{"id":"6984793f533dbb4b731187ae","title":"Walk 481 Wallingford North And South Stoke And Grim S Ditch","path":"walks/scrapbook/by-year/2021/volume-38-oct-to-dec-2021/walk-481-wallingford-north-and-south-stoke-and-grim-s-ditch","contentMarkdown":"# 🥾 Walk 481 - Wallingford, North and South Stoke, and Grim's Ditch\n\nOn Saturday 16th October, four ramblers left the historic market town of Wallingford via the medieval road bridge across the River Thames, and proceeded south to join the Ridgeway, heading east along Grim's Ditch (a hardly noticeable earthwork). Along the way, our path took us between along a wooded section with a variety of autumn berries hanging from the trees. We noticed several waymarkers attached to the trees, which we later discovered were to guide runners participating in the Goring Centurion, a 100 mile running event.\n\n![Four Ramblers.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume38/images/four_ramblers.jpg)\n\nWe latterly saw several runners and offered words of encouragement and expressed our admiration for their fitness levels and determination. As we walked along the Ridgeway, we noticed a large field of purple flowers which we didn't recognise. We discussed whether it might be to appeal to pollinators but discounted the idea on the grounds that an apiary wouldn't need such a large field of flowers! It turns out the flowers are Phacelia tanacetifolia, a purple flower grown to provide ground cover over winter, which is then ploughed into the soil to provide organic matter and nutrients prior to planting a new crop in spring. It is also appealing to pollinators such as bees and butterflies.\n\n![Icknield Way.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume38/images/icknield_way.jpg)\n\nAt the junction with the Icknield Way, we headed south, taking us through beautiful open Chiltern fields with pheasants and red kites flying above us. Much of the landscape had been ploughed, providing an array of lovely colours and textures. We then proceeded to walk up a short, steep section which took us to a local high point, from where we could see several paragliders enjoying the blue skies and far reaching views. We descended to the picturesque village of South Stoke, ate lunch in the recreation ground and had a drink in the 17th century Perch and Pike pub. Feeling refreshed, we proceeded through the village, admiring the wonderful variety of cottages with thatched roofs, timber beams and/or flintstone walls with pretty gardens. We joined the River Thames path opposite Moulsford and made our way back to Wallingford via North Stoke with its historic church and more beautiful cottages and accompanying gardens with attractive displays of dahlias.\n\n![A fine display of dahlias.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume38/images/cottage_dahlias.jpg)\n\n*Thank you to Alexandra from leading this walk, for writing it up and providing the photos.*\n\n## 📸 Back to Volume 38\n\nReturn to volume index","contentHtml":"

🥾 Walk 481 - Wallingford, North and South Stoke, and Grim's Ditch

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On Saturday 16th October, four ramblers left the historic market town of Wallingford via the medieval road bridge across the River Thames, and proceeded south to join the Ridgeway, heading east along Grim's Ditch (a hardly noticeable earthwork). Along the way, our path took us between along a wooded section with a variety of autumn berries hanging from the trees. We noticed several waymarkers attached to the trees, which we later discovered were to guide runners participating in the Goring Centurion, a 100 mile running event.

\n

\"Four

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We latterly saw several runners and offered words of encouragement and expressed our admiration for their fitness levels and determination. As we walked along the Ridgeway, we noticed a large field of purple flowers which we didn't recognise. We discussed whether it might be to appeal to pollinators but discounted the idea on the grounds that an apiary wouldn't need such a large field of flowers! It turns out the flowers are Phacelia tanacetifolia, a purple flower grown to provide ground cover over winter, which is then ploughed into the soil to provide organic matter and nutrients prior to planting a new crop in spring. It is also appealing to pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

\n

\"Icknield

\n

At the junction with the Icknield Way, we headed south, taking us through beautiful open Chiltern fields with pheasants and red kites flying above us. Much of the landscape had been ploughed, providing an array of lovely colours and textures. We then proceeded to walk up a short, steep section which took us to a local high point, from where we could see several paragliders enjoying the blue skies and far reaching views. We descended to the picturesque village of South Stoke, ate lunch in the recreation ground and had a drink in the 17th century Perch and Pike pub. Feeling refreshed, we proceeded through the village, admiring the wonderful variety of cottages with thatched roofs, timber beams and/or flintstone walls with pretty gardens. We joined the River Thames path opposite Moulsford and made our way back to Wallingford via North Stoke with its historic church and more beautiful cottages and accompanying gardens with attractive displays of dahlias.

\n

\"A

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Thank you to Alexandra from leading this walk, for writing it up and providing the photos.

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📸 Back to Volume 38

\n

Return to volume index

\n"}