Friday 6th September - Sydling to Broad Chalke

Sydling is in our a hole. Our kind hosts take a car when they go for a walk, walk home and take another car to rescue the first one. So we expected a hill to start the day. We were not disappointed. But we got up it without getting off the bikes.

There are some lovely names of places around here. Sydling St Nicholas, Margaret Marsh, Staunton Caundle, Logs Kindling (may be two places?), Loose Chippings, Sixpenny Handley.

Discovered Shaftesbury. Might have known a Saxon Hill Town would require another long haul of the upwards variety to arrive at it. Gigi played a trump, taking us up an alley which got narrower and steeper and steeper and narrower until we not only had to dismount but could only with the greatest difficulty even push the bikes.  I had to come back to help Harry. We finally emerged in the High Street.

After Shaftesbury we had some more substantial hills and found ourselves on the ridge of the downs. Gigi had another card up her sleeve. A rough track beckoned. Local advice (from a car driver) was that it was doable but rough. We took it on as the alternative was a U Turn. It turned out to be about four miles of very rough indeed, going at minimal speed. W eventually net a young shepherd who said we might "with honour intact" take an escape route - though that proved even more exciting
as it was steep downhill and we had again to dismount.

I have to admit it was nice up there on the downs and we saw a fox (alive, this time) and heard a Tawny Owl. Recently we have added Little Grebe and Long-tailed Tit to our tally of birds observed. Remarkably and sadly, we have not yet seen a Song Thrush except one dead on the road. Nor a Sparrow Hawk. There,s still time.

We have spent the night at the Queens Head in Broad Chalke where they have looked after us very well. Today we set off for Hampshire or wherever we can get to, going east. Incredibly, the forecast is for another day of sunshine with a risk of a shower. The rector blessed us with the traditional "may the wind be at your back" and certainly we feel well blessed in that department.

Nick