Truncombe Wood

Through the gate, the undefined footpath leads diagonally through the pasture to reach the flanks of Court Hill.

The long distance footpath descending towards Kingston Deverill

Mid Wilts Way long distance footpath on Court Hill

The bridleway follows a long escarpment edge on a chalk down - the fence acting as a guide in mist. The fence also marks the boundary to the airfield base of the Bath Wilts and North Dorset Gliding Club.

The bridleway goes through the gate, and then follows the fence to the left

A windswept landscape of open chalk downland - yet this tree has courageously hung on to life. The bridleway is indicated by the muddy track through the gate.

Mist renders the landscape a bleak spectacle, as the track runs over windswept chalk downland

The Mid Wilts Way follows the edge of windswept chalk downs

Onto the narrow flood plain of the River Wylye after leaving Court Hill

The tumulus is on the flank of the hill, rather than its ridge. But ST8337 : Wylye Valley farmland shows that it is nevertheless visible from some distance

Leading towards the small copse of Peter's Penning

The wood nestles in a fold of the north escarpment of Court Hill, facing the plain of the River Wylye. Just a pity our views from the hill, as we follow the Mid Wilts Way, are obscured by low cloud. At least it's not raining.

A lone hawthorn. Were the field boundaries marked by hedges before the introduction of wire fences?

Looking SE in Bradley Park, near Bradley House. Part of a permissory path system called Duke's Walk Link which now appears to have been decommissioned. 'Brimble Hill was called Bremelhil brech in 1407 and the meaning seems to be Bramble Hill.' Link The clump has rough grave marker stones Link where Algernon Seymour, 15th Duke of Somerset and his wife Susan were buried. 'He died s.p. 22 October 1923 at Maiden Bradley and was buried there 25 October at Brimble Hill Clump aged 77. Will proved £684,923 gross, £289,960 net. His widow, who was a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, died 30 January 1936 and was buried 4 February at Brimble Hill.' Link (For full story about the graves and locale description visit my Maiden Bradley village site on this Link )

As well as improving safety for passers by on the road this treatment helps preserve the life of the tree. Already 300 to 400 years old, given the absence of lightning strikes, road widening, etc. it could last another 400 or 500 years. Brimsdown Hill is in the background, the road continues to Kingston Deverill.