Crinkles and “Cows”

Firstly, any guesses what this is?

The day was dry but rain coming for sure later in the afternoon, so lets go go go!!!  No not boating, out cycling on a trip.

David knew where I really wanted to go and got out his map.  His precious precious map took a bit of a tumble yesterday when on returning with the newspapers his bike and basket fell over and the map slid out of the basket and plopped into the canal. Well Reader, I only hope he moves that quickly to save me should I fall in, he leapt out of the cratch and retrieved it but wet all through it was.  Today it's a crinkly map.

Today we had cycled much higher than on our previous adventures, up to 700ft.  I had a nasty shock when slogging up the last hill - suddenly a voice boomed Good Morning!! to me and it was one of those lycra clad speedy chaps, only being polite. (They come up silently, no puffing at all then whizz past),  but I was so surprised I nearly fell off the bloody thing which could have been a tad humiliating don’t you think?  my wobble recovered  and I was very glad to reach the top.  

It had a bit of a long haul to get there, and when we did arrive at the car park at just 11:40am it was full.  I was rather glad I hadn’t driven as I would not have been best pleased to have arrived and no room at the inn, no where else to park either. As David locked the bikes up, with the basket, and my luminous jacket and the two helmets (What a palaver!) I was hot and thirsty,  so had a drink and took off one layer.  Very quickly was freezing as a blasting small gale was blowing, I put my coat on pretty sharpish. We began our hike but slowly as my little legs were sleepy.

We were here. One of the eight White Horses in Wiltshire.  This one made in 1812, can’t tell you much more as there was no information here at all.  

One of a bunch of White Horses in Wiltshire, this is not the really famous one.

I saw my first one of these this year.

It made me feel at home to be on chalk downs, just like home but these are for more dramatically folded than ours at home.

Wonderfully folded escarpments. 

White Horse from the top looking down at his head!

We did a long circular walk along the ridge top and marvelling at the  walkers in shorts of which there were plenty!  We had 4 layers on each.

The best laugh I had today was when we got to the end of a field and there were a bunch of young beef bullocks (Males) in the corner by the gateway.  David and me were admiring the view when three jolly people passed us and we followed them through the gate,  the lady was concerned that these “Cows” had got their babies with them so could be fierce, she then declared that some had got separated from their babies, “There look” she wailed “The babies are here (In the next field we had gone into)  and not in there with them…. But she was pointing at some sheep!!!!   Well, any farmers would be amused.

Boy cows that we had to walk through to the gate.

The nice thing about cycling up a huge hill is that its downhill all the way home, well home via the The Barge Inn at Honeystreet.  I needed a sit down, there is a great lack of benches on the hilltop for sure.  Then Morris Men started their jigging.  I LOVE Morris Men and enjoyed it very much. While I sat in the sun there, David walked along the moorings to see what they were like before we arrive here tomorrow.  Plenty of boats here and its all 24hr, so in theory tomorrow all these boats should all be moving on…..?  

Pretties.  No idea what though.

Morris Men and Ladies jigging away.

Much later we went home.  Me with stiff legs and David off to do Super Market Sweep, one of his favourite games. I had a nap, I needed a nap after that ride of about nine miles and then a hike.

Supper was a Skinny Day Chicken with Mediterranean veg and feta on top. 

P.S.  

Saw this hill on the way and wondered if it should have a bra on.

At Pewsey this Pillbox was open .  It was grim inside, the top photo was from within.