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Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 19.64 miles Duration - 7 hours 59 mins Total ascent – 1786 feet Total descent – 1646 feet Highest point – 706 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Drive to Goldsmith's Lane Wallingford Car Park OX10 0DN - £6 for day - Pay by Phone – location 810589 Walk to Market Place & catch X40 bus to Mongewell Turn Walk to Princes Risborough Station Catch train to Oxford Catch train to Didcot Parkway Catch X40 bus to Wallingford Pick up car & drive home My Walk This was going to be my longest walk along The Ridgeway and the 2nd longest overall along the Great Chalk Way. So why on earth did I walk it twice – firstly in May and then again in September? It was for the same old reason; in May it was a pretty overcast day but in September it was a glorious day. This was to be the 3rd and last of my repeated walks. By the time I reached Princes Risborough I would be more or less at the halfway point of the Great Chalk Way. This would be the first stage that I would do as a day trip from home. Starting from Mongewell (which is really part of Wallingford), the first few miles would be following the Grim’s Ditch (AKA Grim’s Dyke) as far as Nuffield. There are a number of Grim’s Ditches in England, mainly in the South East. They are prehistoric bank and ditch linear earthworks. The purpose of them remains a mystery but as they are too small for military use, they may have served to demarcate territory. This Grim’s Ditch stretches for about 5 miles but The Ridgeway follows it for about 3½ miles. I’d come across another Grim’s Ditch on the final stage of The Ridgeway. At Nuffield the trail would turn left and cross numerous fairways of Huntercombe Golf Club. After crossing a couple of large fields and walking through some woodland, the path would climb to its highest point near Swyncombe before dropping back down. For the next 7 or so miles beyond Swyncombe the trail would level out and I’d be walking along a virtually straight path, which at times was completely open with great 360° views. At other times it would also pass through woodland and least appealing, the path would have trees and bushes on either side giving limited views of the landscape. For this 7 miles the trail would intersect numerous roads and tracks, leading to towns and villages like Watlington and Chinnor. Beyond Chinnor, the path would bear right and climb up to the top of Lodge Hill, before a final 2½ mile descent into Princes Risborough. My day began with an early morning 80 mile drive from home to Wallingford. I parked my car and caught the X40 bus from the Market Place to the ‘Mongewell Turn’ stop - 100 yards from The Ridgeway. At first the path was narrow with loads of trees and hedges on both sides but also with some breaks to allow some nice views of the landscape. After crossing a single track road, the climbing began in earnest up Grim’s Ditch along one of its banks. The ditch itself was pretty overgrown with vegetation and fallen tree branches, making it difficult to fully appreciate it. For this reason, I’m adding a photo from when I first walked The Ridgeway in February 2023. This really highlights the ditch and supports the theory that maybe it was for demarcation purposes as it would certainly be useless to keep marauders at bay! Shortly after the off - what a glorious day Odd place for a trig point Grim's Ditch - May 2025 Grim's Ditch - February 2023. Not much use as a defence! At the top of the slope, the path turned left and very soon I emerged by the church in the village of Nuffield. The fingerpost directing you onto the golf course was partially hidden by vegetation so I walked past it when I did this walk in May. I managed to find a way to get back on track but this did involve walking along a busy road. You’d have thought when I did the walk again in September that I’d be more careful not to miss the sign – but I walked straight past again! This time however I quickly realised my error and backtracked until I finally saw the sign. After walking over a number of fairways I emerged at The Maker Space – a modern craft venue, shop, café and community space in a former 17th century pub building. I didn’t really fancy a coffee at this time but it’s good to know that the place is here. Lovely view from the top of Grim's Ditch The church in Nuffield The Ridgeway crosses a few fairways The Maker Space is a multi-purpose building including a café After crossing the busy main road, the path crossed 2 very large fields before reaching a side entrance gate to the Ewelme Park Estate. From what I’ve read, the estate covers over 600 acres and the main house built in 1913 has 8 bedrooms and is Grade II listed. I believe the estate is owned by Mr Jaisal Singh. He operates his polo team from the equestrian facilities on the site – the Sujan Indian Tigers. One of the 2 large fields the path crossed An entrance to the Ewelme Park Estate Continuing past Ewelme Park, the path descended quite steeply through woodland down to Swyncombe. There had been a considerable amount of tree clearance between my walks in May and September, resulting in some really nice views. Trees have been thinned out making a great view Some of the logs from the tree felling St Botolph’s Church in Swyncombe is well known for its snowdrops and ‘Snowdrop Teas’ each year. My Ridgeway walk past the church in 2023 fortunately coincided with one of the Snowdrop Tea days and I happily stopped to avail myself! St Botolph's Church St Botolph's Church - February 2023 St Botolph's Snowdrop Tea - yummy cakes to go with coffee - February 2023 Beyond Swyncombe the path climbed steeply to the highest point of the walk, before descending through woodland just as steeply with views of the imposing Britwell House in the distance. 2025 was a bumper year for conkers! A climb to the highest point of today's walk After the climb - the descent! Britwell House in the distance At the bottom of the hill at Britwell Salome the path took a definite 90° turn to the right, marking the start of about 7 miles of flat and virtually straight walking along a restricted byway known as the Lower Icknield Way. The whole 7 miles were easy on the feet and as a stand-alone walk it was really pleasant. All the way along to the right of the path was the top of the ridge at about 800 feet, whereas The Ridgeway path hovered between about 450 and 500 feet. The Upper Icknield Way runs parallel to the Lower Icknield Way as a tarmac road along the top of the ridge. This is a good illustration of how trails such as The Ridgeway are forced to take the practical route at times (i.e. avoid the road) rather than the ridgetop route that would have been expected for a trail called The Ridgeway! On the left hand side of the path it was mainly farmland with great views beyond but as is often the case, the trees and hedges on both sides of the path obscured the views at times. Watlington Hill and a really wide path I do so like The Ridgeway fingerposts! This isn't me jogging by the way! Beacon Hill on the other side of the M40 About halfway between Watlington & Chinnor the path passed underneath the busy and noisy M40 through its own concrete tunnel. Either side of the M40 and up to the right was Aston Rowant Nature Reserve, a 400 acre nature reserve at the top of the ridge that looks down on the motorway. Very soon after the tunnel the path crossed the A40, now considerably quieter since the M40 was built. It was here that I saw the first mention of the Icknield Way on fingerposts and this confused me a little but more of that on my dedicated page for the Icknield Way section. The M40 tunnel Lovely colours of the trees Nice views to the left too At Chinnor, the path passed by former chalk quarries, although from the ground it wasn’t too easy to see all of them. The quarries were on the site of what started life in 1906 as The Chinnor Lime Company, a small company creating lime. Over the next 90+ years the site expanded to over 200 acres, was eventually taken over by Rugby Cement and became 1 of just 6 major cement production plants in the UK. Production ended in 2000 and the buildings were demolished in 2007/8 after the land was acquired by Taylor Wimpey. Today, the land & quarries on the Chinnor village side of The Ridgeway have been redeveloped and landscaped as a housing estate known as Old Kiln Lakes as well as recreational areas. One of the original lime kilns is now Grade II listed and can be seen in the housing estate near the playground. On the other side of the path, the large, extremely deep quarry has been filled with water and is strictly off limits to the public. Site of the former lime & cement plant These signs are so useful Beyond the old Chinnor chalk quarries, at Hempton Wainhill I said goodbye to Oxfordshire and hello to Buckinghamshire, as the path veered off to the right and climbed up through woods to emerge onto sheep grazing fields, about 1 mile from the village of Bledlow Ridge. This was a bit of a ‘Wow’ moment because for quite a bit of of today’s walk up to this point I’d felt relatively hemmed in compared to this. On the climb up Wain Hill in Buckinghamshire Some shade from the warm sunshine So simple but so effective! It was lovely to walk across this large, open field Now in the open I could see Princes Risborough in the distance but rather than making a beeline for the town, The Ridgeway took a more circular route via a short but steep climb to the top of Lodge Hill. It has to be said that the views from the hilltop were worth the climb. Before carrying on I checked the times of trains to Oxford from Princes Risborough. It was 3 o’clock and the next train was at 15:50. I’d have to wait another hour if I missed this one so I decided to get a wriggle on. Lodge Hill ahead The path up to the top of Lodge Hill On top of the hill Great views from Lodge Hill Lodge Hill overlooking Princes Risborough From the top of Lodge Hill, the final 2 and a bit miles to the railway station were thankfully pretty much downhill all the way. The Ridgeway passed alongside the golf course, crossed a couple of railway lines and a large field before taking to residential streets in Princes Risborough. I reached the station at 15:40 giving me 10 minutes to cool down a little before my train to Oxford arrived. More welcome shade Railway line crossing Princes Risborough Station with 10 minutes to spare Back in Oxford, I changed trains for Didcot Parkway, got the X40 bus back to Wallingford, picked up my car and drove home. A long but really successful day and I was now halfway along the Great Chalk Way! Now that was quite a walk! The final stage of The Ridgeway would be Princes Risborough to Ivinghoe Beacon. My sister, who is fortunate enough to live within a couple of miles of The Ridgeway, had said from the outset that she’d like to do a Ridgeway Walk with me. I’ve done so many Chilterns walks with her in the past, including the Rennie Grove Hospice Chilterns 3 Peaks Challenge 3 times. The 3 Peaks challenge takes the route of this final stage, so I knew we’d be able to do this brilliant walk. The problem was trying to find a suitable day when we would both be free as she is unfortunate enough to still have to work! In the end it would be 8 weeks before we’d set off from Princes Risborough. Whilst I could have started along the Icknield Way whilst waiting for her, I really didn’t want to do walks out of turn, so instead, to keep myself occupied I completed the Thames Path for the 6th time!

