Dragon Hill, Uffington White Horse, Wayland’s Smithy & Ashdown House

Today was the first hike in a month and it was a chilly one.

This is the route I walked. Loosely based on this All Trails route.

It was good to get out, especially as life is challenging at the moment. One of my favourite moments was watching the red kites, close up, while by the Uffington White horse, on the hill.

Here are some photos of the walk.

In May, I’ll need to walk up to double this distance, every day for 7 days, with a 15kg backpack.
More training needed…

Next walk will be in a couple of weeks, still along the Ridgeway but further away, near Barbury.

Barbury Castle & Rockley loop – remembering Judith

As I posted earlier, I couldn’t be on the Thames Path this weekend, so yesterday, I went to walk on the Ridgeway, locally from me, away from everything and as an opportunity to remember Judith.


Judith is my friend Richard’s wife. I first met Judith when they both came to see me at the finish line of a triathlon I did where they lived, years ago. Then I met Judith and part of the family again when Richard cycled a Sportive with me in 2013. She absolutely loved walking and is a great inspiration to me. She walked on the Ridgeway many times, including taking groups of students for the Duke of Edinburgh award. She passed away a year ago today. I thought of her on this walk.

So here are some sights from Barbury Castle yesterday morning and the White Horse trail, between fog and sun. I spotted a fog bow (white rainbow) over the Ridgeway. I didn’t know they were a thing until I saw one yesterday! It was a little surreal and very cool!

I cut the route short as poor Missy (now our dog – you may remember us taking her on the Waterfalls walk in Wales) was freezing and wet. I don’t think it was fair on her to try another 6 miles with her feeling cold.

That was just over 11 miles (18 km) in just under 5 hours’ walk. After that I went back in the warmth at home and sat with a cuppa coffee and some bara brith, which I baked on Saturday (if you haven’t had bara brith yet, I recommend trying – it’s a welsh fruit bread ).