13 minute read
Sustainable Travel on the Great West Way®
Take time to explore the Great West Way evoking all your senses, losing yourself in an authentic car-free journey.
There are many ways to discover your Great West Way, the best approach is to take it slowly. Enjoy a trip of a lifetime by fully immersing yourself in the variety of culture, food, attractions and natural beauty along the route. From riverside walks and cycle routes through tranquil English countryside, horse-riding, wildlife-watching and visiting pretty villages by train to feeling lost in the city.
Explore at your own pace, take time to uncover local gems, and savour the journey. There are many beautiful hotels to choose from, world-class restaurants to dine in and spas to pamper yourself in. You can float downstream on a narrowboat, fly high in the sky in a hot air balloon, or lose yourself floating in hot natural spring water in a rooftop pool.
No matter how you choose to travel the Great West Way remember to stop and admire the views, pause for a moment as you experience new places, delight in delicacies from producers who have followed secret recipes for generations - and most importantly, give yourself the holiday time you deserve. Here is just one
idea of a journey that we hope will help inspire you to travel at your own speed, for a holiday full of many unforgettable and special moments.
One of the reasons the Great West Way is a worldclass touring route is its variety of responsible modes of transport. In a time of being socially responsible and watching our carbon footprint, sustainable travel is vitally important. Thanks to the A4 Great West Road, the Great Western Railway, the River Thames, the Kennet and Avon Canal, and multiple foot and cycle paths, you can choose how you get around.
This trip takes you on a combination of boat, bike, walking and train - leaving the car behind. By doing so, you will get to see more, hear more, and find yourself living in the present moment, while also remaining kinder to the environment. Plus, you can always hire out a classic for the day, an Aston Martin or Morris Minor Convertible perhaps?
Planning the route from east to west (west to east would also be an option), the journey begins with an Afternoon Tea at a mid-19th century Victorian boutique townhouse hotel, Roseate House, one of Hyde Park’s most exclusive destinations. There’s no better way to get you into the mindset of ‘slow travel’ than delighting in finger sandwiches, handmade pastries and traditional scones while enjoying the delicate taste of hand-crafted tea blends.
Afternoon Tea being served at boutique townhouse hotel, Roseate House
The River Thames flows from London all the way to the Cotswolds offering idyllic exploration and navigation for the curious traveller. The paths and waterways shape the first part of our ‘slow travel’ route abundant with wildlife and lots of riverbased fun. It’s just a short journey upstream from central London before you reach Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the perfect stop for the mindful environmentally enriched adventurer.
Take a tour of Palm House, built with a rainforest climate to nurture the plant life brought back by Victorian botanists, head to The Hive for an immersive experience that echoes the life going on inside a real beehive and visit The Princess of Wales Conservatory, packed with all sorts of prickly curiosities from cacti to carnivorous plants.
From Kew, it is a short walk to Richmond, one of London’s most attractive boroughs with a timeless charm more akin to a village than a town. The riverside around Richmond Bridge contains many bars and restaurants. The stretch of the Thames below Richmond Hill is known as Horse Reach, and includes Glover's Island.
There’s no better way to appreciate its beauty than by boat. Take a restful river cruise and soak it all in. Thames Rivercruise offers various experiences, allowing you to spot kingfishers, sing along to live music or watch the sun go down with a drink on the foredeck.
From Richmond there are good cycling routes to Strawberry Hill House, equipped with bike racks in the carpark. Strawberry Hill House was Horace Walpole’s summer residence and is famous for being Britain’s finest example of Georgian Gothic Revival architecture.
Continue meandering your way along the Thames path passing Bushy Park until you reach a palace like no other, Hampton Court, one of Britain’s most famous buildings. It is a picturesque sight, located on the river bank, surrounded by swathes of stunning gardens and parkland. The Tudor palace was at the centre of the court and political life for two centuries, so it was highly fitting that it was used in the filming of Netflix's Bridgerton.
As the journey heads further west, the Great West Way Discoverer pass and train travel is in itself part of the adventure. This pass offers unlimited off-peak train travel with Great Western Railway from London Paddington or London Waterloo to Bristol Temple Meads, via the Reading and/or Basingstoke routes, with options to branch off towards Oxford and Kemble, in the Cotswolds, as well as to Salisbury on the Wiltshire line through Westbury. Also included is unlimited travel on bus services along the route. (Oneday, three-day and week-long options are available, with prices from just £24 per person).
