Welcome to the Rudloe and environs website.
Here you will find news, articles and photos of an area that straddles the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in north-west Wiltshire.
Contributions in the form of articles or photos are welcome. Even those with completely contrary views to mine!
Thanks to the website builder 1&1 and Rob Brown for the original idea.
Rudloescene now, in January 2014, has a sister, academic rather than anarchic, website about Box history here: http://www.boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk/
It contains thoroughly professional, well-researched articles about Box and its people.
Contact rudloescene through the 'Contact' page.
24th January 2021 and is a secondary effect of the Covid lockdown the flying of time? Incredible that it's a month since Christmas Eve. This walk, completely by chance, took in Leafy Lane Wood, Lower Rudloe Lane, No Notion and Weavern. The title picture shows Scots pines (mainly) in Leafy Lane Wood.
I've mentioned this previously but now, on every walk, we come across people that we have never seen before. Weavern used to be a location where peace and quiet could be guaranteed but now there are dozens of people out and about - is this a consequence of Covid, the new developments in west Corsham or a combination of the two? Danni, Jason, Oscar, Brian, Lorraine, Sam, Steve and his better-half, Janet, Mark and A.N. Other (an old Two Pigs regular) were encountered but then there were the scores of unknowns: individuals, couples, families, runners, cyclists. Sam Maidment said that on sunny weekend days, there is now a constant stream of people passing No Notion Cottages, so much so that, in view of the Covid restrictions (walking locally), Mark (the farmer) has taken to asking people where they have come from and suggests that they return whence they came if they have driven to be here.
The situation encountered at the end of the first lockdown (last May) has now become a recurring theme - see: Covid walk - May 2020. Back then, I encountered scores of people on this same walk, people who had driven from Bath or Chippenham to walk in the By Brook Valley.
Mainly Scots pines in Leafy Lane Wood
Scots pines and larches in Leafy Lane Wood
We're on the hard-fought-for right-of-way BOX107B here, in Leafy Lane Wood
Leafy Lane Wood - epicormic growth on the trees in the lime avenue
Leafy Lane Wood - faggots, no peas (Give Peas a Chance)
Cold Comfort at Rudloe House in Leafy Lane
Jason, Danni and Oscar at the entrance to the Rudloe Arms in Leafy Lane
Figures in a wintry landscape on the A4, heading for Beech Road
Lower Rudloe Lane and sledging in Maidment's field
The road to Lower Rudloe Farm, Mr T's B&B and Folly Cottage
Lower Rudloe Lane
Rudloe Manor (see History/People I) and hornbeams
Lower Rudloe with the houses of Park Avenue above from Lower Rudloe Lane
Lower Rudloe Lane with the 'new' holly hedge at right
Approaching No Notion Cottages. The usual array of geese, ducks, peacocks etc is nowhere to be seen - it is now a legal requirement for all birds to be kept indoors and to follow biosecurity measures to limit the spread of bird flu.
Looking back down Lower Rudloe Lane from No Notion Cottages
Heading down to Weavern on the byway; Monks Wood in the distance
The view across the valley to Euridge Manor from the Weavern byway
Spilled pheasant feed from Hartham Park's truck. Covid has limited shooting. With the end of the shooting season approaching, only 700 of 6,000 imported/reared birds have been shot. But what about bird flu - why is this 'sport' permitted anyway?
The Hag Stone with The Larches (wood) to the right and Hungerford Wood at left. The tracks are to Weavern (left) and Collett's Bottom (right).
Heading down to Weavern, Monks Wood in the distance at left and Weavern Wood at right
The first view of the abandoned Weavern Farm from the byway
Overflowing tributary of the By Brook at Weavern
Winter arrives at Weavern Farm
Mature hedgerows on the hillside twixt Weavern Lane and Collett's Bottom Woods
Returning up the Weavern byway towards No Notion Cottages
Looking back down the Weavern byway with the western edge of Hungerford Wood beyond
Getting close to No Notion Cottages now
Looking across the By Brook Valley towards Colerne from the Weavern byway
Heading back down Lower Rudloe Lane towards the bungalows of John Harris, A.N.Other and, now, the 'executive' Bybrook View homes
Maidment's Folly Farm and the By Brook Valley from Lower Rudloe Lane
A close-up of Folly Farm with mist in the By Brook Valley beyond
A view of the farm and the southern 'downs', Farleigh and Bathampton
Two hours or so after the outward view, a view of Lower Rudloe on the return leg
Still sledging (bottom left) in Maidment's field. View down the valley from the brow of Box Hill.
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