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 6.02 miles Duration - 2 hours 14 mins Total ascent – 158 feet Total descent – 94 feet Highest point – 219 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Drive to Wheel Orchard Car Park in Goring - RG8 9HB - £6 for day - Pay by Phone – location 810584 Walk to Mongewell Get lift back to Goring & pick up car Drive home My Walk At only 6 miles, this walk was the shortest and undoubtedly the easiest of my 27 Great Chalk Way stages. I probably could have tacked it on to the end of yesterday’s walk from Letcombe which would then have become the 2nd longest. However, I was in no rush to complete The Ridgeway and I do so enjoy this particular section as it takes in my beloved River Thames! This stage and beyond would mark a change in the nature of the path. I would now be walking in the Chiltern Hills, which by definition means more ups and downs! Relatively speaking, the walks now would become less rural in nature and the wide paths along the top of the ridge, with views for miles would generally be replaced with more varied (but no less attractive) landscapes, narrower paths, more villages, woodland, large fields, even golf courses. The walk would begin in the streets of Goring-on-Thames - a picture perfect Oxfordshire village. The late George Michael owned a house in the middle of the village – Mill Cottage - and lived here for his last 15 years. He played his part as a resident and his fellow residents treated him as just another neighbour. As far as the village of South Stoke, the path would be sandwiched between the Thames and the railway with a fair amount of riverside walking. Beyond South Stoke the path would pass under Moulsford Railway Bridge and then continue mostly riverside to North Stoke. Beyond North Stoke the path would continue for a mile to the village of Mongewell where it would turn away from the river for a final ½ mile down to the A4074 Oxford to Reading road. I chose this as the end point because the X40 bus stops here; it’s called ‘Mongewell Turn’. My day began at the Swindon Town Centre Premier Inn and after breakfast I drove to Goring and parked the car. The Thames Path National Trail between Goring and Wallingford follows alongside the south bank of the river, whereas The Ridgeway National Trail follows alongside the north bank. I have to say I much prefer the route taken by The Ridgeway. Anyway, today’s walk began in Thames Road, a street of large, expensive looking houses with the river to my left and the railway to my right. Beyond this for the next mile or so, the path continued as a mixture of residential roads and bridleways with occasional glimpses of the river. Goring Thames Road where this stage starts Goring Thames Sailing Club House envy! You get a bonus front garden living here! .....but you do have trains thundering by all day at the back of your house! I soon entered the beautiful village of South Stoke. There were many posters publicising a forthcoming public meeting regarding the recent closure of the village’s pub, The Perch & Pike, after yet another tenant had thrown in the towel, having been unable to make a go of it. As of October 2025, the latest tenant is planning on reopening in early November according to the pub’s Facebook page. I wish them every luck! Please join our public meeting! The Perch & Pike South Stoke. So glad it will be reopening once again The path continued through the village and turned down towards the river. It emerged opposite the Beetle & Wedge pub which all Thames Path walkers must know. This was once a ferry crossing. South Stoke South Stoke South Stoke South Stoke The Beetle & Wedge on the Thames Path side. I now walked alongside the river towards Moulsford Railway Bridge. Just like its sibling Gatehampton Railway bridge a few miles away on the other side of Goring, this Grade II listed, brick built bridge designed by IK Brunel, is actually a pair of bridges, built in 2 phases 50 years apart. You have to admire the architecture of Moulsford Bridge in particular. Moulsford on the other side of the river Moulsford. You don't get to see this on the Thames Path Moulsford Moulsford Railway Bridge. The 2nd bridge was built to allow expansion of the line Moulsford Railway Bridge The bridge was built at a 60 degree angle across the river After walking under the bridge, the path continued alongside the river as far as Little Stoke, where it was forced to turn off to the right. For Thames Path walkers it’s opposite the Cholsey slipway and like at South Stoke, there was a ferry crossing here in the distant past. Cholsey Nature Reserve on the opposite bank The Ridgeway leaves the river opposite the Cholsey slipway Continuing along the edge of a couple of large fields, I reached the churchyard of St Mary the Virgin in North Stoke. This led to the houses and cottages of the impossibly pretty village! I was treated to a chorus of a group of whistling red kites. North Stoke North Stoke North Stoke North Stoke Beyond the village the path headed towards the village Mongewell, intersecting the Springs Golf club in a couple of places. The Springs Resort & Golf Club was previously owned by legendary Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan. He had a swimming pool built in the shape of a guitar. The pool was subsequently filled in but until recently, the outline could still be seen in Google Maps. On the left was Mongewell Park, site of a derelict mansion which over the years had various uses. Before being closed in 1997, it was a Jewish boarding school called Carmel College which at the time was the most expensive school in England. The buildings have been derelict since the closure. Springs Golf Club & Spa. Previously owned by Ian Gillan of Deep Purple fame as a private estate Ian Gillan's guitar shaped swimming pool Somewhere to stop for a coffee 1 of the 25 photos taken along The Ridgeway by Max Writtle that has been posted on the trail At the next T-junction, had I wanted to visit Wallingford I could have turned left to cross Winterbrook Bridge over the Thames. The Ridgeway however turned right for the last ½ mile to the finish. Wendy, who I’d met the day before, had very kindly offered to give me a lift back to my car in Goring. Our paths crossed on this final stretch. In her role as a Friend of the Ridgeway, she took some photos of me at the Mongewell Turn fingerpost and then drove me to my car – what an amazing service!! Once back at my car I drove home. It might only have been a 6 mile walk but it was so enjoyable. My next stage from Mongewell to Princes Risborough would be a 20 miler but I’d wait a week before resuming my journey.

