Are you thinking of walking the Ridgeway National Trail? Here’s a quick guide to hill forts along the Ridgeway. If you’re walking this ancient trail, you won’t want to miss all the rich history along the way.

I first walked the Ridgeway in August 2016, and then again in September 2020. I chose the Ridgeway after reading Andrew Bowden’s book Rambling Man Walks The Ridgeway: From Overton Hill to Ivinghoe Beacon. I loved the idea of walking a trail that was such an ancient part of Britain’s history. I was not let down by the Ridgeway. This is a gorgeous trail, with a wealth of ancient historical sites in its western half.

Related reading – Walking The Ridgeway: Planning Your Ridgeway Walk

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What is the Ridgeway?

The Ridgeway is an 87-mile (140 km) National Trail stretching from Overton Hill near Avebury at its western start/end point and Ivinghoe Beacon, in its eastern terminus. It was officially opened as a National Trail in 1973, but the trail is much, much older. In fact, it’s often called “Britain’s oldest road” because many parts of the trail have been in use for about the past 5,000 years.

Stop and think about that for a minute. This is a very ancient trail. If you walk the Ridgeway, you’ll be walking along tracks that people have been using for five millennia. The western part of the trail feels remote and ancient, and you can easily imagine ancient peoples walking along the track, which for the most part follows along the top of a ridge, as its name implies.

What is a hill fort?

A hill fort is a type of ancient earthwork: an artificial change in the level of the land, typically made from piles of rearranged rocks and soil in the form of great earthen walls and deep ditches. The amount of work that went into building these was tremendous. You’ll find earthworks marked on OS Maps.

Hillforts were used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, and were located on hilltops to take advantage of the wide views from all all around, giving the settlers a defensive advantage. In Britain, they typically date back to the Bronze and Iron Ages. There are over 2,000 Iron Age hillforts in Britain.

Iron Age Hillforts

Hillforts in Britain were built from the Bronze Age (2500–800 BC) up to the conquest of the Romans in 43 AD. But the golden age of hill fort construction in Britain was the Iron Age (800 BC–100 AD). During the Iron Age, the Celtic people lived in clans belonging to tribes that were led by warrior kings.

It is thought that rival tribes fought each other with iron weapons, which meant that the people lived in hillforts to keep themselves safe from attack. However, it has been suggested in recent years by archaeologists that not all hillforts were built for defensive purposes—some may have been built for domestic purposes, and others for ceremonial and ritual usage.

Hillforts along the Ridgeway

The Ridgeway has a wealth of Iron Age hillforts: four, in fact. Plus there are several hillforts near the trail. Most of the hillforts that are directly located on the Ridgeway are spaced out along the western half of the trail, from Overton Hill near Avebury to Court Hill, near Wantage. You can walk the Ridgeway to visit them all (it will take you three days at a leisurely pace with time to visit all the sites), or you can drive between them if you don’t have the time to walk.

From west to east, the four Iron Age hillforts along the Ridgeway are: Barbury Castle, Liddington Castle, Uffington Castle, and Letcombe Castle. Before you get too excited at the idea of visiting these ancient “castles,” remember: these are earthworks, not stone constructions. They are 2,000+ years old and have suffered from erosion over the millennia. Still, you can imagine just how imposing they would have been with higher earthen walls and deeper ditches. It’s remarkable they’ve survived in such great condition.

Barbury Castle

You can walk here from Avebury, or from the western start of the Ridgeway at Overton Hill. The Ridgeway National Trail actually cuts straight through this Iron Age hill fort, so you can’t miss it. This hill fort, covering about twelve acres (4.85 hectares), is the main attraction in an area rich with ancient historical sites including round barrows, Celtic field systems, and 18th-19th century flint workings. The site is scheduled as an ancient monument.

Round barrows are a type of tumulus, or ancient burial mound. You can see them all along the Ridgeway, serving as proof that ancient peoples settled along this route. Celtic field systems are the name given to the remains of prehistoric agricultural field systems. The fields are divided into a patchwork of small, square plots, indicating that each one would have been cultivated by a single individual or family.

The Barbury Castle car park is open from 8.00am. Gates will be locked approximately 30 minutes after sunset each day. The postcode for the car park is SN4 0QH.

Liddington Castle

Located just a 10-minute detour from the Ridgeway, you can walk here from Ogbourne St George. There are clear signs to Liddington Castle from the Ridgeway. If you’re walking the Ridgeway National Trail from west to east, this would probably be on the second day of your journey.

