The Ridgeway Hike

The Ridgeway is Britain’s oldest road. The line of the 87-mile National Trail from Overton Hill in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire has been walked for at least 5,000 years — an Iron Age and Neolithic trade route that ran along the chalk ridge to keep walkers out of the wooded, wet valleys below. Hill forts, long barrows and white horses dot the route.

What to expect

A week of broad, open chalk-track walking. Daily distances are 12-15 miles with very modest ascent — the route stays high on the ridge for most of its length, so the views west across the Vale of the White Horse and east across the Chilterns are constant. Avebury, Uffington White Horse, Wayland’s Smithy, Barbury Castle and Ivinghoe Beacon are the headline historical stops.

Practical notes

April through October is the practical season; the chalk and flint underfoot are best when dry. Accommodation is spread out — some sections need a 1-2 mile diversion off the ridge to reach a village pub. Carry water in summer; the high path crosses few streams. The first half (Wiltshire/Berkshire) is more remote; the Chilterns half has more facilities. Most walkers go west to east to keep the prevailing weather behind them.