Another day on the Ridgeway. A drier day than yesterday, a shorter day than yesterday, and yet more Iron Age Hill Forts to explore

Woolstone/Uffington Castle to Letcombe Regis. 7 miles/11.5 km:

We both slept well in a large and comfortable bed. While I was again the first up, to make teas, the two of us had a bit of sorting out to do, as we had washed mud and chalk daubed clothes, caused by yesterdays heavy rain. Today was also supposed to be pretty short days walk so we weren’t in any particular rush.

As a result we weren’t over for breakfast until 8.30 and we still led the charge as every other resident came in later. A change from Full English for us both this morning, as in addition to the normal cereals and fresh fruit, decent omelettes were on offer. We had also pre-ordered take away lunches though we suspected we wouldn’t actually require them.

It was then back to the room, pack suitcases for later collection and day packs, not that we were carrying much, and away. We were hot on the heels of the four friends, who had also stayed here overnight, for the mile or so quite steep climb back to the trail. The walk up offered an imperfect view of the Uffington White Horse itself, flattened from our unsatisfactory positioning. We then turned left for the short climb up to Uffington Castle, sitting atop White Horse Hill. But before exploring the hill fort the two of us walked over to the escarpment. As I had recalled from my walk of this trail in 2016, only part of the head and neck of the chalk hill figure can be seen from the top.

Beside a fantastic view of the Vale of the White Horse, I could now also see that I had made a mistake in how we had returned to trail. If we had walked the hill out of the village, then turned off at the carpark half way up, we could have struck off across the fields (on paths not shown on the map) to Dragon Hill below us, where we could have enjoyed a decent view of the Bronze Age equine chalk figure, then continued up the, admittedly steep, path that hugged a woodland over to our right.

It was now time to walk the ramparts of yet another hill fort. We walked the outer rampart, that sits a little lower than the inner raised bank. It was a magnificent morning with a soft breeze blowing. Skylarks were twittering in the air and the omnipresent call of Corn Buntings surrounded us. Uffington Castle covers 3.2 ha (7.9 acres) and is surrounded by two earth banks separated by a ditch. Nearby are two burial mounds, one contained 46 Romano-British burials, the other had eight Saxon burials.

Leaving the hill fort behind we continued down the wide chalk path that undulated along the series of hills- Rams Hill, Blowstone Hill and more. Mrs Three Points had something troubling the sole of one of her feet and we paused to try and find the issue. I applied one of the PelliTec pads, that I have started including in my pack, to an insole that seemed to be rubbing and this seemed to sort the issue.

It was all fairly easy walking from here on for the remainder of our short day, with not much of note. Though when we passed Sparsholt Firs, we also passed an older lady, carrying a small day pack, that looked just about done in. Further on we passed her partner waiting for her. Some people take this trail in easy walking fashion, like us, over many days, others perhaps try and rush through it, to their detriment. But beside that, the often hard trail surface can be a strain on feet and cause issues. The eastern end of the trail is a softer tread, but by the time that is reached, the damage may have been done. Anecdotally, I hear that quite a few people attempting the Ridgeway, drop out after a few days due to foot issues.

After passing the wonderfully named Devil’s Punchbowl and Crowhole Bottom dry valleys, the views opened up. We were now on the ‘Gallops’, where trainers exercise their expensive charges. We passed a sign for Harry Whittington Racing. Apparently, a ‘Grade 1 and Cheltenham Festival winning Trainer’. One rider passed us, and his ride’s hooves could be heard long before horse and rider were seen.

We had plenty of time and didn’t want to arrive too early at tonight’s accommodation so took plenty of brief halts for slugs of water or just to look around. Despite carrying a lunch, we decided to save that and instead just ate a couple of bananas and bags of nuts from the pub.

Just prior to the end of this section we met a couple of bike-packers who stopped to ask of suitable wild-camping sites the way we had come. I told them that there wasn’t much choice of undisturbed locations and they were best pitching up near where we were now. and they pushed their bikes a little way into one of the neighbouring fields to pitch tents. I had also suggested that they try the hill fort just a little way back the way they had come but they decided not to. Reaching the Segsbury hill fort, also known as Letcombe Castle, we left the trail. Instead of just walking down the track that passes through the centre of the iron age structure, we again decided to walk half of the ramparts. Rather than anything militaristic, this was more likely once a large domestic enclosure. Today, the centre of the hill fort is a wonderful wild flower meadow and would make a terrific wildcamp.

While today seemed like it might be an exceptionally short walk, those miles did not include the walk to rejoin the trail in the morning, or the 2km after leaving the trail to tonight’s accommodation. Needless to say, once we had descended off the low rampart and were back on to the track, we had a steep downhill walk in to Letcombe Regis, also known as Segsbury. We had seen a wealth of beautiful thatched buildings in the spring line villages so far and tonight we get to stay in one. Quince Cottage dates from around the eighteenth century. We were welcomed in by our hosts Richard and Louise like long-lost family. Sat down in their garden and plied with hot tea and a freshly baked sponge cake. We sat and chatted for some time, fussing over their lovely King Charles Spaniel Coco, before reluctantly climbing the stairs to our large and eccentric oldie room. I had to be very careful not to smack my head on the exposed beams. Once showered and changed, I even had time for a nap. The advantage of an early finish.

We are eating at the nearby Greyhound tonight and had booked a table in advance for 19.45. It was only a short walk from Quince Cottage to this busy and efficiently managed establishment. It has a bit of a rep for the food and I cannot fault the quality of what they serve here. I spent a LOT of money, and don’t regret it at all. And yes, there may have been a couple of glasses of decent Malbec consumed with the excellent Ramsbury Farmers Best 3.6% amber ale and Timothy Taylor Boltmaker 4%. Hey, we are on holiday.

• The Ridgeway- National Trail
  • Short film- Grims Ditch
  • 2016- Planning
  • 2016- Food 
  • 2016- Water sources on the Ridgeway
  • 2025- day zero- Arriving at Avebury
  • 2025- day one- East Kennett to Ogbourne St George
  • 2025- day two- Ogbourne St George to Woolstone
  • 2025- day four- Letcombe Regis to Goring
  • 2025- day five- Goring to Watlington
  • 2025- day six- Watlington to Princes Risborough
  • 2025- day seven- Princes Risborough to Aldbury
  • 2025- day eight- Aldbury to Ivinghoe Beacon and the Bridgewater Monument