Alpacas at Monks Park Interesting to note the difference in behaviour between these animals and sheep. Whereas sheep would usually flock together and be ready to run, alpacas stay in a group, lift their heads and stare until you are our of sight.
Kept for their fine wool, I was told these females have been separated from the males while they give birth.

HamletTowns & Villages

Chapel Knapp

📷 Photo by Maurice Pullin · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Chapel Knapp is a small hamlet in Wiltshire where you can experience genuine rural Cotswold life without the bustle of larger settlements.

The name derives from its likely origins as the site of a modest chapel built on rising ground, and that same peaceful quality pervades the place today. There's no commercial centre here—just a scattered cluster of traditional stone cottages set among the region's rolling green hills.

What draws people here is the tranquility itself. The hamlet serves as an excellent base for exploring the surrounding countryside on foot or by bike, with country lanes and footpaths crisscrossing the landscape. You'll notice the characteristic stone architecture of the area reflected in the few buildings that comprise the settlement, which gives you a real sense of how the Cotswolds has traditionally been built.

For supplies and a bit of social life, Box and Rudloe are short drives away and offer local shops and pubs. Chippenham, the nearby market town, provides more comprehensive amenities if you need them. If you're planning a longer outing, Bath is easily reached for a day trip and makes for a rewarding visit given its historic significance. The appeal here is fundamentally about slowness and connection to the landscape—this is the place to come when you want to step away from the usual tourist routes and simply be in the countryside.