Hills,Thrills and Silver Foxes

This was to be the second training walk with the full complement of team members and it was high time we tackled some hills, being that there are going to be one or two on the day! For our ups and downs we disembarked the Oxford Tube at the oft forgotten Lewknor Turn to do a bit of map reading and celeb spotting, oh, and wander Ridgeway.

The big plan was to walk sections of the both the Ridgeway and Chiltern Way to make a nice circular route taking in some glorious rolling countryside. Rich had ‘volunteered’ himself as chief navigator by on the day by being the one who brought a map. After a very quick check of said map after we’d all assembled, we headed due “that way” towards the Ridgeway.

The pace was steady and the scenery was a welcome change from the ‘water on the left, water on the right, oh look, Didcot’ that we’d enjoyed on our last training walk. We didn’t see many in the way of other walkers, but they always seemed to appear just in time. The first instance of passerby rescue, came soon after we’d wondered off the edge of our map, albeit intentionally. (Rich’s belief being that the two paths must meet "just up there"). Our new found guide initially filled us with confidence proclaiming he’d lived in the area for over thirty years, he then blew that away when he confessed to having never heard of the Chiltern Way! Nevertheless his information was good, we found the path we were looking for, and on our guide’s recommendation stopped at the top of a Lodge Hill for some great lunchtime views.

We headed off after lunch and quickly met and tackled, (what for us at least) was quite a meaty hill. Keeping the good pace we had established from the start we soon found ourselves heading back toward the Ridgeway and being entertained by a number of red kites.

A result of us stepping off the route for our lunch atop a hill had quite the effect on our route, as after checking the map, we realised we didn’t quite know where we were; Cue emergency guide number two! Soon after Rich had unfurled the map on the ground, and got an ‘ish’ of where we were, a couple of walkers and their dog came to our aid. It turns out we’d taken a right when most definitely should have taken a left. This was easy enough to remedy, however it did mean tackling that ‘meaty hill’ once more!

After numerous fields (and a number of doublings back!) our route brought us into Stokenchurch, and right next to a Ghurkha Pub. We all agreed that this would be a perfectly apt place to stop and ale ourselves, sadly though we’d arrived outside of opening hours. So moving on, but with taste for refreshment, we picked up the Chiltern Way once more and Rich spotted a pub on the map that was only a mere stones throw off the route. As we headed along the roadside to the Fox Country Pub, we caught a glimpse of some similar 'wildlife' The Silver Fox himself– Mr PhillipSchofield!

After a very leisurely pint (served by quite possibly the grumpiest barman in the world) we got back to the task of finishing our loop to Lewknor. We went up through Barnfield Hanging Wood, which contained the thigh burner of the day, a long hill that just went on, and on and on. Once we'd topped out that beast, our thoughts turned to food for the Trailwaker day itself, with the most enthusiasm being mustered for the chilled champagne to be served to us on completion.

We soon arrived back at Lewknor turn, Haley caught her bus back to London, whilst the rest of the group headed back to Oxford in time for Chloë to pack and catch her flight to Liberia.

So, What did we learn this time?

1. Local knowledge can be better than any OS map.
2. Rolling up your trousers may cool you down on a hot day, but you will look a bit silly and the stinging nettles will take full advantage of exposed ankles.
3. The new Magnum Infinity ice creams are AMAZING.
   1. If you eat a Manum Infinity, six Oreo cookies and drink a litre of orange juice; you'll have a taste in your mouth reminiscent of a night drinking tequila.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/180084731 (our slight deviation and correction being clearly visible)