Tag: The ridgeway

Ridgeway Ramblings: Day 2 from Ogbourne St George to Letcombe Regis

Leave a comment

Starting the Day Right

My day began with a hearty breakfast at the Inn with the Well in Ogbourne St George. I highly recommend staying here if you’re walking the Ridgeway. They even kindly provided me with a packed lunch for the day ahead.

A Minor Setback

I set off towards Letcombe Regis, about 20 miles away, but realised 10 minutes in, that I still had the room key in my pocket! I had to walk back to the Inn and start again. I felt so daft, but I had been feeling shaky and anxious earlier in the morning, so perhaps my brain wasn’t too focused.

Back on Track

I returned to the spot on the Ridgeway where I’d stopped the previous day, which created a loop/hook on my Strava map and added to my mileage…

The walk started well, and I maintained a good pace. I listened to music and enjoyed the amazing sights, meeting many dog walkers and cyclists along the way.

I saw an abundance of wildlife, including buzzards, red kites, rabbits, butterflies, beetles, swallows, and larks. The views were stunning, especially those overlooking Swindon.

Walking in the grass verge at Liddington wasn’t very nice.
Crossing the M4

Lunch Break

After Fox Hill, about halfway through the day, I stopped for a picnic break and enjoyed the packed lunch from the Inn. I changed my socks, though I must admit that compression socks don’t look great with shorts and hiking boots.

I found some water to refill my bottles and continued past Wayland’s Smithy.

I had this cake in my packed lunch and no idea what it is. Looks like a brownie but doesn’t taste like it. More like maple syrup. It was nice. I just don’t know what it is.

Overcoming Challenges

Just before Uffington, I struggled with the heat and felt nauseous. I started shaking uncontrollably, a sign of an anxiety attack. After a few minutes and some calming music, I felt better and carried on.

Support Along the Way

I reached Uffington White Horse Hill around 14:30, where Craig was waiting for me. He brought me stronger suncream, a nail file, Vaseline, a sun hat, and freezing water – all of which were much needed. We enjoyed an ice cream, and I continued up Uffington Castle. Craig parked at the end of my route and walked back towards me. We met up at Sparsholt Firs, and his company helped me keep a good pace when I was struggling past 28km.

A Warm Welcome

Craig drove me to my B&B for the night, Quince Cottage, where the lovely Louise and Andrew welcomed me with a cup of tea. After a warm bath for my feet, I headed to the Greyhound pub in the village for a meal with Sophie. We had a good chat and a walk around the village before I returned to my room.

Looking Ahead

The weather forecast for tomorrow looks grim, with rain and wind expected. Tomorrow’s walk should be around 16 miles, shorter than today but longer than yesterday. I’ll have to brace myself for the elements.

Back on the trail: Day 1 of my 87-mile Ridgeway journey

Leave a comment

A bit of context

After successfully completing the Hadrian’s Wall walk in June, I decided to embark on another through-hike, this time along the Ridgeway. This 87-mile journey is part of my training for a charity walk in Iceland next March, in support of Prospect Hospice https://www.justgiving.com/page/aurelie-icelandtrek2024.

Yesterday I packed my bag but decided to repack in my trusty OEX instead this morning.

With my backpack hastily repacked, I missed eating breakfast (I wasn’t able to eat due to anxiety anyway), I rushed to catch the bus to Avebury, where my adventure would begin.

In the bus with my trusty backpack
The Red Lion – Avebury

Day 1: Avebury to Ogbourne St George

The Importance of Company

I had put out a call on Facebook a few days ago for friends to join me on this walk, and I was grateful to have Suzie and Craig accompany me on this first day.
Their presence was a welcome distraction from recent personal challenges, including my mother’s illness and a breakup.

I have walked 23.3km (14.4 miles) from Avebury to Ogbourne St George.

The route.

The Journey

We left Avebury before 10am past the beautiful stones.
To my walking partners’ disappointment, I’d planned to via the official start of the Ridgeway at Overton Hill, past Silbury hill and West Kennet long barrow (unplanned visit but we got a lovely selfie) along the way.


The path was very muddy and full of surface water around west Kennett and there, just before Overton Hill, the walk included an impromptu tour of a field as we took a wrong turn. We reoriented ourselves quickly and carried on .

The path took us past Hackpen Hill, where Suzie got picked up, and Barbury Castle, where Craig picked up his car. I continued on to Smeathe’s Ridge before arriving in Ogbourne St George, where Craig rejoined me and guided me all the way to the pub. We enjoyed drinks, dinner, and a lovely chat about hikes and travels.

