Thursday 10 July: The Final Leg

This morning it occurred to us, as we were driving back to Darkwood Farm, that we’d left the girls with complete strangers last night. But we needn’t have worried. They were safe and well, having enjoyed a good night and good grass. The sun was shining, our kit was dry and this was our final day. Spirits were high.

We waved goodbye to Ian and Josie and their wonderful Suffolk Punches. We’ll be back next year to take part in Ian’s Pint to Pint – if you’d like to join us for a tour round local pubs, from the comfort of a horse drawn wagon, to help us raise more money for The Brooke, then get in touch!

To get back to the Swan’s Way, we rode through Ewelme Park. Wide grassy tracks alongside fields of ripening corn. Sunshine and fluffy clouds. We passed Watlington to our left – it was strange to see places we know, that we usually only see from the road. Today we were seeing them from a completely different angle, as the Swan’s Way and the Ridgeway merge together. A lovely long, steady canter as we head towards the tunnel under the motorway. If you drive out of London along the M40, you’ll come to a huge cutting blasted through the hills. As you come out of the cutting, look down to the left and you’ll see a grass track between two hedges. That’s the Ridegeway! We rode on until we couldn’t hear the thundering traffic anymore and then stopped for lunch. Grass for the girls and squashed sandwiches for us.

I’m not sure why the Ridgeway carries on here, as most of the time we weren’t anywhere near a ridge. We were actually riding along the bottom of a line of hills for most of the afternoon, until we got close to Bledlow. A canter through the beech woods and suddenly we came out into the sunshine, looking down on fields of purple! I still don’t know what this plant is or why it’s being grown commercially – if you know, please tell me!

On the edge of the village there’s a pub with a nice green in front of it. If you’d happened to have been passing at about 3pm on Thursday 10 July 2008 you’ll have spotted two horses, two large piles of tack and kit and two weary riders enjoying a quick drink. The sun was shining and it was great to reach our final destination, in once piece.

We didn’t have to wait long before our wonderful ‘team’ arrived – Karen’s parents towing my trailer. They also brought with them certificates, gorgeous rosettes and a bottle of bubbly! They’d already done so much to help us during the week and still pulled out the stops to help us celebrate our achievements. What a great way to finish!

Home for a long hot bath and some time off for the girls!

The Next Event - Mongolia 2009

I'm really excited because I've just signed up to do the Brooke ride in Mongolia in June next year!

There's a lot of money to raise - over £3000 - but it's going to be worth it for the adventure and the scenery! Click here to take a look at the website and get more information.

Wednesday 9 July: Wet, wet wet!

It was raining when we brought the girls in and started to tack them up. It was raining when we set off and rode out of Compton. It was still raining when we reached Darkwood Farm in Park Corner, near Nettlebed. That means that it rained all day, without stopping and it means that today we all got extremely wet.

Back up to the Ridgeway we went, before heading down into towards Streatley. The Ridgeway drops down into Goring Gap, leaving behind the stunning, wide reaching views. Roads, traffic and traffic lights. Trucks, long bridges over the River Thames, scary coloured concrete – Bee was more worried about the concrete than the thousands of gallons of water rushing beneath her feet!

Our next stop was at the Vet’s in Goring, where my friend Vic works. A toilet stop and a box of chocolates! Thanks for the support and encouragement, Vic!

We rode out of Goring, following a track to the village of South Stoke. Here, for some reason, the Ridgeway becomes a footpath. We were expecting this and had discovered a route called the Swan’s Way, which follows the Ridgeway as closely as it can through this stretch. Under the railway, trot along the main road and turn right (or east) towards Ipsden. Cross the main Wallingford to Reading road (the gap on the other side of the road isn’t that easy to see!)

Heading north again we crossed the Ridgeway again – definitely a footpath, with gates and all. So we ride north until we nearly reach the Wallingford to Henley road. By now we’re soaked through, even through our waterproof chaps over our waterproof jodhpurs. We can wring the water out of our gloves and when we trot, our boots and socks squelch as they’re so full of water! I haven’t been this wet since I had a shower last night!

