In this post about a wood, you will find no photos of woodland because while this is a location with many trees, the greater interest is found in the river and canal that surrounds it and the insects and flowers that inhabit the area. That is not to say the woodland is not worthy of exploration - it is, and its shade provided welcome respite from the heat of the sun.
Widbrook Wood itself is located close to the edge of Trowbridge, the county town of Wiltshire. It is a perfect example of how urban locations in the county quickly give way to open countryside as the closest I could park was on an industrial estate. The path took me right through the Airsprung factory complex until I hit a small bridge over the Kennet and Avon canal. A quick turn left on the canal path will take you alongside the wood which is on the right.
What makes this place interesting to explore is that you have the canal on one side, and the wood slopes down from the canal to the River Avon on the opposite side. The River Biss also makes its way to the River Avon on another edge, and Wid Brook itself also puts in an appearance. So I'm sure you get the picture - this is a place where a lot of water meets.
There are plenty of glades and meadows between the waterways, and while the woodland is relatively new with planting only completed in 2000, there are over 40,000 trees. We started our walk along the canal, where many boats were moored. Plenty of people live on the canal today, with many having to move their location every two weeks as they don't have a permanent mooring so you tend to see different boats and people if you come here a lot. Heading down to the river bank we discovered plenty of insects including dragonflies such as the scarse chaser and damselflies with a variety of vivid colours.
On our visit we also had a stark reminder of how close we are to the Salisbury Plain training area as three chinook helicopters flew overhead at very low altitude. If my drone had been deployed I would have had to carry out evasive manoeuvres.
Access Information
The best place to access Widbrook Wood is from the Kennet and Avon Canal. You can park near the Airsprung factory site, where there is parking near the factory shop on Canal Road in Trowbridge.