Reflections

As I sit in my hotel room, soaking my feet in a bath, I can’t help but feel a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction. I’ve caught a bit of sunburn, but I hope it won’t be too bad tomorrow. I’m a bit worried about the longer walk ahead, especially since I was slower than I wanted to be today.

I drank too much of my water too quickly so tomorrow I will need to manage this better. Craig gave me what was left of his water, between Hackpen and Barbury: I don’t have refill option tomorrow.


Thankfully, Craig has offered to join me for the last part of the hike tomorrow so I’ll have company again, and I’m looking forward to meeting Sophie for dinner.

The well, in the Inn
Sunglasses mark on my nose
And soaking those feet

As I settle in with my book for some rest, I can’t help but feel grateful for the support of my friends and the beauty of the Ridgeway.

Tomorrow is an early rise, and I’m excited to see what this next day has in store.

The Next Adventure: A Journey Along The Ridgeway

Leave a comment

It’s been a while since I last put pen to paper (or rather, fingers to keyboard) to share my ramblings with you. I’ve been busy working, hitting the gym (yes, that’s new!) and improving my nutrition with loads of yummy, mostly-veggie food. I’ve been a bit quiet on the hiking front, but that’s about to change. I’ve got a new adventure brewing, and I’m itching to lace up my boots and hit the trail again.

So, where am I off to this time?

In three weeks’ time, I’m heading to the ancient Ridgeway, one of Britain’s oldest roads. It’s a path that’s been trodden by countless feet over thousands of years, from prehistoric man to Roman soldiers (here’s a link to my last through-hike), from medieval pilgrims to modern-day hikers like me.

I started planning this the very day I was back from hiking Hadrian’s Wall Path. Long distance hiking can be so addictive!

I’ve walked much of the Ridgeway before as it’s local to me, but never the whole distance. I’ve often walked the westward path to Avebury, and I always find this last part quite challenging. So, I’m planning to tackle that bit first and reverse the route from my usual direction of travel.

Here’s a link to my hike in 2022 on the first day of my Walk Across Wiltshire in support of Prospect Hospice which involved part of the Ridgeway – that day was very tough!!

100km Race to the Stones finish line – July 2018, in Avebury

So what’s the plan?

My journey will begin on the 16th of August, when I’ll travel to Avebury, a place steeped in history and mystery. From there, I’ll make my way to Overton Hill, the official start of the Ridgeway. The first day will see me hiking 13 miles to Ogbourne St George, a charming village that’s a perfect end to the first leg of the journey.

The following days will be filled with more miles, more sights, and undoubtedly more stories to tell. I’ll be walking through Letcombe Regis, Streatley, Watlington, and Wendover, before finally reaching the end of my journey at Ivinghoe Beacon. Each day will bring its own challenges and rewards, but I’m ready for whatever the trail has in store for me.

Now, some of you might remember my last ‘little’ hiking adventure, where I camped along the way. This time, however, I’ve decided to forgo the tent and sleeping bag. Why, you ask? Well, finding a campsite along the Ridgeway in August is like finding a needle in a haystack. I did toy with the idea of wild camping, but it’s not exactly on the right side of the law. Plus, after my super hot hike along Hadrian’s Wall in June, the thought of lugging a heavy pack filled with camping gear for miles on end in August (which could be in torrential rain or in the heat) seemed like a Herculean task.

So, I’ll be staying in quaint B&Bs and indulging in a bit of glamping along the way. It might not be as adventurous as camping, but it does mean I’ll have a comfy bed to rest my weary body each night and a much lighter backpack! And who knows, I might even get the occasional cooked breakfast to fuel me for the day’s hike!

As you may know, this Ridgeway through-hike is also part of my training for an even bigger adventure next year: a trek in Iceland! I’m raising funds for the amazing work that Prospect Hospice does, and any donation, big or small, is very welcome. You can find more information and make a donation on my JustGiving page: Aurelie’s Iceland Trek 2024.

I’m really excited about this trip, and I can’t wait to share my experiences with you. I’ll be posting updates along the way, so make sure to check back regularly. And if you have any tips or questions, if any of my friends want to join for part of the way, or if there’s anything specific you’d like me to write about, don’t hesitate to drop me a line.

Until then, happy trails!

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

3 Comments

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

3 Comments

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 ).