Ridgeway Barbury Castle: Route Descriptions 2011

RIDGEWAY BARBURY CASTLE: PR ROUTES 2015 START Pink Route (20km) the grass gallops and down slope to • Leave the venue south along the grass finish/timekeeper. gallops to end. Cross all-weather gallops and byway then left onto grass gallops again to end. Through narrow gate into Venue CP1 venue fields with grass strip. At end, cross road 0 6 14 to right (steward) to narrow gap in hedge. 6 20 • Left on narrow track to end. • Right up hill. START Black Route (16km) • At top turn right. Keep off grass gallops • Leave the venue south along the grass Follow gravel track (verge), and at gallops, then turn left across the end of the junction take left fork up the hill to small gallops, around the end of the hedge and hunting gate on right into nature reserve turn left. Follow track along hedge line, (Sarsens Stones) and CP1. turning right through gate (open) into • Across nature reserve to edge of woods. plantation, follow track through trees to Turn left and follow round edge of wood. gate at end. Up middle of the field VERY At end of wood follow mowed track steep hill. To gate at the top. across the nature reserve into bottom of valley, then up steep hill to gates. • Turn Left old coach road (track), to CP2. • Through gate on your right (closed - please close gate securely after you) into • Right through gate onto Smeath’s Ridge fenced 6metre grass strip round edge of where routes join. fields to hunting gate. Through gate. Keep off gallops, but you may ride on the • Turn left, through gap in trees and grass on right of the path, as the byway is between large Sarsen Stones. Turn right rutted in places. on Ridgeway Path then immediately left into field to ride grass strip parallel to the • Follow Ridgeway Path down hill, through Ridgeway Path. 4 gates, (please close all gates securely • At then end of the field rejoin the after you - unless tied back). 3rd gate has a Ridgeway Path and continue to Hackpen 5-bar gate and a hunting gate – the 5-bar Hill. Road Stewards. Take care on road gate is easier to open from horseback. crossing and Crewing on the stubble field • After 4th gate: on the right of the Ridgeway Path, or in the carpark. • Routes Diverge: • Continue on Ridgeway Path down hill. • Continue straight on to bottom of hill onto • Turn right first turning, onto rutted track the road (Crewing in Ogbourne Manor (take care). field 20m to the left only, crews must • After steep downhill turn Left through walk from there). open hunting gate onto private grass track. • Right to rejoin Blue and Orange routes. • Follow hedge line on your left, doubling back next to the rutted track. • At sharp left hand bend of the road go • Follow right round edge of field parallel to straight across to byway – Ridgeway Path. Ridgeway Path to end of 2 fields. • Curve Right down hill to open gates onto • Follow byway, after 500m CP4 the point to point course. • Cross the gallops to inside grass track and • follow byway to Ogbourne St. Andrew. follow right round the inside of the course to far corner. • Just before houses at end of the byway • Routes diverge. turn right on farm track. • Right, cross the point to point course on gravel track to gate (open). • Through farm yard (Crewing) • Cross road, through opposite gate (open). Turn right and follow road (Crewing) • Turn right through next field to gate • Left at barn at end of road then follow (open) then ride on the grass verges next track onto the Downs to barn at top. to all-weather horse walks turning left at bottom of slope towards the venue. (used • Turn right & follow track down to by racing trainer Alan King). junction of byways • Two-way section with green, orange and black routes as they leave the venue, • Turn left on old coach road (track), along follow track, with hedge on your right, side of gallops. At end of gallops turn along valley to end of hedge. right across the end of the gallops, • Turn right and cross grass gallops to far through bridle gate in corner. side, turn right and return to venue along • Down steep hill to bottom grass strip. RIDGEWAY BARBURY CASTLE: PR ROUTES 2015 • Continue around inside of the point to • Right and retrace your route through the point course to top corner, cross the course fields and gallops to return to VENUE. to gate on right (open). • Left up road to top of the hill. • Continue down last slope on the gallops to Right through hunting gate into Barbury finish/timekeeper. Castle Country Park, up steep hill and across the centre of the castle (prehistoric Venue CP2 CP4 venue earthworks). Through on other side of the 0 3 4.5 8.5 castle and then field (beware kite fliers!) 3 7.5 16 to gate into car park. • Keep to grass track on right hand side of START Yellow Route (31km) car park to gate at end (open). • Leave the venue south along the grass • On road turn right to CP2. gallops to end. Cross all-weather gallops • At CP2 Left through gate onto Smeath’s and byway then left onto grass gallops Ridge Where routes join. again to end. Through narrow gate into • Keep off gallops, but you may ride on the fields with grass strip. At end, cross road grass on right of the path, as the byway is to right (steward) to narrow gap in hedge. rutted in places. • Left on narrow track to end. • Follow Ridgeway Path down hill, through 4 gates, (please close all gates securely • Right up hill. rd • At top turn right. Keep off grass gallops after you - unless tied back). 3 gate has a Follow gravel track (verge), and at 5-bar gate and a hunting gate – the 5-bar gate is easier to open from horseback. junction take left fork up the hill to small th hunting gate on right into nature reserve • After 4 gate: (Sarsens Stones) and CP1. • Routes Diverge: • Across nature reserve to edge of woods. • Continue straight on to bottom of hill onto Turn left and follow round edge of wood. the road (Crewing in Ogbourne Manor At end of wood follow mowed track field 20m to the left only, crews must across the nature reserve into bottom of walk from there). valley, then up steep hill to gates. • At sharp left hand bend of the road go • Through gate on your right (closed - straight across to byway – Ridgeway Path. please close gate securely after you) into • Follow byway, after 500m CP4 fenced 6metre grass strip round edge of • Follow byway to Ogbourne St. Andrew. fields to hunting gate. Through gate. • Just before houses at end of the byway • Turn left, through gap in trees and turn right on farm track. between large Sarsen Stones. Turn right • Through farm yard (possible crewing on Ridgeway Path then immediately left here) into field to ride grass strip parallel to the • Turn right and follow road (good verges) Ridgeway Path. towards the Downs • At then end of the field rejoin the • Left at barn at end of road then follow Ridgeway Path and continue to Hackpen track onto the Downs to barn at top. Hill. Road Stewards. Take care on road • Turn right & follow track down to crossing and possible Crewing Area on junction of byways the stubble field on the right of the • Turn left on old coach road (track), along Ridgeway Path. side of gallops. At end of gallops turn • Continue on Ridgeway Path down hill. right across the end of the gallops, • Turn right first turning, onto rutted track through bridle gate in corner. (take care). • Down steep hill to bottom grass strip. • After steep downhill turn Left through • Right and retrace your route through the open hunting gate onto private grass track. fields and gallops to return to VENUE. • Follow hedge line on your left, doubling back next to the rutted track. • Continue down last slope on the gallops to • Follow right round edge of field parallel to finish/timekeeper. Ridgeway Path to end of 2 fields. • Note that the entrance to the vet gate hold • Curve Right down hill to open gates onto area is a right turn at the top of the slope, the point to point course. BEFORE the timekeeper. • Cross the gallops to inside grass track and follow right round the inside of the course Venue CP1 CP2 CP4 Finish to far corner, and possible Crewing Area 0 6 12 4.5 8.5 on the stubble field in the centre of the 6 18 22.5 31 course. • Routes diverge: