Capture the Chiltern Hills

04/09/2024

‘Pathways’ - Image 22 of 25:
Chequers, Wendover, Buckinghamshire.
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Having worked in journalism for over 30 years, I am very aware of permissions required to photograph places as security sensitive as the British Prime Minister’s country retreat at Chequers.
This wasn’t to enter the grounds, but to photograph from a position on The Ridgeway National Trail. And although I can’t reveal my source, it was surprisingly straight forward.

01/09/2024

‘Pathways’ - Image 19 of 25:
Bledlow Cross Ancient Monument, Chinnor Hill, Oxfordshire, UK.

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Of all the locations I photographed, this was the hardest one to find. My first visit was a failed one, as I simply couldn’t locate it, but did on my second after further research and scrambling on a overgrown hillside - see my vlog:
https://youtu.be/vJHPSSap-3U?si=E7sbm2jt4WiDn_Mn

and only visible from the air, which I captured while thunder rumbled in the distance.

Bledlow Cross is a Greek cross of four equal limbs (9m x 4.5m) cut through turf into chalk at Chinnor Hill. The origin of this Ancient Monument is unclear; some believe it commemorates an undated battle of a West Saxon victory over Danes, as the common derivation of ‘Bled-Hlaw‘, meaning Bloody Hill, is Saxon. The victory led to the er****on of the trophy won by Elder Edward, King Alfred’s son and successor.

First described in 1827, the cross is smaller than its counterpart Whiteleaf Cross, which can be seen across the Risborough Gap, and is less well-maintained, with scrub and tree growth dominating.
The Friends of The Ridgeway
Ridgeway National Trail

31/08/2024

‘Pathways’ - Image 18 of 25:
Dismantled Railway, Chinnor, Oxfordshire, UK.

I photographed this location on a rare dry day at the start of 2024 - the rain has been a challenging aspect of completing this project - but it benefitted this shot as it gave the sodden path a silvery shine which worked well in black and white.

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The Watlington to Princes Risborough Railway, formed by a group of local landowners, opened to the public in 1872. The eight-mile route connected Watlington, Aston Rowant, Kingston Blount and Chinnor to the Great Western Railway (GWR) at Princes Risborough.

The Railway’s life was short-lived: following financial difficulties, the company sold it in 1883 to GWR for half the cost of construction and, with the advent of increased car and bus competition, it closed in 1957 following a review by British Railways.

Part of the line now forms a section of The Ridgeway National Trail and is enjoyed by horses, walkers and cyclists.

29/08/2024

‘Pathways’ - Image 16 of 25:
Tarmacked Ridgeway, Watlington, Oxfordshire, UK.

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The Ridgeway is Britain’s oldest road. Stretching 87miles from Overton Hill, Avebury to Ivinghoe Beacon, near Tring, it has been used by travellers, farmers and armies for over 5000 years.

‘Ridgeway’ is an Anglo-Saxon term referring to ancient tracks that run along the high ridges of hills. They are unpaved, relying simply on the hard ground to provide a suitable surface for travelling. But modern-day demands of industry mean that some sections are now tarmacked, including this one near Watlington Hill, Oxfordshire, which services the industrial estate at Lys Mill.
The Friends of The Ridgeway

28/08/2024

‘Pathways’ - Image 15 of 25:
Wallingford Castle, Oxfordshire, UK.

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Wallingford Castle was a major medieval player. Built around 1067 in the Anglo-Saxon town of Wallingford, Oxfordshire, it became one of the most powerful royal castles of the 12th and 13th centuries. The Castle survived multiple sieges during the Civil War years of The Anarchy, but fell into decline after it was abandoned by Henry VIII.

A Royalist stronghold, the Castle was refortified during the English Civil War (1642-1651) but eventually fell to Parliamentary forces following a long siege and was deliberately destroyed. Today, its limited remains are open to the public.
The Friends of The Ridgeway

26/08/2024

‘Pathways’ - Image 13 of 25:
Goring Gap, Goring-on-Thames, Berkshire/Oxfordshire border, UK.

If you like the images I am sharing and care about the future prosperity of Britain’s oldest road, you can order a copy of this collection in book form ONLY by pre-ordering via the link below 👇👇👇👇

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattwrittleks/pathways-a-photographic-journey-of-human-connectivity

*With only 9 days to go, I still need to raise 27% (£1000) to ensure the publication of this important tangible and visual legacy of this living heritage - Your support is crucial!*

Goring Gap is a dramatic geological pathway formed by glacial advance during the last Ice Age. It forms an intersection of three ancient trading routes: the River Thames, The Ridgeway and Icknield Way and, in more recent times, the Great Western Railway (GWR) which links London to West and South West England and Wales.

However, the electrification of GWR has negatively impacted the landscape between Chilterns and the North Wessex Downs. The Network Rail ‘Mend the Gap’ programme is working with landowners and communities to help to heal and soften these environmental scars.

24/08/2024

‘Pathways’ - Image 11 of 25:
Horse Racing Gallops, Hughie Morrison Racing, East Ilsley, Berkshire, UK.

