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 bre
eze 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.
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 bre
eze 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.
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