The Ridgeway
The Ridgeway is around 90 miles in length and connects Overton Hill near Avebury in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire. It is one of the most well-known of long-distance footpaths, and even to those who do not walk paths it conjures up romantic images of ancient trackways.
Accommodation
We have split accommodation into Hotels & Inns and Bed & Breakfast. We use the word Inn in its true sense of a pub which provides accommodation, rather than just a romantic name for a pub. Guest House accommodation is included with Bed & Breakfast. While we realise many guest houses are better than some hotels, in order to avoid confusion we have opted for the simpler option.
We are always looking to improve our information, and welcome accommodation recommendations.
Restaurants and Pubs
We have attempted to give as much information as possible, especially regarding pubs serving real ale and/or food. However, restaurants and pubs are notoriously changeable. Please let us know if our information is out of date.
Guidebooks & Maps
GUIDEBOOKS
We recommend buying both guidebooks listed below; both are excellent value, and one will supplement the other in terms of clarity, additional information, etc. The cost of the additional guidebook is very little compared to the cost of the walk, and will greatly add to the enjoyment of the walk.
The Ridgeway (2008 National Trail Guide)
By Anthony Burton
This guidebook includes the necessary portions of the Ordnance Survey `Explorer’ maps at 1:25,000 scale.
The Ridgeway: Avebury to Ivinghoe Beacon By Nick Hill
This guidebook includes 1:20,000 scale line-drawn maps of the path and detailed route description. There is also a wealth of additional information such as local history and services.
MAPS
Do not feel tempted to save money buying the 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey maps; they do not have anywhere near the same detail as the 1:25,000 scale maps, and do not show field boundaries.
As long as you do not stray too far from the path, the guidebooks mentioned above should suffice. However, many places villages and towns are 1¼ miles off the route, so if you feel safer with the Ordnance Survey maps, want to explore further from the path, or just love maps, here are the 1:25,000 `Explorer’ maps required:
OL157 Marlborough & Savernake Forest
OL170 Abingdon, Wantage & Vale of White Horse
OL171 Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames & Wallingford
OL181 Chiltern Hills North, Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham
Alternatively, there is the Harvey’s Ridgeway XT40 map:
Ridgeway TX40 (Route Maps) by Harvey Map Services Ltd
OTHER BOOKS
The Ridgeway National Trail Companion
by Jos Joslin, and Diane Cooper (Paperback - 21 Feb 2008)
BUYING THE GUIDEBOOKS AND MAPS
By clicking on the book or map images the available books, maps and other literature for the surrounding area will be displayed. All these can be bought online through us.
Ridgeway Websites
Official Ridgeway Website
www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ridgeway
The Friends of the Ridgeway
This is an `Association of people committed to preserving The Ridgeway as an ancient greenway for quiet enjoyment by the public.’
www.ridgewayfriends.org.uk
Start of Ridgeway
The official start of the Ridgeway is not in a town or village, but at the edge of a roadway: Ordnance Survey Map Reference: SU118680
Public Transport
Please refer to individual locations for transport facilities. Of special interest to those who would like to combine sections of the walk with other paths, there is a bus service which links all the locations from Liddington to Letcombe Regis.
Mileages and Services Table
NOTE: Figures after the `+' sign indicates miles off route
| LOCATION | CUMULATIVE |
FACILITIES |
|---|---|---|
| Marlborough | 6¾ Off | H,B&B,R,PH,CS,Bus |
| Avebury | 2 Off | H,B&B,R,PH,Bus |
| East Kennett | ¾ Off | B&B |
| West Overton | ¾ Off | PH |
| Overton Hill | - | Nothing! |
| Ogbourne St George | 9¼ + ½ | H,C,R,PH |
| Liddington | 16 + 1¼ | PH |
| Foxhill | 17 | PH(R),Bus |
| Bishopstone | 18¼ + 1 | Inn,B&B,R,PH,Bus |
| Ashbury | 20¼ + ¾ | H,R,PH,Bus |
| Woolstone | 22¼ + 1¼ | Inn,Bus |
| Kingston Lisle | 23½ + 1¼ | PH,Bus |
| Sparsholt Down | 24¼ + ½ | B&B,C,Bus(Sparsholt) |
| Sparsholt | 24¼ + 1½ | Inn,Bus |
| Letcombe Regis | 28¼ + 1½ | H,B&B,R,PH,Bus |
| Court Hill | 29 + ¾ | C (plus bunkhouse) |
| East Ilsley | 37¼ + 1½ | Inn,R,Bus |
| Compton | 38 + 1¼ | Inn,R,Bus |
| Aldworth | 40¾ + 1¼ | B&B,R,PH |
| Streatley | 43¾ | H,B&B,YHA,PH,Rail,Bus |
| Goring | 44 | H,B&B,R,PH,Rail,Bus |
| South Stoke | 45½ |
Inn,B&B |
| Wallingford | 49¼ + 1¼ | H,B&B,R,PH |
| Crowmarsh Gifford | 49¼ + ¾ | C,PH,Bus |
| 53¼ | B&B,PH | |
| Watlington | 58¾ + ¾ | Inn,B&B,C,R,PH,Bus |
| Lewknor | 61¼ + ½ | H,R,PH,Bus |
| Kingston Blount | 63 + ½ | Inn,B&B,R,Bus |
| Chinnor | 64½ + ¼ | B&B,R,PH,Bus,Rail(steam) |
| Princes Risborough | 69¾ + ¼ | H,B&B,R,PH,Train,Bus |
| Cadsden Road | 71 | Inn,R |
| Wendover | 76 | Inn,B&B,R,PH,Train,Bus |
| Wigginton | 82¼ |
Inn,B&B |
| Tring | 82¼ + 1 | H,B&B,R,PH,Train,Bus |
| Aldbury | 84¼ + ½ | Inn,PH,Train,Bus |
| Ivinghoe | 90¼ |
B&B,C,R,PH,Bus |
Legend
| B&B | Bed & Breakfast Accommodation |
| C | Camping |
| CS | Camping Shop |
| H | Hotel or Inn Accommodation |
| PH | Pub or Bar |
| R | Restaurant, Bar Meal or Tea Shop |
| YHA | Youth Hostel |
Contact us
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