Wiltshire 23 - 25 July 2011

Three days around London and it was necessary to get out to the villages.  While getting into London was a simple process leaving was more difficult.  Instructions for picking up a rental car appeared simple enough and the clerk at the hotel had worked for the rental car company so was able to give more tips.  Take the tube from near the hotel to Heathrow, get off at terminal one, take the rental car shuttle to their depot then follow their map and instructions to the road system.  First part was OK but from there on became progressively more confusing.  Something like some quiz game where each section gets more difficult or a form of maze.  However after a few hours we were in the car but linking onto the M4 to go west required two attempts.  We were starting to experience the confusion of UK road signage.  Once on the M4 and heading west we were reluctant to leave it for some time but after an hour or so the map was less littered with larger cities and towns so we ventured off to a place called Hungerford heading south to more open space to the east of the Salisbury Plain.

The villages followed the publicity pattern with the historic pub signs.

Although the extent of intensive agriculture with grain crops ripening was a surprise and welcoming relief.  It was not long and farm machinery was a frequent sight on the narrow roads and in the villages.

Back in the village was the "local" pub.  This one the "George Inn"  in Fosbury.  We stopped here to get information about local accommodation while getting our first fill of photographing the quaint building with the immaculately thatched roofs.

We were directed to a B&B across the road.  The very helpful landlord was full but called a friend nearby who was very helpful and provided good accommodation.  We had now expreienced the British B&B system.  Dinner that evening at the pub shown above.
The photo shows thatch that has recently been repaired.  The house (B&B first referred to above) had been burned down just a few years prior and had been rebuilt as if very old, viewed from both outside and inside.  The thatch had settled and any hollows were being patched and the top ridgeline added to.  Frequently buildings could be seen that had a completely new layer of thatch applied.  The material used is long wheat straw.

Intensive crop fields beside the village.  Broadbeans in the foreground with wheat beyond.

Evening sky.