title A Postcard from Marlborough and a Walk on the Herepath, Avebury, Wiltshire - 8th April 2024 intro Isobel's visiting her friend Jules, who is over from Brussels for a few weeks to work on the Walled Garden project near Marlborough in Wiltshire. Marlborough - which is on the old coaching route between London and Bath - was also on an old family route between Sandbach and Christchurch, so was passed through a few times each year when visiting the grandparents on the south coast, with an occasional stop at the legendary Polly Tea Rooms. That was the 1970s though, so Nosher decides to tag a long to visit for the first time in some 45 years. We're staying in the Premier Inn, which is good because it's super-cheap and is only about 15 minutes' walk from the middle of town, and the town still has quite a few of its pubs left. On the first night, we meet up at the Marlborough Hotel, where Jules and Mark are staying, but the kitchen closes really early and wine is a ludicrous £10.50 a glass, so we head into town and end up at ASK Italian for a pleasant evening of pizza and pasta. The next day, Nosher sets off on a six-and-a-half mile hike along the ninth-century Herepath/Wessex Ridgeway across the Marlborough Downs to Avebury, where Isobel and the rest of the gang are waiting at the Red Lion pub. Finally, after a night at the Green Dragon, there's a bit of time to explore St. Peter's church whilst the others are in Coffi Lab - the dog-friendly café at the other end of the High Street. imgp1137 Harry and Isobel in M&S at Gridserve imgp1138 Harry comes back to the car imgp1141 Harry looks longingly at doughnuts at Reading West imgp1143 We're waiting for a charge at Reading Services imgp1147 Isobel and Harry wander back to the car imgp1149 We explore Jules and Mark's "garden" imgp1152 Harry holds a bit of tree out of the way imgp1156 We're exploring down in the ravine imgp1162 Elliot swings Luna around on a branch imgp1164 Luna trots around with a big stick imgp1175 Luna, Elliot and Harry down in the ravine imgp1178 Harry picks up a big stick for the dog imgp1183 On the narrow path up from the ravine imgp1185 A jumble of three-phase wiring imgp1188 The former walled-garden sheds are being converted imgp1190 We're in the long stripey corridor to our room imgp1191 Harry hugs the big bolster on his bed imgp1194 The Marlborough Premier Inn imgp1195 A first look at Marlborough, on Salisbury Road imgp1198 We cut through The Parade on the way to town imgp1200 The legendary Polly Tea Rooms imgp1201 A K6 phone box on High Street imgp1204 We have a drink with Jules in the Marlborough Hotel imgp1209 We go to look for food, as the kitchen is closed imgp1210 The bar of the Marlborough Hotel imgp1211 The Wellington Arms - one of many pubs in town imgp1212 We look for dinner on High Street imgp1217 Jules scopes out the menu in ASK Italian imgp1218 Harry pretends to be sad imgp1221 Isobel pours some wine out imgp1222 Time for pizza and pasta in ASK Italian imgp1227 The retaurant has emptied out at the end of the night imgp1231 We're back out on the High Street imgp1236 Harry butters some toast next morning imgp1240 Marlborough's town hall imgp1243 We meet with the others in Coffi Lab dog café imgp1247 The second-widest street in Europe, apparently imgp1251 A view of the Marlborough Downs imgp1253 Free's Avenue heads off to Rockley imgp1264 Manton Circle - a stone circle off the Herepath imgp1271 A stand of tall trees near Herepath imgp1274 A field is rolled imgp1278 Near Overton Down on the Wessex Ridgeway imgp1279 A cyclist stops to check the map imgp1284 The Wessex Ridgeway, or Herepath imgp1286 Piles of rocks and hawthorn bushes imgp1288 The Valley of Stones imgp1290 Windswept trees on a hill imgp1295 Some of the signs are almost indecipherable imgp1298 A rutted path leads down into Avebury imgp1302 The ditch and dyke around Avebury stone circle imgp1304 The edge of Avebury, on Herepath imgp1305 Avebury standing stones imgp1307 More standing stones are inspected imgp1309 Final destination: the Red Lion pub imgp1310 Isobel, Harry and the others are already there imgp1311 Kai and Elliot play Harry's noughts-and-crosses imgp1314 We have some lunch in the Red Lion imgp1319 Hanging around outside the Keiller Room imgp1320 A couple of tourist shops in Avebury imgp1322 The Avebury stone circle imgp1325 Harry's got a deer antler in the museum imgp1326 The walled garden of Avebury Manor imgp1327 Avebury Manor, which was closed again imgp1330 More of the stone circle imgp1335 Silbury Hill is spotted as we drive back imgp1336 Harry's on his tablet, in bed imgp1337 An almost-derelict building in Marlborough imgp1340 Isobel gets the beers in in the Green Dragon imgp1343 It's time to read more menus imgp1344 A timbered snug in the Green Dragon imgp1346 A nice sunset over Marlborough's High Street imgp1349 Our pub for the night: the Green Dragon imgp1354 Isobel and Harry on High Street at night imgp1356 We've packed up and are checking out imgp1358 Harry in the lift imgp1359 We leave the Marlborough Premier Inn imgp1365 It's been raining on High Street imgp1366 Inside St. Peter's church imgp1369 St. Peter's church is now a music venue imgp1370 Impressive Victorian stained glass imgp1373 A view of St. Peter's church in Marlborough imgp1375 One of Marlborough's many former coaching arches imgp1388 We're back at Reading Services for a car charge imgp1389 Harry waves chopsticks around at Reading East imgp1392 Another electric charging stop at Reading imgp1396 Harry does a 3D Octonauts game at Gridserve, Braintree