I wanted to go somewhere that was one of my favourite places for the 30th walk! I decided upon White Horse Hill – I live in Vale of White Horse District and the name is also associated with the Primary School Football Association committee I have been on for very many years, currently the treasurer in my retirement!!
As part of the Ridgeway residential trip the last day has often been spent walking between the White Horse and Waylands Smithy – a Neolithic burial chamber. I decided that would be too easy. I realised I hadn’t been over the other side of the Ridgeway from the hill fort so plotted a route which would take me along and back on parts of the Lambourn Valley Way.
I am discovering that there are an enormous number of ‘…. Ways’ that I didn’t realise existed!
I started at the WHH car park – cash or parking app – of course that one wasn’t downloaded on my phone so a long winded procedure- paid in the end! The car park was very busy so I decided that my ultimate goal would be at the end of my walk.
So instead of heading to the White Horse I turned back to the road and continued up hill towards the Ridgeway. I could get a first glimpse of the hill fort – actually named ‘Castle Hill’
The path continued straight across and was marked as a restricted byway. After a while on concrete (my heart sank), this track petered out after passing some farm buildings, and became more pleasant.
I was amazed by the open nature of this side of the downs. Some of the fields are enormous. On my left, to the east there are real undulations.
Just as I was taking this photo I was aware of movement to my right.
The vegetation changed a little and there were more trees. Not unusual to see maize growing but these smaller, obviously related plants are quite unusual.
Not quite as many flowering plants as usual up until now but then as I turned to cross to the east there was a flurry of colour.
Everywhere there were crops ready to be harvested, wheat and barley and some areas already cut. The openness of this area is quite breath taking. Open skies and one red kite that proved impossible to film!
Turning back towards the ridgeway the path closely followed ‘gallops’. Lambourn and this area has a great number of racing stables. The path also passed some neolithic tumuli. The herd of deer appeared in front of me, recognisable by one larger darker animal – possibly a stag.
The path narrowed and the hedge was ladened with hawthorn berries, rose hips ,some blackberries and these rather spectacular berries. The hill fort began to come into view again.
Crossing the Ridgeway path again a path led up onto the top of the hill fort. This is somewhere I’ve visited for many years, as a family, with overseas visitors and with school groups. Children particularly like walking round the top and counting to try and work out the circumference. This is a very big fort!
Reflection – There are two particular times that stand out in my visits. The first was with a group of 6 and 7 year olds who were studying the Iron Age. We split the group in two and I was with the half attacking the fort. We crawled up the steep slope on our stomachs trying to surprise the ones at the top!
Amazing to think these ditches were dug out with deer antlers.
The second more poignant time was whilst accompanying a group of children. My father had died about three weeks before and I got a phone call asking me to proof read the order of service for the funeral, the following week, so it could be printed. Slightly surreal as I set the children off round the fort,counting!
Great to see harebells on the top and then off to see the White Horse. The horse is over 3,000 years old – Bronze Age.
There is a children’s book called ‘Sun horse, Moon horse’ by Rosemary Sutcliffe. This story tells about a child who belongs to the Iceni tribe – sun worshippers and the Attribates tribe – moon worshippers. They were both horse traders.
At the edge of the fort there is a magnificent view down to the ‘manger’ and the rather illustrious horse is positioned at the top of this.
The horse is cut into the chalk and is refurbished every few years when the edges are cleaned and fresh chalk is added.
The horse was fenced off and was difficult to get close to on this occasion. The best view of it is from the sky which makes you wonder how it was first produced.
I enjoyed this walk, met two people on my walk on the south side of the Ridgeway and because most people had gone home only a few when I finished my walk. 11 km again today and with a bit of climb this time.
Marion's 50 Walk Challenge 