📍 Avebury + Ridgeway + West Kennet Long Barrow (12.6 km)

Some  hikes aren’t just about the distance or the views—they’re about the people you share them with. Last wednesday’s midweek wander through the Avebury countryside was exactly that: a day of sunshine, open skies, and soul-restoring friendship.

I took a day’s leave to walk with my best friend Sam, and it turned out to be one of those perfect spring days where everything feels a little bit lighter.

It started with Sam having given me a bag of snacks – homemade trail mix with similar contents we had on the Clarendon Way! My favourite!!

The Ridgeway gave us big skies and long views, Silbury hill sanding still in the landscap,, West Kennet Long Barrow quiet and ancient in the sunshine, and the company—well, that was the best bit of all.

Sam and I met through work at Cranfield University ten years ago this month, and somehow that early connection grew into something much deeper. She’s seen me through a lot over the years, and time with her, especially walking with her always brings comfort, laughter, and the kind of honest conversations and laughter that only happen with someone who really gets you.

We even had a moment of classic  hilarity—spotting a wooden post and thinking it was a deer(To be fair, from a distance I thought it was a pheasant…)! But straight after we did see deer!

These are the good days: fresh air, shared stories, and the kind of company that reminds you you’re never walking alone.

We had refreshments at the National Trust café in Avebury and started thinking about our next hike together !

Grateful for every step.

And just like that, after a few days of daily posts, I’ve caught up on my 2025 hike reports.

We’re planning two group hikes in April  open to my friends, and I have a busy month of fitness challenges in May which I’ll post about too.