Dorset

In the 70s I walked the Ridgeway path from Streetly to Avebury then carried on by way of old ridge paths across Salisbury Plain and down into Dorset, finishing at Hod Hill. It was a great route, following the ancient Ridgeway beyond its "official" ending at Avebury. Now it is all formalised as the Wessex Ridgeway and Danielle and I are staying on it near Maiden Newton in a log cabin.

Danielle was keen for us to visit an area that I did not know, and Dorset fits the bill. Apart from that walk I have barely been here. With the Julian Cope book The Modern Antiquarian as a guide we are going to explore the pretty amazing ancient chalklands.

Day one took us to Eggardon Hill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggardon_Hill which is a wild and evocative old Iron Age Hill Fort high on the chalk downs.

Although in some ways similar to the Yorkshire Wolds, the chalk, the dry valleys, the feel is very different but equally attractive. So much history, so much wonder.

Our path came through a wood that could have doubled for Winnie the Pooh's 100 acre wood any day. We found this tree to have our picnic on.