Liddington Castle, also called Liddington Camp, is a late Bronze Age and early Iron Age hill fort, and covers an area of 7.5 acres (3 hectares). It’s a much more remote location than is Barbury Castle, and I’ve never seen another person here on the three times that I’ve visited, though I have crossed paths with people on my way in or out. The only thing that sullies this site is the view of Swindon off in the near distance, but it’s easy enough to look the other direction and pretend you’re in the middle of nowhere.

The inner bank measures approximately 12m across and rises up to 3m above the interior ground level. The surrounding ditch stretches up to 18m wide. Excavation within the hill fort revealed a large pit 1.5 m in diameter and at least 2.4 m deep, that was probably used for ritual purposes. Further excavation found that the hill fort was constructed in at least four phases, with the latest being a re-fortification during the Saxon period. It’s thought that Liddington Castle was abandoned in the 5th century BC, with perhaps later re-occupation during the Roman period. The site is scheduled as an ancient monument.

The nearest car park is the Foxhill car park right on the Ridgeway at New Cottages, Foxhill, near the Burj restaurant. The postcode is SN4 0DR. From there, walk just 2 miles (3.5 km) southwest along the Ridgeway to Liddington Castle. Part of your walk will be along a busy road, so be careful.

Here’s a gpx file for your walk from the Foxhill car park to Liddington Castle, though you can probably find your way to the hill fort without it. Walk at your own risk, and ALWAYS check GPX files before you head out. Always walk with a paper map as your primary navigation tool, and use a GPS device as your secondary one. Don’t head out on a walk in unfamiliar territory unless you have a map with you AND you know how to read it. Use common sense.

Uffington Castle

Located right next to the Ridgeway, you can’t miss Uffington Castle. If you’re walking the Ridgeway National Trail from west to east, this would probably be on the third day of your journey. You can walk here from Ashbury village if you’re staying there along your journey, or from the little car park at the top of Ashbury hill (post code SN6 8LZ). Uffington Castle is located at the top of White Horse Hill, and is accompanied by the surrounding sites: Uffington White Horse, Dragon Hill, and The Manger.

Uffington Castle is an early Iron Age hill fort (with underlying Bronze Age features) covering about 8 acres (3.2 hectares). It’s been estimated that it was probably built in the 7th or 8th century BC, with continued occupation throughout the Iron Age, though it may have been most active during Roman occupation. Two oblong mounds can be found nearby: one containing 46 Romano-British burials and one containing eight Saxon burials. The site is scheduled as an ancient monument.

Nearby is the Uffington White Horse, a prehistoric hill figure formed from deep trenches filled with crushed white chalk. Along the Ridgeway you’ll see various white horses carved into the hillsides, but this is thought to be the one that inspired all the others. It’s estimated that it was cut into the hillside around 800 BC.

Dragon Hill is a round chalk mound, about 10m high with an artificially flattened top. You can’t miss it. It’s thought that the hill was naturally formed by glacial erosion, rather than being manmade, as was Silbury Hill near Avebury. Local legend states that this flattened hilltop is where St George slayed the dragon. The steep sided valley below the Uffington White Horse is known as the Manger, as local legend states that St George’s horse grazes there at night.

Note that this is a very popular site on weekends and school holidays. Plan to visit during the week, or very early in the morning if you want a quiet experience here.

There is a National Trust car park located at White Horse Hill, where you’ll find Uffington Castle. Fees are £2 up to two hours; £4 for all day parking. Free for National Trust members: if you scan your membership card at the car park machine, you will receive a free ticket. The car park is also free for blue badge holders. The postcode for the car park is SN7 7QJ.

Letcombe Castle

Located just off the Ridgeway, you might miss the turnoff to Letcombe Castle, also known as Segsbury Camp. If you’re walking the Ridgeway National Trail from west to east, this would probably be on the third day of your journey. If you’re just visiting as a day trip, you can walk here from Letcombe Bassett—the hill fort is only about a mile (1.6 km) from the village.

This is the largest of the Iron Age hillforts along the Ridgeway. In fact, it’s so large that a road runs straight through the middle, much like the Avebury stone circle. It covers an area of 30 acres (12 hectares). However, it also seems to be the lesser known hill fort. I was there for about an hour exploring the site, and I was all alone. This hill fort has an ancient, magical feel to it. It’s dotted with gnarled old hawthorn trees around the edges.