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 8.10 miles Duration - 3 hours 12 mins Total ascent – 567 feet Total descent – 539 feet Highest point – 846 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Walk to Swindon Bus Station Catch bus 47 to Ashbury Hill Walk to Letcombe Regis & leave Ridgeway Walk to Wantage Catch X36 bus to Didcot Parkway - journey time 42 mins Catch train to Swindon - £9.55 - journey time 15 mins Pick up car from Whalebridge Car Park and drive home NB – Since August 2025 Swindon Bus Station has thankfully closed as buses now leave/arrive from the new public transport hub in Fleming Way My Walk This was yet another easy walk and once again the end point was determined by the availability of public transport. In this instance, I was aiming to leave The Ridgeway at the closest spot to Wantage - the rub being that this would require me to walk a further 3 miles to catch a bus! Carrying on to Wantage actually became part of the walk. This really didn’t bother me since it was downhill all the way from The Ridgeway to Wantage. Today’s walk would take me past 2 Iron Age hillforts, the oldest chalk horse in Britain and a 5000 year old long barrow. All of this and great views along the way. My residence at the Swindon Town Centre Premier Inn finally came to an end! £234 for 5 nights was a bit of a bargain I thought. After one last cooked breakfast, I loaded my luggage into my car at the Whalebridge Car Park, walked to the bus station and caught the 47 bus to the top of Ashbury Hill where it intersects with The Ridgeway. In less than a mile along the path I arrived at Wayland’s Smithy – an early Neolithic chambered long barrow, completed around 3430 BC. Various excavations over the year and restorations have resulted in how the site looks today. It is very impressive in a lovely setting surrounded by trees. Modern day Pagans still use the site for ritual purposes. Wayland's Smithy The entrance to the barrow Looking towards the front of the barrow from the rear Wayland's Smithy - April 2026 After another 1½ miles of gentle climbing I reached Uffington Castle at the top of White Horse Hill, the highest point in Oxfordshire at 856 feet. Uffington Castle is another Iron Age hillfort built around 700 BC. It covers about 8 acres. Heading towards White Horse Hill Uffington Castle - November 2025 Ditch & rampart Views from White Horse Hill are spectacular Also on the slopes of the hill is the Uffington White Horse, a 360 foot long chalk horse that is probably about 3000 years old and the oldest such carving in Britain. Unlike most other chalk horses, the design of this one is very minimalistic! Regular cleaning or ‘scouring’ of the horse is required and this is carried out by volunteers, organised by the National Trust. Because of the angle of the slope the horse is carved into, it isn’t easy to view the horse head on. The best way to view it is from the air. Even from the roads below it's not easy to see the whole horse The Uffington White Horse Below the horse in the valley is Dragon Hill, a striking natural chalk hill with an artificial flattened top. According to legend, this is where St George slew the dragon! A bare patch of chalk on top of the hill where no grass will grow is allegedly where the dragon’s blood spilled. Dragon Hill The valley over which the White Horse looks is called The Manger. The Manger is a strangely shaped valley, which is thought to have been formed by the melting of ice in the last Ice Age. Folklore suggests that the Manger is the supernatural feeding place for the White Horse which would travel from its vantage point on the crest of the hill on moonlit nights! The views from the top of White Horse Hill are absolutely stunning (well – on a sunny day anyway). Beyond Whitehorse Hill the path continued as a byway which thankfully was dry and not rutted. With the lovely views it made for very pleasant walking. I was in the vicinity of a racehorse trainer’s yard and a number of horses were training on the gallops. The next feature of note was Hackpen Hill – not to be confused with the Hackpen Hill in Wiltshire that I’d passed a couple of days ago. This is Hackpen Hill near Sparsholt Firs in Oxfordshire. In the valley between The Ridgeway and the top of the hill is a striking natural feature called Crowhole Bottom but is also known as the Devil’s Punchbowl. The top of the hill has 2 clumps of beech trees which from a distance resemble 2 caterpillars! Hackpen Hill The Devil's Punchbowl Another mile and I reached Segsbury Camp (AKA Segsbury Castle). The Ridgeway continued straight on but I chose to leave the trail here. Segsbury Camp is yet another Iron Age hillfort. This one is a bit of a whopper, covering about 30 acres. At about 700 feet above sea level, it’s not as high as some of the others I’d passed. The north of the camp has fantastic views of the Vale of the White Horse. It is so large that it has a byway running roughly north to south across it. It is this byway that I’d follow down into Letcombe Regis and then on into Wantage. Due to its sheer size, you can’t see the full extent of the fort – you can only see it properly from the air. The walk from the fort into Letcombe Regis is brilliant as it’s downhill all the way and it’s a pretty steep hill. Lower down it becomes a single track road open to all traffic. I didn’t especially enjoy walking up the hill when I walked The Ridgeway in the opposite direction a couple of years ago! The route into Wantage is well signposted with fingerposts made of the same material as the regular Ridgeway ones. I reached the market place in Wantage at about 2 o’clock. I was a bit peckish so treated myself to a Greggs sausage roll whilst waiting for the bus to Didcot Parkway. At Didcot I caught a train back to Swindon and from there I picked up my car and drove home. This is where I leave The Ridgeway today Letcombe Regis Letcombe Regis Letcombe Regis Another mile to go St Peter's & St Paul's Church in the centre of Wantage With 142 miles completed, this was the end of my third batch of walks along the Great Chalk Way. From now until I reached Holme-next-the-Sea I wouldn’t need to stay away from home for longer than I night at a time and for a number of stages, day trips from home would become practical. Also, apart from 1 more short walk, the remaining stages would be much longer than my first 3 Ridgeway walks. Happy days!

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 9.97 miles Duration - 4 hours 0 mins Total ascent – 801 feet Total descent – 610 feet Highest point – 905 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Walk to Swindon Bus Station Catch bus X5 at 08:25 to Ogbourne St George Southend stop arriving at 08:57 Walk to Ashbury Rose & Crown Catch 17:17 bus 47 to Swindon Bus Station arriving 17:45 OR If early call for a taxi - Wayland Private Hire - 0800 7999682 to Shrivenham Catch S6 bus to Swindon Bus Station OR (if you have a car) Drive to The Ridgeway car park on Ashbury Hill and park car Catch bus 47 from the car park to Great Western Hospital in Swindon at 08:10 Catch bus X5 from Great Western Hospital in Swindon to Ogbourne St George Southend stop at 08:52 Walk to Ashbury, pick up car and drive to Swindon Premier Inn NB – Since August 2025 Swindon Bus Station has thankfully closed as buses now leave/arrive from the new public transport hub in Fleming Way My Walk Like the previous stage, Ogbourne to Ashbury is really just a half day walk but provides public transport at both ends for solo walkers like me which is the main thing. The first 3½ miles of today’s walk would involve a steady climb from the busy Swindon to Marlborough main road up onto the ridge. Much of this would be walking along a path with trees and high hedges on both sides so limiting the views. At this point the path would open up to give some great views of the countryside. After reaching the highest point of the walk at Liddington Hill, the site of another Iron Age hillfort, I’d make a descent from the ridge, down to the M4 which I’d cross. The final 3½ miles would involve a gentle climb back up onto the ridge followed by a relatively flat, almost dead straight walk along it to the car park at the top of Ashbury Hill. This was another stage that I walked twice – firstly in May and then in September. In May it was pretty overcast for the whole walk so I resolved to repeat it on a sunnier day and my photos are mostly from September. In May my day began at the Swindon Town Centre Premier Inn with my 4th consecutive full English breakfast. By now I’d got to know the staff quite well! The X5 bus from the bus station dropped me at the ‘Southend’ stop at Ogbourne St George on the busy A346. A short walk back along the road and there was a familiar black Ridgeway fingerpost pointing up to a path towards Liddington Castle, just over 5 miles away. The path up from the main road The path up to the top of the ridge wasn’t desperately interesting as it was relatively narrow and had trees and high hedges on both sides. There were occasional breaks however which gave good views of the landscape. After almost 3 miles of gentle climbing, the path opened up briefly at the top of Whitefield Hill where there is a tall mobile phone mast. It didn’t take long however before I was back to trees and hedges on both sides of the path, with openings here and there. It was about now that I noticed the sound of almost constant shooting going on to my left in the distance. This went on for quite a while and I assume it must be coming from a gun club. Eventually the path opened up once again to give great views as it dipped up and down before climbing up towards Liddington Castle. Liddington Castle is another Iron Age hillfort and sits at the top of Liddington Hill, 902 feet above sea level. It's the highest spot in the Borough of Swindon! There is a trigpoint within the fort and next to it is a toposcope installed by the local council to commemorate the year 2000. It’s quite a bit smaller than Barbury Castle and is one of the earliest hillforts, constructed about 700 BC. To reach it there is a very short diversion off The Ridgeway. I took a look when I did this walk in May but in September I let my drone do the hard work! Liddington Castle Hillfort - September 2025 May 2025 Continuing past the hillfort I couldn’t help but notice what looked like a pillbox under a small clump of trees. Subsequent googling revealed that during the Second World War, the hilltop surrounding Liddington Castle was used as a Starfish site - a large-scale bombing decoy designed to appear as a burning town or city. The idea of this one was to divert German night bombers away from Swindon so that they would drop their bombs over the countryside instead. Starfish sites consisted of elaborate light arrays and fires, controlled from a nearby bunker and laid out to simulate a fire-bombed town. So, what I thought was a pillbox was actually a command bunker. The things you learn! The path now descended from the ridge to a fairly busy main road, before turning down an almost equally busy road that took me across a bridge over the M4 to the village of Foxhill. This one mile second road was less than satisfactory as the verges were almost non-existent in places and it was easier to walk along the road; I expect that’s why there’s such a large warning sign to motorists advising them that the road is part of The Ridgeway National Trail. Coming down off the ridge In Foxhill, the path left the road and immediately started climbing up to Charlbury Hill. Before the climb started there was a large green sign that looked more like a road sign than the normal fingerpost for walkers and riders. In fact, it was a road sign, dating back to the time before 2006 when The Ridgeway was classified as a RUPP – a Road Used as a Public Path. It was for this reason that the Friends of The Ridgeway was first established in 1982 with a primary aim to preserve and maintain the special nature of The Ridgeway National Trail, mainly in response to its abuse west of the Thames by off-road vehicles. These vehicles were responsible for the serious level of rutting in winter, making it really difficult for walkers to enjoy the path. Tireless campaigning by the FofR and others resulted in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006). All RUPPs, including parts of The Ridgeway (all Oxfordshire and parts of West Berkshire and Wiltshire), were reclassified as Restricted Byways, meaning that recreational vehicles could no longer drive on these parts of the trail. So, this green road sign was a throwback to when The Ridgeway was a RUPP. The top of Charlbury Hill could be seen a short distance from the path. From the path it looked like it could be another hillfort but in fact it’s been found to be 100% completely natural with no recorded archaeological discoveries. The path continues on the road past The Burj before heading off to the right Dating back to when The Ridgeway was a RUPP, I'd love to see this sign restored Climbing up the hill The great views continue Charlbury Hill looks man-made but is entirely natural About ½ mile further on and to my left, I reached the entrance to a striking, steep dry valley known as a coombe. This had been sculpted by the action of water long ago when this area still supported surface streams. Along the steep sides of the coombe you can see examples of vertical strip lynchets. Lynchets are a feature of ancient field systems in the British Isles and are found close to Iron Age forts. It is most likely that lynchets were dug to maximise the use of land for agriculture, although they may have had other, ceremonial uses. The coombe descends more than 100 feet to the village of Bishopstone. The final couple of miles of this stage were uneventful, the path being almost flat and straight. It was lovely though walking along it in the sunshine with large rolling fields either side. There is a car park at the top of Ashbury Hill where it crosses The Ridgeway. Handily, there are also bus stops here for the Lambourn to Swindon bus 47. When I did the walk in May, before reaching the car park, I turned off to my left and followed a footpath into Ashbury. At the planning stage I’d intended catching the bus from there back to Swindon. However, I finished the walk way too early, so instead of hanging about for 4 hours, I called a taxi firm in nearby Shrivenham in the hope that I could be picked up a little sooner than this – Wayland Private Hire . John the proprietor arrived quite quickly and brought me back to Shrivenham. He charged me a very reasonable £10. I then caught the S6 bus to Swindon Bus station and walked ‘home’ to the Premier Inn for my final night. In September I had a better plan not involving taxis. I first drove to the car park at Ashbury Hill and got 2 buses to Ogbourne St George. Despite this sounding rather convoluted, I arrived at Ogbourne by 09:30. I then did the walk to where my car was parked, finishing just before 14:00.

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 9.85 miles Duration - 3 hours 52 mins Total ascent – 639 feet Total descent - 689 feet Highest point – 887 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Walk to Swindon Bus Station Catch bus 49 from Swindon Bus Station to Red Lion Avebury. Journey time 34 mins Walk to Ogbourne St George Liddiard's Green Catch bus 80 to Swindon Bus Station. Journey time 35 mins Walk to Premier Swindon Town Centre and stay overnight NB – Since August 2025 Swindon Bus Station has thankfully closed as buses now leave/arrive from the new public transport hub in Fleming Way My Walk This first stage of The Ridgeway to Ogbourne St George is really just a half day walk but so many blogs and guides you look at suggest stopping here. The village has a good bus service with the number 80 bus and if you’re prepared to walk to the bypass there is also the hourly X5 service that runs between Swindon, Marlborough and Salisbury. Today’s walk would involve a 3½ mile steady climb along a wide chalk track up to Hackpen Hill, the highest point of this stage. From there, the path would continue for a couple of miles along the ridge to Barbury Castle, a very impressive Iron Age hillfort. The rest of the stage as far as the outskirts of Ogbourne St George is one of my favourites, as you’re walking along Smeathe’s Ridge, a wide, grass covered ridge with the most amazing views. Local racehorse trainers use one side of this as gallops. My day began at the Swindon Premier Inn and my 3rd consecutive full English breakfast! Buses are generally quite rare on a Sunday but the 49 service runs an hourly service and stops at the Red Lion in Avebury. It was little bit overcast but already the clouds were starting to break up. Overcast Avebury The day before I’d walked to Avebury from Overton Hill, so rather than walking back to the Overton Hill car park to begin the stage, I didn’t feel guilty about starting from Avebury today to meet up with The Ridgeway. Having visited Avebury and most of the Avebury World Heritage Site the previous day, I wrote at length about the sites and monuments in my Stage 10 blog 'Sarsen Way - Upavon to Avebury'. The path from Avebury to its crossing point with The Ridgeway is actually along the Wessex Ridgeway, on its way to its end point in Marlborough. Like much of the first few miles, the path was what I call a ‘standard’ chalk track with vehicle tyre tracks which I’m sure in winter become deeply rutted and a central track for walkers & cyclists. Looking back towards Avebury. Clouds clearing This is where the Wessex Ridgeway crosses The Ridgeway Continuing the climb up to Hackpen Hill Anyway, by now it was turning into yet another gorgeous day, with fabulous 360° views. From Hackpen Hill you can see for miles. It’s also well known for its chalk horse, another of Wiltshire’s 8 such horses. This one was carved in 1838 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Victoria. You can walk down from the top of the hill to the horse, as the field it’s in isn’t that steep. Ironically the field itself is home to a number of real life wild horses! View from Hackpen Hill Having a good scratch against the kissing gate! The Hackpen Hill White Horse Continuing past Hackpen Hill along the chalk track I arrived at the foot of Barbury Hill where The Ridgeway left the track and continued up a path to the top of the outer rampart of Barbury Castle. Barbury Castle is an Iron Age hillfort built around 700 BC. It has 2 ramparts (3 in places) and ditches to keep invaders out. At 860 feet above sea level it has a commanding position of the landscapes all around, so seems like it was a good decision to build the fort here. The Ridgeway passes east-west across the middle of the fort via entrances which over the years have been widened, most latterly by American troops in the 1940s who used the fort for training purposes. They widened the entrances to get their trucks into the interior! The fort is located in Barbury Castle Country Park, a 150 acre public space managed by Swindon Borough Council. Barbury Castle Hillfort The ramparts are quite high! Barbury Castle Hillfort - November 2025 In the car park of the country park, The Ridgeway and the Sarsen Way parted company, with the Sarsen Way heading towards Swindon. The Ridgeway continued down a single track road for about 200 yards past a horse trainer’s yard (Neil King – Ridgeway Racing), before taking a left through a wooden gate onto Smeathe’s Ridge. I’ve done this particular stage a couple of times before and each time I reach this gate it’s just a ‘Wow!’ moment with the spectacular views ahead of me. The Ridgeway National Trail (I assume) have erected a unique and striking metal fingerpost here with the letters of the word ‘RIDGEWAY’ cut out as if it’s a stencil. I really like this unique fingerpost The views along this wide, grass covered ridge are just spectacular. To the left were gallops running along the ridge. To the right and in a hollow at the base of the ridge were more gallops and the training yard of Alan King (coincidently not a relative of Neil King). Coupled with the spring flowers and views that went on forever, this was a gorgeous ridge to walk along. Obviously, I’m sure that in the middle of winter with thick fog it would be a different kettle of fish! It was hardly surprising to come across 2 racehorse training yards here, as it’s close to Lambourn, the 2nd largest horse training centre after Newmarket. Lambourn has been dubbed the ‘Valley of the Racehorse’ as the road signs leading into the village proudly tell you. At the end of the ridge, the path narrowed and eventually I came to a fingerpost pointing to Ogbourne St George which is where I was going to leave The Ridgeway and end this stage. I walked into the village and found my bus stop. I had to wait about 20 minutes for the number 80 bus to arrive which was no big deal. Back in Swindon I walked back to my ‘home’ at the Premier Inn.

