Ridgeway
Description
- Name Ridgeway
- Length of trail 137 km, 85 miles
- Length in days 7 days
- Traildino grading EW, Easy walk, nature trail
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.
Opinions

- Aaron Barnes August 2009
- Rate 7
- Positive One of the oldest continuously used routes in the world and has the history to boot. A trail of two very different halves, which really add to the experience. Start at the awe inspiring Avebury Ring and finish at the spectacular Ivinghoe Beacon. Delightful walk through the Chilterns - you will become very familiar with the Red Kite!
- Negative A lot of walking on by-ways early on with chalk underfoot. Many places quite badly rutted from off-roading, although traffic is now prohibited from most of these sections. Can be surprisingly hard work under foot when wet.
Map
Links
Facts
- Friends of the Ridgeway
The Friends of The Ridgeway is an Association of people committed to preserving The Ridgeway as an ancient greenway for quiet enjoyment by the public. Very good source, also for your background knowledge.
- Home - The Ridgeway - National Trails
National Trails Home Page
- Hikeview Ridgeway
Guide to planning a walk along the Ridgeway, including a standard breakdown with distance/walking time estimates. Includes a detailed map with the trail delineated in 2 mile segments
- The Ridgeway "Spring" trek in England - Team Sherpa Blog
Short impression.
- The Ridgeway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- The Ridgeway National Trail
Britain Express info page
- BBC - Wiltshire - Moonraking
BBC information web page
- The Ridgeway
Explanation of the ancient Ridgeway versus the modern one.
Reports
- Ridgeway National Trail
This is Annierak's fine picture series.
- The Ridgeway
Trip report with a set of good pictures.
- The Ridgeway National Trail
David Cotton gives you all the details in his account, but above all his writing unfolds a merry story.
Guides and maps
Lodging
Organisations
Tour operators
GPS
Other
Books
- Also available from:
- Stanfords, United Kingdom

United Kingdom
- Newbury, Wantage, Hungerford & Didcot OS Landranger Active Map 174 (waterproof)
- Newbury - Wantage area, including a section of the Ridgeway along the Lambourn Downs, on a waterproof and tear-resistant OS Active version of map No. 174 from the Ordnance Survey’s Landranger series at 1:50,000, with contoured and GPS compatible topographic mapping plus tourist information.MOBILE DOWNLOADS: As well as the physical edition of... Read more
- Also available from:
- Stanfords, United Kingdom
- De Zwerver, Netherlands

United Kingdom
- Newbury, Wantage, Hungerford & Didcot OS Landranger Map 174 (paper)
- Newbury - Wantage area, including a section of the Ridgeway along the Lambourn Downs, on a paper version of map No. 174 from the Ordnance Survey’s Landranger series at 1:50,000, with contoured and GPS compatible topographic mapping plus tourist information.MOBILE DOWNLOADS: As well as the physical edition of the map, each Landranger title now... Read more
- Also available from:
- Stanfords, United Kingdom
- De Zwerver, Netherlands

United Kingdom
- Swindon, Devizes, Marlborough & Trowbridge OS Landranger Map 173 (paper)
- Swindon - Devizes area, including the westernmost section of the Ridgeway and part of the Thames Path, on a paper version of map No. 173 from the Ordnance Survey’s Landranger series at 1:50,000, with contoured and GPS compatible topographic mapping plus tourist information.MOBILE DOWNLOADS: As well as the physical edition of the map, each... Read more

United Kingdom
2008
- Walking in the Thames Valley
- Walking in the Thames Valley describes 25 adventurous day walks in the area covering the North Hampshire Downs, Berkshire and the Southern Chilterns with easy access to London and Reading. The circular walks vary from 10 to 18 miles, including one two-day walk, as well as shorter route options for those who want a less strenuous day out. Read more
- Also available from:
- Stanfords, United Kingdom
- De Zwerver, Netherlands

United Kingdom
2008
- Thames Valley Walking (25 circular walks)
- Steve Davison Cicerone guide to Walking in the Thames Valley is a comprehensive exploration of walking opportunities in the countryside of the Upper Thames. The countryside that the Thames flows through includes the Southern Chilterns, Berkshire, Lambourn and North Hampshire Downs and Southern Oxfordshire, all within easy reach of Reading,... Read more