We should have crossed the road and followed the Swan’s Way through a tip, but had to take a detour. We’d struggled to find anywhere for the girls to stay in the Nettlebed area, so were heading for Darkwood Farm. I found this wonderful place, owned by Ian and Josie Victor Smith, after I’d made nearly a dozen phone calls. A lovely chap at a former B&B nearby said he thought Ian had Shire horses and perhaps a field. He even found Ian’s number from the phone book for me. When I’d called Ian, just a few days before we set off on our adventure, he told me he had seven Suffolk Punches and a field for the girls.

Soaking wet, tired and hungry, we arrived at Darkwood Farm to be met by Ian and Josie, waving us through the gate – what a lovely welcome. They have a beautiful house and a wonderful old stable into which we put the girls, to allow them to dry off. While we waited for the support crew to arrive, Josie made us tea and insisted we sit in their sitting room and warm up. We left wet foot prints all over their stone floor, but the hot tea was lovely! When John and Joyce arrived, more tea was made and sticky Lardy produced. Sometimes you come across the most wonderful, friendly people, who will do whatever they can, for complete strangers. Ian and Josie Victor Smith are two of those rare people and I will never forget them.

We also owe a huge vote of thanks to Nan McDonnell at ‘Somerset’ in Nettlebed, where Karen and I spent the night. Not only did she dry out our wet clothes and feed us a wonderful breakfast, but she also gave us back some of what we paid for our B&B, to donate to The Brooke. Thank you!

And another major thank you to the support crew, for supper in the pub and for drying out so much of our soaking wet kit.

Tuesday 8 July: Darby, Joan and all their friends

It seemed a shame to leave Penny’s wonderful haven, but we enjoyed a great breakfast, before heading back to the Ridgeway. Soon we found ourselves riding into scenery that seemed very familiar. Both Karen and I have lived, walked and ridden around this middle section of the Ridgeway for many years, and started to recognise tracks and hills.

We passed by Sedgebury Fort, a small earthwork on the hill above Wantage, as well as farms and homes that have the Ridgeway as part of their front drives! We crossed the two roads that head south out of Wantage and close to the second, we passed the Darby and Joan club (except that they were made up entirely of Joans) out for a ramble. They were wandering happily all over the track, completely unaware that we were there, until we took to the long grass to get around them. Soon after the girls were spooked by a herd of screaming children racing down a field towards us. Across the road above the Lockinge Point to Point course and we met a group of teenagers, some of whom I don’t think had ever actually seen a horse before. When your horse stops to go to the toilet and someone asks you “Is that poo?” you know you could be in trouble. Luckily the teacher told his class to stand still as we went by. He also warned us about another group who we’d meet sitting on the steps of the Monument (a monument to what I don’t know) but they at least didn’t scream and try to catch up with us!

Up until now the weather had been wonderful – warm and sunny with enough breeze to keep the clouds moving over us. What Karen didn’t tell me was that black clouds were building behind us. We stopped for lunch and grazing at the car park above East Hendred.

We’d not been standing under the trees for very long when the rain started. It’s only a shower. It’s still raining. It’s getting heavier. Now I’m getting quite wet. Bee’s head is going lower, showing that she’s not enjoying this either. It’s running down my neck and seeping through the shoulders of my jacket. Finally it’s beginning to ease off. Let’s get back on and just keep going.

We mount up and ride out of the trees – into sunshine! Within about 10 minutes our horses and clothes are dried out and our spirits raised. We ride on to the car park at Bury Down and meet the support crew, who take photos and cheer us along. From up here we looked down onto Alden Farm in Upton where Pattie, Karen’s horse, lives. She got quite excited when she realised where she was (Pattie, not Karen!) and let out a very audible sigh of complaint when she realised that we weren’t heading down the hill to home.

From up here we could also see the rest of today’s route, as it headed right and then left and north east. It seemed like a long way, particularly as I knew that at the furthest point to the north east, we would have to turn south and head to my house – another half hour’s ride – in Compton. But we’d got the hang of trotting wherever we could, so we made good time and soon turned for home. Bee picked up and soon as she realised where we were going and it wasn’t long before we were walking down the lane, able to see my house, stables and paddock across my neighbours land. It was great to be home!

