The Ridgeway - East Illsley and Uffington ~ Griffmonsters Great Walks

Thursday 10 February 2022

The Ridgeway - East Illsley and Uffington

Author: Griffmonster | Thursday 10 February 2022 | No comments |

The Ridgeway - East Illsley and Uffington

The fifth day walk of a multi day hike along the Ridgeway going East to West

The fifth day of a multi-day hike along The Ridgeway National Trail. An easy walk alongside the River Thames to Goring is followed by another strenuous hike over the hills

NOTE

This is a walk summary intended to provide the user with just the essential information in order to navigate the walk route. Fully detailed information notes, refreshment stops and walk features are not included in this. A full write up will be included in the near future.

The Ridgeway - East Illsley and Uffington - Essential Information

Walk Statistics (calculated from GPX):

Start location: East Illsley
End location: Uffington
Distance: miles ( km)
Total Gain: ft ( metre)
Total Descent: ft ( metre)
Min Height: ft ( metre)
Max Height: ft ( metre)
Walk Time:
Walk Grade: Medium
Terrain: Footpath

Maps:

The following maps and services can assist in navigating this route. There are links to printed maps and links to downloadable GPX route data for importing into navigational software and apps.

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map: OS Explorer 170 - Abingdon, Wantage & Vale of White Horse
GPX Route File

Route Verification Details

Date of Walk: 18/06/2007
Walk Time: 09:00:00 to 17:00:00
Walkers: Griff, Steve M, Steve W, Martin
Weather Conditions: Heavy rain

Walk Notes

The was a day of contrasts in the weather. The start of the day began with light rain. Within a mile this had turned to heavy rain. Drenching heavy rain that seem to seep into every opening it could find. This along with the high wide open landscape was a real hiking baptism. This is where any walker shows their metal, a case of head down to keep the eyes from the lashing rain and plod onward as on this high hills there is no shelter.

The rains finally started to ease close to Betterton Down where the obelisk celebrating Robert Loyd-Lindsay aka Lord Wantage commands the views across the land below. This was constructed in 1903 and is placed on a Bronze Age round barrow. Loyd-Lindsay co-founded the British National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War, later renamed as the British Red Cross.

This was a place to stop and disrobe of the wet weather gear to reveal the damp clothes underneath. Boots were emptied of water and socks were rung out. This now really felt like we were walking along an ancient track. There were views across the land below, with Harwell seen distinctively in the distance.

A stop off at Segsbury castle which was no more than an open field where once was an iron age fort. It was enough for my fellow walkers to traipse around looking for signs of history.

That evening we were booked into Britchcombe farm for camping. This was little more than a garden and not close to anywhere. When we asked the lady where we could get food she sighed and said there was nothing around. Luckily we had some soaked pasties and sweets in the rucksacks which could tie us over. But having come to terms with a humble feast the lady returned to say she had been phoning around and had managed to get a pub landlord to open up the kitchen despite it being a Monday. The only thing is the pub was some 3 miles away. She would drive us there if we were prepared to walk back. It was a deal.

We weere duly driven to the pub at Kinstson Lisle. The food was simple pub fayre but hot and filled us, along with a few pints of beer. The tour out here was advantageous as on return to the camp field we passed by the garden with the Blowing Stone. According to legend it was used by King Alfred to summon his troops for the Battle of Ashdown against the Danes in AD 871.

With this final wander home we should have had a slept well but for what seemed like hours military choppers kept flying over the site keeping us all awake.