Netherlands
2008
- Wandelgids Walking in the Thames Valley | Cicerone
- Walking in the Thames Valley describes 25 adventurous day walks in the area covering the North Hampshire Downs, Berkshire and the Southern Chilterns with easy access to London and Reading. The circular walks vary from 10 to 18 miles, including one two-day walk, as well as shorter route options for those who want a less strenuous day out. Read more

United Kingdom
- Alone on the Ridgeway
- A Tale of Two Journeys Between Avebury and Ivinghoe Beacon Read more
- Also available from:
- Stanfords, United Kingdom

United Kingdom
- Aylesbury, Leighton Buzzard, Thame & Berkhamsted OS Landranger Active Map 165 (waterproof)
- Aylesbury, Leighton Buzzard and Thame area, including Chiltern Hills with part of the Ridgeway, on a waterproof and tear-resistant OS Active version of map No. 165 from the Ordnance Survey’s Landranger series at 1:50,000, with contoured and GPS compatible topographic mapping plus tourist information.MOBILE DOWNLOADS: As well as the physical... Read more
- Also available from:
- Stanfords, United Kingdom

United Kingdom
- The Ridgeway a Dog Walker`s Guide
- Here is a collection of 20 tried and tested circular walks ranging in length between 2.5 and 8.5 miles. They include crucial dog-walking factors such as livestock, stiles and roads, with warnings in advance when a lead is necessary and when it`s safe for your dog to run free. The routes pass by a number of quintessential English villages, many... Read more
- Also available from:
- Stanfords, United Kingdom

United Kingdom
- Swindon, Devizes, Marlborough & Trowbridge OS Landranger Active Map 173 (waterproof)
- Swindon - Devizes area, including the westernmost section of the Ridgeway and part of the Thames Path, on a waterproof and tear-resistant OS Active version of map No. 173 from the Ordnance Survey’s Landranger series at 1:50,000, with contoured and GPS compatible topographic mapping plus tourist information.MOBILE DOWNLOADS: As well as the... Read more

United Kingdom
- The Icknield Way Path: A Walkers` Guide
- The Icknield Way Path – 110 miles along the ‘oldest road in Britain’ linking the Ridgeway Path to the Peddars Way, following footpaths close to the ancient route and including a link into Thetford. Written walk directions are accompanied by sketch map extracts from Landranger OS maps customised with additional information, useful for walkers.... Read more

Netherlands
- UNEXPECTED
- From the peak of a mountain or the barrel of a wave, Patagonia has collected some of the most spectacular sports imagery in history. Relive the achievements captured in Patagonia's history, as well as the joie de vivre fostered by nurturing a relationship with the great outdoors. Unique for a business enterprise, Patagonia's catalog devotes... Read more
- Also available from:
- Bol.com, Belgium

Belgium
- UNEXPECTED
- From the peak of a mountain or the barrel of a wave, Patagonia has collected some of the most spectacular sports imagery in history. Relive the achievements captured in Patagonia's history, as well as the joie de vivre fostered by nurturing a relationship with the great outdoors. Unique for a business enterprise, Patagonia's catalog devotes... Read more

Netherlands
- Walk! Dorset
- There is a genuinely enduring patch of England that matches and improves on the bucolic cliches, a place where modern services collude with picturesque villages and unspoiled countryside to provide the perfect holiday destination, and where geology and history have conspired to fashion a landscape that can only properly be explored on foot.... Read more
- Also available from:
- Bol.com, Belgium

Belgium
- Walk! Dorset
- There is a genuinely enduring patch of England that matches and improves on the bucolic cliches, a place where modern services collude with picturesque villages and unspoiled countryside to provide the perfect holiday destination, and where geology and history have conspired to fashion a landscape that can only properly be explored on foot.... Read more

