Burton – The Gibb – Sevington – Leigh Delamere – Grittleton – Littleton Drew – Burton

 
12.8 miles, 301 ft (95m)

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Blog by Ian Wilson

 
This is a good ride for anyone with an aversion to hills! Although it entails 300 ft of climbing, all the gradients are pretty tame. As we add more rides to this series inevitably there is more duplication as the number of roads out of Burton is limited, so descriptions are shortened when we are covering old ground.
 
Head out of Burton eastbound on the B4039 then turn left at the Gibb cross-roads. Just beyond the Salutation swing right into Summer Lane, as on previous rides. It’s quiet but beware of other bikes coming behind as it’s on the Wiltshire Cycleway.
 
Turn left at the crossroads after a mile, then in another mile right at a T. In half a mile in a small copse turn left signed Sevington and Leigh Delamere.
 
The lane soon enters Sevington. The tiny school though with the sizeable tower is on the left. It was opened in 1848 by landowner and philanthropist Joseph Neeld. It can be visited by arrangement.
 
The lane passes over the M4 then reaches Leigh Delamere. The same Joseph Neeld rebuilt the church and constructed a row of almshouses.
 
Shortly after leaving Leigh Delamere there is a short rise that meets a busier lane at a T. Turn left here, but if desired a nearby refreshment option is offered, albeit in a rather unromantic setting, by taking two rights to reach the back entrance of the M4 services.
 
After the left turn, the lane ascends gently, ignore a turn to the right, then take the next left beside a wood. After half a mile a house on the right features a tall tower, perhaps a folly, but we don’t know its history. The lane emerges at a crossroads where a right turn soon reaches another crossroads on the edge of Grittleton. Turn left here, but again a refreshment option can be found by diverting to the right for the Neeld Arms in the village.
 
After the left turn, the road ascends gently for a mile or so, then take a right at an isolated house. Another good lunch spot using a short diversion is The Salutation Inn which is soon reached by ignoring this turn.
 
The lane ends in a T at the edge of Littleton Drew. Return to Burton is either by going left and regaining the B4039 westbound or right through the village then using the quiet and almost level lane to Acton Turville as on previous rides, then home to Burton southbound on the B4039.

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This article by Ian Wilson originally appeared in The Bugle.