About the book

This new book blazes a fresh trail for local guide books, and is written by John Price who has lived close to the valley for most of his life. He is determined to get the family away from those tv screens, games consoles and social media and also out of those armchairs, and to join him  in discovering the beautiful and hidden gems of the valley and the surrounding downland. The book contains 25 walks, 5 cycle rides and 4 geocaching treasure hunts.

The walks in the book are all short, ranging from 2.2 miles to 7 miles. Considerable practical information is given to ensure an enjoyable day out with detailed route instructions, Ordnance Survey mapping, and information about nearby local pubs and cafes. Interesting historical background is provided about the villages that are visited with frequent references to writers like William Cobbett and W. H. Hudson who wrote about the area in times past. The author also provides details of how to get to the walks using public transport, so for many of the walks you will not even need to use a car.

Four of the walks include a geocaching ‘treasure hunt’. A geocache is a small container hidden close to the walk that can be found using a combination of your smartphone and a hint that is provided. Inside the container can be found some alphabetical letters. When all four caches have been found the task is to assemble the letters into the name of a Wiltshire village. We will provide a £50 voucher towards a meal in one of the local pubs in the valley, to the first person to correctly name the village.

The 5 cycle rides are designed to be suitable for families with young children, and to introduce them to cycling.  They are therefore short and are on either traffic-free byways or on quiet country roads with little traffic. Point by point instructions are given so that the routes are easy to follow.

Priced at £13.99, this book is the perfect guide to an inexpensive family day out in our local area. It is printed in full colour with beautiful photographs of the places visited on the walks and rides, and will fit easily into the pocket of a hiking jacket. The route maps are very clear and easy to follow. Purchasers of the book will also find a QR Code inside the book that will enable them to download the route to their smartphone or GPS device, to ensure that they will always be on the correct path.

The book is available at local independent bookshops and many other local outlets in the Wylye Valley area. Alternatively order on line by emailing: info@wayaheadpublishing.co.uk to place an order. Also available on line from the Great British Bookshop.