). After entering Grubbs Wood the path inclines to the right to go diagonally down a steep wooded bank, here there is sign post pointing the way, follow this path (PP No.18) to a stile at the bottom of the wooded bank giving access to the field behind Stroud Hill Farm where the path inclines slightly to a stile in the far hedge, from here the path again inclines to the right heading to a stile next to a field gate in the righthand hedge, which gives access to Stroud Lane, a metalled road.

Turn lefthanded down Stroud Lane and after a few metres you will see an oak stile to your right which gives access to a footpath (PP No,10), the path now follows the hedge on your left to a stile in the far corner, here you cross into the next field where close to its corner and a little way down the right hand hedge is a gateway, passing through this gateway you will see a hedge on your right, keeping to the left of this hedge you will see a wood in the distance with a tall tree showing prominently in the hedgerow another stile here takes the path to the right of a coppice of trees.

NOTE: - This is shooting country, and the copse is used during the breeding season for Lame birds, please keep dogs and children under control and do not allow them to wander and disturb the game.

Follow the path keeping the coppice close to your left until after about 80 metres the path leaves the wood behind to follow along a ridge with the stream on your left, you now head towards a clump of trees in the distant hedge where there is a gateway, through this gate half incline to the left and make for the stile in the far corner of the field down by the river, this puts you below (south east of) Wick Farm and away to your left is Potterne Park Farm.

This part of the walk is especially interesting for the study of nature with snipe and curlew and wild deer being seen during the winter months, in fact this is a naturalist's paradise at any time of the year.

Before the stile there is a bridge over the drainage ditch made of three railway sleepers, take care in wet and frosty weather they can be slippy, over the bridge and stile follow the hedge keeping it close on your left until the hedge starts to turn righthanded up the hill towards some houses, here there is a stile which takes the footpath to the left through a short avenue between two hedges to another post and rail stile. After this stile keep the hedge to your right until another oak stile takes you into the metalled road close to Potterne Football Ground, turning right following the metalled road to its junction with Stroud Lane, here there is a small grassed enclosure which is beautifully protected on all sides from the weather by a thick hedge and placed in this secluded spot beneath a spreading oak is the Jubilee Seat, an ideal resting place for the weary traveller.

From the Jubilee Seat turn right along Stroud Lane and take the first turning on your left by the pink bungalow, this road is clearly marked "Saddleback Lane", this road after a short distance becomes a bridleway (PP No. 20) this used to be known as Packsaddle Lane having been a main highway for packhorses going to Devizes.

When walking this path today it is not difficult to see how its name could be changed to Saddleback Lane, a hill with steep sides forming a ridge often being referred to as a Saddleback.

Having cleared the saddleback ridge, a little way down the far side (about 100 yards) is a crossroads with a farm track going off to the right into a field, whilst another farm track leads off to the left, we take the lefthand track which climbs up between hedgerows to a stile of horizontal steel bars (PP No.21), over the stile you will see the reservoir fenced off with iron railing, from here on a clear day there is a lovely view over the village and down the vale to Poulshot and Melksham.
Keeping the reservoir railings to your left make for the tall trees in the distance and a little to your right, here there is a stile although the fence it was intended to negotiate is no longer there, from this stile the path inclines to the left to a stile a little way below a bungalow which can just be seen through the trees on your left.
This stile will take you into the children's playground (please keep all dogs on a lead and if it becomes necessary clean up after any accident that may occur), the exit from this play area which will return you to your starting point is in the far right hand corner, here a leafy Chilsbury Lane will take you back to the George & Dragon.

Map for Walk 4