📍 Marlborough • West Woods • Vale of Pewsey • Avebury
Distance: 34 km / 21 miles
Time on feet: 6h38
I planned this as a hike but ended up Jeffing it. I started at dawn and was worried, mid February that there wouldn’t be sufficient daylight but I was back in Marlborough in good time, before sunset.
I’d opened this up as a group recce for the MDC20, but it ended up being a solo effort—just me, my backpack, and a very long mostly muddy trail.
I still planned the route on map, Garmin device and OS Maps app, as if I was with a group and I had to plan for food& drinks for the day as there was no “support”.
Not quite a run, not quite a hike—definitely a trail slog. I set off from Marlborough, wound through West Woods and Gopher Wood, dropped into the Vale of Pewsey, and finally reached Avebury, after a few more hours on my feet than planned.
The weather was dry but windy and cold with occasional sunshine.
I went off-course three times. But here is something to make you smile…while lost just before reaching West Woods, I got a Facebook notification… for a navigation course, happening in West Wood, that day, at that exact moment. Thanks, universe, I did laugh out loud at the irony of the moment.
I really enjoyed walking by the wansdyke in the woods. I had the place to myself and it felt really special. I took my time admiring the trees.
Conditions check:
- Mud: Abundant and clingy.
- Wind: Brutal—especially between Marlborough and Avebury.
- Fuel: Flapjacks carried me. Gels tolerated.
- Hydration: Minimal—too cold to drink properly.
- Vibes: Somewhere between “What am I doing?” and “Actually, I’m doing it.”
The aftermath..
- Sore shoulders for days from the backpack.
- A blister in the middle of my back. Yes, really.Yuck, I know.
- Legs coped, spirit wobbled, but I didn’t break.
And here’s the thing: I’ll have to do it again in May for the actual event. No question.
But I’ll need to be faster to make the cut-off time. If it’s as muddy on race day, I might be staring down a DNF—so fingers crossed for a dry spell and fewer detours next time.
At that point I was just glad I got it done. It’s definitely a beautiful route and I hope to enjoy it more next time.
One step closer. Onwards and upwards.
Slowly catching up on the hikes write up – this was five weeks ago.
Next time, I’ll mention Dragon’s Back – epic!
In the meantime here is my photo dump from the Marlborough Downs:
