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Saturday, 12 February 2022

The Ridgeway - Uffington and Ogbourne St George

The Ridgeway - Uffington and Ogbourne St George

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

The sixth 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 - Uffington and Ogbourne St George - Essential Information

Walk Statistics (calculated from GPX):

  • Start location: Uffington 
  • End location: Ogbourne St George 
  • Distance:   miles (  km)
  • Total Gain:   ft (  metre)
  • Total Descent:   ft (  metre)
  • Min Height:   ft (  metre)
  • Max Height:   ft (  metre)
  • Walk Time:  
  • Walk Grade: Challenging
  • 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.

 

Route Verification Details

  • Date of Walk: 19/06/2007
  • Walk Time: 08:00:00 to 16:00:00
  • Walkers: Griff, Steve M, Steve W, Martin
  • Weather Conditions: Sunny intervals

Walk Notes

There are lots of historic features along this walk and some time was taken out to view these.

During the course of this walk we pass Wayland's Smithy is an Early Neolithic stone chambered long barrow. Legend states that travellers who stop by overnight and deposit a coin will have their horse shod with new shoes and a coin will be gone by the next morning. We did not stay the night as we had no horses and therefore a coin was not needed. However we met two chaps who we kept passing and they then would pass us each day. They would always have old tin cans clanking from ties on their rucksacks. We finally had a chance to speak with these two modern day hippies. They were from Oxford and heading for Avebury for the solstice and had used the smithy as the nights accommodation. The week before they had gone out and strategically placed food, beer and water along the route, hidden in the undergrowth or buried in the ground. This allowed them the luxury of wild camping without having to lumber supplies along the route. Each time they arrived at a stop they would feast a and sleep, then being conscientious souls take their litter with them, hence the clanking empty tins.

These two overtook us later that day, heading for their next destination which was somewhere in the hills above Ogbourne St George, whereas we would head into the town and use a pub for accommodation. The pub was aptly named The Inn with the Well as it was an Inn and it had a Well. The Ridgeway circles around the town, heading down to the south then around to the west to proceed onwards. Our plan was to circle around and go in from the South or West. However, a huge thunder head threatened as we neared the east side. A decision was made to head down to the town to avoid a soaking. The pace was quickened and the thuder head neared. The sky became an evil looking darkness and you could feel the electric in the air. The birds went silent.

As we stepped into the pub to check in there was a flash and and almight crack of thunder and the heavens opened. The checkin was postponed as we watched the torrential rain, the flashes and the cracks of thunder. The decision was the right one.

Summary of Document Changes

Last Updated: 2022-02-11

2022-02-11 : Initial publication

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