Goring to Watlington
Kate and I set off from Goring back along the Ridgeway. It was so nice to have her join me. I’ve felt very spoilt having company on two back to back days of walking!
We followed a mixture of roads and footpaths out of Goring, along the way we passed this very unusual head in a bush!
We made it through the village of South Stoke and followed some rivers along the River Thames.
We stopped for a break, before it was time for Kate to return to her car and I continued on.
I continued to North Stoke, where the footpath took me past the church and through its church yard.
The wooded lane turned into a footpath along Grim’s Ditch. The ditch is an ancient ditch, up to 3m in depth and thought to date back to 100BC!
Along the ditch, I passed a trig point. I found it quite funny to find one in an area so flat, when I’m used to seeing them on the top of hills!
Grim’s Ditch continued into some woodland where I was so surprised to see a carpet of Bluebells. They were so beautiful. It was really nice to see them. The ones in Buxton normally come out in early May, so I will miss them this year. It was such a pleasant surprise to pass some today!
I continued through the woodland, which was lovely and peaceful. The Ridgeway has been so well signed, I’ve hardly needed my map. Every turning has a sign post or a marker. I passed this one painted onto a tree!
I then reached the A4130 and could see that I only had 4.5 miles remaining for today’s walk. The signpost also pointed to the cafe, which I chose to visit.
The cafe was lovely, I had orange juice and a slice of tea loaf. Both were delicious and much appreciated. In the cafe, I got chatting to a local lady. She shared some of her life story and the adventures she has been on. It was so interesting to hear about them. She had been a Brownie and a Guide and it was lovely to listen to how that had impacted her life. It was a pleasure to chat and I was really glad that I made the trip to the cafe. As I left the cafe, she wished that I “go well and safely” and told me to sing some campfire songs on route!
The Ridgeway took me through some more woodland. I enjoy going through woodland. It reminds me of the woodlands in Buxton. Along the way I sang some campfire songs and reflected on my chat in the cafe. Life for me really isn’t about money or possessions, but happiness and doing something that you love. I’m definitely living that right now, and feel so lucky.
The woodland opened out to fields again and I followed the track. It was beautiful surroundings.
I was at the campsite in Watlington and finished for the day. I’ve had another lovely day. The weather has been perfect – not too hot, not too cold and cloud cover to protect me from the sun. I’ve met lots of lovely people throughout the day. I’ve really enjoyed meeting different people along the way. It’s lovely to hear their stories and pass on a little bit of mine.
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