Linear Walking on Long Weekends

The Ridgeway Completed May 2014

Last late May bank holiday weekend a group of members started to walk the Ridgeway from north to south, beginning at Ivinghoe Beacon in wet conditions and finishing at Nuffield. In order to complete the entire length to Avebury this late May holiday, two further sections were walked in the autumn and spring: Nuffield to Goring and Streatley to Courthill.

Walking along the Thames from South Stoke we were soaked and arrived in Goring looking like drowned rats. There seems to be an association with rain and walking linear routes over three days as we have experienced similar conditions on the d’Arcy Dalton and the Oxfordshire Ways in previous years. Is it a coincidence, or are we just unlucky?

This year the three day project was to arrive at Avebury and started in similarly unprepossessing conditions. The car journey to the day’s finishing point, Fox Hill, was along country lanes awash with water draining from the escarpment and heavy grey skies above us.

By the time we got back to the start point the skies seemed to be lighter, or was it hope over reality? We set off in wet weather gear and a light drizzle. At lunchtime, sitting on the castle at Uffington, waterproof jackets were off, visibility improved, and the wonderful countryside was revealed. The elegant shape of the White Horse was seen from a different angle as we set off again.

It was interesting to see the different wild flowers which lined our route – the different vetches which are specific to chalky ground; very unlike the species seen in the clay valley of the Thames. At the end of the day we were invited to the home of June and John Henville for a very welcome, reviving, afternoon tea: delicious cakes, scones with homemade jam and copious quantities of tea and coffee.

Day two dawned with sunshine and fair weather. We started from Fox Hill and began with a slog along roads and over the M4 before we headed onto footpaths, a climb to Liddington Hill, past Liddington Castle, the remains of an Iron Age fort, and along a ridge with beautiful views on either side. Then the gentle descent to Ogbourne St George, the climb up onto Smeathes Ridge, and arrival at Barbury Castle. There was plenty of time to admire the views.

The final leg, Barbury Castle to Avebury on the Marlborough Downs, was deliberately kept short, so we should have time to wander around Avebury Circle and village, and so that those who had to work on Tuesday be not too exhausted.

We started walking through the huge Iron Age fort of Barbury Castle, the double ditches indicating how important a site it was. The views in all directions were extensive, making it very clear why this spot has been chosen to defend.

After the drop down from the castle, there was a slow ascent to Hackpen Hill and then a long gentle descent alongside fields to reach close to the official end of the Ridgeway – where it reaches the A4.

Instead we turned away from the Ridgeway and onto footpaths to take us into Avebury. Lunch was eaten sitting on the sides of an Iron Age barrow. Evidence of our earlier ancestors’ lives was all around us on the Ridgeway: the Iron Age hill forts, the barrows from the Bronze Age and the Neolithic henge at Avebury itself.

We reached Avebury by mid–afternoon, passing by the stone circles on our way into the village, which was very busy with tourists. As the rain started again we abandoned walking round the circles of stones and had a rather soggy cup of tea in the National Trust cafe, before returning to Barbury Castle.

The five finishers The five finishers Photo: Kazie Wischnewski

Despite the drizzle we enjoyed a glass of champagne, courtesy of Kazie and Martin Wishnewski, to celebrate reaching the end of the Ridgeway, and to congratulate the ‘famous five’ who had walked the entire length of 86 miles (less the two miles of road walking between Goring and Streatley).

We all returned home feeling tired, but very happy to have achieved our goal, I went home thinking which long distance trail we could walk next year which is conveniently near to Oxford . Thanks to all of you who took part in one or more or all the sections; it was a great way to see the countryside further afield from the usual OFS walks.

Liz Adams