So I finally decided to chase down that giant chalk horse carving in Oxfordshire last weekend. Loaded my hiking boots and thermos before sunrise because I heard parking gets nasty by mid-morning.
The Carpark Confusion
Drove straight to the National Trust lot off Woolstone Road only to find it full by 8:30am. Ended up squeezing into some muddy roadside spot a farmer was charging £5 cash for. Pro tip: get there before 8am or bring exact change!
Trudging Up Dragon Hill
Followed the footpath signs past grazing sheep for about 20 minutes. The climb got steep quick – my coffee thermos started feeling like a dumb idea. Halfway up, this couple coming down warned me: “Mate, the fog eats the horse whole sometimes.”
The Money Shot Spot
Got to the plateau ridge near Dragon Hill around 10am. Sun burned off the fog just as I arrived. That view slap – pure magic. The horse actually looks alive from above! Snap-happy tourists were doing all sorts:
- Dudes lying flat on tummies for aerial selfies
- Grandmas setting up collapsible stools to sketch
- Some German bloke flying a drone until park ranger shut it down
Uffington Castle Bonus
Hiked another 15 minutes northwest to the Iron Age hill fort. Even better perspective! You see how the horse curves with the slope while eating your sandwiches. Wind nearly stole my cheese roll though.
By noon the crowds looked like Glastonbury Festival. My legs felt like jelly walking back, but watching that 3000-year-old horse fade in the rearview? Worth every aching muscle. Ancient Britons knew how to pick a canvas!
