Railway Walks Along Abandoned Lines Guidebook

by: Martin Green
Once upon a time it was possible to travel almost anywhere in England by train, but now these thousands of miles of branch lines are long gone. What is left of these abandoned lines can offer rewarding walks through the heart of the countryside, away from roads and traffic, rich in flora and fauna and littered with examples of Victorian civil engineering. In short there is something to the taste of the routine walker and the railway enthusiast. A summer walk will show what grows where the plough and sprayer do not go. A winter walk will show the detail of what was built, well over a century ago.

The guide outlines some history for each branch line and describes each circular route in detail. There are no sketch maps, but although following a railway route should be straightforward taking as OS map is essential as part of each walk will not follow the track line and the map will give a clearer picture of your surroundings. The relevant OS Explorer map sheet number is given for each walk together with instructions on how to get to the start of each walk. There are some black and white photographs included.

The walk locations are:
Withington - 4 miles
South Cerney - 5 miles
Cirencester Branch Line - 3.5 miles
Malmesbury Branch Line - 4.25 miles
Tetbury Branch Line - 3.5 miles
Marlborough Branch Line - 5.75 miles
Tidworth Branch Line - 5.5 miles
Nailsworth Branch Line - 8.25 miles
Calne Branch Line, near Chippenham - 4.5 miles
Highworth Branch Line, near Swindon - 2.5 miles
Fairford Branch Line, near Lechlade - 5.5 miles
Dursley Branch Line - 3.75 miles
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ISBN 9781873877616 Pages 44 (2003) 148mm x 210mm