The Ridgeway National Trail

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Guidebook to the Ridgeway National Trail, an 87 mile (139km) route through the south of England from Avebury in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire. Accompanied by a pull-out 1:25K mapping booklet, this guidebook details the trail in both directions and features information on historic sites and facilities along the way.

Cicerone says:

A guidebook to walking the Ridgeway National Trail between Avebury in Wiltshire and Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire. Covering 139km (87 miles), this mostly low-level route is suitable for all abilities and takes 6 to 9 days to hike.

The route is described in both directions and in 12 stages, ranging from 8 to 16 km (5–10 miles) in length. Detours and diversions are included to historic and archaeological sites close to the Trail.

• Contains step-by-step description of the route alongside 1:50,000 OS maps
• Includes a separate map booklet containing OS 1:25,000 mapping and route line
• Handy route summary table and trek planner help you plan your itinerary
• Packed with historical information, as well as detail maps showing nearby historic and archaeological sites
• Details of refreshments, accommodation and public transport given for each route stage

Our Verdict

For nearly 50 years Cicerone have been producing guidebooks on recognised treks, regions, areas and general tips for hikers.

We have used them countless times and they’ve always provided excellent insight and knowledge that you only get through experience, giving you the edge to make your trip a success and more enjoyable too.

If you’re a gram counter you can easily remove sections of the book to take with you making your own ultra-lightweight guidebook with only the essential sections that you require.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• Seasons: Can be undertaken at any time of the year, although the weather and ground conditions are better from spring through to the end of autumn (from colourful displays of flowers in spring to the dramatic tree colours of autumn); a frosty or snowy day on the Ridgeway can be magical – but daylight hours are shorter
• Centres: Avebury, Swindon, Marlborough, Wantage, Streatley, Goring, Wallingford, Watlington, Chinnor, Princes Risborough, Wendover and Tring
• Difficulty: A fairly low-level (never going above 300m) waymarked walk that follows mostly good tracks and paths, suitable for all abilities
• Must See: Two contrasting AONBs: the wide open, chalky North Wessex Downs and the more wooded, intimate landscape of the Chilterns; the stone circle at Avebury to Wayland’s Smithy Neolithic burial mound and the Uffington White Horse; great views, short excursions to picturesque towns and villages

Specifications

• Edition: Second
• Number of pages: 208
• Size: 17.2 x 11.6 x 1.2cm
• Weighs 310g

Contents

• Introduction
  
• Plants and wildlife
  
• Geology
  
• History
  
• Scenery
  
• When to walk
  
• Planning your walk
  
• Getting to and from the Ridgeway
  
• Where to stay
  
• Food and drink
  
• Communications and money matters
  
• What to pack
  
• Health, safety and emergencies
  
• Waymarking, access and rights of way
  
• Using this guide
  
• Maps
  
• Cycling and riding the Ridgeway
  
• The Ridgeway online
  
• The Greater Ridgeway
  
• The Countryside Code
  
• The Ridgeway (West to East)
  
• Stage 1 Overton Hill (Avebury) to Ogbourne St George
  
• Stage 2 Ogbourne St George to Ashbury Folly
  
• Stage 3 Ashbury Folly to the A338 (Wantage/Court Hill Centre)
  
• Stage 4 A338 (Wantage/Court Hill Centre) to Bury Down
  
• Stage 5 Bury Down to Streatley
  
• Stage 6 Streatley to Mongewell Park
  
• Stage 7 Mongewell Park to Watlington
  
• Stage 8 Watlington to Chinnor
  
• Stage 9 Chinnor to Princes Risborough
  
• Stage 10 Princes Risborough to Wendover
  
• Stage 11 Wendover to Wigginton
  
• Stage 12 Wigginton to Ivinghoe Beacon
  
• The Ridgeway (East to West)
  
• Stage 1 Ivinghoe Beacon to Wigginton
  
• Stage 2 Wigginton to Wendover
  
• Stage 3 Wendover to Princes Risborough
  
• Stage 4 Princes Risborough to Chinnor
  
• Stage 5 Chinnor to Watlington
  
• Stage 6 Watlington to Mongewell Park
  
• Stage 7 Mongewell Park to Streatley
  
• Stage 8 Streatley to Bury Down
  
• Stage 9 Bury Down to the A338 (Wantage/Court Hill Centre)
  
• Stage 10 A338 (Wantage/Court Hill Centre) to Ashbury Folly
  
• Stage 11 Ashbury Folly to Ogbourne St George
  
• Stage 12 Ogbourne St George to Overton Hill (Avebury)
• Appendix A Useful contact information
  
• Appendix B Accommodation near to the Ridgeway
  
• Appendix C Further reading