Personal

Sleeping out again

Two years ago it was the car. Tonight it's the house. And what a night. The evening sun is playing hide-and-seek behind the clouds. The parching heat of the day has gone, frightened off by a gentle breeze.

I'm outside. I have a comfortable perch. Wireless is a godsend, keeping me busy. Next-door's cat is mooching around, keeping me company. It's a good environment to wait in.

Seriously, if you have to wait for a locksmith there are far worse circumstances to be in.

The Ridgeway

Southend, Ogbourne St George → Ashbury

Distance: 9.16 miles
Ascent: 250 metres
Duration: 3 hours 21 minutes

Road crossing
« Not walked | Not walked »

As a route, the Ridgeway is thought to be at least 4,000 years old. Half-way along today's walk this ancient track crossed a more modern highway: the M4.

While the motorways have their service stations, today was the first time we've seen any opportunities for refreshment for Ridgeway travellers. Sadly we can't tell you whether or not The Shepherds Rest serves a good pint - we walked on.

Personal

Mow-a-medow

We're all grown up now.

We've got a lawnmower.

All those years working at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research have led Emma to this.

Thames Path

Thames Head → Cricklade

Distance: 12.4 miles
Ascent: 114 metres
Duration: 4 hours 36 minutes

Water: tiny at first, then bigger
« Not walked | Not walked »

Why work on one National Trail at a time? The buses that ferry walkers back and forth along The Ridgeway aren't running today so instead we headed for the soggy Gloucestershire meadows from which The Thames rises to start its two hundred mile journey to the sea.

The stone of circles that mark the source was dry today but the dip running the length of the adjoining field was damp underfoot and the channel that took the embryonic river beneath Fosse Way had gathered together a reasonable flow.

I can't get Deacon Blue's One Day I'll Go Walking out of my head, tracing the evolution of water into a battling burn, cool stream, great and terrible river then sea. The imagery is powerful: growth, unstoppable, inevitable; fragile beginnings. By the time we reached Cricklade the river was already well on its way through childhood.

Coastwalk

No argument here

"England's coastline is a national treasure," according to the Secretary of State for the Environment. There's no way I'll argue with that.

It looks like my dreams of a full British Coast Path are edging closer to reality.

The Ridgeway

Overton Hill → Southend, Ogbourne St George

Distance: 10.1 miles
Ascent: 214 metres
Duration: 3 hours 44 minutes

On the trail again
« Not walked | Not walked »

One pleasant side-effect of our house move is that we find ourselves within an hour's drive of three National Trails. There are fifteen National Trails and so far I've only completed one: the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. With any luck by the end of the year I'll be able to add The Ridgeway to the list.

If the rest of the trail is similar to today's segment it'll be an interesting, ancient walk. Tumuli, hill forts and white horses are the order of the day; things I know little about but can't fail to be impressed by.

Something else to look at in wonder was the minutes-old lamb trying hard to find its legs. Other ewes in the field twitched uncomfortably as if about to further increase the flock's number. All were blissfully unaware that the name of the woodland providing them shelter strongly hinted at their future: Shoulder of Mutton Plantation.