THIS Swindon Ramblers route is an easy walk around Old Town, mainly on firm paths - uneven in places - with a few steps and no stiles.

Distance: 4 miles

OS Maps: Explorer 169 (or a good street map of Swindon).

Start: High Street, Old Town, outside the entrance gates to The Lawn (between Horder and Charlotte Mews) (SU 158837).

Bus: Readily accessible by bus – several routes serve Old Town. Nearest bus stop for most services: Newport Street Co-op. Old Town has charged borough council car parks. There are bike racks for cyclists in Wood Street.

Directions:

1. Enter the Lawn on the tarmac path. At the end, turn right and keep right, joining a road at the end of The Planks and going downhill. At the bottom take the cycle path to the left. In a few yards where it turns slightly to the right, bear left on to a narrower path. Follow this path beside a lake. Continue in the same direction to join a similar path beside a second lake. At the end, turn right. Cross the cycle path and continue on a narrow path towards a row of houses. Keeping these houses on the left, enter Bruddel Wood beside house no.23. Follow the Millennium Trail, near the left edge of the wood, up some steps, and across a small road to continue through the wood to Marlborough Road.

2. Turn right and cross the road at the pelican crossing. Keeping right, cross Pipers Way then Marlborough Lane. Walk up the grass mound ahead and cross the bridge. You are now on the route of the former Midland & South West Junction Railway. Follow the path between the houses. Beyond the parking area, turn left along a road, right at a T junction, then left towards an industrial estate. Walk through the estate to find a fenced path in the far-right hand corner. This is the start of the Old Town Railway Path.

3. After passing through two short tunnels, enter a site of special scientific interest where ancient rocks from various geological periods are exposed in a few places. The path later emerges from the cutting with views over Wichelstowe to the downs above Wroughton. About a mile after the tunnels, after crossing two minor roads and passing an isolated house on the left, a path joins from the right.

4. Follow this path as it winds uphill. On reaching a level stretch of road, turn right (at house no 36), then ascend a short flight of steps on your left. Follow the tarmac path beside the grass area in front of 20-25 Galen View, then between a fence and a wall into the end of a cul-de-sac (Roman Crescent). Continue to the T-junction and turn left. Carry on, crossing The Mall and Goddard Avenue to reach the entrance to Town Gardens on the left.

5. Enter the gardens, which were laid out in Victorian times on the site of an old quarry. If you wish, take time to explore the gardens. To continue the walk from the entrance gates, turn right, pass the aviary, and continue around the perimeter path to the next gate, exiting opposite house no. 32. Turn right and take the narrow alleyway on your left beside no. 27, which runs around the back of Lethbridge Primary School.

6. Turn right and continue along Lethbridge Road. Cross Devizes Road at the pelican crossing, then turn across Newport Street at the next crossing. Turn right and continue past the Co-op back to the start. Note the blue plaque on the wall as you pass the petrol station.

Refreshments: There are pubs and cafés in Old Town and a kiosk in the Town Gardens.

Toilets: Town Gardens - may not be open all year.

Map reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Licence No. 100033886

Walk courtesy of Swindon and N East Ramblers