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.
Friday, September 26, 2008
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.
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.
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