Warning, another waffly ramble about things nobody else will have the slightest interest in...read at your peril!
We've just got back from some more wandering along the Ridgeway. We went down on Saturday, early, and went back to the same spot where we left off last time (Whitehorse Hill). We walked a total of 17 miles that day
, all the way to a village called East Ilsley, where we had booked a room in the Crown and Horns
http://www.crownandhorns.com/ - got a taxi back for the car.
First impression of the pub were a little alarming, as they had two pumps, pumping the flood out of the cellar into the car park. Fortunately, this did not affect us other than wet feet getting in and out of the car. Apparently they have had so much rain that the water table is above the level of the cellar! The room was COMPACT (read "small"), as was the bath (I know I'm tall, but I couldn't lie down in it at all) but it was comfortable. I wasn't hugely impressed by the fact that the extract fan from the kitchen made a noise until we asked them to turn it off at 11 15, it then woke me up again at 6 45am.
However, in the morning at Breakfast, the owner asked how I'd slept, and I told her that the fan had been an issue. She ended up giving us two free breakfasts and £10 off the bill.
I must say that the food there was definitely a cut above the usual and would recommend it if you happen to be passing.
On the Sunday, we resumed our walk, leaving the car over the road at the Swan Inn where we were spending the second night. Unfortunately, I seemed to have done something to my foot (this kind of thing happens from time to time, bits of cartilage break off and wedge where they shouldn't) so lots of hobbling was in order. Problem was that we got to Goring and Streatley, fully expecting to be able to easily get a taxi back. After all, they had a station, shops etc. What could possibly go wrong? Well, I'll tell you now, Goring appears to be in the Bermuda Triangle for taxi companies, and having tried the station, asking at the social club and a very obliging young lady in a pub ringing ALL the local companies, none were working on a Sunday.
In the end, as night fell, we had to phone a company from Wantage, who reluctantly came out and charged us £40 for the privilege.
The Swan at East Ilsley looked very unpromising from the outside. Inside, the bar was rather like a blast back from the 1970s, including the music. However, the room had been renovated (it transpired the only room they had left was the honeymoon room, compete with four poster bed and a two person bath - which, amazingly, even two slightly lardy tall 50 somethings COULD fit in!!
) The owners were very friendly and welcoming, and the breakfast was good.
Anyway, these two days encompassed some lovely scenery and wildlife as we passed, although the peace and isolation stopped abruptly at Goring, which, although it had no taxis, was a nice enough town on the Thames where we sat outside in a pub, watching the boats go by. Prior to Goring, the path was mostly an easy to follow track, with wide, uninterrupted views, solitude and birdsong. We saw (or heard) skylarks, red kites, willow-warblers, chiff-chaffs, stonechats and corn buntings to name but a few. The hedgerows were full of daffodils, primroses, Mayflower, bluebells and forget-me-nots. Along the path were harts tongue ferns, wild thyme and wood anemones. We saw gatekeeper and orange tip butterflies.
Today, we resumed from Goring, and walked along the Thames, past stupidly massive millionaire-style houses opposite the fields, through some pretty little villages, one of which was having a traditional village fete. This time we decided to avoid the taxi option, choosing instead to do a "there and back again" route of 10 miles in the sunshine. Not much more physical damage today, apart from a bit of sunburn, despite factor 30 suncream.
If anyone is considering walking the Ridgeway, I would thoroughly recommend it so far, however, care should be taken with the transport arrangements to avoid the same problems we have experienced!!
Although you know I don't understand this concept of 'walking', you do write well about the experience 
Which looks gloriously incongruous, and has a very pretty little cottage next to it...
