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!

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