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Old Town Rail Path
Jurassic
Swindon Take
a stroll through Jurassic Swindon at a time when huge meat-eating dinosaurs
roamed the earth, the seas were teeming with life and Swindon's Old Town
was a warm, tropical paradise.
Walk details:
Start point:
Victoria
Road, Old Town, Swindon
Countryside Rangers' office:
01793
771419
Ordnance Survey:
Explorer
169 - grid ref:SU155839
Distance:
approx
2km (1.2 miles)
Time:
approx
1 hour
Extra info: To see what the symbols mean, please visit
the
key
More
info:
The walk follows the course of Swindon Old Town's history from the warm
tropical seas of the late Jurassic, the deep seas of the Crutaceous to
the arrival of the Great Western Railway. From the earliest settlers drawn
to Swindon Hill's strategic position to the Romans who took advantage
of the Kimmeridge Clay.
From the arable farmers who prospered on the chalk hills to the 17th century
industrialists who quarried the Purbeck Limestone and Portland Stone.
Swindon Town's prosperity, it seems, has its underlying
geology to thank.
Who ever
said geology was boring?
Getting there:
By bus: There is a regular bus service operating between Swindon Old
Town and the rest of the county. For more information click
here. By car: Drive to start point, (see map) where there is a Public Car
park.
Walk conditions
The Old Town Rail Path is flat and fairly wide but can become muddy after
rain. Leaving the Rail Path there are five or six steps to descend which
will restrict wheelchair access. It is suggested that wheelchair users return
to Station Approach and access Town Gardens from there. The rest of the
walk is on paved surfaces. Health and Safety information
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