This journey takes the route to Basingstoke. Hop on a 76 bus and step off again right outside the Bombay
Sapphire Distillery, Laverstoke Mill, a conservation area with over 1000 years of history. The Victorian and Georgian buildings set astride the crystal-clear River Test produced bank note paper for the Bank of England and the British Empire for over 225 years.
Now, Laverstoke Mill is a state-of-the-art sustainable distillery, which produces every drop of Bombay Sapphire gin. This October the distillery launched a brand new Turbine bar and Cinema Room adding to the immersive experience offered to visitors.
Botanicals being grown at Bombay Sapphire Distillery, Laverstoke Mill
Having been awarded the highly prestigious BREEAM Award for Industrial Design accreditation for its distillery process buildings the distillery is an impressive example of sustainable tourism.
Learn about the distillery, its efficient processes and behind-the-scenes production. Discover the flavours of the botanicals identifying your personal taste profile, then use it to order a complimentary cocktail from the Mill Bar suited to your tastes.
A 76 bus towards Whitchurch will take you door-door from the distillery to Whitchurch Silk Mill in around 10 minutes. One of the best parts about ‘slow travel’ is learning from local craftsmen and seeing their artisan skills in action - Whitchurch Silk Mill is 200-years-old and still uses historic equipment and processes to produce its beautiful silks. It is the oldest silk mill still weaving silk in its original building - a gem of Britain’s industrial heritage. See the original mill wheel and Victorian machinery and fabulous fabrics on the looms before enjoying a light lunch or delicious cake from the riverside café. It is a beautifully tranquil setting.
Whitchurch Silk Mill
Whitchurch riverside
Whitchurch is on the south of the North Wessex Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where you could easily spend a couple more days exploring. Stay overnight at Helen Browning’s Royal Oak or Meadowbank House and enjoy the countryside walks and Kennet and Avon Canal. The canal is the area’s lifeblood, linking attractions such as Wilton Windmill, the only operating windmill in Wessex and Crofton Beam Engines, home to the oldest working steam engines in the world, as well as many picturesque market towns and villages.
From Whitchurch to Hungerford you pass Highclere Castle, or ‘The Real Downton Abbey’, as it’s known, being the location for most of the Downton Abbey filming (both the TV series and movie). It is one of England's most beautiful Victorian castles, set amidst 1,000 acres of spectacular parkland.
A little further north, Hungerford is in the middle of the North Wessex Downs, a historic market town famous for its antique shops. There are plenty of warm and friendly pubs, tea shops and restaurants - it is easy to lose yourself for a delightful few hours. Stop at The Tutti Pole next to the canal before going on a private charter along the Kennet and Avon Canal on The Rose of Hungerford, owned by the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust and run entirely by volunteers.
Take the route from Hungerford to Marlborough stopping at the award-winning Alder Ridge Vineyard and Cobbs Farm Shop and the Three Tuns Freehouse at Great Bedwyn. Explore the magnificently restored 17th century The Merchant’s House with its acclaimed wall paintings and reconstructed gardens. From here, there’s a four-mile circular walk to visit Marlborough’s White Horse, cut in 1804 by a group of schoolboys.
Alton White Horse
Head to the quaint village of Pewsey with its wharf, and own White Horse carvings. Immerse yourself in history with charming thatched cottages, quirky local landmarks, and village churches dating from Saxon times. Ideal for a ‘slow traveller’ with time to ponder, Pewsey is also a hotspot for crop circle enthusiasts!
With a mainline railway station at Pewsey you can jump back on the GWR via Westbury towards Salisbury, famous for its World Heritage Site, Stonehenge, perhaps stopping in for a night or two at the nearest hotel to Stonehenge, Holiday Inn Salisbury. Get the most out of your visit to this must-visit attraction by joining a tour with entertaining and informative commentary from an experienced guide. Many tours will take you from Stonehenge to Old Sarum, a mighty Iron Age hill fort where the first cathedral once stood and the Romans, Normans and Saxons have all left their mark.
North Wessex Downs
Standing beside the ancient stone, looking up at a block of rock upended from the earth and placed upright on end by prehistoric man is a mesmerising experience. Even better, though, would be if you can touch it. Hug it even - and slow travel is all about connection. At Stonehenge, you can’t get that close to the stones, however, at Avebury, Wiltshire’s other prehistoric stone circle, touching the stones is positively encouraged. Here people have been living right inside the circle for millennia – and there is even a pub, the Red Lion, surrounded by the stones. The circle here is far larger, the complex of stones far more sprawling.
