85 miles. 137 km.

National Trail

The Ridgeway is a trail on a high stretch of chalk hills East of London. From early times onwards men has used this route for travel. It was a reliable trading route, avoiding wet marshes in the lower areas. Traces of human presence have been found as far as 5.000 years back. Therefore, also this road has been called "Britains oldest road", just as many others claim this title (ref. Icknield Way Path).

For the modern traveller, you and me, taking the trouble to leave our safe hamlet is justified for two reasons. First, it is a beautiful walk among friendly and soft sloping fields and forest. Like all chalk downs in Britain, the grasslands are particularly rich in flowers, animal and insect life. Second, along the trail we will encounter many reminders of the past, those travellers from thousand years ago that took the same way, but for different reasons. Ours is a stroll out of the city, and great it is we stay in touch with our ancestors.