Ramsbury - Waterside & Meadows

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Treasure Hunt around Ramsbury Waterside & Meadows, with Explorers helping Ramsbury lift Old Mother Toogood's curse by following the route, retrieving her lost spellbook and freeing the village from its spellbound trouble.

The quest covers approximately 1.7 miles and should take around 1.5 hours to complete. You'll begin near The Square and The Bell, follow Ramsbury's lanes and pavements, pass Holy Cross Church and its churchyard, venture onto the boardwalk at Ramsbury Meadow nature reserve, then loop back through the village towards the starting area.

This Trail is wheelchair accessible and pushchair accessible. The route uses lanes, pavement and the boardwalk, with some inclines and uphill sections along the way.

Take great care on roads with no pavements. Cross The Square and other roads carefully, and mind traffic at the bottom of the hill.

Getting There

By car: Park your expedition vehicle on the High Street near the Post Office (SN8 2PB), then cross The Square to reach The Bell and begin. The Bell is the recommended starting point for the quest (SN8 2PE); to begin, cross The Square to reach The Bell.

By public transport: Make your way to Ramsbury High Street, then head for The Square and The Bell to begin your adventure. The circular route returns to the starting area in Ramsbury once the spellbook search is complete.

Need the Loo?

Explorers can find toilets at the Memorial Hall on High Street, making it a useful comfort stop during your village quest.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

If you're planning to bring four-legged Explorers along, keep the route practicalities in mind. 🐾

The quest includes lanes, pavements, a boardwalk, inclines and roads with no pavements, so keep canine companions close around traffic, road crossings and the bottom of the hill. There are also optional river photo opportunities near the bridge and at Mill Lane, so take extra care near the water if you wander that way.

Food & Drink Stops

Spellbook-hunting can work up an appetite, but there are limited chances to stop for refreshments and stock up on snacks, so pack plenty of supplies before setting off.

The Bell is mentioned at the start and the Crown and Anchor is passed on the route. For a more outdoorsy pause, plan a picnic at the nature reserve near Clue 12.

Want to Make a Day of It?

The Square

The Square is a natural place to linger before or after the quest. Sitting at the junction of four historic roads, it traditionally served as a meeting place for local festivities. A wych elm once stood at its centre and had been there since before 1751, before being confirmed dead in 1983 and replaced by an oak tree in 1986.

Holy Cross Church

The route passes Holy Cross Church and its churchyard, where the present Lychgate was built in memory of the Waldron family. The churchyard may have originated as a pre-Christian burial ground, and people used to be buried inside the church until an Act of Parliament forbade this practice in 1854.

Ramsbury Meadow Nature Reserve

Ramsbury Meadow nature reserve is the green heart of this adventure, reached by boardwalk and marked with a welcome information board. It's also the suggested picnic spot near Clue 12, and you can add an optional wander up Mill Lane to the two bridges for a river photo opportunity.

Rookery in Back Lane

Before Burdett Street, the route passes the grand brick house where Oliver Cromwell held a Council in 1649. It was later renamed Parliament Piece in commemoration - a suitably dramatic slice of history to inspect once the cursed spellbook is safely under control.