If you decide to ride the Ridgeway and need somewhere to stay around here, do get in touch. I have enough grazing for two and a stable for one (unless its winter when my horse will be in it.) I’m happy to give you a lift to wherever you can find to stay – I think one of the pubs in the next village does B&B.

For now, it was good to be home and over half way through our little adventure.

Monday 7 July: I’ve got stirrups!

If you have to stay at Fox Lynch – if the pub is full and you’re really desperate – for goodness sake take ear plugs, because the dogs barked all night long. Three terriers yelling all through the night. Either the owner couldn’t hear them, or he’s used to the racket. Either way, we didn’t get much sleep. The uncheery face of the owner didn’t do much to raise our spirits, although breakfast was quite good.

The great news – for me, anyway – was that our support crew had arrived last night with my stirrups. Karen’s parents John and Joyce, had collected them from my house and brought to us in Ogbourne, along with our overnight stuff and dry clothes. This meant that we could do more than just walk today, which was lucky as we had about 13 miles to cover.

Both the girls looked like they hadn’t had much sleep, the rain was falling and the weather forecast didn’t look good. But we walked up the hill away from Ogbourne and as we reached the Ridgeway, the wind blew the clouds over us and the rain cleared. From the height of the Ridgeway, we looked back at when we’d ridden the previous day – a great sight to see.

We found lanes and tracks to trot along, to cover more ground, reaching our second ancient fort at Liddington. Then we dropped down off the Ridgeway to reach our first stretch of road. We crossed the M4 – a wide bridge with traffic thundering underneath. Bee was more worried by the grill on the road, but seemed happier being led across. I really didn’t mind (I had stirrups and knew I could easily get back on!) and it was her first motorway. Soon after both Karen and I spotted a map case in the verge – one of the ones that serious walkers wear round their necks. Always one to snap up a freebie, I hopped off again (did I tell you that I had stirrups?!) and gave the case a good home, around my neck.

Our ride took us past stands of ancient beech trees and woodland that has been there since our ancestors started to use the Ridgeway. We past Wayland Smithy, but you can’t ride in, so we just stood outside and looked for a while. We’ll come back some day on foot.

After 2½ hours of riding we got off to walk for a while to stretch our legs and let the horses stretch. Lunch was eaten on the ground today, with time for the girls to graze.

To the south the clouds were scudding past us; to the north the clouds were dropping their rain onto the valleys. Riding along the Ridgeway meant that we stayed in the sun and stayed dry.

We rode out of Wiltshire and into Oxfordshire. All too soon we turned off the Ridegeway and followed a grassy track to Down Barn Farm. This is the home of Penny Reid and her horses, beef cattle, sheep, Tamworth pigs, chickens, house cow, Oliver the cat and Hilda the dog. There was a lovely field for the girls, with stunning, uninterrupted views to the south. Even though we arrived around 3pm, we put the girls rugs on and the settled onto the sofas in the sitting room. Just in time for the most amazing thunder storm. We watched the forked lightening on the hill and listened to the rain and then hail, as the thunder crashed over head. How lovely to be in such a warm, dry, friendly home.

Penny had us topping and tailing the gooseberries, before serving us the most wonderful meal of soup, home grown organic beef, gooseberry crumble and home made clotted cream. What a lovely end to a great day. And comfortable beds too!

Just Giving - an easy way to donate

Just Giving is a really easy way to donate to charities online. A small commission is taken to cover costs, but Just Giving also help the charity to claim Gift Aid - an extra 28% on top of your donation, which can make a huge difference.

My fundraising page for the Ridgeway ride is still open - go to http://www.justgiving.com/chantalsridgewayride2008 if you'd like to donate and help more sick or injured horses and donkeys in the Third World.

