´óÏó´«Ã½

Richard Jefferies is one of England's most individual writers.Ìý Born into the Wiltshire countryside, in 1848, he was a keen naturalist who used his surroundings as a great inspiration for much of his work. He was particularly fond of Coate Water, which was just around the back of his father's farmland.

Writing in a wide range of styles, and on a huge variety of topics, his best known works include the autobiographical 'Bevis - The Story of a Boy!' and his essays on wildlife.

The walk around Coate Farm and Coate Water is one that the author himself would have enjoyed almost daily…

The Walk

The Walk begins in the car park of the Coate Water Country Park. From here follow the stream on the right towards the main road. Turn right at the main road and walk approx 50 meters to where two streams meet at a bridge. The streams aren't quite as they were in Jefferies' time as they've been straightened since he wandered the area for inspiration.

Richard Jefferies Museum

From here carry on, approx 80 meters, until you reach the Richard Jefferies Farmhouse and Museum.

For the more adventurous of you, there is an optional tour up Coate Lane where you will find the milestone referred to in meadow thoughts: 'often and often I rambled up to the milestone which stood under an oak, to look at the chipped inscription low down "to London, 79 Miles". (The Life of the Fields, Meadow Thoughts).

Amanda Parr at The Richard Jefferies Museum

To avoid an unscheduled trip to the capital head back down Coate Lane to the Sun Inn.

Brook Field

At the Sun Inn, behind the pub car park, is where you will find Brook Field.Ìý Along the eastern edge of Brook Field there's an ancient hedge referred to in several of Jefferies' books:Ìý 'In the meadow… is a thick hedge, the end of which comes right up to the apple trees being only separated by the ha-ha wall and a ditch. This hedge, dividing the two meadows, is about 200 yards long and well grown with a variety of underwood, hazel, willow, maple, hawthorn, blackthorn, elder etc and studded with some elms and ashes and some fine horse-chestnut.' (Wildlife in a Southern County).

Although the hedge is greatly thinned-out, since Jefferies' time, an old ash tree still remains within the field boundary.

Walk through Brook Field to a bridge beyond the wooden barn and head through the car park where you will find a modern sluice in the stream.Ìý It's an area familiar to Jefferies and the site of an old wooden hatch. An ancient willow stands nearby as referenced in Chapter 3 of Bevis: 'A broad cool shadow from the trees had fallen over the hatch.Ìý Afar in the mowing-grass the crake lifted his voice... the rushing and the coolness, and the songs of the brook and the birds and the sense of the sun sinking… the delicious brook their ears with music.'

Coate Water Lake

Onwards now up the embankment to Coate Water Lake. To the south-west observe Burderop Wood and Liddington Castle four kilometres to the south-east.Ìý Jefferies' wife, Jessie Baden, was born in Day House the farmhouse visible in the next field to the east.

The Richard Jefferies Museum

From here walk to the left hand corner of the lake, again referred to in Bevis: 'we will find a new sea where no one else has ever been before. Look! There it is, is it not wonderful?'.

Following the pathway, leading south next to the lake, the edge of the water shortly becomes a low cliff: 'The water came to the bottom of the cliff, and there did not seem any way past it except by going away from the edge into the field and so, around it. Bevis with a frown on his forehead stood looking at the cliff having determined that he would not go round'.

The 'Council Oak'

From here, proceed south to the children's play area. Nearing the lake again you will reach an ancient tree. This 'Council Oak' features in Bevis as the area for a mock battle between Bevis and local boys on Day House Farm: 'Some stood by the edge of the water, for the oak was within a few yards of the new sea, and made ducks and drakes. Bevis had convened a council for all those who wanted to join the war… this oak was chosen because it was known to everyone.Ìý It grew alone in the meadow, and far from any path.' (Bevis, Chapter14).

The Old Sand Quarry

From this fictional battle ground, walk on 200 meters where you will reach the site of an old sand quarry. This quarry, described in Bevis, was the setting for more adventures: 'They left the shore for a while. And went into the quarry, and winding in and out of the beds of nettles and thistles climbed up a slope, where they sank at every step ankle deep in sand. It led to a broad platform of sand above which the precipice rose straight to the roots of the grass above…'. (Bevis, Chapter 5)

More significantly for Jefferies this is also the place where he was taught, by his father, to swim at a spot a short stroll further up the path.