Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
A few hours out on my Bootzipper MTB and a chance to explore the beautiful bridleway that runs from Swanborough near Highworth to lower Blunsdon.
The route is a favourite of mine but can be very boggy after wet weather.
I think it is a very old track, certainly Saxon and possibly far older. There are earthworks either side of the track and lots of different species of tree's and bushes.
You can estimate the age of a hedge by the number of species, a method known as Hooper's Rule. By counting the number of woody shrub and tree species in a 30-meter (or 30-yard) stretch, you can roughly estimate that each species represents 100 years of age. For example, a hedge with five species is often around 500 years old.
I didn't stop to count the number but they were all there in these hedges:)
A few hours out on my Bootzipper MTB and a chance to explore the beautiful bridleway that runs from Swanborough near Highworth to lower Blunsdon.
The route is a favourite of mine but can be very boggy after wet weather.
I think it is a very old track, certainly Saxon and possibly far older. There are earthworks either side of the track and lots of different species of tree's and bushes.
You can estimate the age of a hedge by the number of species, a method known as Hooper's Rule. By counting the number of woody shrub and tree species in a 30-meter (or 30-yard) stretch, you can roughly estimate that each species represents 100 years of age. For example, a hedge with five species is often around 500 years old.
I didn't stop to count the number but they were all there in these hedges:)
