An episode of mystery, intrigue and colourful characters. After all it wouldn’t be Hidden Wiltshire without at least one of these elements and we have all three!
We begin with a chat about what we’ve been up to in the last two weeks since the previous episode. Glyn’s excited about his discovery of a new bottom, and an old coffin trail to Steeple Ashton which included a stone bridge built, we think, by well-known West Country stonemason Andrew Ziminski. His book “The Stomemason” is thoroughly recommended (Link in the show notes on the Hidden Wiltshire website).
Also in the last two weeks Glyn and I both separately did a walk around the Fonthill Estate which will be the subject of the next podcast in two weeks time. Meanwhile I suffered the ignominy of being caught with my head in a muddy puddle by a BBC film crew whilst I was searching for the very well hidden fairy shrimp.
We also talk about our plans for Hidden Wiltshire including our first outside location broadcast with a special guest; Hidden Wiltshire walks with some experts from “another orgnisation”; and the new Hidden Wiltshire Shop on the website.
We then go on to talk about the Folly Wood walk. You can follow the route in the link below to my blog on the Hidden Wiltshire website. This was a location recommend to us by local artist David Alderslade (link in the show notes) who has painted some remarkable pictures of the famed tree you will find. Between us Glyn and I did the walk three times in the space of five days. There was so much to see, and a slight re-routing to recce.
The walk was the story of bizarre works of art; blocked footpaths; a moated inclosure which was the location for a gatekeeper’s lodge into the Bishops of Salisbury’s deer park; mysterious and touching stories of ghosts and incredible personal sacrifice; and a tree with an adjacent cave that was like something from the imagination of J R Tolkein.
We also encounter some fascinating and lovely people. Sculpture, poet and illustrator Mark Whelehan and his dog Crook, and Hidden Wiltshire followers Melanie May and Wayne Ford – links to their stunning Instagram feeds in the show notes on the Hidden Wiltshire website. We then arrive at a beautiful peaceful woodland called Oakfrith Wood, visit the pretty village of Urchfont and round off with a climb onto Salisbury Plain with its far reaching views. There’s even a pub on the route, the Royal Oak at Easterton. What’s not to like?