United Kingdom
2016
- Thames Valley & Chilterns 2016
- The Chilterns form part of the long line of chalk hills stretching intermittently across southern and eastern England. It is an area characterised by beech woods and dry valleys, and these natural features are explored in the routes. The Thames Valley is steeped in history, from Windsor Castle and Richmond Park to Runnymede Meadows, where the... Read more
- Also available from:
- Stanfords, United Kingdom
- Bol.com, Netherlands
- Bol.com, Belgium
- De Zwerver, Netherlands

United Kingdom
2016
- Thames Valley & Chilterns
- The Chilterns form part of the long line of chalk hills stretching intermittently across southern and eastern England. It is an area characterised by beech woods and dry valleys, and these natural features are explored in the routes. The Thames Valley is steeped in history, from Windsor Castle and Richmond Park to Runnymede Meadows, where the... Read more

Netherlands
2016
- Thames Valley & Chilterns
- The Chilterns form part of the long line of chalk hills stretching intermittently across southern and eastern England. It is an area characterised by beech woods and dry valleys, and these natural features are explored in the routes. The Thames Valley is steeped in history, from Windsor Castle and Richmond Park to Runnymede Meadows, where the... Read more

Belgium
2016
- Thames Valley & Chilterns
- The Chilterns form part of the long line of chalk hills stretching intermittently across southern and eastern England. It is an area characterised by beech woods and dry valleys, and these natural features are explored in the routes. The Thames Valley is steeped in history, from Windsor Castle and Richmond Park to Runnymede Meadows, where the... Read more

Netherlands
2016
- Wandelgids 25 Pathfinder Guides Thames Valley and Chilterns | Ordnance Survey
- The Chilterns form part of the long line of chalk hills stretching intermittently across southern and eastern England. It is an area characterised by beech woods and dry valleys, and these natural features are explored in the routes. The Thames Valley is steeped in history, from Windsor Castle and Richmond Park to Runnymede Meadows, where the... Read more

United Kingdom
2016
- The South West Coast Path
- National Trail From Minehead to South Haven Point Read more
- Also available from:
- Bol.com, Netherlands
- Bol.com, Belgium
- De Zwerver, Netherlands

Netherlands
2016
- The South West Coast Path
- The South West Coast Path National Trail (SWCP) measures a staggering 630 miles (1015km) from Minehead on the Somerset coast right round Devon and Cornwall to Poole in Dorset. The guidebook divides the route into 45 stages of between 12.5- 37.5km beginning and ending where amenities are available. No other stretch of coastline compares for... Read more

Belgium
2016
- The South West Coast Path
- The South West Coast Path National Trail (SWCP) measures a staggering 630 miles (1015km) from Minehead on the Somerset coast right round Devon and Cornwall to Poole in Dorset. The guidebook divides the route into 45 stages of between 12.5- 37.5km beginning and ending where amenities are available. No other stretch of coastline compares for... Read more

Netherlands
2016
- Wandelgids The South West Coast Path | Cicerone
- Guidebook to walking the entire South West Coast Path National Trail. The route runs for 630 miles from Minehead to Poole along the north Devon, Cornish, south Devon and Dorset coastline. Divided into 45 stages, this long-distance coastal trek could be completed within 4 weeks, or walked in sections. Guide includes maps and essential information. Read more

United Kingdom
- Wiltshire a Dog Walker's Guide
- The 20 circular routes have been carefully designed with maximum off-lead time and minimum exposure to roads. Each walk has information on the distance and terrain, livestock likely to be encountered, number and type of stiles en route and in an emergency, the nearest veterinary surgery. The walks include Barbury Castle, Ogbourne St George,... Read more
- Also available from:
- Stanfords, United Kingdom
- Bol.com, Netherlands
- Bol.com, Belgium

United Kingdom
- Wiltshire a Dog Walker`s Guide
- The 20 circular routes have been carefully designed with maximum off-lead time and minimum exposure to roads. Each walk has information on the distance and terrain, livestock likely to be encountered, number and type of stiles en route and in an emergency, the nearest veterinary surgery. The walks include Barbury Castle, Ogbourne St George,... Read more

Netherlands
- Wiltshire a Dog Walker's Guide
- The 20 circular routes have been carefully designed with maximum off-lead time and minimum exposure to roads. Each walk has information on the distance and terrain, livestock likely to be encountered, number and type of stiles en route and in an emergency, the nearest veterinary surgery. The walks include Barbury Castle, Ogbourne St George,... Read more

