I’m not sure of the best place to put this item, not news as such but happened yesterday. This little known hillfort is one of north Wiltshire’s ‘hidden’ ancient places – it lies between Wootton Bassett and Swindon and has some lovely views towards the also little known village of Greenhill. I made my second visit yesterday from a completely different direction to the first time I visited. This time walking from Greenhill, it was uphill across farmland which gave the place much more a sense of being a defensive site. The first time I visited was from Purton where the approach seems generally flat.
It is obviously a favourite place for dog walkers which not many people have a problem with. Yesterday, however, we were approached by a farmer who told us someone had been letting their dog worry the sheep (in the adjacent field). I never fully understood what the term sheep worrying meant – its not pleasant. The dogs when they do it bite the hind quarters of the sheep injuring them badly. This particular farmer had removed the two injured sheep back to a barn for treatment. Its sometimes helpful to hear the farmer’s story and the reasons why they are often reluctant to give people (and their dogs) free access.