*Please support now - link in bio*
(72% raised - 12 days to go - pay NOTHING unless campaign’s successful)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattwrittleks/pathways-a-photographic-journey-of-human-connectivity

Horses are a significant characteristic of the Ridgeway National Trail. The enduring sight of the chalk horses at Hackpen Hill and Uffington are symbolic of an admiration dating back thousands of years. The domestication of horses is believed to have begun in the Bronze Age; and the Romans are credited with introducing racing.

The North Wessex Downs is home to about 10% of Britain’s racehorse trainers. Lambourn is dubbed ‘The Valley of The Racehorse’. The springy, free-draining chalk turf provides the perfect conditions for training thoroughbreds on the many gallops that lineate the landscape.
The Friends of The Ridgeway Ridgeway National Trail

21/08/2024

‘Pathways’ - Image 8 of 25:
Integrated Pest Management, East Hendred Farm Estate, Wantage, Oxfordshire.
*Pre-order book now - 66% raised - 14 days to go*

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattwrittleks/pathways-a-photographic-journey-of-human-connectivity

Agricultural farming is under growing pressure, due to climate change, to operate in an organic and carbon-free environment. With the reduction of pesticide use, farmers are having to create new and innovative practices to manage demand and produce greater yields.

Julian Gold, manager of the East Hendred Estate in Oxfordshire, has incorporated Integrated Pest Management by introducing wildflower strips inside crop fields and within its boundaries, thus creating shorter distances for predatory bugs to remove pests. He is now seeing higher yields, and beneficial wildlife is returning to the area.

“Natural eco-systems are factory premises, and if we don’t maintain them, the production line will fail.”
The Friends of The Ridgeway

20/08/2024

‘Pathways’ - Image 7 of 25:
Strip Lynchets, Bishopstone, Wiltshire.

(64% raised - 15 days to go - pay NOTHING unless campaign’s successful)
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattwrittleks/pathways-a-photographic-journey-of-human-connectivity

In medieval times, farming in southern England would have looked very different to today. In the medieval open field system, fields were ploughed in strips, resulting in peaks and troughs to form strip lynchets. These linear earthworks consist of a series of parallel, stepped terraces on the slopes of hills. The word ‘lynchet’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon hlinc, meaning a ridge.

Modern farming practices have eroded many of these, but one of the most impressive examples is situated close to the Ridgeway National Trail, at the upper end of a dry valley that runs down to the village of Bishopstone, Wiltshire.
The The Friends of The Ridgeway

19/08/2024

‘Pathways’ - Image 6 of 25:
Barbury Castle, Wroughton, Wiltshire.

*Pre-order book now - 60% raised - 16 days to go*
(No money leaves account unless campaign is soccessful)
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattwrittleks/pathways-a-photographic-journey-of-human-connectivity

Barbury Castle is a scheduled hillfort first occupied some 2,500 years ago. It is one of several hillforts along the ancient Ridgeway route and commands views across to the Cotswolds and the River Severn.

This vantage point created a haven for local villagers fleeing warring tribes, military garrisons for Romans, Saxons and, most recently, for US Army Air Force anti-aircraft guns in World War 2. During this time, troops uncovered archaeological remains of Early and Middle Iron Age tools, weapons and vehicle fittings, Roman-era metalwork and possible Saxon burials, contributing much to what we know of the Barbury Castle's history.
The Friends of The Ridgeway

09/08/2024

Pathways - A Photographic Journey Along Britain's Oldest Road.

Image 2 of 25: Silbury HIll, Avebury World Heritage Site, Wiltshire, UK. © Matt Writtle 2024

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattwrittleks/pathways-a-photographic-journey-of-human-connectivity

After 3 days of the campaign we have managed to raise 31% of the total required to print the book through pre-sale orders, but there is still a way to go.

Please support using the link above to help create a lasting visual legacy of this dramatic landscape and maintain its conservation and preservation so future generations can continue to learn the lessons of history, appreciate its unique geography and be inspired to strive for its future prosperity.

Thanks, Matt.

06/08/2024

I am very excited to announce that today, I launch a Kickstarter campaign to publish my 4th photobook ‘Pathways’ a photographic journey exploring Britain's oldest road.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattwrittleks/pathways-a-photographic-journey-of-human-connectivity

Your support is key to providing a lasting visual legacy of this living heritage and key component of human connectivity.

“Paths are story lines. They bear witness to the deep time tales of geology, the twisting saga of ecologies and the soap operas of human endeavour.”
- Mary-Ann Ochtoa (Broadcaster and Patron of The Ridgeway National Trail)

The book contains 25 ground and aerial black and white photographs and a foreword by Mary-Ann Ochtoa. They form part of an Arts Council England funded outdoor exhibition ‘Ridgeway 50 Photos’, currently being installed along the 87-mile route of the trail, which document the past, present and future legacy of The Ridgeway National Trail as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

However, for those unable to experience the entire exhibition, a book provides a tangible medium for people to access the images in one place and a permanent home for posterity.

By creating a visual legacy of Britain's oldest road, I hope to highlight the importance of this dramatic landscape and maintain its conservation and preservation so future generations can continue to learn the lessons of history, appreciate its unique geography and be inspired to strive for its future prosperity.

I thank you for your time and support. Best wishes, Matt.

A photobook exploring Britain's historic Ridgeway trade route and how pathways are key to human connectivity and survival