I have been walking the last few days but not a proper walk – I can’t count walking back from Boxing Day celebrations or returning to collect the car the next morning or visits to the post office! So time for a walk to finish the year.
I was going to drive but decided instead to walk from home but to try a slightly different route.
I forgot to start the Fitbit so have added on the 1/4 kilometre at the start to record 11.5 kilometres for this afternoon’s walk. It really is difficult to believe it can be so warm on the last day of the year. no coat just a new fleece and I did wear gloves but soon abandon those.
My usual route along the track, still shocked by the loss of the wonderful horse chestnuts and it is difficult to justify in my mind a wholesale felling. There are newly planted Lime trees to mark the Quern’s Platinum Celebration.
Through into Lockinge and up by the side of Henrietta Knight’s stable – I’m not sure whether I’ve ever been up this way, usually travel in the other direction. There is something very striking about the skeletal value of trees in winter as these are slightly bent by the prevailing wind.
At the end of this quite long and muddy track is the option to turn left and complete the top part of the walk before heading downwards to home. For some reason I feel compelled to continue up the last field and on to the Ridgeway. Evidence of cows all around but none in sight and at the gate onto the Ridgeway and it’s parking area the open gate hopefully just means they have been moved!
Quite pleased that I managed the killer hill with only one very short stop and a couple of hesitations! I still don’t understand how Alex runs up it!
Just a short venture along the Ridgeway today as in just over a week I will start my seven days of walking it’s full length! Did I really sign up to that! The monument comes into view- the red of the Cornus always adds a wonderful contrast.
Opposite is my footpath marker and down across a muddy, flinty field – but it is down, having done a lot of up since I left the house.
This joins a farm track which runs parallel to a strip of woodland with a very distinct path so an obvious choice! A long stretch down hill and I can stride out – well carefully so as not to trip on roots. I see several squirrels in this section – I thought they hibernated – perhaps not or just too mild.
This eventually becomes a track and passes Bitham Farm and out into Lockinge and back to home. The light is beginning to fade and there are some pretty clouds.
I realised that this is the first time I had walked by myself since walk 18 of this block which seems a bit crazy really. Quite liked the solitude and the opportunity to be absorbed in one’s own thoughts.
My resolution for 2022 is not to get behind with my blogs. I felt quite stressed that circumstance had not provided an opportunity to write up the Oxfordshire Way until so long after the event. Each blog took a lot of looking at the map and photos and really concentrating to relive the walk. That mustn’t happen again.!
Marion's 50 Walk Challenge 