Letcombe Castle, also known as Segsbury Camp or Segsbury Castle, has extensive ditch and ramparts as well as four gateways. Excavation suggests that the hill fort was built between 600-700 BC, with periodic occupation of the site between the 6th and 2nd centuries BC, when it last appears to have been modified. There is, however, evidence that it was being used around the time of the Roman Conquest in 43AD. It’s estimated that it was a communal center for various activities, including sheep management and exchange, which makes sense since this hill fort is so much larger than the others.

Here’s a fantastic aerial video of Letcombe Castle, also known as Segsbury Camp.

The postcode for Letcombe Castle is OX12 9LG, however the road that runs right through the center of the hill fort is a farm road, and I personally wouldn’t use it. There’s no place to park alongside the lane, which is unpaved near the end of it, and is accessed regularly by the farmers—they passed through at least once while I was at the hill fort.

Alternatively, you can park at the car park at Chainhill Road (B4494) and walk 2.3 miles (3.8 km) west to Letcombe Castle. Postcode for the car park is OX12 8PA.

Or you can park in the little village of Letcombe Bassett and walk 1.2 miles (1.9 km) east to the hill fort. Postcode OX12 9LP will get you to the village. Walk up the road called Gramp’s Hill, then take the left fork when the road splits into two. Both roads will take you to the Ridgeway, but the left-hand fork is quicker.

Finally, you can park at Court Hill Centre, stop off at their tea room for some refreshments, and see if it’s okay for you to park there while you walk just over one mile (1.8 km) to the hill fort. Postcode OX12 9NE. They haven’t yet reopened since COVID, so be sure to check their website before you plan to visit.

Ivinghoe Beacon

Not surprisingly, the northeastern terminus of the Ridgeway is at a hill fort: Ivinghoe Beacon. Strangely, I didn’t even realize this was a hill fort the first time I walked the trail—it wasn’t until the second time I walked the trail that I read it on a sign. It’s roughly triangular in shape, rather than rounded, as are many of the other hillforts.

Ivinghoe Beacon was originally thought to date back to the Iron Age, but further excavations, including pottery and artifact dating later showed that it was occupied from the Late Bronze Age, with the earthwork ramparts dating to the Iron Age.

This site is very popular on weekends and school holidays due to the fantastic views. If you’d like a quieter visit to Ivinghoe Beacon, try a weekday morning. I started my 2020 Ridgeway walk there at 10am on a Wednesday morning, and there was no one around at the top.

There is a free National Trust car park just about a mile’s walk (1.6 km) from the hill fort. Postcode is HP4 1NF. There is an easy walk on alongside the road before you turn away from the road to walk up the hill toward the fort.

Hillforts near the Ridgeway

There are several hillforts near the Ridgeway, including:

• Alfred’s Castle
• Cholesbury Camp
• Boddington Hill
• Pulpit Hill

Check out this blog post to read about these. 

Related articles

• The Ridgeway National Trail: Events on The Ridgeway
• Hiking Mistakes: Top Mistakes I’ve Made Walking Long Distance Trails
• Walking The Ridgeway: Planning Your Ridgeway Walk
• Camping on The Ridgeway: Planning Your Ridgeway Walk
• Ancient Sites to Explore: Hillforts Near The Ridgeway National Trail

Other trails you might be interested in

• Walking the South Downs Way: Planning Your Adventure
• Walking The Downs Link: Planning Your Downs Link Walk
• Walking the Wey-South Path: Planning Your Wey-South Path Adventure
• St Swithun’s Way

Related podcast episodes

• 376 Holly Worton ~ Long Distance Walks: Time and Space to Think and Reflect
• 359 Adam Wells ~ How To Prepare For Your First Long Distance Trail
• 354 Stephen Marriott ~ The Life-Changing Magic of Walking a Long-Distance Trail

Related reading

Alone on the Ridgeway is the inner journey my solo 87 mile walking adventure along one of England’s National Trails in 2016. This book is ideal for walkers who are new to doing a long distance trail, as it includes practical information and how to prepare for such a journey.

The main focus, however, is my inner journey as I reconnect with myself on the trail. This is not a guidebook or a book full of cultural and historical details. It’s designed to help you decide whether the Ridgeway is the right trail for you, and if so, how to start planning for it.

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