Avebury, Europe’s largest neolithic stone circle
There isn’t the neatly stacked circle you’ll see at Stonehenge but Avebury is Europe’s largest neolithic stone circle and there is much to see and explore - and to touch.
No visit to Wiltshire is complete without spending time in Calne. This friendly historic town is the place where the traditional English technique of curing ham and bacon – the Wiltshire Cure - was invented by the Harris family. The factory is no longer here but Calne is proud of this part of its history.
Remember what I said about hiring a car for the day? Well now is the time to do it. Vintage Classics have launched The Wiltshire White Horse Trail - its latest tour for Great West Way visitors.
The circular route will take you to visit each of the legendary eight White horses carved into the beautiful Wiltshire landscape, and with some fabulous picnic spots recommended, notably at Cherhill on the A4 near Calne and the historic site of the Westbury White Horse, both affording spectacular views across the county. Vintage Classics will even loan a picnic set or basket and rug free of charge and can recommend picnic providers where clients can pick up a gourmet picnic to enjoy afternoon tea en-route.
The next stop on the GWR is Westbury Station. Hop off the train and it’s under an hour's walk and gentle incline to the Westbury White Horse - a key landmark on the Great West Way. Take a look at Bratton Camp, the iron age hillfort at the top - one of the best in the country. The site is also an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). There are woodlands as you go down the slope and fantastic chalk grasslands with all sorts of rare species.
For the more adventurous travelling with a bicycle there is a beautifully picturesque circular bike trail from here which will take you through the pretty villages of Coulston, Marston, Bulkington, Steeple Ashton and more.
From Westbury, you might want to take a taxi (15 minutes drive and approximately £20) to Longleat, the UK’s number one Safari Park with England’s only koalas. Discover various species of animal from around the world here including lions, tigers, wolves, koalas, red panda and sea lions. Much like the Great West Way, once inside the attraction, you have the option to travel by road, rail, waterway and foot. You could book a VIP experience or even stay overnight on the estate in one of their new luxury cottages.
It takes just 28 minutes on the GWR from Westbury to Bath or 50 minutes to Bristol. You could spend a few more days in both of these fabulous cities. A blessing for the urban adventurer since these cities are so close together geographically - just 15 minutes by train - yet miles apart in character. Perhaps treat yourself to a soak in Britain’s only naturally warm, mineral-rich waters as the Celts and Romans did over 2,000 years ago at Thermae Bath Spa. Or in Bristol, you might enjoy a dockside walk or river ferry trip. The historic harbourside is lined with cafés and bars offering delicious locally sourced food and drink.
The journey has now reached the western end of the Great West Way. You could of course travel back the same way, but there is so much more to discover. In our next issue, we will take an alternative route from west to east, which you could combine with this one for the ultimate unhurried Great West Way experience.
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY
One of the most enjoyable ways to embrace Slow Travel is on foot so why not try one of these great self-guided walking routes along the Great West Way - offering you the perfect opportunity to fasten up those laces and step outside into the great British countryside.
NEW TRAILS FOR MALMESBURY
The White Walls Way is a brand new 20-mile marked footpath trail, one of a handful of new routes launched by Malmesbury Area Pathfinders. Other routes include the Saxon Trail combining physical remains with virtual reimagining and the 350 year anniversary of the Trial of the Malmesbury Witches, with a new multimedia trail telling this true story of turmoil, allegations and hangings.
→ exploremalmesbury.com
WALKERS ARE WELCOME IN PEWSEY
Discover Pewsey Vale is a brand new online planner for your trip to the Vale of Pewsey offering a selection of walking and cycling itineraries. The timing has come just as the partnership have achieved a Walkers are Welcome accreditation demonstrating the quality of walking in the area. There is a map showing all the available walking routes that are also downloadable from their website. The Pewsey Vale Circular Way is one of the itineraries launching later this year
→ malmesburyareapathfinders.org.uk
It's official! #TheGreatWestWay with 157,415,253 hashtags is No.1 in the Tempcover's Top 50 most Instagrammable Road Trips in the UK - so don't forget to share your photos with us instagram.com/GreatWestWay
