07/11/14 - Valley of the Racehorse

Distance - 13.5 Miles
Geocaches - 39
Walk Inspiration - Self created Part 6 of the Ridgeway
Distance on Ridgeway - 5 Miles

The last walk of my week off work.  The 6th Circular walk on the Ridgeway.  I am making progress as this one takes in two counties (Oxfordshire and Berkshire) and is lengthy.

Weather report is grim, so everything waterproof is packed.  You could argue that I was in fact lucky with the weather, with 5 hours of dryness and 1 hour of rain.  But that hour was as bleak a moment as I have had in my walking career.

Park up on the Ridgeway at Ashbury Hill.  There is a camera crew taking up most of the spaces but room for me to squeeze in.  I ask them what they are filming and the cameraman shrugs and says "Dunno, cars driving past or something".  He agrees with me that this will not be worrying the 2015 Oscar Committee.

Head off  on the Ridgeway, repeating a short section from Stage 5.  This section is cache laden - I know it will be a good day when cache 1 has a Travel Bug in it.

Cache 1, complete with Travel Bug

There are just too many caches on the route today to describe.  They are perfect for this sort of walk - all nice and easy to find (apart from the 1 DNF), with great clues and are all in perfect condition.  Thanks to the COs for the trails.  My numbers have picked up.

The first archaeological highlight of the day is Wayland's Smithy, the Second Neolithic Long Barrow encountered on the Ridgeway.

Prepared for the bad weather

Wayland's Smithy

Spend a bit of time exploring and taking in the atmosphere and then move on to the Ridgeway - which is showing itself off in all its glory today.

The Ridgeway

There are superb views to the North and East, with Didcot Power Station revealing itself in the distance.  The bad weather is behind me, but soon catching up in the wind.  From White Horse Hill, a rainbow forms in the vale below.

Beginnings of a Rainbow

I am hoping that I get to see the Chalk White Horse on the side of the hill when I drive to Stage 7.  I just have the views from the top.

I leave the Ridgeway at Sparsholt Firs and catch a glimpse of the first equine activity, as three horses are out training.  I have to time my caching hunts when they are at the far end of the track.

First of the Horses

Leave at Sparsholt Firs - Of course, there is a cache.

A bit of roadwalking, leaving Oxfordshire and entering Berkshire.  I am in the Valley of the Race Horses and I can see around 20 training at Eastmanton Down.

Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Now into Berkshire

Sequel to the more popular Dolls

Leave the road at the less photogenic neolithic Seven Barrows and follow the racecourse around to Crog Hill.

Uphill and Bad Weather Approaching

This is where my bad hour kicks in.  Its a trudge to the top of the hill and I think the week's walking have taken its toll on my legs.  At the crest of the hill, its exposed downland for as far as the eye can see.  This is very pretty but offers no respite from the wind.  If I had company, we would not be able to hear each other.

And then the rain starts.  Not gentle rain but sideways, face stinging rain.  Everything Goretex is applied but questions are asked of myself as I slip and slide through the mud.  A low point was the cabbage field.

Relief comes in the form of Kington Plantation.  The trees offer a gap from the wind, the rain knocks off and there is a mighty cache trail to lead me back to the car - which truly is a sight for sore legs when I reach it.

Crew have finished their epic "Cars Driving Past 2"

Decide to revive spirits by taking a look at Ashbury.  Surely it has a pub?

Picture Postcard - and Everything I need

I dream of a perfect pint in front of a roaring open fire.  By the amount of walking boots scattered by the doorway, it looks like a popular walkers pub.  It nearly all works out as planned

Now I have a serious question for Wiltshire Blogfans.  This is the 2nd pint of Arkells I have had in the area and both have been terrible.  Cloudy and tasteless.

Is the beer meant to be like this - or do I keep striking unlucky?

I'd be off to the Doctors if my Wiltshire Gold looked like this

I tweet the question to the outside world.  I get one response.  Mrs Mappiman tells me - "Not to drink it then".

Sound advice in principle, but I have paid for it.