Visitor News Archive

Our thanks to Tim Baynes, a Wiltshire artist and lover of the Vale of Pewsey, for this beautiful article. ‘A restless sky, Beneath distant grumpy hills Somewhere young greens are stirring, Lights from clouds create different bolts of green, We ...

Walker and video-maker, Hedley Thorne, takes us on a journey across the Pewsey Downs in this fabulous video recently released on his YouTube Channel - Hills & Hillforts. The views are stunning. Hedley is supported by YouTuber, Warren Brand, and ...

Artist, Tim Baynes, visited the Vale of Pewsey and has become completely smitten! Here, in this article, he describes how important the Vale is in our ancient and modern history and why it is so remarkable. Yellow train from Alton ...

A bike repair stand has been installed in Pewsey. You can find it in Goddard Road, just in front of the Pewsey Parish Council Office, close to the Bouverie Hall. What3Words is ///walkway.compacts.wriggle The bike repair stand has handles to ...

Please note that in May 2024, we were notified that there were supply chain problems, delaying some of the works. The updated dates for closure are now in this article. During 2024 National Grid will be upgrading the overhead electricity ...

On the Kennet & Avon Canal, between Crofton Lock and Wootton Top Lock you'll find the Bruce Tunnel - the only 'proper' tunnel on the Kennet & Avon Canal (there are two at Sydney Gardens in Bath which are just ...

We all love a slice of cake and never more so than when we're out on a walk with friends or family. So here's a few suggestions for walks where you will be able to get a delicious slice or ...

Hidden Wiltshire discovers interesting history and stories of places and people across the county. This particular video and blog is about Alton Barnes and Alton Priors - two beautiful villages at the foot of the Pewsey Downs. David Carson MBE, ...

We love our local authors, some of whom write about the Vale or base their novels in the area. John E Wright is from Devizes and regularly writes and publishes poetry, humorous fiction, children’s books and self-help organiser books. He’s ...

There are 8 White Horses still visible today in Wiltshire. Carved into the chalk downland and visible for miles, two of the White Horses are in the Vale of Pewsey - one to the south of Pewsey and one at ...

Exploring Wiltshire's rich heritage is now accessible through the Explore Wiltshire app! The Explore Wiltshire app features information about historical landmarks, cultural sites and significant events that have helped to shape Wiltshire's landscape. The free, easy to use location-aware app, ...

Situated less than one hour from central London, the Vale of Pewsey can boast the very best public transport links, making it easy and convenient to get to. Take time out to enjoy relaxing walks, rural heritage or a day ...

Veiled in mystery, crop circles multiply relentlessly, with an average of 30 formations emerging annually in the UK. Crop circle enthusiasts attribute them to ley lines—ancient pathways aiding navigation—while others perceive them as extraterrestrial messages, cautioning humanity about perils like ...

Silas stands back, looks out across the silent, neolithic landscape: Milk Hill, Walkers’ Hill, and on towards the ridge-worn flanks of Martinsell. There are no houses in sight, just the burnished plains of the Vale of Pewsey below and the ...

Spring has sprung – and with it, a refreshingly-different new Wiltshire biography In Unbelievable! A Working Country Life, local author Victoria Walsh introduces Martin Aris, a real country character, in his very own Cotswolds-Wiltshire accent. Monday the 20th of March ...

You work hard, life is busy. It's time for you to take time out. Relax, unwind and let the stresses of 21st century life dissolve away. Enjoy a car-free break away from it all with as much walking as you ...

Judy Haynes, who runs No 10 B&B in Great Bedwyn, also runs the Bedwyn Footpaths Group and has been instrumental in our Walkers are Welcome accreditation for the Vale of Pewsey. The Vale of Pewsey Walkers are Welcome group is ...

The Canal & River Trust’s project to replace the pumping system at Crofton, that keeps the summit of the Kennet & Avon Canal topped-up with water for boats, towpath users and wildlife, will be completed this winter. The works, near ...

The grapes had spoken. At Southcott Vineyard in Pewsey, the grapes had ripened and were ready for harvest, but it’s a harvest with a difference! Tim and Sarah Ingram Hill, who own the vineyard, don’t just harvest the grapes - ...

