Full Description
The go-to, all-in-one guide to walking The Ridgeway path.
Running from Wiltshire to Buckinghamshire, in southern England, this ancient trackway is Britain's oldest road. In this fully revised and updated, two-way edition all routes have been completely rewalked in both directions from Avebury to Ivinghoe Beacon near Aylesbury and Ivinghoe Beacon to Avebury.
Coverage includes: Marlborough, Avebury, West Overton, Avebury Stone Circle, Kennett and East Kennett, Foxhill, Liddington, Wantage, Bishopstone, Ashbury, Woolstone, Uffington, Goring, Streatley, Wallingford, Crowmarsh Gifford, Watlington, Princes Risborough, Tring, Ivinghoe Beacon
In this guide you will find:
53 detailed walking maps - the largest scale maps available - at just under 1:20,000 (8cm or 31/8 inches to one mile) these are bigger than even the most detailed walking maps currently available in the shops
Unique mapping features - walking times, directions, tricky junctions, places to stay, places to eat, points of interest. These are not general-purpose maps but fully edited maps drawn by walkers for walkers
Itineraries for all walkers - whether hiking the entire route or sampling highlights on day walks or short breaks
Detailed public transport information for all access points
Practical information for all budgets - what to see; where to eat (cafés, pubs and restaurants); where to stay (B&Bs, hotels, hostels, bunkhouses and campsites)
Downloadable GPS waypoints
Contents
INTRODUCTION
About the Ridgeway
History 10 - How difficult is the Ridgeway? 12 - How long do you need? 13 - When to go 14
PART 1: PLANNING YOUR WALK
Practical information for the walker
Route finding 17
Accommodation 18
Food and drink 21
Money 24 - Information for foreign visitors 24
Walking companies and luggage transfer 26
Disabled access 27
Mountain-biking 28
Horse riders 28
Motor vehicles 28
Walking with a dog 29
Budgeting 29
Itineraries
Which direction? 30
Suggested itineraries 31
The best day & two-day walks 31
Town & village facilities table 33 (eastbound) &35 (westbound)
Side trips 36
What to take
Keep your luggage light 38
How to carry it 38
Footwear 38
Clothes 39
Toiletries 40
First-aid kit 40
General items 40
Camping gear 41
Money 41
Maps 41
Recommended reading 43
Sources of further information 43
Getting to and from the Ridgeway
Getting to Britain 44
National transport 45
Public transport map 48
Local bus services 50
Local transport 51
PART 2: MINIMUM IMPACT WALKING & OUTDOOR SAFETY
Minimum impact walking
Economic impact 53
Environmental impact 53
Access 56
Countryside code 56
Outdoor safety
Avoidance of hazards 58
Weather forecasts 59
Health 59
PART 3: THE ENVIRONMENT & NATURE
Conservation of the Ridgeway
Natural England 61
Ridgeway Partnership 62
Campaigning & conservation organisations 63
Flora and fauna
Flowers 64
Butterflies 65
Trees 66
Mammals 67
Birds 69
PART 4: MARLBOROUGH TO AVEBURY
Marlborough 73 - Marlborough to Avebury walk 77
Avebury and around
Avebury 85
West Overton 87
Avebury stone circle 88
West Kennett & East Kennett 90
A walk around Avebury 90
Getting to and from Overton Hill 93
PART 5: ROUTE GUIDE AND MAPS
Using this guide 95
Overton Hill to Foxhill 97 (Ogbourne St George 105,Liddington 108)
Foxhill to Overton Hill 111
Foxhill to Court Hill (& Wantage) 111 (Bishopstone 113 Ashbury 114 - Woolstone 115 - Uffington 119 - Sparsholt
Firs 122 - Sparsholt 122 - Letcombe Regis 123)
(Wantage &) Court Hill to Foxhill 125 (Wantage 126)
(Wantage &) Court Hill to Goring 129 (East Ilsley 132 Compton 133 - Aldworth 137 - Streatley 139)
Goring to Court Hill (& Wantage) 140 (Goring 141)
Goring to Watlington 143 (South Stoke 144 - North Stoke 146 Wallingford 147 - Crowmarsh Gifford 151 - Nuffield 157)
Watlington to Goring 158 (Watlington 160)
Watlington to Princes Risborough 161 (Lewknor 162 - Aston Rowant 163 - Chinnor 165)
Princes Risborough to Watlington 160 (Princes Risborough 170)
Princes Risborough to Wigginton (& Tring) 173 (Wendover 176)
Wigginton (& Tring) to Princes Risborough 183(Wigginton 184 - Tring 184)
(Tring &) Wigginton to Ivinghoe Beacon 188 (Aldbury 190)
Ivinghoe Beacon to Wigginton (& Tring) 194 (Aldbury 190 - Ivinghoe 195 - Pitstone 195)
APPENDICES
A: Walking with a dog 196
B: The Greater Ridgeway 198
C: Map key 199
D: GPS waypoints 200
INDEX 203
OVERVIEW MAPS & PROFILES 209
