WHAT IS IT? The Ridgeway National Trail takes you on an 87-mile, week-long journey through 5,000 The Ridgeway years of history. WHERE IS IT? National Trail In southern England, the route starts at Overton Hill near Avebury and meanders north-eastwards to finish at Ivinghoe Guidebook author Steve Davison leads the Beacon. Mind you, it’s just as interesting way along this ancient route past historic sites, walking the trail the other way round. picturesque villages and fab views WHAT’S THE AttrACTION? The Ridgeway National Trail takes you on a journey through a landscape steeped in history, following trackways that have been used for thousands of years. Extraordinary sights our ancestors have left us include the Uffington White Horse, the magical ancient burial mound known as Wayland’s Smithy, plus a number of Iron Age hill forts with commanding views. And don’t forget to take in a detour to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Avebury with its Neolithic stone circle and long barrows. The Ridgeway takes you through two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: the rolling open chalk downland landscape of the North Wessex Downs and the more wooded, intimate environs of the Chiltern Hills, with a peaceful section alongside the Magical: Wayland's Smithy burial mound The Ridgeway National Trail: Five, six, seven, eight: easy walking, pretty scenery walking over Steps Hill 48 September|October 2013 www.adventuretravelmagazine.co.uk FABULOUS FOOTPATHS River Thames in the middle. There are also Nuffield House – former home of William plenty of distractions just off the route, Morris, the man behind the Morris motor from pretty villages with thatched company. cottages and cosy pubs, to historic The low points? In the populated south churches and museums. there are bound to be at one or two and they come in the form of the M4 and M40 DID IT LIVE UP TO Its APPEAL? motorways that cross the trail. But these Without a doubt. From the historic sites to are just fleeting moments along an the sweeping views and from picturesque otherwise great trail. villages to tranquil woods, the Ridgeway was The routes that now form the Ridgeway definitely worth walking. National Trail have been here for thousands As for the views, those from the chalk of years, so take your time and enjoy the escarpment in the western section give a journey. Rest a while and listen: high above wide view out across the Vale of White the skylarks sing, far off a church bell rings Horse, while on the eastern section there and the wind rustles through the trees. are great viewpoints such as Whiteleaf Hill, Imagine the travellers that have been this Coombe Hill and Ivinghoe Beacon, the latter Coombe Hill: a monument way before, where they were going and why. to Boer War soldiers offering a panoramic 360° view – a fitting end (or start) to your journey. I'M SOLD – HOW ABOUT THE The numerous prehistoric sites leave a LOGIstICS? lasting impression and it’s hard to single out The trail is well signposted and generally one, but for me, the most intriguing is the follows good tracks and paths so there Uffington White Horse – why did our should be little in the way of navigation ancestors go to such lengths to make this problems and the walking is fairly easy. hill figure (which is best viewed from the air) Accommodation, mostly located off the trail, and how has it managed to survive for 3,000 ranges from campsites and youth hostels to years? Throughout the eastern section, the End point: Ivinghoe Beacon pubs with rooms and B&Bs. The Ridgeway beech woods – a celebrated feature of the National Trail website has lots of useful Chilterns – offer a vivid contrast to the open Horsing around: the information including transport links and landscape of the chalk downs. Here in early Uffington White Horse details on places to stay (www.nationaltrail. summer the woods display a carpet of blue co.uk/ridgeway), and once you’ve completed as a mass of bluebells come into flower, the trail fill in their questionnaire and they’ll while later in the year, cooler nights herald a send you a badge or certificate. dazzling array of autumn colour. As mentioned, the trail can be enjoyed in If you have time to spare, take short either direction and the guidebook detours to visit the Aldworth Giants, nine describes both. If you don’t fancy carrying a larger-than-life effigies of the de la Beche heavy pack each day, several companies family hiding in an ancient church, or visit offer to transport bags. FAst FACts If you liked that… Three more picturesque paths in the UK THE RIDGEWAY NATIONAL trAIL Trail length: 87 miles (139km) THAMES NATIONAL OFFA’S DYKE PATH SOUTH WEst COAst Start point: Overton Hill near Avebury TRAIL This 177-mile trail, named PATH End point: Ivinghoe Beacon A low-lying 184-mile walk after the dyke that King Fancy something longer? Try How many days does it take? Five to alongside England’s Offa had constructed in the the 630-mile trail around the seven, more if sightseeing along the way best-known river, from the late eighth century, travels coastline of south-west What should you pack? Normal walking Thames Barrier at from Sedbury Cliffs near England, from Poole Chepstow on the banks of Harbour in Dorset to gear. The route is fairly low, but can be Greenwich upstream to its source in the Cotswolds. The the River Severn to the Minehead in Somerset (with exposed to the prevailing weather trail takes you through coastal town of Prestatyn a staggering total ascent of When should you go? Any time, but historic towns, picture- on the shores of the Irish around 35,000m). This trail conditions are best postcard villages and Sea. Along its length, the offers rugged coastal from spring to autumn peaceful countryside. trail allows you to explore scenery, pretty villages and The highlights? Lots, the history and landscape of fascinating wildlife, history including the Anglo-Welsh border. and geology. historic sites, panoramic views and picturesque villages Get the guidebook: The Ridgeway National Trail, Steve Davison, published by Cicerone. See also www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ridgeway www.adventuretravelmagazine.co.uk September|October 2013 49.