Ridgeway - Ogbourne St George to Kingston Lisle
5 July 2008
With Lucy taking Ellie and Henry to a dog show in Chippenham, Stephen and George took advantage
of a lift to return to the Ridgeway National Trail for the first time in 14
months, picking up where they left off at Ogbourne St George.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-104008.jpg)
As we climb away from Ogbourne St George, the views of the Og valley are
delightful
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-104858.jpg)
Gaining the ridge, we find one of the many forms of the Ridgeway: while most of
it is a track, it varies from deeply rutted and muddy to this pleasant green
lane, to hard surface, to tarmac.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-105333.jpg)
More views
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-110544.jpg)
Liddington Castle is our first significant landmark today
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-110734.jpg)
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-112445.jpg)
Some of the worst rutted muddy sections have little bypasses for walkers, but
they are a bit fiddly to walk on in places. Striding out on the better surfaced
bits of the track were much to be preferred.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-113642.jpg)
Looking towards Swindon - but far enough away for the view to be attractive!
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-113826.jpg)
Centre picture is Liddington Castle
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-115725.jpg)
The Ridgeway Path has left the byway and we make our way along the bridleway as
we head towards Liddington Castle
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-121701.jpg)
A diversion from the Ridgeway along a permissive path (for which the second sign
at the northern corner of the field is very easily missed) brings us to
Liddington Castle
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-121748.jpg)
This is an early Iron Age fort dating from the 7th to 5th centuries BC. The
summit of the bank is the highest point in the Borough of Swindon.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-122342.jpg)
Looking north from the trig point: a heavy shower is moving in from the west.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-125701.jpg)
A tedious trudge along roads then follows, including a crossing of the M4. We
have now also returned to the historic route of the Ridgeway, which the National
Trail left at Barbury Castle
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-132003.jpg)
After passing through the hamlet of Foxhill, we climb Fox Hill, where there are
views across to Charlbury Hill
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-141546.jpg)
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-143822.jpg)
The next significant landmark is Wayland's Smithy, a neolithic longbarrow and
chamber tomb.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-143903.jpg)
The later stone-chambered mound now visible dates from about 3400 BC, and is
built over a timber-chambered oval barrow from around 3700 BC.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-143925.jpg)
"Wayland" derives from Wolund, the Norse and Saxon god of blacksmithing, and was
applied to the site by Saxon invaders some 4000 years after the site was built.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-145630.jpg)
A little further along the Ridgeway is Uffington Castle, on top of Whitehorse
Hill.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-151215.jpg)
The track is well below the natural level, which provides opportunities for
chalk-loving plants and flowers
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-151530.jpg)
Looking towards the banks of Uffington Castle
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-151705.jpg)
The hill fort was built in the Iron Age, around the 8th or 7th century BC.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-152546.jpg)
A view to the northwest from the walls of Uffington Castle
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-152724.jpg)
Timber posts stood on the outer rampart and sarsen stones on the inner.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-152902.jpg)
It was very windy up here.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-152936.jpg)
A happy dog.
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-153031.jpg)
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-153040.jpg)
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-154121.jpg)
George charges on ahead as we near the end of today's walk
![](../../images/2008/2008-07/2008-07-05-155020.jpg)
A last look back as we reach the road from Kingston Lisle
Total distance 23.8km with 347m ascent, in 5 hours 30 minutes (amounting to 20.8
km of progress along the Ridgeway Path) - that means we're
about 27% of the way to Ivinghoe Beacon!
![previous Ridgeway walk - Avebury to Ogbourne previous Ridgeway walk - Avebury to Ogbourne](../london_loop/hikerleft2.jpg)
![next Ridgeway walk - onwards to Bury Down next Ridgeway walk - onwards to Bury Down](../london_loop/hikerright2.jpg)
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