The Animals of Figsbury Ring; Weekly Walk #15

After I excitedly bought a host of maps of my nearby area, I planned my first route along parts of the Monarch’s way from Figsbury ring, an Iron Age hill fort in Wiltshire. I passed through the Winterbournes down to the village of Ford, before a treacherous crossing of the A30 along a section of Roman road and back to the car-park, learning a few things about what makes a good route.

I parked at the free National Trust car-park at Figsbury Ring, and walked the ring to the North West corner and along a footpath forming part of the Monarch’s Way. I descended steeply, then passed under a railway bridge into the Winterbournes.

I decided to cut through the village, planning a shorter walk, but gave in to temptation and extended the route along a footpath. I had the experience of once again having a herd of animals flock towards me, before heading into a thick bog. I should’ve guessed from the faded sign and over-grown bushes that this path was rarely used, but continued regardless into thick mud. Next time I’ll follow the Monarch’s Way to the point where I came out.

I washed my boots in a nearby ford, and then continued the footpath across fields to a bridleway, and saw a few people paraponting, a prop-plane circling, and an ultralight flying, all presumably coming from the nearby airfield at Boscombe Down. I extended the walk on a bridle-way to Ford (an actual village this time) and met a friendly pony as I passed his field. I followed the road over a bridge and through the village, then followed the signpost to a footpath, which strangely began after a private drive-way, so I skipped through quickly!

I followed the path to a B-road, and then continued along a footpath through a field and back to the Winterbournes. I counted on the map-marked pub being open, but found it boarded up, another reason to walk a route on your own before taking others. I exited the village across the A338 and took a bridle-way up past a pig farm. I then ascended steeply up to the A30, which took a while to cross as the traffic never seemed to end, but finally managed to cross to a stile and a Roman road.

I continued the Roman road over another B-road up to a spectacular view over Laverstock and Salisbury. I finally took a bridleway back to the Monarch’s Way, down a footpath, and over another section of the A30, before heading back up a field to the start at Figsbury Ring.
  

I was proud to have plotted my first route, but would next time think about walking it in reverse. This way, you get the busy A30 out the way first, and end on a pub, which when you combine the free car-park with a national trust site and great views, makes this a really great walk, and even more fantastic as it’s only a five minute drive from my house.