Description
A long-distance hike along ancient tracks.
The Ridgeway has served as a thoroughfare for thousands of years. Today, the National Trail route offers a journey through open chalk hills, wooded valleys, and historic sites in Southern England. From Avebury, the path leads to Ivinghoe Beacon through the North Wessex Downs and the Chilterns, featuring varied landscapes and vistas.
139 kilometres in twelve stages.
The guide describes the hike in both directions, allowing you to choose a starting point based on your itinerary. Stages are approximately 8–16 kilometres long and can be combined into various daily schedules. 1:50,000 OS maps accompany the descriptions, and a separate 1:25,000 map booklet shows the entire continuous route.
History and practical hiking information.
Detours to sites such as the Uffington White Horse and Wayland’s Smithy provide additional experiences along the way. The book also covers accommodation, dining, and transport links, with stage overviews to support planning. This allows for completing the entire trail or connecting selected sections for a shorter stay.
Who is this book for?
The Ridgeway is suitable for regular hikers seeking a relatively low-lying long-distance walk. The route includes some steep sections and can be muddy, but requires no technical climbing. Spring to autumn often provides the best hiking conditions. Allowing time for historic sites and breaks can be as important as the daily distance covered.
A long tradition of hiking guides.
Cicerone has published guidebooks since 1969. The publisher grew from a community of climbers and mountaineers wishing to share detailed knowledge of their routes—a tradition that continues to define these compact books for hiking, trekking, and other outdoor adventures.
About this edition.
Author: Steve Davison. English language. 200 pages. Third edition, published 2026. ISBN 9781786312914.
