18/04/14 - Lunch amongst the Glacial Erratics

Distance - 11 Miles
Geocaches - 21
Walk Inspiration
Distance on Ridgeway - 4.7 Miles
Starting Point - Free parking at Barbury Castle

I never for a moment expected a potential walk of the year to be starting just outside of Swindon.  I suppose I shouldn't have been too surprised, I have been to Barbury Castle once before.  This was for a works social event that involved the use of shotguns.  It could have gone very badly wrong.  I remember at the time thinking that this looked like fine walking country and vowed to come back.

Its taken over two years to make this happen and the reason is that its stage 2 of the Ridgeway, as I try and break down this Long Distance Path into a series of day walks.

A bank holiday and excellent weather.  What are the chances.  I didn't feel too bad getting up at 5:50am to get down here, as there was no traffic and a relatively quick drive on deserted motorways.  By 7:30am, I am parked up, booted up and have my hands on the first cache of the day.

As an extra bonus, this section of the walk is loaded with caches.  They are mainly in excellent condition and easy finds.  I could be here all day talking about them, so I will leave it with just a "thanks to the cache owners" for boosting my numbers so significantly.

The walking is simply superb.  No need to worry about directions, as I follow an excellent path South East.

Just follow the Chalk Road

This is horse training territory.  Not your average neddies but for racehorses and a couple are out on the crest of the hills this morning, going through their paces.

Never mind the Gallops

If my maths is correct, I have found 13 caches by the time I reach the road to Rockley.

Not as many standing stones as Stage 1 in Avebury

I might be on the road, but its still superb walking through the Hamlet of Rockley.  A church, unmarked on the OS map and some interesting cottages give me something to photograph.

Unexpected Church

Pond Cottage on the other side of the road

I pick up a decent track through the woods and the caches start to come again.  Soon, the path turns into Green Street.  In a walk of many highlights, this could be my favourite stretch.  And I am not even on the Ridgeway yet.

Tuck Into That

More horse training at the top of the hill.  The traditional caches dry up, but there is an earth cache to find and log.

By the read of the description, it is a massive boulder in a field full of boulders, all moved here by Glaciers in the ice age.  It's the largest field of Sarsen Stones in Great Britain.

I bet Sonia can't believe she missed out on this for an extra hour in bed.

Sarsen, as far as the eyes can see

And a handy place for lunch

The reason for being here is the next waypoint, as I pick up the Ridgeway at the exact spot where we tuned back to Avebury last time.

Straight on, Avebury - Right fr the Ridgeway

For the first time of the day, I see other travelers, although these people are mainly on bikes.  I only have time for a quick hello, as I am mesmerized by the views.  I have a lot of photos from today.

Views in all directions

These clumps of trees are known as Hedgehogs and scatter the route.  Burial Grounds.

For the first time on the Ridgeway, there are a few random caches.  All in places with superb views and occasionally hidden behind old stone markers that I would have otherwise missed.  I am pleased to get nearly five miles on the Ridgeway as well, although as I am now in double figures of miles for the walk, I am equally pleased when the Barbury Castle Hillfort comes into view.

Nearing the End - Just the ramparts to go

There is a multi cache to work out.  Which I do.  But the treasure is back the way I came, so this will be one that escapes me.

I plod on back to the car, happy that another plan is turning our so well.  Simply stunning walking today.

But wait, I hear you cry.  There is something missing from the Blog.  The remote walking today has not bought into contact with any pubs. 

Don't worry - I spied one on the way there.  Always Patriotic, me.