I very nearly didn’t write this blog for reasons that will become apparent. I’ve long intended to visit the New Forest in autumn but since it is mostly in Hampshire my commitment to writing for Hidden Wiltshire meant it was always on the back burner. But then it dawned on me that part of the forest does just creep into Wiltshire.

Looking for inspiration my walking buddy and neighbour Stu mentioned a walk he’d seen in Country Walking Magazine. The starting point was the village of Giddeahall, a place neither of us had heard of. Having studied the map we knew exactly where it was but neither of us could remember seeing a village, despite having driven past many times. We recalled seeing a pub at the side of the A420 west of Chippenham but nothing else. Intrigued we set off on a bright, fresh September m

A walk taking in the variety of Wiltshire's Bentley Wood