Tower and Town, February 2017

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A Pleasant Stroll And A Wonderful Mosaic

At a tad over three miles this stroll provides a pleasant saunter on quiet paths and lanes (maybe one tractor max.) in addition to a magnificent Roman mosaic floor.

Leave your car at Littlecote House public car park and head west (away from the house) to view the mosaic under the prominent wooden shelter. Allow plenty of time to enjoy the whole site then turn south (left from your original direction) cross a pathway with a tempting gate on your right (you'll use that on the return), pass a small building on your left then, at a vehicle track, turn right. Continue for about half a mile past trees on your left and pleasant fields to your right until you reach a fork in the track - take the right hand one.

There follows an easy ascent of another half mile into woods where you ignore any tempting right turns but keep on to the top of the hill. The track narrows and deteriorates but continue and descend diagonally left into and across open fields with Ramsbury ahead of you. The first part as you leave the trees is somewhat steeper than the ascent and could be slippery in the wet… but if you want to enjoy the circuit don't do it in the wet!

At the bottom of the hill you join a more significant path near some houses where, declining the temptations of Ramsbury tea rooms or pubs, you turn right. This is the path you ignored near the start so follow it back to Littlecote where you can now indulge in tea and cakes at Oliver's Bistro, the Popham Restaurant or the Kennet Bar, all in the stately house hotel a short walk from your car.

Peter Noble