Follow Britain’s oldest road on the Ridgeway National Trail, a 139km (86 mile) journey from Avebury in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire. This ancient trackway winds along chalk ridges and open downs, passing Neolithic burial mounds, Iron Age hill forts and sweeping viewpoints across the North Wessex Downs and the Chilterns.

With gentle gradients and well-waymarked paths that rarely rise above 300m, the Ridgeway National Trail offers relatively easy, low-level walking suitable for all abilities. The route is presented in 12 manageable stages of 8–16km (plus a separate pull-out map booklet) and is described in both directions, allowing flexibility for shorter itineraries or a relaxed week-long traverse across southern England.

• Step-by-step stage-by-stage route descriptions for the Ridgeway National Trail between Avebury and Ivinghoe Beacon, presented in both directions and including detours to nearby prehistoric and historic sites such as Uffington White Horse and Wayland’s Smithy.
• Each stage features 1:50,000 OS mapping alongside detailed navigation notes, distance, terrain summary and estimated walking times, plus a separate pull-out 1:25,000 OS mapping booklet covering the entire Ridgeway National Trail.
• Comprehensive accommodation and refreshment listings for inns, B&Bs, pubs and village cafés, with public transport information for each stage to help plan flexible start and finish points.
• Historical and archaeological background on the Ridgeway National Trail, exploring its prehistoric origins, hill forts, ancient monuments and centuries of use as a trading and droving route.
• GPX files for the Ridgeway National Trail available for download, enabling straightforward navigation using GPS devices or smartphone mapping apps.
• A handy route summary table and facilities planner offering quick reference for daily distances, services and logistical details along the Ridgeway National Trail.

Plan your Ridgeway National Trail adventure with confidence and explore ancient landscapes, chalk hill panoramas and thousands of years of history with this comprehensive guidebook.

The Ridgeway National Trail - Quick Facts

Route: Ridgeway National Trail from Avebury in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire.
Distance: 139km (86 miles).
Duration: Typically 6–9 days, with options to extend or shorten stages.
Stages: 12 stages of 8–16km (5–10 miles), described in both directions.
Difficulty: Easy to moderate, low-level walking on well-waymarked tracks and paths.
Highest Point: Never exceeds 300m, following the crest of chalk downs.
Landscapes: North Wessex Downs and the Chilterns, with open ridges, woodlands and panoramic viewpoints.
Heritage: Prehistoric monuments, Neolithic burial mounds and Iron Age hill forts along the route.
Mapping: 1:50,000 OS maps in the guidebook plus a separate 1:25,000 OS mapping booklet.
Navigation: GPX files available to download for digital navigation.

Author Highlight

“The Ridgeway has been here for thousands of years, so take your time and enjoy the journey. Rest a while and listen; high above the skylarks sing, far off a church bell rings, the wind rustles through the trees, sweeping views stretch out over the rounded chalk hills with wide open skies. Imagine the travellers who have been this way before, where they were going and why. Whether you do one continuous walk, or prefer to spread the pleasure over weeks or years, you'll never forget your journey along the Ridgeway.”

- Steve Davison, author of The Ridgeway National Trail

Route summary table 
Stage facilities planner 
Route profile 

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 
Safety and emergencies 
Waymarking, access and rights of way 
Using this guide 
Maps and GPS 
Cycling and riding the Ridgeway 
The Ridgeway online 
The Great Chalk Way 
Protecting the countryside 

The Ridgeway 
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 

Appendix A Useful contact information 
Appendix B Accommodation table 
Appendix C Further reading 
 

Seasons

The Ridgeway can be undertaken at any time of the year, although between early spring and the end of autumn offers the chance of more settled weather and better walking conditions; parts can get muddy/slippery in winter. Spring and early summer are great for wild flowers, including carpets of bluebells, especially in the Chilterns; cooler autumn weather gives great autumn colour.

Centres

Avebury, Wantage, Streatley and Goring, Wallingford, Princes Risborough, Wendover

Difficulty

Fairly low level (not exceeding 300m) walking to suit most ages and abilities; no difficulties apart from some short steep uphill and downhill sections, can be muddy in winter, some road crossings and sections along quiet country roads and lanes that require extra care.

Must See

Make to time to explore Avebury – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – including the Neolithic stone circle and henge, West Kennet stone avenue and the West Kennet long barrow. Visit the remains of Iron Age hillforts such as those at Barbury and Liddington for commanding views. Wonder at the famous Uffington White Horse galloping over the downs and visit nearby Wayland’s Smithy Neolithic long barrow. Wander through the Chiltern beechwoods and admire the great views from Coombe Hill and Ivinghoe Beacon.

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