There has been a bit of lapse in recent months, largely because my wife had a nasty accident (happily she is largely restored now). When I did resume walking with my friend Merv, we did some walks which were enjoyable for exercise but didn't offer very much visually. Recently however, we have had a couple of walks worthy of being blogged: today's starts near Combe Gibbet at Inkpen.
The gibbet was erected in 1676 for the purpose of gibbeting the bodies of George Broomham and Dorothy Newman and was only used for them. The gibbet was placed in such a prominent location as a warning, to deter others from committing crimes. Broomham and Newman were having an affair and were hanged for murdering Broomham's wife Martha, and their son Robert after they discovered them together on the downs. Unfortunately for the lovers, the murder was witnessed by "Mad Thomas", who managed to convey what he had seen to the authorities. A replica gibbet marks the site now.
We parked on the western edge of Walbury Hill and headed west along the ridge. It was largely grey, but suddenly the sun came out allowing this delightful picture of the fields to the north.
A little further on, after passing the Gibbet on the right, there was a lovely view of the closed valley which lays to the south. Sadly, the sun had gone in by now.
We headed west along the ridge, along the Test Way, a fine 44 mile walk which I completed in November 2018. The Test Way head south after a short while, but we continued along the ridge, passing Ham Hill after a bit over a mile and then also heading south. This brought us to the scattered settlement of Buttermere.
Passing the farm, we soon reached the pretty, but tiny, church.
Inside the church a plaque provides useful background.
We then followed a track to the south east passing a curious building which looked like a bar (and may therefore account for the success of Buttermere). We followed this by skirting a field full of cows (with horns - was any of them a bull?).
We walked beneath the wonderfully misnamed Sheepless Hill ...
... and then headed north along the Test Way to return to where we started.
Distance: 7 miles.
Map: Explorer 156 (Newbury & Hungerford)
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