The Wessex Ridgeway 2014
Day One: 6th September
Weather: overcast and misty, but turning to sunshine in the afternoon.
Route: Avebury to Roundway - 11.2 miles
I started this long walk with a day zero and it very nearly started as a day disaster. I had driven up from Cornwall to Cattistock, parked the car, walked to Maiden Newton and caught the train to Swindon. Spent an hour waiting for the 49 bus to Avebury and alighted at the henge. All well and good, but on the journey there I phoned my B&B at Beckhampton to be told they had no booking but had a room for the night. At least I was saved a lot of hassle, and after a mooch around the henge – very atmospheric as expected – I got showered and retired to the Waggon and Horses for a very pleasant evening, enjoying the pub quiz and a glass or two of red. A very relaxing start to my walk holiday. The day started grey but thankfully didn’t stay that way. A lovely breakfast eaten at the Southdown B&B , Sue providing me with a copy of The Wessex Ridgeway to read before I set out, and a short walk down to the main road to catch the 49 bus to Avebury. No fuss on the bus and I arrived in Avebury before ten o’clock, £2.80 well spent, and as I’d spent the previous day looking around the Henge I didn’t feel the need to faff around any longer. I took the obligatory selfie by the Sarsen stones and made my way to the village shop to buy a sandwich and some chocolate for this relatively short day. Today was meant to be around the ten mile mark, but I added a little bit on to view the White Horse by Cherhill Hill and it was well worth the diversion. The henge was busy as expected with some strange goings on, hands on stones, humming loudly etc. so I left them to it and ambled out along the main street passing by the manor, old school house and church. A real mish mash of architecture to be seen along the main street, with some lovely thatched walls to protect the cob from weathering too strongly. A misty view of Silbury Hill from Manor Farm and I was soon out along the lanes through Avebury Trusloe towards the Long Stones, thought to be the only two remaining stones of an avenue to Avebury. Plenty of farm work and tractors out and about in the big fields, and plenty of swallows sitting on the telephone wires waiting to leave our shores for warmer climes soon. Today was a mix of farm tracks and grassy paths with only short stretches of road work. I passed an avenue of beech trees that shielded the Grange racing stables from nosey eyes and out along the A361 on a wide verge. A little intrusive but not too busy and great views down over the racing gallops – not sure if any famous horses have graced these fields, but I know there was a good trainer of thoroughbreds at one time. Signs told me that the gallops were closed to walkers in the mornings – I’d like to see them in action but it was quiet today. I steadily ascended along an old earthwork (lots of old round here) to Knoll Down, a little wooded prominence, and was soon up on top of the Old Bath Road, which gave great views out over the landscape and the gallops below. I decided to navigate but the stars and keep the gps stuffed in the bag. That worked well until Bradd Pitt sent me the wrong way, so I stuck with the map. I was told by Sue (Southdowns B&B) that a short diversion to Cherhill Hill would lead me to a viewing spot to see another White Horse. There was also the Oldbury Castle site – an Iron Age hill fort with impressive ramparts and ditches. Plonked in amongst this lot was the Lansdowne monument. It’s been battered by the weather and it’s now boarded up with a safety net above to stop people clambering over the worn out steps. A little further along the hillside and I could see the white horse. I quite like these and they sit in the landscape very well. I took a lunch break sat atop of one of the banks and looked over to the Roman road cutting along the side of the hill opposite. Most of the tracks were comfortable to walk on and bone dry, made up of chalk and flint. Hard on the feet but mostly grass – a lot of bridle way today as well. Some of the track was quite overgrown and will probably stay that way as it’s easy to walk along the adjacent field boundary. My advise would be to carry a walking pole or two to act as machetes when encountering too much of the rough stuff. It is a theme of the Wessex Ridgeway as I found out later in the week. There were plenty of wild flowers out and it was very colourful in places, along with the common blue butterflies which are impossible to photograph. I saw plenty of wildlife as well, including a deer stuck in an enclosure, butting the barbed wire fence. Eventually it gave up its Homer Simpson impression and leapt clear, bounding up the field -That’s the second deer seen in two days. As the afternoon progressed the sun came out and it was really warm. The views to the north over the plains were typical English scenery with a patchwork of golden fields with haystacks aplenty. Just past Morgans Hill the route climbed up over a spur and down through a well manicured golf course – springy turf that was bliss to walk across. I didn’t find any stray balls and crossed the road onto a cinder track, walking now between big fields. It wasn’t too long before a short road walk took me to another farm track and a long steady climb first along a lane with a deep 4×4 track and then across fields to reach the top of Roundway Hill and a very hazy view down over Devizes. A steep decent took me down to another lane and a short walk back to my B&B. It is very nice start to the Wessex Ridgeway, easy to navigate despite the lack of signage and no great ascents or descents. After a quick shower I had a mile stroll along a leafy avenue to Devizes to find a nice Italian for my evening meal, and very pleasant it was too.
Silbury Hill and a sign from the NT pleading that people do not venture over to climb up the side
it's an impressive pile of chalk rubble though. They had to do something with all the stuff dug out around Avebury
deep ditches and high banks. They were a lot deeper than this when first made
a wishing tree with wonderful exposed roots
Avebury Manor, now in the ownership of the National Trust
some of the many Sarsen Stones around the Henge at Avebury
the village community store - she tried to sell me some out of date buns - good effort
one of only a few markers in Wiltshire. It's much better in Dorset
just outside of Avebury
the lane through Avebury Trusloe and the 'long stones'
privacy for the racing stables at Beckhampton
up on Knoll Down
looking down over the racing gallops
along the Old Bath Road
the view along the Old Bath Road to Cherhill Monument ahead
chalky track leading up to Cherhill Hill
the monument - very hazy which was unfortunate
fine views down to the west
the Cherhill White Horse and Monument
it's made up of chalk rubble, held back by wooden boards
my lunch spot, looking over to the dark line of the Roman road across the valley
you can see the three banks and ditches of the Oldbury Fort below the monument
looking back across Ranscombe Bottom to Cherhill Hill
the path is left of the fence, but isn't used as the track through the field is easier
huge fields are a feature of the landscape around these parts
the vista back to the hills walked earlier
a little further to the left. The White Horse is hidden from view
looking out over the plains to the NE
up along the side of Morgans Hill
a small wooded section before the path ascends
thumbnail size markers show the way
Looking back to Cherhill Hill and monument now in the far distance
the golf course below Morgan's Hill
the cinder tarck running away from the golf club
turn here for the Wessex Ridgeway along another bridle way
some of the tracks are quite rutted with 4x4 vehicle tracks
Morgans Hill now in the distance
a long field walk up to the top of Roundway Hill
plenty of golden stubble left in the fields to plough back in
the top of Roundway Hill and looking down onto Devizes
quite steeply down to the village of Roundway
looking back up to Roundway Hill
just about back to the B&B, which is right on the route of the Wessex Ridgeway