My Dearest Boy, “Not all those who wander are lost”, wrote Tolkien. Maybe, I should add the words “whilst social distancing”. I don’t think that phrase existed three weeks’ ago. On my walk this morning I was reminded that it is OK to wander and not to know. It is also perfectly acceptable to feel…
Author: Jackie
In the time of the skylark
Tuesday 24 March 2020 My Dearest Boy, I walked early this morning, purposely over the fields – muddy but still firm with frost, towards the railway line. I would have taken you on this path today. I passed no-one. It’s so quiet. There are few planes in the sky. As the air warmed the yellowhammers…
THE WESSEX RIDGEWAY – The Stones to the Wheel: Dorchester to Abbotsbury (Part II)
Four miles! After walking approximately 160 miles across Wiltshire Downs and Wessex Heights I rather held back from putting the top on my thermos flask, rising up my sixty year old hips and completing the last stretch of stunning countryside into Abbotsbury. How wonderful to have my son J with me every step of the…
THE WESSEX RIDGEWAY: The Stones to the Wheel – Dorchester to Abbotsbury (Part 1)
On the last day of my birthday pilgrimage J and I stepped out early along the back streets of Dorchester and soon reached the huge multiple ramparts of the Iron Age hillfort Maiden Castle. He did not need to reminded that we had last climbed this together when he was 6 years old and I…
THE WESSEX RIDGEWAY : The Stones to the Wheel – Cerne Abbas to Dorchester
Up early from posh accommodation (because J with me) ; quick visit to see the newly chalked Giant (I had met someone in a café what seemed like a lifetime ago back in Devizes who had been one of the volunteers) and we were on our way. The Wessex Ridgeway continues westwards from Cerne Abbas…
THE WESSEX RIDGEWAY: The Stones to the Wheel – Ansty to Cerne Abbas
18 September: It took me a while to get going this morning. The proprietor’s dog decided to follow me for the first mile and despite lots of pointing and several shouts of “casa”, she refused to obey and return home. So I had to walk her all the way back to the farmhouse where I…
THE WESSEX RIDGEWAY: The Stones to the Wheel – Iwerne Minster to Ansty
17 September – It was a beautiful , clear start as I left Iwerne Minster for the day I had labelled my Wessex Heights. I have long had an affection for the poem “Wessex Heights” by Thomas Hardy and indeed have written several posts about it before (found here). I was full of excitement and gratitude…
THE WESSEX RIDGEWAY: The Stones to the Wheel – Ludwell to Iwerne Minster
16 September : The weather changed overnight and all at once it was that season of “mists and mellow fruitfulness”. I traipsed through wet fields past Ludwell watercress beds and then began the long, slow climb up to the view point at Win Green. Not much of a view today but a feeling of claustrophobic…
THE WESSEX RIDGEWAY : From the Stones to the Wheel – Hindon to Ludwell
15 September. The early morning sun was already making its presence felt through the trees alongside Green Lane as I ascended out of Hindon. As I turned to admire the view behind me one, then two ……….…. then around fifty……. hot air balloons caught my eye. They made their way like a flotilla of yachts…
THE WESSEX RIDGEWAY: From the Stones to the Wheel – Warminster to Hindon
14 September. The early morning warmth in the air boded well as I left Warminster, swiftly noted the suitably named Middle Hill and then Scratchbury Hill before reaching Heytesbury. What an idyllically situated village! I passed the ( very small) lock up; then residents taking offerings of jams, tomatoes and scarlet runners to their local…
