Discover the ancient landscapes and rich heritage of southern England on the Ridgeway National Trail. Stretching 139km (87 miles) from Avebury in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire, this historic trail follows chalk ridges, rolling downland, and wooded valleys along Britain’s oldest road.

The Ridgeway National Trail is a mostly low-level route, suitable for all abilities, that takes 6 to 9 days to hike. This map book provides all the mapping you need to walk the Ridgeway National Trail:

• Features 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey (OS) mapping, showing the full route line with clarity and precision.
• Covers the trail in both directions, from Avebury to Ivinghoe Beacon or vice versa, presented in 12 stages.
• Includes detours and diversions to nearby historic and archaeological sites, from Neolithic burial mounds to Iron Age hill forts.
• Compact and portable design, sized to fit easily in a jacket pocket or daypack.
• An accompanying Cicerone guidebook, Walking The Ridgeway, is also available and includes a copy of this map booklet.
• Extracts from the OS Explorer map legend are provided for easy reference while on the trail.

Whether you are exploring ancient trackways, enjoying scenic chalk downs, or planning a week-long walking adventure, this map booklet ensures you can navigate the Ridgeway National Trail with confidence and ease.

The Ridgeway Trail Map - Quick Facts

Trail name: Ridgeway National Trail
Location: Wiltshire and Buckinghamshire, southern England
Designation: National Trail, long-distance walking route
Distance: 139km / 87 miles
Typical duration: 6–9 days
Start: Avebury, Wiltshire
End: Ivinghoe Beacon, Buckinghamshire
Route format: Linear long-distance trail, walkable in either direction
Mapping: 1:25,000 OS maps showing full route and detours
Terrain: Rolling downland, chalk ridges, wooded valleys
Difficulty: Easy to moderate – suitable for walkers of all abilities
Key features: Historic trackways, Neolithic burial mounds, Iron Age hill forts
Accommodation: Villages, inns, B&Bs along the trail

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

Key to map pages

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

Extract from OS Explorer map legend

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 National landscapes: 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

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