Wednesday 26th June 2019 - Marlborough Downs

A longer drive to Hackpen Hill on Marlbourgh Downs. Lots of misty cloud and a cool breeze at first.
South West along The Ridgeway to Berwick Bassett Dewpond. Around the Sarsen Stones t Grey Wethers on Monkton Down and then down to Winterbourne Monkton to follow the footpath to Avebury where we had lunch. Through the impressive stone circle at Avebury and up to Overton Down on the Wessex Ridgeway. Finally the sun started to come out.  Some impressive displays of poppies here. Continuing on the Wessex Ridgeway through Fyfield Down to Manaton Down where there are lots of horse gallops. Then across to Temple Bottom to go back up the ridge before cutting across to  Wick Down Farm and back to the start.

12 miles and 1100 feet of ascent.



Mist everywhere at the start

South along The Ridgeway

Berwick Bassett Dewpond a really beautiful spot.

Grey Wethers on Monkton Down

The church in Avebury

The very impressive stones in the stone circle

The earthworks around the stone circle....

....and an adjacent tree with ribbons

On the Wessex Ridgeway

A festival of poppies.........

The long and winding road

Horse gallops everywhere

Looking down Temple Bottom

Thursday 20th June 2019 Winchcombe

The last of the evening walks. Starting at Winchcombe and out around the Castle. On to St Kenelms Well and then up to the Salt Way. Returning from near Monk's Hole down the hill and through the very inquisitive cattle. Back to Winchcombe on Puck Pit Lane.

5.5 miles and 900 feet ascent.












Looking over Winchcombe with Langley Hill in the distance

St Kenelms Well

The Castle






















Looking down the Sudeley valley

A spectacular view across to the Malvern  Hills

wednesday 19th June 2019 Lydford Day 2

A shorter walk this morning. Again out to Nodden Gate then up to find Little Links Tor in the rain. On to Great Links Tor and then a direct line to Brat Tor where it was a bit clearer for a short while. 

On Little Links Tor

Great Links Tor

Brat Tor

Gooing down

Tuesday 18th June Lydford Day 1

Return to Dartmoor for the first ever Summer Camp. Good to be back!

We took the track from the Fox and Hound to Nodden Gate then steeply up to Arms Tor. Across to the track and on to Dick's Well. Lower Dunna Goat was next with a coffee stop below at Bleak House. On to Green Tor, around the boggy bit to Kitty Tor. Back through the remains of the old peat works and along the old track down cutting across to go up Great Nodden.

7 miles and 1200 feet ascent

Brat Tor in the distance

Down to the ford below Nodden Gate

On Arms Tor looking across to Sharp and Hare Tor

Green Tor

Into the mist around the boggy bit

Returning to the old peat works

Bleak house just visible in the distance

On Great Nodden

Sunday 16th June 2019 Andoverford

Bright sunshine to start with as we left Andoversford. Then lot of showers towards the end. Firstly to Shipton and on to the Gloucestershire Way to Hampen. North through Soundborough just skirting Brockhampton, then into Sevenhampton returning through Syreford.


About 7.5 miles and 700 feet ascent.

Sunchine at first

A fine example of how countryside paths should be kept!

Coffe stop in an old barn

Hampen

The rain comes in and a deer comes into view

Soundborough with a very large barn attached to the farmhouse

Sevenhampton below

Abundance of wild flowers just before Andoversford