Killed in World War 1 at just 39 years of age, the poet Edward Thomas drew on his walks, cycle rides and other journeys through the countryside of England and Wales. Nick Denton has been retracing Edward Thomas's steps and ...

This evocative poem, written by Ewen Cameron and read by Andrew Rae, describes how the landscape of the North Wessex Downs has been impacted by thousands of years of man's activity ..... but this isn't always seen. The beauty of ...

Wilton Windmill is an excellent example of green energy - driven solely by wind power, this amazing feat of engineering captures the wind in the sails and turns the energy from the vertical sails into the horizontal plane of the ...

If you are planning to cycle our long-distance walking and cycling route, the Pewsey Vale Circular Way, then Jonathan Martin has created videos to guide you! Jonathan has split the route into 4 sections - Martinsell to Walbury Hill; Walbury ...

Scattered across the Vale of Pewsey are woods and copses – some quite small – full of native British trees and providing important habitats for flora and fauna. In spring, they are home to a riot of colour as the ...

During lockdown, a group of friends in Wexcombe and Grafton (WAG) in the Vale of Pewsey started cycling together. Very much a social and wellbeing group, they often encountered punctures. Trevor, who generally ended up repairing the punctures, decided a ...

What an amazing man Jack Spratt was! Not only did he build the amazing clock at St Andrew's Church in Wootton Rivers, but he was also postman, church warden, repairer of mechanical items, clock maker, music box maker, accounts clerk, ...

Killed in World War 1 at just 39 years of age, the poet Edward Thomas drew on his walks, cycle rides and other journeys through the countryside of England and Wales. Nick Denton has been retracing Edward Thomas's steps and ...

We are always delighted to receive feedback from visitors to the Vale of Pewsey. This is from Veronica and Malcolm, two walking friends from the south of Hampshire who are very experienced walkers with the South East Hampshire Ramblers. They ...

Patrick Pease (Bruce Boats) with Daisy, Jago & chickens The proceeds of an egg sale by two young fundraisers will enable Help for Heroes’ veterans to enjoy a relaxing day trip on the stunning Kennet & Avon Canal. Daisy, 11, ...

We are delighted to announce that we have achieved Walkers are Welcome accreditation! Thank you to all our local people who registered their support of this important initiative. This accreditation means that the rights of way are checked by groups ...

This beautiful book of walks from the Crown & Anchor in Ham contains short, medium and long circular walks, all starting from the pub on the village green. Written by Ron Forbes who is involved in the running of the ...

The Great West Way® - southern England's east-west touring route, stretching from Windsor in the east to Bristol and Bath in the west, with the Vale of Pewsey right in the heart of it. We are Destination Ambassadors for the ...

On Friday 17th July 2020, ITV This Morning visited the Vale of Pewsey. It was for a series of short films showing celebrities enjoying their favourite dog walk. So it was that Alice Beer and her adorable schpoodle, Stanley, came ...

One of the wonderful things about the Vale of Pewsey is that the most unexpected activities take place in such a rural area. An example of this is in Woodborough Yard, home to a leading bookbinding company, Shepherd's Centre for ...

Honeybee Glamping is in the west of the Vale of Pewsey in the pretty village of Horton, between Pewsey and Devizes. Close to the Kennet and Avon Canal, as well as several lovely country pubs, it is ideally located for ...

It isn’t every day you get a chance to rechalk a White Horse! It’s not that commonplace even in Wiltshire, which is home to 8 of the 14 White Horses in the UK, including the one at Alton Barnes which ...

Here's a lovely article from Pip Browning who runs The Stables at Manor Farm in East Grafton, we hope you enjoy it! Why wouldn’t you visit Wiltshire? Pyramids and all! If you want a great summary of all that Wiltshire’s ...

The Vale of Pewsey lies in a very rural part of England and volunteering forms an important part of keeping things running. We are very lucky to have places of heritage and leisure that provide an important part of the ...

We often think of outdoor activities like walking and cycling to be the preserve of the spring, summer and autumn but winter really can be just as pleasurable. Ok, perhaps not on a day when there's a gale blowing with ...

On 1st December 2018 a new kissing gate at Giant’s Grave, near Pewsey, was dedicated to the memory of Dr Mark Rendall, who passed away in December 2017, aged 75. Mark was a very popular and respected GP in the ...

