Fiction:The Living Ancients

The Ridgeway is an ancient heritage site in the heart of the English countryside. An ancient road spanning across the Thames Valley that has been travelled for thousands of years. It is a place of wonder and mysticism with ancient secrets. Some were purely fiction whiel others were more true than epopel realised.

The Hiker's Story
From the recovered journal of Arthur Jackson, c.1872 A.D.

''I was a simple butcher's assistant, working for Greg Dykes in quiet Warick. I rememebr one day on the eve of the eighteenth of September, a lovely lady walked into the shop. She asked for three pounds of sausages. I remember seeing the pretty smile on her pinched face when I packaged her order, I looked up to becoem enchanted in her fiery, curled red hair that descended like a flame to her shoulders. She wore the most beautiful velvet dress and I knew she wasn't for me, I was a butcher's lad. It was clear she worked for Mr. Darby, the gentlemen who's estate sat on the hill to the north.''

''Over the next few days she would come and buy meat, saying she loved the recipe that Mr. Dykes used to make them "'tis a secret ma'am" I told her and she giggled softly. I never felt liek this around a woman before. It was like fairies fluttered into my heart and touched it with their gentle wings. I couldn't stop thinking about her and I was lucky enough to meet her that Sunday at the church. She wore that velvet dress again. I asked her if she was seeing anyone and she softly replied "no I don't, why". The fairies came back, I couldn't speak but I uttered some words to her. I felt like an idiot the way I said them. "Would you like to join me for a walk nexxt week?". She said yes, I could not feel any happier. I introduced myself and she called herself Clarence, oh what a lovely name.''

''That Tuesday a gentleman walked into our shop. A portly fellow with long hair and a rather large moustache. he ordered twelve pounds fo dried beef and said he was going for a trip in the coming days. I asked him where he was going and he replied "I'm conducting some mineral studies at the Ridgeway near Uffington." I asked him if I could perhaps join him. Call me boring but rocks did fascinate me, some fo them had rather ncie patterns in them. He agreed me and said I could bring a friend, the mroe the merrier. I plan to take Clarence with me, she was due to visit the shop tomorrow and I can ask her then.''

''I had spent some good money on hiking geak, I've never been to Ufflington and doctor Bodreaux, the bloke who visited the shop, waited at the platform. We would take a train and then a carriage Uffington and then travelled int othe hillside. Bodreaux was wearing a rather dapper longcoat since it was rather chilyl that day. I was lucky Clarence also had an interet in the cuntryise, she had that look on her face where you could only look and admire in awe at the English Landscape. As we hiked up the hill Bodreaux toko a rather sturdy pick and chipped away at the rocks. I ahd to grab him as the ground nearly gave way. We looked down to see that he had unearthed the entrance to a cave. Luckily he had packed a few oil lamps and we decided to delve into the cave. it was quite exiting but Clarence was not so sure. I gave her a cuddle and thatseemed to make her feel better. I knew she was the one''