21/09/14 - Follow the Pig

Distance - 8.75 Miles
Distance on Ridgeway - 4 Miles
Geocaches - 6 Found, 4 Not Found
Walk Inspiration - Pub Walks Along the Ridgeway

With an eye on the weather reports, we wait to Sunday to start the next stage of the Ridgeway. It may be the first day of Autumn, but we have wonderful blue skies to walk under.

Still, its a bit nippy when we alight the car.  Sonia was OK in her Softshell but all I had against they elements was my Lowe Alpine walking top.  For the start of the walk, the shirt contained two protrusions the size of monkey's thumbs.

Head up from Fox Hill, straight on the Ridgeway.

Views like this bring us to the Ridgeway

Easy walking.  The route has been adapted from "Pub Walks Along the Ridgeway", which recommends that we stop in Bishopstone at the Royal Oak.  This suggestion is reinforced by some in-ridgeway advertising.

Sonia Comments that the Photo of Helen is not too flattering

Not long before we meet the Pigs.  On the North Side are the adults - and we hear them through the trees, noshing at their swill.  But on the South Side, there is a sight even more delightful.  A field full of piglets.

I try and get close to get a good photo but spook them.  They all leg it - apart from little Oinker, who tries unsuccessfully to hide in the grass.  He is at the front of the Photo.

Quick Hide - Geocachers are coming

Say goodbye to our porcine friends.

A series of six caches in rapid succession provides some entertainment for about a mile.  We find 4 out of 6.  Sonia is not impressed that most of the clues pertain to being in a tree.  There are a lot of trees.

We don't quite make it to Wayland's Smithy - the next highlight of the Ridgeway - there is a path that takes us towards the villages and back to our car.  Next time Wayland.

And the path - which looks good on the Map - is superb in execution.  The whole of the Wiltshire Plain below us and a lovely sunken valley to walk down.  Swindon has never looked so good.

Swindon

Descend through Kingston Coombes

Our route back to the car takes in some lovely flat walking across fields, through a series of hamlets and villages.

Ashbury, leads to Idstone which leads to Bishopstone - home of refreshments.  Each is more pretty than the next with a collection of thatched cottages and classic British charm.

Pig says the Pub is Close

Breakfast, for the one who selfishly had some, seems a long time ago.  We discuss long and hard about whether to eat at the Royal Oak.  Two things make up our mind to decline - 1) its two miles uphill to get back to the car and 2) the beef sunday lunch is £18 per person.

Enough People were having to suggest it was worth it

We settled on Wiltshire Gold

Make it to the equally delightful Hinton Parva and turn left up onto the Coombes for a superb ascent back to the car.

Up the Coombes

Three more caches to round off the day.  I fail at the first two (just not feeling the caching love today) but make a successful find and TB drop off for the final one.

Lunch is taken in the village of Wanborough.  The only complexity was choosing which of the three pubs should have our custom.  The first choice, the Harrow, was the right choice.