This walk takes you over the fields to Bradfield Wood and back. Bradfield Wood lies about 2 miles north of the village and is well worth a visit in early spring. On a chilly, windy April day, drifts of bluebells scent the air and wood anemones and primroses provide varied colours.
- From The Street, go down Parsons Walk near “The Hullavington Arms”, turn right and follow the field paths behind Court Farm Lake, Latimer Gardens, Newtown and the school playing field before meeting the Norton road, going under the railway and passing the little Brookside estate.
- Turn right almost immediately after crossing the Gauze Brook (you see the footpath sign) and take the stile to the rear of the Bradfield cottages (now a large bungalow) car park and then the stile in the barbed wire fence.
- For the first 1/4 mile or so, the trail runs parallel to the brook at the distance of about 100 yards. You can’t miss, especially in Spring, the noisy rookery which occupies the line of trees on your right.
- Where this large field Cowleaze ends, you take the stile and bridge, bend left across Wheel Mead and soon cross a drainage ditch. Here you go diagonally right to the far corner of another big field Lower East Field, about 600 yards ahead. The path is not evident when crops are growing but there is a stile at the corner which will only become visible a few paces before you get there.
- Turn right to the gateway at the end of this field, East Slade, then left and a small footbridge takes you over the ditch and a gate leads into the further field.
- The next part of the walk is very pleasant as you follow the hedge slightly uphill and proceed in the field along the edge of the Wood, which provides welcome shelter from prevailing westerly winds.
- Through a stile and you meet the byway track from Foxley to Corston on the edge of Malmesbury common. Here turn left and in a few yards you will see the track into Bradfield Wood. Like all woodland paths it will be muddy in wet weather. It’s peaceful in the Wood and the track is well defined.
- Once again in the open field East Slade go straight ahead for 200 yards, cross the drainage ditch (there is a bridge) go through the gateway and follow the right-hand hedge.
- At the next ditch you are less than 100 yards from the outward path and may wish to re-join it, or you can take the cart track through several gateways to enter the large field Cowleaze again. There is no possibility of losing your way if you keep to the right of the yellow bungalow. From here retrace your steps to the village.
June Badeni’s book “Wiltshire Forefathers” contains some interesting historical matter on Bradfield Manor. It was originally a French Monastery but was confiscated by Henry VII (not the VIII) about 1450 and its whole estate given to Eton which Henry VI founded at the time.
Hullavington Village 