The Marlborough Downs area is a centre of the horse racing industry and several sections of this route run alongside gallops used for training racehorses. Keep a good look out for racehorses and give way to them if they cross your path.
[1] The first part of the route follows the Ridgeway national trail. Having taken time to admire the view to the north you will find the national trail running along the southern boundary of the car park. Walk to the car park entrance you emerge on to the Old Marlborough Road. Following Ridgeway signposts you turn right and, after 200m, turn left onto downland. This area of downland is not open access so you are advised to keep to the track.
The Ridgeway national trail was created in 1972, following the chalk escarpment from Wiltshire to the Chilterns. This route is arguably one of the oldest highways in England.
The route runs along the top of Smeathe's Ridge, with steep slopes to both north and south, and good views in all directions. You gradually lose height as you walk east. After 2 km, just before the land starts to rise towards Coombe Down, a Ridgeway signpost directs you off to the left. Follow a track along the bottom of the slope, through two gates, to emerge on a minor road.
At this point the Ridgeway turns right but your route is straight ahead, following a signposted footpath over stiles through an area of young trees. You emerge into open parkland. Head just to the left of the buildings ahead to find a stile into the churchyard of Ogbourne St George.
(A) The church of St George dates largely from the late 12th or 13th century. It is constructed in flint and sarsen stone. There are other buildings of architectural interest at the western end of Ogbourne St George, notably the Manor House next to the church and a number of farm buildings and cottages dating from the 16th century. The River Og, like many chalk country streams, is often dry in summer. It was once called the Ogbourne and has given its name to the villages.
Go round to the south east corner of the churchyard and follow a lane right leading to the main street of Ogbourne St George. Turn left over a bridge and walk along the High Street until you reach the school on the right hand side.
[2] Turn onto a track on the right just past the school. Where the track swings right go through a five bar gate and follow the left hand hedge. Go over a stile and turn left following the hedge. Go over another stile and turn right, again following a hedge, to reach a footbridge. On the far side of the bridge walk diagonally left across the next field, aiming for a stile in the fence line. Follow the left edge of the next field to emerge on to a track. Turn right along the track (now back on the Ridgeway) and, at the next junction, turn left onto a good track which leads to Ogbourne St Andrew. Eventually emerging on to a minor road, keep straight on until you reach the church.
(B) The tree covered mound at the eastern end of the churchyard is in fact a Bronze Age round barrow. It was excavated in 1885 and found to contain burials from the medieval and Saxon periods, as well as the original Bronze Age cremation. This is the only known example in Wiltshire of a churchyard containing a prehistoric barrow. The church itself is a grade I listed building, dating from the late 12th to 13th centuries.
Follow a path round the east end of the church leading to a narrow footpath. Continue on the footpath past one residential lane to emerge onto a second lane.
Turn right and follow a signposted bridleway climbing uphill. Continue until the bridleway swings right by a group of trees. At this point turn left onto another bridleway and follow this to reach a junction of tracks where you turn right. Follow the new bridleway with a hedge on your right.
For the shorter alternative route of 8 miles carry straight on until the bridleway joins the Old Marlborough Road. Turn right and follow the old road back to the start.
[3] On your left you should have a gallop and a field beyond it. The true line of the route cuts diagonally across the field to its far left corner, starting from close to the point where a fence starts at the left side of the gallop. If the route is obstructed you may find it more convenient to walk round the edge of the field.
On reaching the far left corner of the field go through a gap in the hedge to reach a junction with a by-way. Cross the by-way and take a bridleway running along the left side of the gallops. The route of this bridleway differs slightly from that shown on the Ordnance Survey map. Continue alongside the gallops until you reach a bridle gate, then cross the gallops at right angles to reach the Old Marlborough Road.
There are more gallops on the far side. The true line of the bridleway crosses the gallops diagonally but it is probably more convenient to walk left down the Old Marlborough Road until you see a bridle gate in the far fence on the right. At the time of writing this is partly hidden behind piles of wood chippings. Cross over, go through the gate and down the slope ahead, aiming to the left of the two cottages you should see in the valley.
You reach a road junction with the turning to Rockley on the opposite side. Walk up the side road to Rockley, passing the buildings of Rockley Manor.
(C) The village of Rockley derives its name from rooks, not rocks, and rooks can still be seen in the area. The triangular junction at the start of the side road is apparently known as Rockley Godcake. It is worth inspecting the milestone at its centre, which is made of sarsen stone. 100m further up the side road your route crosses the Hungerbourne. In a normal year this stream, which rises from springs north of the road, only flows for a few weeks in winter. Carrying on up the road you pass the former chapel of All Saints on the left hand side. This was opened in 1872 and closed in 1973.
As the road reaches a line of trees turn right onto a waymarked by-way. After 200m the by-way turns left to run along the bottom of a slope. Continue on the by-way to reach a point where it joins a tarmac estate road. (This section may be overgrown.) Carry straight on to reach a junction where the road divides into two.
[4] Take the right fork, climbing up a slope. After 100m go through a bridle gate on the left and follow the left side of a hedge to reach two more gates. (Should this section be overgrown it is possible to find a way round by continuing on the estate road and turning into a lane on the left.) Continue along the top of a slope with a fence line on your right. Eventually the fence starts to swing left to reach a bridle gate. Go through the gate and walk along the left hand side of a field.
Continue in the same direction along the edge of Wick Down for just over 1 km, passing through a line of trees and along the edge of a gallop. At the far end of the gallop turn right and join a by-way. Continue on the by-way over a road crossing.
[5] Turn right when the by-way joins the Ridgeway national trail. After following the Ridgeway for 2 km you should see the ramparts of the Barbury Castle hill fort on the hillside ahead. This area is part of the country park so you can opt for a scenic route around the ramparts or the direct route through the centre. The Ridgeway continues on the far side of the hill fort and after 500m you will be back at the start.
(D) Barbury Castle is a well preserved hill fort with double banks and ditches enclosing an area of 4.5 hectares. The undisturbed chalk grassland of the ramparts is home to a range of rare plants and butterflies. Archaeological investigations have revealed the remains of around 40 roundhouses and numerous pits, dating to the Iron Age and Roman periods. A battle at Beran Byrig where Cynric and Ceawlin defeated the Britons is recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for AD 556. Expert opinion suggests that this battle probably took place somewhere near the country park car park.