I've been wanting to do this ride for years, but have never quite got round to it. Today, taking advantage of a lovely day and the light traffic of the fag-end of the lockdown, I got up early and drove down to Chisledon, a little village near Swindon.
Just outside Chisledon the Marlborough-Swindon cycleway and the NCN 45 intersect, and there's a small car-park. In better times there's a cafe too, but it wasn't open today.
The NCN 45 takes you up on to the Ridgeway, and I guessed that the surface would be at least OK, and not a mountain-bike track. This turned out to be right, and, although some of the riding was technically difficult, it mostly wasn't and was well within the bounds of a gravel bike.
Riding along the top I met a farmer's very cheerful dog, and then the farmer himself. We exchanged a couple of words; I got the impression that he was a bit fed up with his dog, who seemed neither obedient nor hard-working. Can't have everything; it was a very cheerful dog.
On to Hackpen Hill, where I had stopped briefly on my Coast to Coast ride in February. How different things are now.
The next few miles were a bit tricky, then there was a long, chalky descent to Avebury.
Avebury is a lovely little village, with many swifts or swallows flitting amongst the thatched cottages. Numerous signs from the National Trust thanking me for my understanding, but the gate to the stones was open, so in I went. No one around, indeed, I saw no one in the entire village.
Back on the road, now, West Kennet, East Kennet and on to Marlborough. Very pretty villages and countryside. At Marlborough, I picked up the cycleway back towards Swindon and was back at the car by about ten.
There's quite a bit more Ridgeway and it would make a good day out. Pleasant scenery and lots of history. If one of the pleasing-looking pubs was open, then the day would be made.
Mark
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