Sunday 6 July: Sunshine, showers and string for stirrups

We set off from the Wiltshire start of the Ridgeway on Sunday afternoon, with just a nine mile ride ahead of us. We nearly didn’t start, as I realised that I’d left my stirrups at home. Dressage riders and instructors will tell you that riding without stirrups, but nine miles over the Downs on a horse who doesn’t know where she is? Not really my idea of fun, but this little hitch wasn’t going to stop me. I fashioned some ‘stirrups’ out of baler twine – always worth carrying some spare string – and made do with them. It did mean that we had to keep to walk all day – not really safe to trot or canter with string round your feet!

We had beautiful views to both sides of us and wide grassy tracks. A few walkers past us as the black clouds started to catch up behind us and suddenly the heavens opened and we were soaking wet. It was the real wet rain that gets in, but we weren’t the only ones to suffer – quite a few walkers we met didn’t even have coats on.

The rain cleared and Barbary Castle rose above us on the Ridgeway – ancient ramparts built thousands of years ago, from where to watch the valleys below. We rode up through the ramparts – it would have made a lovely canter, if I’d had stirrups!

Soon we seemed to settle into a rhythm, eating sandwiches as we went along. I’m not sure I could have got back on if I got off, anyway. The wind was strong and we soon dried off, before getting wet again in the steady drizzle.

The Ridgeway is clearly marked, so the navigation is easy. Eventually we turned down the hill into the village of Ogbourne St George. With not far to go it was nice to get off and walk for half an hour, after three hours of riding. I think the horses enjoyed hading a stretch too.

We arrived at Fox Lynch, somewhere listed on the Ridegeway website, where we’d booked B&B for us and the horses. There were nice stables and plenty of hay for two tired horses, who seemed pleased to get out of the rain. A rather small and shabby bunk room with rosettes pinned to the ceiling for us. Photos of horses on the wall – obviously a family of riding and training. We put our saddles on the sofa as there wasn’t much room to move. I wonder when the sheets were last changed and I really didn’t like the look of the shower …

The local pub, The Inn with the Well, (where I would stay if I ever need to spend the night around here again) doesn’t do food on Sunday evenings. Luckily, we’d arranged to meet my parents, who took us to a lovely for supper. We got back to our ‘digs’ in time to see Nadal win Wimbledon, before settling down for the night ... or so we thought ...

New Yatt RDA Sponsored Ride - the Dry Run

Fancy a quiet hack on Sunday afternoon?

This is what I said in an email to Karen one Wednesday in April 2008, when I heard about a sponsored ride round Eynsham Park in Oxfordshire, being run in aid of the New Yatt Riding for the Disabled group. It was an eight mile ride around the park and we knew it would be a good dry run for us and the girls - my horse Bee Bee and Karen's horse Pattie. That's them on the left of the photo.

All the worrying we did about how the girls would travel together, how they would behave around other horses, what might set them off ... As it was, they behaved impecably and we needn't have worried about anything.

But it's always good to have a rehearsal for the big event, isn't it?

Let's Ride the Ridegway!

Those fatal words were uttered by both myself and my friend Karen Ambrose. We can't decide who had the idea first and therefore who to blame ... by the time it was said, it was too late.

During the autumn of 2007 we sat in front of the internet and did some planning. The website at www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ridgeway helped us work out how long it might take and how far we might ride each day. It all seemed quite easy back then. 70 miles along an ancient drovers' route; a few hours each day; some nice places to stay overnight ...

We checked our diaries and decided to opt for a week at the beginning of July 2008. The weather was bound to be good then. And then we just forgot about it all for quite a few months and went back to our day jobs - Karen is a chiropractor (www.karenambrose.co.uk) and I run a marketing company called Apple Tree.

Is there any reason you can't do something for a charity while doing your day job?

How it all began - Fundraising for The Brooke

It all began about five years ago when I started raising money for a charity called The Brooke Hospital for Animals. Go to www.thebrooke.org to find out about the great work they do for people in the Third World, who rely on horses and donkeys to make a living.

Over the years I've done all sorts of silly things to raise money for them. This year, someone suggested that I should start writing about my adventures, so the wonderful people who sponsor and support me can see what I'm really getting up to! So that's what this blog is all about. Keep coming back to read about my latest adventures and see how you can get involved.

In case you're wondering - I'm the two legged one in the photo! The four legged one is my own horse Bee Bee.