More Pictures for Posterity
Ted’s walks are popular always. Ted Maslen leads regular monthly walks around the area. They are a great chance for newcomers to the area to meet up with other locals and to learn where some of the footpaths are.
But the Jubilee Walk, of June 4th 2012, was to be different. A new section of footpath was being officially opened. Market Lavington Museum was on hand to record the walk for posterity.
As for all of Ted’s walks, we started in the Market Place. There were about 150 of us.
June 4th 2012 – walkers are almost ready to depart from Market Lavington Market Place
That’s quite a crowd.
To start with the route was on long established roads and paths. We turned into White Street and then veered right at The Hollow to take the path which was once deemed the main road to Warminster.
Spring green as the walkers head along the path to Periwinkle Pond
We crossed the parish boundary into West Lavington before climbing up to the Ridgeway, the road along the edge of Salisbury Plain.
Climbing up to The Ridgeway
The Ridgeway was a good place for walkers to pose, for we were about to go into new territory for most people.
The walkers on the Ridgeway near Brazen Bottom
In front of those people was the track down to Brazen Bottom which is not new footpath but very few people bother to walk there and then come back. This track leads to the new Jubilee walk. Shown as a green dotted line on the aerial photo (taken from the Lavington parish website).
Plan of the new Jubilee Walk
Walkers step onto The Jubilee Walk
Some of the walkers step on to the new route. It had better be said that the precise route has not yet been waymarked. Hopefully the MOD will get some signs up soon.
What a wonderful Community event this was. Market Lavington shows it still has what it takes as our 150 walkers stretch out on The Jubilee Walk.
There are some of the walkers with the leaders away in the distance. But there were plenty more behind.
As we neared the top of Lavington Hill there was a bonus sight. This was the day chosen for a bus service to Imber run by ex London Routemasters. And, to quote the old joke about buses, having waited for ever for a bus down Lavington Hill, two came along at once.
Open topped Routmaster on the special June 4th service which linked Market Lavington to Imber and Warminster.
It was not the best weather for an open top bus! Market Lavington village can be seen below the plain, just in front of the bus.
Two buses at once travel along the Ridgeway above Market Lavington. They were about to head down Lavington Hill and into the village.
There were more passengers on the closed top bus.
This memorable and historic walk finished with a hog roast at The Green Dragon – Delicious!
Market Lavington Museum 