Ridgeway weather

A walker on The Ridgeway very soon becomes aware how exposed he can be to the changeable English weather, and learns that The Ridgeway has its own particular weather features that can strongly affect his walking experience, both for good and for the contrary!

As its name implies, The Ridgeway follows the high chalk escarpments of the Chilterns and then of the high Lambourn Downs, open to the northern scarp overlooking the Vale of White Horse, and, further south, from the Marlborough Downs north-westwards over the Lower Chalk towards the upper Thames Valley.  These elevations and the formation of the land have a significant effect on weather patterns.  Click here for a background note on the Weather of The Ridgeway by the Royal Meteorological Society, and for a link to them.  The RMetS Chief Executive, Prof Paul Hardaker, writes a great weather blog; read it at www.rmets.blogspot.com.

The Ridgeway must be one of the best places in Southern England for connoisseurs of cloud formations, as they build up over the downs and over the Cotswolds to the north of the Vale. Aficionados will feed their addiction by visiting www.cloudappreciationsociety.org.

The wind is a feature that soon impresses itself upon the walker, particularly along the high and largely treeless downs to the west of the Thames.  Here the wind has free space to build up its strength, and the prevailing westerlies, often bearing rain, sweep across the tops of the downs and along the length of the open trail.  It is for this reason that many prefer to walk The Ridgeway from west to east, although many hardy souls prefer the wind in their face and the different views and experience of walking westwards towards Avebury.

Whichever direction you choose, and whatever the season, suitable clothing is essential; and don’t forget a hat! In the summer, the downs can be refreshingly cool, but the sunshine can be a real problem.  Don’t forget the lotion and cover up exposed skin.  The route along the escarpment is remote from the villages and their facilities at the foot of the slope.  It is essential to carry water and to avoid dehydration.

Walkers will want to get up-to-date information on the weather to be expected along the route.  Detailed forecasts can be obtained from the BBC Weather Centre at www.bbc.co.uk/news/weather, from the Meteorological Office (www.metoffice.gov.uk), and also from Metcheck (www.metcheck.com), uk.weather.com  and many others.  For really local and specific information in Wiltshire, with live and recent weather history, however, try http://www.legresley.me.uk/weather/foxrow.htm.  

Clouds over the Vale, copyright Jenny Goddard