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 11.84 miles Duration - 4 hours 57 mins Total ascent – 1342 feet Total descent - 1219 feet Highest point – 791 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Drive from Premier Inn Seaton to Bridport & park car DT6 3LL Just Park 6313 Catch CR6 bus from Town Centre BA20 1LT to Beaminster - 07:43 – 24 mins Walk to Maiden Newton Catch train from Maiden Newton Station to Weymouth - 13:56 - 30 mins Catch X53 bus from Weymouth to Bridport – 14:27 – 1 hr 8 mins Drive to Premier Inn Yeovil Town Centre BA20 1LT & stay overnight My Walk For this walk I’d have to be down for brekkie at my home for the last 3 nights by 06:30 in order to get my car packed with all my bits and pieces and then drive the 18 miles to Bridport Bus Station car park in time to catch the 07:43 bus back to Beaminster. I’m pleased to say I made it with 5 minutes to spare. The Square Beaminster on yet another gorgeous morning The Square Beaminster on yet another gorgeous morning Most of the walking guides I’d read in the planning stages would have me walk beyond Maiden Newton to Sydling St Nicholas, an extra couple of miles. However, Sydling St Nicholas has no public transport so was not much use to me. On the other hand, Maiden Newton, despite its small size possesses a railway station with trains running in each direction, albeit only every 2 hours. It therefore seemed much more sensible to finish my walk at Maiden Newton. As the week was progressing it was getting warmer and warmer. As with the first 2 stages, there would be nowhere along the route to top up my supply of water, so once again I was weighed down with water bottles. The walk today would follow an emerging pattern of an initial steep climb followed by a series of ascents and descents before the final descent to the finishing point. The official route begins with a steep climb to the top of Mintern’s Hill (791 ft / 241 m). It then continues across the ridge through a number of hamlets and small villages before a steady descent into Maiden Newton. I admit to cheating a little at the start and cut off 1 mile by climbing out of Beaminster along the Hardy Trail before joining the Wessex Ridgeway. It was still a very steep climb necessitating numerous stops to ‘admire the views’ as I like to call it (aka ‘catch my breath’). And we're off to Maiden Newton Wild garlic almost as plentiful as the bluebells Stopping to admire the view of Beaminster & Lewesdon Hill on the climb to the ridge. Cows playing Follow My Leader Having joined the Wessex Ridgeway I continued along a single track lane into the pretty hamlet of Toller Whelme and then on to the village of Hooke. I passed Hooke Court Residential Educational Outdoor Activity Centre - now that's a mouthful! Heading down towards Toller Whelme Lake in Toller Whelme Heading through the gate towards Hooke Inquisitive goat Hooke Court Residential Educational Outdoor Activity Centre. Building is Grade II listed 14th century mansion house Another lake Still in Hooke, this is a rather nice house at the start of the climb to Rampisham Down Beyond Hooke I walked to Rampisham Down (apparently pronounced Ransom Down by locals!) which until 2011 was home to a huge 189 acre radio transmission station for the BBC’s World Service. It had 26 transmitter pylons and 29 antenna arrays suspended between 15 masts ranging from 30m to 100m high. It must have been a sight to see and I would have loved to have seen it. Sadly, the station closed in 2011 and even worse, all but 2 of the transmitter pylons were demolished in 2017. Today 1 of these pylons transmits the TV signal to surrounding villages and the original buildings have been repurposed as Rampisham Business Centre. Looking back at Hooke The 2 remaining transmission pylons at Rampisham Down. 1 modern tower too As close as you can get to the tower Rampisham Down in 2007 © Copyright Andrew Smith Beyond Rampisham came a gentle descent into the hamlet of Lower Kingcombe followed by the inevitable steepish climb. Another gentle descent into the village of Chilfrome and from then on, the path continued in the valley of the River Frome into Maiden Newton where I ended this stage. Contented cows keeping their distance Some welcome shade from the sun for a while - Kingcombe Coppice Some welcome shade from the sun for a while - Kingcombe Coppice Kingcombe Farm, Lower Kingcombe The great views just keep on coming Chilfrome Church of the Holy Trinity Chilfrome. A listed building I want this cottage in Chilfrome! Maiden Newton is described as a town-sized village and as mentioned earlier, it has a railway station. It was 13:30 and the next train was due at 13:56, so just time to get a refreshing pint of Guinness 0.0 and a top up of one of my water bottles at the pub. I considered that my cutting off of 1 mile at the start of the walk was justified, as I would otherwise more than likely have had to wait almost 2 hours for the 15:56 train. Good decision! Amazingly, I hadn’t taken any wrong turnings today so I was really happy. River Frome in Maiden Newton Maiden Newton Maiden Newton Station The train from Maiden Newton took me to Weymouth and was timed to connect with the bus back to Bridport. It was a long bus ride but from the top deck there were some fabulous sea views. By the time I reached Bridport I was feeling quite hungry as I’d ditched having a lunchtime sandwich. I popped into Wetherspoons for an early tea. I then drove to National Trust Golden Cap for a walk to the summit. Julia Bradbury did a lot to promote it with her TV program ‘Best Walks with a View’ in 2016. I’d been there a few years ago but it was on a grey, overcast day. On this early evening in spring it was absolutely gorgeous at the top. I took loads of photos with my ‘real’ camera but somehow managed to delete them all from the SD card when I got home, along with my photos of Seaton. I was really upset to discover what I’d done. Trying various software products to recover the photos resulted in failure. I’ll just have to go back again. My last glimpse of the Jurassic Coast at Golden Cap - iPhone photo After Golden Cap I said goodbye to the Jurassic Coast and drove the 25 miles to the Yeovil Town Centre Premier Inn where I’d be staying for the next 3 nights. It was starting to get dark when I finally parked my car on and after getting up at 06:00 this had been a very long but most enjoyable day.

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 9.53 miles Duration - 4 hours 13 mins Total ascent – 1520 feet Total descent - 1833 feet Highest point – 897 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Drive to Axminster from Premier Inn Seaton & park car EX13 5NX RingGo 42923 Taxi to Thorncombe – Av2Go Taxis 07398 421042 Walk to Beaminster Catch bus CB3 from Red Lion to Bridport Bus Station at 15:49 - 17 minutes Catch bus X53 from Bridport Bus Station to Axminster at 16:08 - 55 minutes Drive to Premier Inn Seaton EX12 2NA & stay overnight Christian, the taxi driver from the day before who brought me back from Thorncombe to Axminster arranged for Peter of Av2Go Taxis to take me back there at 08:00 from Axminster Station. My Walk On today’s walk I would climb to the top of Dorset’s 2 highest hills and like yesterday I’d have fabulous views of the Dorset countryside all day. My aim for today was to not miss a turn from the printed instructions but this wasn't to be! Like yesterday, I knew that there would be no stopping points along today’s walk for food or water, so I’d have to load up with plenty of water and for my lunch I’d have to make do with a banana and pains au chocolat taken from the Premier Inn at breakfast time. I also remembered my drone today, so that and its controller and spare batteries added to the weight on my back. My taxi turned up at Axminster Station more or less on time and by 08:30 I was back in sunny Thorncombe and heading off towards Synderford. After a steady drop, the trail did a fairly steep and rapid climb of 350 feet up Venn Hill to emerge onto Blackdown Hill (705 ft / 215 m). This was today’s first ‘Wow!’ moment. What fabulous views again as I walked across the ridge towards Pilsdon Pen in the distance. The village shop in Thorncombe. Could really have done with it being open at the end of yesterday's walk Another glorious day in the Dorset countryside Looking back towards Thorncombe First climb of the day brings me onto Blackdown Hill with Pilsdon Pen in the distance Blackdown Hill with Thorncombe in the background From the air you definitely see you're walking along a ridge I walked through a field with cows in it. Signage was a bit sketchy so I don’t know whether or not I should have walked across it and the written instructions weren’t much help but it was certainly in the right direction. Anyway, the cows were very inquisitive and started following me, getting quite close. Although I’ve never been hit by a cow, I was slightly relieved to reach the gate and pass through it unscathed. Half an hour later I reached the trig point at the top of Pilsdon Pen. Friendly cows Don't they have a lovely field I'm off course at the top of Pilsdon Pen Pilsdon Pen is officially the 2nd highest point in Dorset at 909 ft / 277 m. It was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1982. For many years it was thought to be the highest point but a modern survey revealed that Lewesdon Hill had it at 915 ft / 279 m. I’d be passing Lewesdon Hill later in the day. The top of Pilsdon Pen was the site of an Iron Age hillfort. The 360° views were absolutely spectacular and I spent quite some time taking everything in. I naturally assumed that the trail continued across the top of the hill and then down towards Lewesdon Hill so didn’t bother referring to the written instructions. Of course I was wrong, as the trail doesn’t actually even reach the summit but how ridiculous that it doesn’t! After descending the hill I soon discovered I was quite a way off course again and had to go ‘off piste’ to get back to where I should be. It’s no wonder my walks are always longer than they should be. I really should look more closely at the OS maps before setting off. You get a good idea of the size of the Iron Age hillfort - April 2026 That's Lewesdon Hill covered in trees behind me What a fantastic position Pilsdon Pen has - April 2026 Descending down the incorrect path It's quite a steep descent Back on course, my next target was Lewesdon Hill. Although Lewesdon is only 6 ft higher than Pilsdon, there was a 450 ft descent before the climb up Lewesdon Hill. Once again I assumed the Wessex Ridgeway would take me to the summit but once again I was wrong; it actually skirts around the hill. Anyway, I was quite happy being wrong because the path I took was in beech and oak woodland that provided welcome shade from the warm sun. Eventually I reached a National Trust sign with a map of the hill showing me where I was and how off course I was – again! The map brought home to me that the actual summit was so surrounded by trees that any views would have to be through trees, so I didn’t bother climbing to the very top; instead I got myself back on course once again. Back on course At the bottom of the final push to the top of Lewesdon Hill - but off course! Descending and emerging from the woodland, the last 3 miles of this walk were through fields, many of which had either sheep or cows grazing. So many lovely views; I really enjoyed this part of the walk. In the distance I could see a clump of trees on top of a hill overlooking Beaminster. The path took me up this hill – called Gerrard’s Hill. At 571 ft / 174 m there were spectacular views from the top. Lovely woods Nice views from the side of Lewesdon Hill On the right is a memorial to Jean Verdun Marie Aime De Cloedt, a Belgian pilot who died in a Spitfire crash on the hill in 1942 A bit of clambering was needed here Final climb today to the top of Gerrard's Hill Trigpoint on Gerrard's Hill View from Gerrard's Hill Beaminster from Gerrard's Hill A very steep descent from Gerrard’s Hill brought me into the really attractive town of Beaminster. It was about 3 o’clock and I was hot and thirsty. Like the first stage there had been no shops or pubs along the walk. There were 2 pubs in The Square in the centre of town but unbelievably they were both closed! Google Maps showed a hotel called The Olerod about 150 yards away. Thankfully the bar was open. My bus was due at 15:49 from The Square so I had time for a pint and a packet of crisps in the hotel’s lovely garden. I took the opportunity to ask the lady behind the bar how I should pronounce ‘Beaminster’. She told me that locals pronounce it ‘Behminster’ as in ‘Bay window’! This is steeper than it looks Glad I didn't have to climb! Happy donkeys Beaminster Beaminster The Square in Beaminster Both pubs closed! Olerod Hotel Cold pint of Guinness 0.0 whilst waiting for my bus The CB3 bus turned up on time and took me to Bridport Bus Station where I caught the interconnecting X53 bus back to Axminster – perfect! Back in Axminster I collected my car and drove back to the Seaton Premier Inn. Despite going off course a number of times yet again this had been another brilliant walk with the logistics working a treat. The instructions I'd been following the last 2 days assumed my 2 walks would be done in just 1 day. I'm well used to walking 20+ mile walks on flat terrain but I'm too old and unfit to walk this kind of distance on hilly terrain. In any case, I want to take my time and really enjoy this part of our beautiful country. This was my last night in Seaton; tomorrow I’d be moving to the Premier Inn in Yeovil for a few days.

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 11.12 miles Duration - 5 hours 4 mins Total ascent – 2016 feet Total descent - 1532 feet Highest point – 845 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Drive to Premier Inn Seaton EX12 2NA & stay overnight (Sunday) Drive to Axminster & park car EX13 5NX RingGo 42923 Catch X51/X53 Jurassic Coaster bus to Lyme Regis - 08:13 then hourly - 27 minutes Walk to Thorncombe Taxi back to Axminster & pick up car – M Cabs 01297 442222 Drive to Premier Inn Seaton EX12 2NA & stay overnight Thorncombe is not blessed with buses to get me back to my car; therefore, I would need to get a taxi. The reason I chose to park in Axminster for the day rather than Lyme Regis was down to the cost of taxis. It was much cheaper to get a taxi to Axminster than it would have been to get one back to Lyme Regis and I can be mean when it suits! My Walk I knew that between Lyme Regis and Thorncombe there would be no shops or pubs to buy water or food. Bearing in mind the weather forecast for the day which was warm and sunny I made sure I was loaded with 2 large bottles of water. At breakfast I’d helped myself to a couple of pains au chocolat and a banana to eat for lunch. My backpack was also loaded with my drone controller and spare batteries as I knew there would be some great aerial photo opportunities. Number one schoolboy error of the day was that I discovered that I’d left the actual drone at the hotel; so, I’d be carrying a load of pointless excess weight all day. I had at least remembered my camera so wouldn’t have to rely on my phone. Paddling in the English Channel at Lyme Regis. Next paddle 360 miles away in The Wash The trail starts from the harbour in Lyme Regis known as The Cobb The first of a number of new information boards for the Great Chalk Way. This one on the Lyme Regis sea front Anyway, just after 09:00 I set off from sunny Lyme Regis on the start of my 2025 walking challenge. Clutching the 13 pages of detailed walking instructions, spirits were high as I walked along the River Lim within the town. Worryingly I soon discovered that the instructions were brilliant just as long as you followed each step to the letter and never took your eyes off them! The way that they were written meant that you miss one step and you were b***ered! It would then be necessary to refer to the OS Maps app. This is where I immediately started to miss the signage that National Trails benefit from. Constantly relying on the instructions, looking out for Wessex Ridgeway waymarkers and referring to the OS Maps app would lead to so many wrong turnings being taken all week. Lyme Regis Colourful Lyme Regis The path gave way to a wood known as Hole Common which was full of bluebells. I would very quickly become bluebell blasé. I deliberately chose to start my challenge at the end of April because I wanted bluebells and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. It was a little disconcerting to cross paths with a dog walker who was wearing wellies and the path through the woods was pretty muddy in places resulting in mud up over my ankles. I emerged triumphantly from Hole Common at the side of the busy A35 at Penn. My instructions told me to cross the road and admire the fabulous view. It’s fair to say that it really was a fabulous view of green fields, trees, hedges and hills for as far as the eye could see; the first ‘Wow!’ moment of the day. Bridge over the River Lim One of the very few fingerposts mentioning Wessex Ridgeway Hole Common The 1st climb of today up to the A35 The view from Penn View from Penn A couple of miles further on and I took the first wrong turning of the day. As mentioned earlier I didn’t want to spend my whole time looking at the printed instructions or my phone. At a junction where I could turn either left or right, in the absence of a Wessex Ridgeway waymarker (or indeed any other trail's waymarker) I took a bad decision to turn right up a really steep hill. Lovely views from the top of the hill but then I had to come all the way down again. Back on track I reached the village of Wootton Fitzpaine, one of the lowest places on this stage. Colourful climb up the WRONG steep hill! Very pretty but I'm up the wrong hill That's better. Now I'm in Wootton Fitzpaine where I should be The Shed Shop sells farm goods on trust. Joints of lamb in the freezer Now I started the long climb up towards Coney’s Castle, site of a small Iron Age hill fort. There were fabulous 360 degree views all the way up to the fort which at 730 feet high is listed as the 19th highest hill in Dorset. The National Trust now looks after Coney’s Castle which at this time of year is carpeted with bluebells. The fort is bisected by a small lane that leads to Lambert’s Castle Hill. A bench by the roadside overlooking the countryside provided a perfect spot for me to take a break and eat my banana & pains au chocolat I’d taken from the Premier Inn. I'm now climbing the correct hill I'm definitely correct this time Looking down at Wootton Fitzpaine Great views all the way up to Coney's Castle Just fabulous I've reached Coney's Castle Coney's Castle bluebells Coney's Castle bluebells Bluebell heaven at Coney's Castle A bench with a view............. ...........and what a view it is! Duly refreshed I continued along the lane with another steep climb up to Lambert’s Castle Hill. At 850 feet it’s listed as the 9th highest hill in Dorset. The hill is topped by an Iron Age hill fort, Lambert’s Castle that is around 2,500 years old. The hilltop was used as a racecourse at some stage and was also the site of a fair for over 200 years. Once again there were fabulous far-reaching views. I really wished I’d had my drone with me! This was definitely the high spot of the walk. However, to rectify matters, I returned in April 2026 armed with my drone and so glad I did! Next climb is up to Lambert's Castle Tomorrow's walk will be to Pilsdon Pen & Lewesdon Hill in the distance Lambert's Castle Hill - drone view April 2026 I can see for miles - drone view April 2026 Drone's view from Lambert's Castle Hill towards Coney's Castle beyond the pylon & Lyme Bay - April 2026 Trig Post at Lambert's Castle Hill - 846 ft / 258 m For the next couple of miles after Lambert’s Castle there was a relatively steep drop followed by a gentler climb through woods and trees before the path dropped once again into Thorncombe where I chose to end this stage. On our way down now. The 'Wow!'s have peaked quite literally for now On the way down Hawkmoor Hill Some really handsome chickens Thorncombe with a 3 in 1 trails fingerboard Thorncombe Thorncombe is a really pretty village but it has a rubbish phone signal. I had to walk a hundred yards up the road to get a signal to phone for a taxi to pick me up and take me back to my car in Axminster. £23 was very reasonable I thought for a 9 mile journey. As he was driving back my driver arranged for another firm to bring me back the following morning. So, stage 1 completed and the logistics had worked perfectly! As for my skills in following written walking instructions, there was certainly room for improvement. Hopefully I'd do better tomorrow.

The England Coast Path (or rather King Charles III England Coast Path as it’s now called) section of the Thames Path is officially 47 miles in length. This section starts/ends at Grain Beach on the Isle of Grain. In 2022 and 2023 I broke the 47 miles down into 3 stages – Grain to Cliffe, Cliffe to Greenhithe and Greenhithe to Woolwich. Grain and Cliffe are relatively isolated with each served by a bus service to/from the Medway towns. These bus services make Cliffe a good place for a stop and any one of the Medway towns a good place for staying a couple of nights in a hotel. For 2024 I want to challenge myself more than in previous years and thought that I might be able to break the 47 miles into just 2 stages – Grain to Gravesend and Gravesend to Woolwich. I always had the option of stopping at Cliffe if necessary. Bearing in mind I live in Northamptonshire, in order to get a really early start for my first walk I chose to stay in the Premier Inn in Gillingham the night before. Next morning I was down for my cooked breakfast at 6:30 and was actively encouraged to take some fruit and pain au chocolat with me for a mid-morning snack – such lovely staff there. The 191 bus to Grain at this time of day stopped all over the place as it was a school service but by 8:50 I arrived at the Isle of Grain Beach and was ready to start my challenge. I’m always gobsmacked that the 5 mile wide estuary of the Thames at Grain began life 232 miles earlier as just a trickle of water in Gloucestershire. I set off on a lovely sunny morning, confident that the weather would deteriorate during the day as it has done for much of this year! Grain Beach at low tide with Southend & Shoeburyness in the distance The Isle of Grain is so called because at one time Yantlet Creek used to flow from the Thames to the Medway cutting off the land to the east from the mainland. Over time the creek silted up to such an extent that the Isle of Grain is no longer a true island. Yantlet Creek does however still fill with water from the Thames end as far as Grain, meaning that you can’t actually walk alongside the Thames from Grain Beach round to the creek and beyond as there is no crossing point. Coupled with this, much of the land on Grain to the east of the creek is off limits being a former firing range and is marked on maps as ‘Danger Area’. So, for the first 3 miles of this walk, you first walk inland and then alongside the west of Yantlet Creek before reaching the Thames. All the land to the east of Yantlet Creek is out of bounds The church in Grain Heading down to Yantlet Creek. Signs bear testament to the land ahead Grain LNG is Europe's largest importer of liquified natural gas Grain is the largest LNG storage site in Europe You have been warned! Yantlet Creek fills with water from the Thames as the tide comes in The mouth of Yantlet Creek One mile after turning left at the mouth of Yantlet Creek I reached Allhallows Holiday Park, or Haven Kent Coast as it’s called these days. This would be the last point for the next 12 miles to stock up with water as you’re totally isolated until reaching Cliffe. Needless to say you must also have a charged phone with you if you’re walking on your own. Now walking alongside the Thames towards Allhallows Haven Kent Coast Looking back towards the North Sea from Allhallows From Allhallows onwards the cranes of the London Gateway container port on the other side of the river near Corringham would dominate the skyline for most of the day but no matter how far I walked towards them they were always still miles away! The walk itself to Cliffe was uneventful. The path basically follows the river wall with a few minor detours. The land itself is marshland and salt flats. I passed 3 other people between Allhallows and Cliffe and 1 herd of cows, about par for the course. The next 12 miles are like this London Gateway container port is always there in the distance A herd of disinterested cattle. One was a bull & thankfully he was disinterested too! By about 3:30, I was finally level with the London Gateway cranes on the other side of the river and was following the river as it turned to the left towards Cliffe Fort. At this point I would normally leave the ECP and walk alongside the lakes of RSPB Cliffe into Cliffe where I would catch the bus back to Chatham. It was another 6 miles to reach the centre of Gravesend and as I wanted to challenge myself, I decided to continue. At last I'm level with the cranes DP World London Gateway port & logistics facility can accommodate some of the world's largest container ships Former explosives factory. The buildings had to be well built To continue to Gravesend I have to walk down, across & up Cliffe Creek I've now crossed Cliffe Creek looking across to where I've walked from The ECP passes through the aggregates plant at Cliffe, in fact under one of the conveyor belts. The company that owns the aggregates operation at Cliffe also owns Cliffe Fort itself. The fort is listed on the English Heritage "Heritage at Risk" register. You can see a little of the old fort from the path but you get a much better view of the scale of it from a drone. After the excitement of the aggregates plant and fort, the river and path completed a near 90 degree turn and the cranes of Tilbury port and Gravesend came into view in the distance. One of a number of aggregate facilities at Cliffe The footpath passes under this conveyor belt, even when the belt is running This is as much of Cliffe Fort as you can see without trespassing Cliffe Fort from the air. Abandoned after WWII & sold to the owners of the aggregates plant What remains of the Hans Egede - once a 3 masted vessel One of the most uninviting Thames Path gates. I suspect it's to prevent dirt bikes from getting through I'm now heading down towards Gravesend After passing what’s left of Shornemead Fort, sadly covered in graffiti these days, I was well and truly on the home run into Gravesend. By now I’d run out of water and after walking more than 20 miles today I was in need of something to drink. The Ship & Lobster pub is literally on the path. From the outside it’s not very inviting, despite having an elevated deck overlooking the sea wall. However, inside was what I call a proper old fashioned boozer and I was given a very warm welcome by the lady behind the bar. Duly refreshed I made my way into Gravesend, finishing my walk at the railway station at about 6 o’clock. That was 22.5 miles completed today and best of all I wouldn’t have to rely on going back to Cliffe on the bus. I got the train back to Gillingham and walked the short distance to the Premier Inn where I had a relaxing evening. Shornemead Fort - abandoned in the 1960s 'New' Shornemead lighthouse. The old one can be seen in the PLA's depot in Gravesend Coming into Gravesend with Tilbury Docks on the other side of the river After running out of water a couple of miles earlier I urgently needed refreshment The PLA's depot has some seriously impressive anchors & chains Small marina in Gravesend Gravesend Promenade Gravesend. Now where's the railway station?