It's always great fun to travel with friends and the Vale of Pewsey offers plenty for groups to do. Of course, for anyone planning to travel as a group, it's really important to have the activities organised in advance.  Here ...

This is an image of a Vale of Pewsey historical awareness board at Wilton Windmill; one of more than 50 that have been installed around the Vale from Devizes to Great Bedwyn. This unique concept has been designed and created ...

It was Denys Watkins-Pitchford (whose pen name was BB), the great 20th century author, illustrator and countryman, who included this verse, which he found on a Cumbrian gravestone, at the beginning of all his books, We think it sums up ...

The glorious scenery of the Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire is set in the heart of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape and so it is prime country for walking and cycling. Both activities are a good way of getting ...

A big part of the Pewsey Vale calendar is the annual Pewsey Carnival which takes place every September. The events build up over the summer and peak in the fortnight before the Carnival Procession and there are two must-see events ...

‘Would you like to come to the circus?’  A simple question from two very dear friends, Pam and Simon.  ‘We don’t really like circuses – not really our thing,’ my husband, Tim, said. ‘Well this circus is a bit different.  ...

The Pewsey Vale has some of the finest countryside in England and with the rolling downs and sweeping valleys, the Vale provides plenty of opportunities for a picnic, particularly one with a view. We asked some local Pewsey Vale enthusiasts ...

Friday 31st March 2017 - during English Tourism Week - saw the official opening of our first Tourist Information Kiosk. Matt Barnes, Regional Development Manager from GWR performed the ceremony. Patrick Wilson, Chair of the Pewsey Vale Tourism Partnership, said: ...

If you’ve ever been to an event at Crofton Beam Engines or Wilton Windmill, chances are you will have been entertained by The Crofton Stokers – three very talented chaps who specialise in traditional folk and blues music from Britain, ...

The Canal & River Trust has launched a campaign to encourage people to be considerate in their use of the canals and Share the Space. The towpaths were originally created for horses to walk along as they pulled the barges, so ...

The Vale of Pewsey is the ideal location to stay in when you visit Wiltshire.  Why?  Because, not only do you have a wealth of important historical places and landscape settings in the Vale, but you can so easily access ...

Summer may have come to an end but it’s not quite time to hibernate yet!  Autumn in the Pewsey Vale is a glorious time for walking and cycling. From the greenness and leafiness of summer, over the next few weeks, ...

A wonderful video from the air by VisitWiltshire including lots of shots of the Pewsey Vale. Keep an eye out for Wilton Windmill, Crofton Beam Engines and the Kennet & Avon Canal, as well as a positive herd of white horses! ...

The Pewsey Vale is a beautiful, rural part of the country and we want you to enjoy your visit. We also want to avoid headlines such as this one from The Daily Telegraph (8th March 2016): Britain’s worst sheep-worrying ‘in ...

The Pewsey Vale makes up a large part of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape and the North Wessex Downs team has created a short film of some of the landscape highlights you will see when you come and visit ...

‘Wonderful, not at all disappointed!’  That was the view of Marion, a recent visitor to the Bamberg Greenman Carving in Wootton Rivers. This mystical carving in an old oak tree is just on the side of Mud Lane, one of the network ...

We are always keen to hear the views of visitors to the Pewsey Vale and so were delighted to receive this from Eileen who came back to the Pewsey Vale earlier this summer. I always look forward to my holidays in ...

News about the science of the game of Pooh Sticks, immortalised in the books of A A Milne. The question is, can you play Pooh Sticks on a Canal? And if so, what would be your choice of bridge on ...

There is nothing lovelier than a stroll along the Kennet & Avon Canal or chugging your boat slowly up the water, but to make sure everyone knows the rules and considers the other canal users, there is information available to help you ...

Then look no further than this Boater’s Handbook – full of advice for novices through to more experienced waterways users. &nbsp ...

The Pewsey Vale makes up much of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. It’s designated as a National Landscape because it is an area of unique characteristics – chalk downs, woodland and fertile valleys with abundant wildlife and the setting ...

It can be a busy place the Kennet & Avon Canal, and during the summer months is often full of activity, with walkers, cyclists, anglers, canoeists, holiday makers and people who live on the canal all contributing to the ambiance. The Canal ...