rudloescene.co.uk - Walks in the Time of Covid m

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.

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The first or second week of May is the 'traditional' time for the flowering of wild garlic/ramsons so it's off to Monks Wood to see what's occurring on Tuesday 4th May 2021. There's still a strong, cold wind blowing which was particularly fearsome around the brow of Box Hill (in fact, it blew my hat off). The title picture is of a multi-trunked tree near the southern entrance to Monks Wood (and very remiss of me, I didn't check which species).

Kevin Maidment making his way down to the family's Folly Farm in the By Brook Valley, the Village on the Hill beyond

Maidment's Folly Farm cows with Mills Platt Farm beyond

One of Maidment's geese at No Notion which I sidled past as he was 'pumped up' and hissing at me. I was once attacked by a goose (not here) and needed medical treatment.

And some fell on stony ground. Shelly limestone adjacent to the byway twixt No Notion and Weavern.

On the Weavern byway in the depths of Hungerford Wood (at left) and The Larches (right). The hagstone lies between the track to Weavern at left and Collett's Bottom at right.

Hartham Estate designate this a 'private track' (leading off from the Weavern byway) in the supposed 'wildlife area' of The Larches

Emerging sycamore leaves in the canopy of The Larches

Cowslips adjacent to the Weavern byway

The renovation of Weavern fish ponds by the Cotswold Wardens (with authorisation by the owners, the Maidment family) has involved the removal of a number of mature trees (beware the revenge of the trees)

Three mature trees have been removed from the retaining wall of the Weavern fish ponds or Stew ponds (ponds for keeping fish for the table) as they were known. For further historical information, see Corsham Revealed by G Carosi (p 227).

Maidment's cows in the meadow by the By Brook (the bank can be seen beyond) on the opposite side of the byway to Weavern Farm

I have a friend. This youngster, 701975, spent ages licking my hand. I wonder when her number will be up.

And across the way, we have the abandoned Weavern Farm with Monks Wood beyond

It's just a tad early for the full blooming of the wild garlic in Monks Wood (see Localities/Weavern for pics of the woodland in full bloom)

In the more sheltered parts of the wood, the wild garlic has not yet come into bloom but the aroma fills the air

Public art is no match for natural art

The only people encountered on this walk were Karen and Annette who were making the round trip Colerne-Corsham-Colerne for charity by following 'the Peacock Trail' (leaflet in hand)

And, by the way, don't believe everything you read ... five of the photographs in the Peacock Trail leaflet are mine but you won't find my name in the list of credits ...