IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Monet Close, SWINDON, SN25 4GW

As the town of Swindon has continued its growth to the west and the north, the Borough Council has ensured that provision is made for new public houses to serve the new communities. Thus Swindon probably has had more new pubs in its suburban estates in the last two decades, than any other place of comparable size. Some of these pubs have been converted from farmhouses, others have been new build. The Blunsdon Arms in the north of Swindon is an example of the latter. It belongs to the Ember Inns chain and is the first time they have built a entirely new pub. Although of a traditional design, the pub has an attractive appearance, and seems to be gaining customers since it opened around 2006. As well as stocking several real ales, the pub has a restaurant. Although the pub's address is Thamesdown Drive, its access is from Lady Lane (the B4534). Like all Ember Inns, children under 14 are not admitted, and those 14 or over are only admitted if dining with an adult.

One of several new pubs built to serve the incoming population of north Swindon.

Lady Lane is an old country road leading to the village of Blunsdon, which has now been engulfed for much of its length, by the ongoing massive northern expansion of Swindon. Here it is about to plough through some new residential estates. The roundabout is at the junction of Lady Lane with Sandstone Road, and Pennine Way. On the pillars are 20 mph speed restriction signs. These are frequently found in Swindon's new residential areas, and probably will eventually become the norm everywhere.

The retail park is totally deserted today. I imagine 24 hours earlier this would have total mayhem with last-minute shoppers at the nearby Asda Walmart hyperstore loading up their cars and abandoning their trolleys where they will. The houses in the trees are in Viking Close, north of Thamesdown Drive.

Road junction in Swindon.

Pennine Way meanders through the St Andrew's Ridge part of the Northern Expansion Area with smaller roads leading from it. It is all very artfully laid out with a minimum of straight lines. Here we can see a modern terrace of houses deliberately designed to have different roof heights.

This branch is a large part of a retail park. The car park is huge; so much so that I took the precaution of waymarking where I'd left the car.