Temple Bridge at Hurley is a beautiful wooden footbridge crossing the river. It was specifically built for walkers in 1989 and was one of the final pieces of the jigsaw needed to create the Thames Path National Trail. The bridge is a crossing point for walkers wishing to get from Marlow to Henley & vice versa. In May 2023 the Environment Agency closed the bridge on safety grounds, citing structural issues with its wooden structure & walkways. A detour was put in place to avoid the bridge. The detour takes you down lanes and the streets of Temple and Bisham. It adds ½ mile to the walk and part of it is along an unlit road with no pavements and a double bend for good measure. If walking to Marlow it brings you out at the Compleat Angler on the south side of the river at Marlow Bridge. There are currently a number of detours in place along the Thames Path due to bridge closures & if you’re walking from Henley to Marlow, this detour detracts from the pleasure of finishing a walk. In search of a new walk, I did some research into how I could possibly avoid this detour by maybe walking from Hambleden Lock to Marlow entirely along the north side of the river. There is a walk on the National Trails website called the Hambleden & Medmenham Circular Walk, a 5½ mile walk between the villages of Hambleden & Medmenham. About 1½ miles of this walk between Mill End and Medmenham is right by the side of the north bank of the river so this was a promising foundation of a route. From Medmenham there is a public footpath that eventually brings you out right by Temple Lock and crucially, beyond Temple Bridge. From there you follow the existing Thames Path into Marlow. On the Ordnance Survey map this looked like a solution to the Temple Bridge to Marlow detour, so I was excited to see if the theory translated into a practical and enjoyable walk. So, bright and early on a Sunday morning I got the first of what should have been 4 trains between Huntingdon & Henley. The journey is more convoluted on a Sunday but connections generally work OK. The final train is from Twyford along the single track branch line to Henley. On reaching Twyford I was most upset to discover my train to Henley was cancelled due to a fallen tree on the line. On a single track line this is a bit of a showstopper. As time was precious to me, I decided immediately I would need a cab because there are no buses on Sundays from Twyford. As luck would have it there was one at the front of the station. We agreed a fare and he drove me to Henley. I wasn’t aware until the next day that in circumstances like this GWR sometimes lays on a replacement cab service – never mind. Henley looking downstream was looking great in the sunshine; lots of rowers on the river and plenty of people taking a Sunday walk. Work was already underway in erecting stands and marquees for the Henley Regatta which this year takes place between July 2nd and 7th. The Henley Women's Regatta takes place between 21st and 23rd June. Looking downstream from Henley Stand being erected ahead of the Regatta in July Rowers in training I set off towards Hambleden Lock, my favourite Thames lock. At the lock I crossed the weir to the sound of the water crashing through the sluice gates – magnificent! I passed some people on the weir who knew the lock very well but had never walked over the weir prior to today – unforgivable!! The walkway over the weir emerges by the busy A4155 which is the main road between Reading and Bourne End. From here I turned right & walked carefully (no pavement) for about 300 yards to Ferry Lane where I turned right again. Ferry Lane is a very peaceful road with just a small handful of properties. At the end just before it took a 90 degree bend to the right I passed through a kissing gate into a meadow and turned right in the direction of the river. Hambleden Lock Turn right down Ferry Lane Continue down Ferry Lane Through the kissing gate & turn right I was fully expecting the meadow by the river bank to be like a quagmire but I was very pleasantly surprised to find it wasn’t even muddy. Gosh, I’ve struck lucky here. A couple of fellow walkers were approaching in the opposite direction and I took the opportunity to ask where they’d walked from. I was hoping they would say ‘Marlow’ to give me hope that my planned route wasn’t ridiculous. Thankfully they did say ‘Marlow’ but pointed out that a small half mile section in Medmenham was currently flooded but there was an easy way around this. Wasn’t I lucky to have met them. For the next 1½ miles I was walking right alongside the north bank of the river, getting a fresh perspective on the landscape. The most obvious ‘bonus’ view was of Culham Court. On the Thames Path you get side glimpses of it but on this side of the river you see a lot more of it. There were a number of benches alongside the river and I chose to stop at one to take a break and eat my sandwich. I was walking the left bank. Thames Path is on the right bank Culham Court from across the river You see much more of the river from this side At Medmenham, just before privately owned Medmenham Abbey I was forced to leave the river and turn left up another Ferry Lane in the direction of the village. Up until the end of the 2nd World War a ferry used to cross the river here, hence the name of the lane. Medmenham Ferry Memorial stands here and commemorates Lord Devonport's successful 1899 defence of the public right-of-way over the ferry. There are some seriously large and attractive houses in Ferry Lane. About half way up the lane, was a sign to the right for the public footpath I would be following all the way to Temple Lock. This was the turning that the couple I’d met early advised me to ignore and instead carry on up to the main road and then rejoin the path on dry land. At the main road (the A4155 again), the Hambleden & Medmenham Circular Walk turned left and I turned right. There was a narrow path for me to walk along and after about 700 yards I rejoined the public footpath heading in the direction of the river. Medmenham Ferry Memorial. Forced to turn left here Medmenham Abbey & other private houses Ferry Lane. Ignore this sign during flooding Turn right Walk along this path Turn down this track The path narrowed very considerably and I had the high fencing of Danesfield House Hotel to my left and the river to my right. At Hurley Weir there were kayakers enjoying the conditions. The narrow path took a sharp 90 degree turn left uphill and it felt reminiscent of the Hartley Steps you encounter in Hartslock Woods near Goring. The path was certainly as steep and the climb continued for longer before entering a brick tunnel with a concrete roof. The tunnel had a great echo! Heading towards the river Danesfield is the home of RAF Rowing and RAF Canoeing We're right by the river again Danesfield House Hotel & Spa is up there Kayakers at Hurley Weir Spooky tunnel! Light at the end of the tunnel! Keep going Shortly after the tunnel the signs took me to the right in the direction of Harleyford Golf Club, part of the Harleyford Estate. At the golf club I couldn’t help but notice lots of sculpted wooden animals and birds dotted around close to the clubhouse.  I read that these were all made from driftwood and stainless steel by James Doran-Webb. They were very impressive I have to say. Now entering Harleyford Golf Club Amazing sculpture from driftwood Clubhouse The Balance of Power Le Dauphin took 1500 hours to perfect I was now reaching the final mile of this new walk to Temple Lock. Between the public footpath and the river was more of the Harleyford Estate including riverside holiday homes and a marina. It looked pretty private to me, so not wishing to get told off for trespassing, I was good and stuck to the public footpath. I followed the footpath I did as I was told! Eventually, I emerged down a path I’ve noticed before that joined the Thames Path opposite Temple Mill Island on the other side of the river. My theory had worked and very successfully too. I was now on familiar ground again and headed towards Marlow for a well deserved coffee and cake. That's the Thames Path ahead! Temple Lock This is why Temple Bridge is closed Temple Bridge - April 2024 Temple Bridge - April 2024 Temple Bridge - February 2026 All Saints Church Bisham a familiar view Marlow After my break I continued to Bourne End. My aim had been to reach Maidenhead but a combination of taking in the sights of this new walk, my 3½ hour train journey back to Huntingdon and a train to Maidenhead due in 5 minutes meant that I’d done enough walking today. Hambleden Lock to the church in Marlow High Street on the north side of the river was 7.15 miles. The same walk along the Thames Path and taking the official detour through Temple, Bisham and over Marlow Bridge is 6.71 miles, so not a great deal in it. I missed the deer park at Culham Court and Hurley Lock but that’s about it. I’ll definitely be repeating this walk in the future. Hambleden Lock to Marlow - North Bank - 7.15 miles Hambleden Lock to Marlow - Thames Path & Bisham Detour - 6.71 miles