Very highs and very lows

For the 'very highs' I was away for a walking weekend with the 50+ Adventure Club and sharing a flat with six other ladies.  We set off in two cars and on the way met up with some of the group for a bluebell walk at West Woods, Marlborough.  It was glorious -

 

a beech wood with sun dappled shade and then out onto the glorious downs for a further short walk with views!

 

It was a companionable 4.5 mile walk with friends.

Saturday saw us up bright and early for the next walk and we assembled at Avebury and it's stone circles and set off uphill on a colder and windier day than yesterday.  Up we climbed crossing the Ridgeway en route for the top of the Downs.  We stopped for lunch amongst the gorse bushes and some very conveniently placed large stones to sit on.  At our age we are not too good at sitting on the ground!!!!  Suddenly we saw this,

a mass exodus of the ladies heading for their own gorse bush - I leave your imaginations to wonder what this was about!  Suffice to say the men and the remaining ladies fell about in hysterics of laughter!

We crossed the Ridgeway again

Look under the left hand pointer and see the runners

and passed runners of all ages going up the hill as we came down back again into Avebury.  A cup of tea revived us after this 7.5 mile walk.  I took these photos of some stones just to prove I had been there but the stone circles here are numerous.

 

 

That night we all met up for a meal.

Sunday morning was much better weather wise as it was less windy and sunny and we all met together at Barbury Castle, an Iron Age hill fort, 2,500 years old.  The castle is on a hill which meant we started off downhill for a change and the views were brilliant on a much clearer day.  There are a number of horse racing training stables in this area and there were 'gallops' on both our walks, but the most interesting feature was a racecourse hidden away in a valley below us

At the top of the triangle, where the bushes are it is open which is not clear on the photo and down the left hand side are hurdles for training the 'jumpers'.

We crossed the Ridgeway again

and headed down the bridleway for a lunch stop and the last push back up to the car park.  What goes down has to come up again and this was steep!

This photo doesn't really show what a short, but steep climb it was, but back in the car park we found an ice cream van which was oh so welcome after our 4 mile walk.  After a short walk to see the 'castle hill fort' itself we headed home.

Now to the 'very lows'.  After the bluebell walk on Friday we got back to the cars to find the back window of one of our cars smashed and my handbag, which had been covered, had been stolen.  Luckily I had my purse and credit cards with me.  Everything else gone - ipod, ipad - a Christmas present from sons, car key(no spare it was in the handbag) and house keys had gone, and my lovely Italian handbag that I had bought in Florence last November!  I discovered my mobile in my rucksack on Saturday night - thank goodness.  The police attended but I have had a very stressful few days sorting everything out.

However my group were absolutely brilliant and my six flatmates best of all through this and provided mobiles when I thought I did not have mine.  We also had a stress busting meal in an Italian restaurant on Friday night when copious wine was drunk!  It helped no end!!  Thank goodness for good friends who get you through the tough times and I know in a few months we will all be laughing about it and remembering the raucous Friday evening meal!