Belgium
- Wiltshire a Dog Walker's Guide
- The 20 circular routes have been carefully designed with maximum off-lead time and minimum exposure to roads. Each walk has information on the distance and terrain, livestock likely to be encountered, number and type of stiles en route and in an emergency, the nearest veterinary surgery. The walks include Barbury Castle, Ogbourne St George,... Read more
- Also available from:
- Bol.com, Netherlands
- Bol.com, Belgium
- De Zwerver, Netherlands

Netherlands
2016
- The Ridgeway
- The Ridgeway follows one of the oldest 'green roads' in Europe. It runs for 87 miles (140 km) from Overton Hill in the west, across the Marlborough Downs and the Vale of the White Horse, to Ivinghoe Beacon on the northern edge of the Chilterns. This is the complete, official guide for the long-distance walker or the weekend stroller. All you... Read more

Belgium
2016
- The Ridgeway
- The Ridgeway follows one of the oldest 'green roads' in Europe. It runs for 87 miles (140 km) from Overton Hill in the west, across the Marlborough Downs and the Vale of the White Horse, to Ivinghoe Beacon on the northern edge of the Chilterns. This is the complete, official guide for the long-distance walker or the weekend stroller. All you... Read more
Maps

United Kingdom
- Ridgeway XT40
- The Ridgway, a 139km / 87 mile national trail from Overton Hill in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire, presented at 1:40,000 on a light, waterproof and tear-resistant map from Harvey Map Services. The route is shown on six overlapping panels.Maps in the Harvey Read more
- Also available from:
- Stanfords, United Kingdom
- De Zwerver, Netherlands

United Kingdom
- Ridgeway Harvey National Trail XT40
- The Ridgway, a 139km / 87 mile national trail from Overton Hill in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire, presented at 1:40,000 on a light, waterproof and tear-resistant map from Harvey Map Services. The route is shown on six overlapping panels.Maps in the Harvey’s series covering Great Britain’s national trails and other... Read more

Netherlands
- Wandelkaart - Fietskaart Ridgeway | Harvey Maps
- The Ridgway, a 139km / 87 mile national trail from Overton Hill in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire, presented at 1:40,000 on a light, waterproof and tear-resistant map from Harvey Map Services. The route is shown on six overlapping panels.Maps in the Harvey Read more

United Kingdom
- Cycle Tours Around Oxford
- Oxford has long enjoyed a reputation as one of the most cycle-friendly cities in the country. This spiral-bound guide describes 20 wonderful bike rides in the countryside in a 30-mile radius around the city, exploring the delights of the Cotswolds, the Lambourn Downs and the Chilterns. The book contains 15 rides on networks of quiet lanes... Read more

United Kingdom
- Niagara Falls - Fort Erie - Niagara-on-the-Lake - Grand Island
- Double-sided, indexed street plan at 1:28,000 of Niagara Falls area on both sides of the Niagara River, in Canada and USA. Coverage extends north from Niagara Falls to Lake Ontario to include Niagara-on-the-Lake on the Canadian side plus Youngstown, Porter and Lewiston in USA. On the reverse coverage continues southwards to Lake Eire to cover... Read more

Netherlands
2017
- Thames Path Adventure Atlas
- The A-Z Adventure series features the accuracy and quality of Ordnance Survey`s Explorer mapping in a convenient book, therefore eliminating the need to fold and re-fold a large sheet map to the desired area. OS Explorer is Ordnance Survey`s most detailed mapping at a scale of 1:25 000 showing public rights of way, open access land, national... Read more
- Also available from:
- Bol.com, Belgium

Belgium
2017
- Thames Path Adventure Atlas
- The A-Z Adventure series features the accuracy and quality of Ordnance Survey`s Explorer mapping in a convenient book, therefore eliminating the need to fold and re-fold a large sheet map to the desired area. OS Explorer is Ordnance Survey`s most detailed mapping at a scale of 1:25 000 showing public rights of way, open access land, national... Read more