Swindon is a large town (or small city, depending on your viewpoint), population 180,000, situated roughly midway between Bristol and Reading, at the very start of the West Country. The name is said to come from the old anglo-saxon words: swine and dun, meaning "pig hill".
The town came to prominence in the Victorian era after Brunel decided, in 1840, to locate his new expansive railway works for the Great Western Railway in the area. A new town sprung up to accommodate the large working population, and in 1900 the old and new towns merged to form the new Borough of Swindon. Many of the original buildings and houses are still occupied in the "Railway Village", just west of the town centre. The factories that once housed up to as many as 14,500 workers toiling in the hot, noisy environment now echo to the sounds of busy shoppers grabbing a bargain or two in the retail park that now takes its place.
During the 1980's and 1990's Swindon underwent a rapid expansion, particularly to the north and west of the town, and was often dubbed, with some justification "The fastest growing town in Europe". Many of the smaller villages and hamlets nearby, such as Shaw and Lydiard, were swallowed up in the weight of development. With its rising population, good infrastructure, and close proximity to nearby cities such as Bristol, Bath, Oxford, and less than an hour from London, Swindon attracted many large corporations to its shores. Motorola, Intel, Burmah Oil, W H Smith and Honda were some of the many companies that set up shop in the burgeoning town.
One of Swindon's most famous features is the "Magic Roundabout". It consists of five small roundabouts surrounding a single larger one, officially known as a gyratory. It puts the fear of dread in many a learner driver, although it does, however, serve its purpose very effectively. There are several museums in Swindon, most notably the Steam Museum, celebrating the town's railway heritage, along with many other places of interest. Swindon has also finally acquired a new public lending library in Regent Circus after many years of making do with a temporary structure.
Heading west from Swindon you reach the nearby town of Wootton Bassett. It used to be said that there were enough glasses in the pubs in the town to serve the whole population at once! A bit further on is the historic town of Malmesbury - England's oldest borough. Nestled between the two is the village of Brinkworth, which the sign proclaims is "The Longest Village in England". Brinkworth lies adjacent to the Braydon Forest area, a mixed landscape of grassland, woodland and meadow; rich in birdlife, wild plants and flowers.
To the south of Swindon lies the Marlborough Downs - a large expanse of grassland on rolling hills that is a haven for walkers and those seeking a little peace and quiet. It is also home to several prehistoric settlements such as Avebury stone circle, Windmill Hill and Barbury Castle.
Heading north from Swindon, just beyond Cricklade, is arguably Wiltshire's best birding location - The Cotswold Water Park, Britain's largest waterpark. With over 140 lakes, spread over 40 square miles, you can easily spend several days exploring the area in search of birds and other wildlife or to just enjoy the surroundings.
If you follow the Ridgeway eastward you come to the Vale of the White Horse. Largely arable land, the area also hosts several prehistoric sites, including the ancient long barrow of Wayland's Smithy and the chalk hill figure of Uffington White Horse, from which the area takes its name.
