Melksham: Last words

We are on the train, having just said goodbye to our 3 doggie friends for the last 5 weeks, and their lovely parents, homeowners of the house we were sitting at.

Having planned very little before we arrived, we were constantly surprised by how much there is to see in this area (Wiltshire, UK), and we’ve done our best to see and do not everything, but certainly a lot. “Such fun!” (Apologies if you haven’t checked out Miranda on Netflix. We’ve watched our way through all 3 too-short seasons, and “such fun!” plays in my head in Miranda’s mother’s voice quite frequently.)

We have been delighted by the history in the little towns and villages around us. Nary a wooden structure in sight, but loads of stone and brick.

We have loved exploring tow paths and green spaces around the canals, watching the boats ease through lock gates, and chatting to some of the travellers as they manage the locks or take a break in one of the many pubs nearby.

We have walked a tiny fraction of the trails that are part of national and regional public walking spaces programs. You can meander through sheep and cow pastures, around cornfields, down laneways, beside canals–masses of walks, well-signed and documented, all open for public use. We began our month walking in meadows and among trees that were full-on green. By the end of the month many trees had begun turning shades of yellow and orange, with colour swatches floating down upon us with the breezes.

We had a terrific month. We have a few things we’d like to do if we get back there (for example, Ken only managed to tour and taste at 3 breweries, and we didn’t make it into Swindon’s Magic Roundabout), but we’re really keen to come back through the area on a narrow boat along the canals at some point, so there still might be a chance. Now onto the next adventure!