Walking from home today and ensuring that I take some different paths. My last two walks have given me some ideas for some paths to explore. So as often is the case I start down the track, along the lane and round by the stable. As I get to East Lockinge I double back and turn off the road to head through the new orchard area towards Ardington.
I take the path passed the back of Ardington House and as I get the end of this track I turn right up the hill. This path will come out where we met the other two walkers the previous day. I’ve walked down this path but never up.
As I meet the path from yesterday I this time cross straight across. The path leads down to the road to Ginge; in the distance I can see the chalky track which will lead up to the Ridgeway.
Having reached the road I turn left and walk passed the few houses and stables in this hamlet. A T junction is reached, the road turns to the left and the track I will take turns to the right. There is shortly a turn to the left which is the Sustrans track towards the Harwell Site. Looking back I can see the line of trees that marks that track . Looking up I’m able to watch a kite circling above my track that curves its way up onto the ridge.
The path emerges and I walk a short way along the Ridgeway. To my right is the wooded area surrounding Scutchamer’s Knob, I choose to walk through the wood parallel to the main track and come out by the car park where I had parked last Saturday with Alex and Pete. My plan is to walk down the path that we were originally going to use to get back up to the car. It is quite a chalky but not particularly significant track and descends quite quickly down to the road where I turn right and follow for a short distance. This side of the Ridgeway is much more sparsely populated.
There is a track off the road which curves round and is initially the same route as taken less than a week before. However my choice was to take the track to the left, along ‘Old Street’. This turns out to be a really pleasant route back up towards the Ridgeway and I’m really pleased with my choice. The track is not in a hollow but there is a very definite route way.
Then a real treat, suddenly movement in the field to my left and two hares are moving as a third joins them they start to race and I manage to get a short video. They disappear over the horizon of the field and I have to move on. I can’t quite let myself just walk off and I’m pleased that my patience has been rewarded as they are back nearer my end of the field.
There are several areas of woodland which looks very much like estate planting and there are signs about private land and keeping to the footpaths. The fresh, clean green of the new leaves on trees is always a wonder to observe at this time of year.
The path discretely joins the Ridgeway, not like a major junction but a side path sliding in to merge. Just a short way along the Ridgeway but before the Monument the path splits and I take the much less common route down to the right. I decide to stop here for a rather late lunch. I’m also waiting for a phone call to discuss some rather tricky issues around a European project I’m involved in supporting.
The skies are often interesting along this ridge, trees not quite fully in leaf. A section through a wood and then down to the gallops. A stretch back towards Lockinge and then a turn left which takes me to the road junction and the very top of Larkhill and the way home.
I was a little tight on time today and my phone call was quite long. I had purposely tried to keep up a quick pace and managed even on the uphill stretches. Average speed of 5.1 k p h and 289m of ascent. It was a good walk, bit of a work out and stress relief, plus being 16.74 km in distance. Nearly 10.5 miles.
Marion's 50 Walk Challenge 