Chippenham - Avebury - Swindon - Oxford

Although last night’s finish was in Calne, our hosts for the evening were some friends in Bristol, who had prepared a sumptuous feast in our honour. There were no official meetings planned today, so we were able to run without the pressure of any deadlines. Despite the weather being so good yesterday, the day started off quite cold and overcast.

The route followed the Ridgeway on the way to Swindon, taking in Avebury on the way. Avebury is an ancient settlement built approximately 3500 years ago, and much remains to this day. The road passes through the largest stone circle in the British Isles, and is a sharp contrast to the tall trilithons that dominate Stonehenge...

which part of the team had gone to visit...

The Avebury complex is a peaceful natural environment that is usually populated with sheep. Today though the only occupants were some very large wood pigeons, and the small crowds of visitors on their guided tours of the huge earthen rampart lying beyond the deep ditch itself, encircling the remnants of the outer ring of stones. It was through this that the team wove its way up along one of the oldest roads stretching from Avebury to Bury St. Edmunds on the east coast, still used by many hikers and bikers today.

As its name suggests, the Ridgeway runs along the top of an upraised geological formation, along which are many prehistoric features. The Run left the Ridgeway after about 10k, at the point where it meets Barbury castle, south of Swindon. It was here that Becky Smith from Swindon Striders, out marathon training, joined us for a short while to carry the Torch.

The overcast weather cleared up as we passed through the Vale of the White Horse on our way to Oxford. Here reinforcements arrived from London in the form of Sahadeva and Devashishu Torpy, who took their share of the last section of the run, beginning at the Headington Roundabout and concluding in Waddesdon near Thame.

The weather in the afternoon was perfect. The hedgerows are full of singing birds, the leaves are breaking out and the dark branches are muted by the baby green. Crows everywhere industrious, building their big nests in the treetops.

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Distance: 116km

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