IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Tarka Close, SWINDON, SN25 4WA

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

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.

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.

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.

Road junction in Swindon.

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.

Typical of the mis-matches produced in the rapid expansion of Swindon in recent times. A 'city-style' apartment block overlooks a 'lego-style' primary school.

The area north of the established areas of Penhill and Haydon Wick and south of the village of Blunsdon is known generically as the Northern Expansion Area. It has been under development for several years from the early 1990s. Within the NEA are individual sub-areas with names such as St Andrew's Ridge, Redhouse and Priory Vale. I suspect they are mostly marketing-inspired though with a nod to existing names and features. Sadly, I can't remember many of them. In this view we can see the open space between St Andrew's Ridge behind the viewpoint and, I think, Redhouse, outside this square. The marker at the right indicates the presence of a bridleway.