Not many people know that there are eight white horses carved into the hills of Wiltshire. (www.wiltshirewhitehorses.org.uk)

I’m probably wrong about that but all those lucky enough to have been on the White Horse Trail will have seen them all! One of them, the Westbury Horse, is concreted over and painted white to save on maintenance costs. I didn’t know that either!

This was a very enjoyable holiday not just because it never rained but for the great variety of countryside we encountered. The ridge walks rewarded us with spectacular panoramic views of Wiltshire and, from this height, it was easy to see evidence of early settlements and their defences. We were in Stonehenge territory after all! We crisscrossed wheat and barley fields, climbed over countless stiles, had conversations with many a herd of curious cattle and, of course, showed our appreciation at every pub we visited.

We were there at the time of the year when crop circles were making their presence known. Yes, some of the group actually visited a crop circle, which was just a few hours old, en route from their visit to the Millennium Horse at Devizes. Afterwards, it was difficult to separate between those who had been entranced by the mystic energy of the circles and those who were still under the influence of the Wadworth Brewery Tour at Devizes.
(www.wadworth.co.uk)

The Kennet and Avon Canal treated us to many miles of pleasant towpath walking. A real spectacle was the flight of twenty nine locks at Caen Hill just west of Devizes. On another day we did a marathon walk, undeterred by the Army on manoeuvres, firing rockets and shells which were exploding very close to us but fortunately on target!

Salisbury Youth Hostel, which is conveniently located about 10 mins walk from the city centre, looked after us very well. Salisbury is a wonderful old city, similar in many respects to York which we visited last year. To allow us time to visit the Cathedral, Friday’s walk was shortened but added on to the next day’s walk. One would expect nothing less from Roger! This magnificent Cathedral was built on land with the water table just four feet below! (www.salisburycathedral.org.uk)

Each day started with a coach journey of about an hour to the start of the walk. Spirits were always high in anticipation of another great day’s walking and no chance of rain (although I’m sure everyone had a waterproof hidden away somewhere!).

Wiltshire has more than its fair share of thatched cottages and hollyhocks. It was a treat to be driven through attractive villages and enjoy fabulous views of the rolling countryside. One village experienced our presence more than others. Due to a slight mishap, the coach door would not close. After knocking on a few doors in the village we managed to borrow a socket set and the door was eventually fixed. Whilst this was going on, a police helicopter was buzzing overhead – I think we managed to give the impression that it had nothing to do with us!

Appropriately, the week ended at the White Horse Pub in Salisbury. One of two Wadworth’s pubs in the City, this one was closing down that very weekend. The landlord promised us drinks at a price that would even make Wetherspoon’s look expensive! It was great credit to the group that everyone turned up to celebrate a very successful and enjoyable week. Our thanks go to Roger for organising and leading another great walking holiday, to Colin and Graham who were back markers and to our ever reliable coach driver, Del.

Richard Roberts