10 miles
Route - (Select Satellite view)
Park either in the Car Park off Port Way at the top of the White Horse, reached by going up Castle Road from Bratton, or park in the smaller car park on Bratton Road near the starting point for the relay.
The route follows the White Horse Trail with the exception of the first part due to the danger and difficulty of crossing the railway line. One person has been killed on this crossing so we have decided to avoid it and to cross the line using the Trowbridge Road.
There may be cattle in the Manor Farm fields in Steeple Ashton - don't try to frighten them.
This stage is characterised by old wooden stiles hidden in hedgerows.
Start at ST 884 516, the Parking place for the White Horse on Bratton Road.
Run along the track below the Bratton Road for approximately 3 km, called the Lower Westbury Road.
As you reach the village you will pass Rosenheim Rise on the right.
At the junction bear left on to Trowbridge Road and continue along this road until you pass
over the railway bridge.
Turn immediately left onto Capps Lane, a quiet road, and follow this.
(In May this sign had fallen over, so may not be obvious).
The road bends slightly left.
A bit further on look for footpath markers crossing the road including the WHT sign
(blue and white discs saying White Horse Trail
).
Turn right on to this track and continue straight across fields until you reach a tarmac road. (When pioneering this route one field had an electric fence all around which cut off the footpath, but by circling round clockwise we regained the path fairly easily. The farmer, Mr Oatley, has assured me that the fence will not be there on June 8th) (In May the first field had been ploughed obliterating the Public Right of Way track - you have the choice: either go round the field or cut straight across, but don't sprain your ankle). Turn right along the road (Bratton Road) and continue along it until it bears right.
A marshal will be required here.
Turn left at the footpath sign and go up across the next two fields. Here you will meet a track coming from the left. Continue straight on up the hill to East Town Farm.
After the farm buildings turn right and follow a winding track which proceeds on down hill to a junction of tracks. Turn left here along the track until you meet another field. Bear right and follow this hedge keeping one large and then two smaller fields on your left. Ahead of you you will now see a large field, go left here and then right, round this large field and keep straight on until you reach a lane (Butts Lane) which leads into Steeple Ashton.
Turn left into the High Street.
A marshal will be required here.
Turn right into Church Street. Just before the Church there is a pathway on the left marked
Wiltshire County Council, Public Footpath
. Turn left here and go past the churchyard to the end
of the wall. Go through the kissing gate marked with the WHT sign and continue round the churchyard wall.
At the end of the churchyard wall go through a gap and bear right to a new gate marked WHT.
Go through this and immediately, on your left, is another new gate marked Mid Wilts Way
and Wiltshire County Council, Public Footpath
. Go through this and diagonally (right)
across the next field aiming for the trees in the corner to the gate.
Continue across the next field (you are near the right hand end of it) to another gate.
Go over the small bridge to a kissing gate and you will see a post marked with the WHT sign.
Follow the track to the end of the next field. At the end there is a spinney. Do NOT turn right through the gate which is not part of the White Horse Trail but carry straight on. You will see an old large gate in front of you. Next to this is a small new gate marked WHT. Go through this and continue along the edge of the spinney for about 50 yards before turning right through a kissing gate also marked WHT.
At this time of year parts of the route can be heavily infested with sting nettles and thistles. Also beware that there can be temporary electric fences restricting grazing cattle in fields on the route.
Go back along the other side of the spinney before turning left towards Keevil at the sign WHT.
At the end of this field pass through a gate marked Mid Wilts Way
and along a track.
At the end of the track you continue along the edge of a field to a wooden kissing gate marked WHT,
then along a narrow track to another wooden kissing gate marked WHT and into a field.
Keep the hedge on your left until you come to a metal kissing gate marked WHT.
Go diagonally across the field to a metal gate marked WHT. Cross the bridge and enter the churchyard of Keevil Church. Go straight through, bear left and you will come to the main street.
This is Keevil.
Turn right on to Main Street and follow it as it turns left and then bends slowly to the right. After the last house on your left the road turns sharply left again. Here you will see a track going straight on. At the end you pass briefly on to another road (Wick Bridge) which comes from the left. As this road bends to the right, keep straight on into the field opposite. Go straight across this and the next field and into a third field. Follow a track towards the corner of a housing estate.
As you reach the last field by the housing estate there is a stile half-way up the field passing between the houses.
This is Bulkington.
Turn left to exit the housing estate and, at the end of The Close, turn right onto the main road through the village. Go through the village, pass Wickleaze Lane on the left and the pub opposite it. A bit further on turn right into Mill Lane. Continue for half a mile. There is a farm (Leaze Farm) on your right and then a house. The finish of this stage is in the field on the right just pass the house. (Opposite there are signs for a public way)
Philip Coles, the owner of this land, has kindly given permission to finish here.
This stage does not continue to the start of the next stage at the foot of the Caen Locks due to the fast moving traffic on the Seend to Worton road.
You are 2 miles from Bath Road, the A361, Seend Hill/Caen Hill which is the start of the next stage.
List of all the stages of this Relay Race