Interested in walking The Ridgeway? You’re in the right place! In 2016, I hiked The Ridgeway National Trail in southeast England, and wrote a book about it. In 2020, I walked it again, and I loved it! This was my second National Trail, after the South Downs Way, and I have such fond memories of my experience. Walking the Ridgeway is an absolutely magical experience—the trail feels so remote and removed from normal life. It’s like this liminal place that exists out of time, which is easy to imagine due to the wealth of ancient sites along the route.

The Ridgeway is a modern National Trail, established in 1972. But it’s actually an ancient route that has been used by British travelers for at least 5,000 years. Yes, you read that right! The Ridgeway is known as Britain’s oldest road. The Greater Ridgeway, as the entire path is called, stretches from Lyme Regis in Dorset to Hunstanton in Norfolk. The National Trail, however, is not that long!

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Where does The Ridgeway start and finish?

The Ridgeway National Trails’s western start/end point is at Overton Hill, near the Avebury stone circle in Wiltshire, and its eastern terminus is at Ivinghoe Beacon, in the Chilterns. Unlike the South Downs Way, which has very easy accessible end points to the trail, The Ridgeway is a bit more challenging to get to, at least via public transport.

How long is The Ridgeway?

The Ridgeway National Trail is 87 miles (140 km) long. However, because most of the trail follows the top of a ridge (hence the name Ridgeway), most accommodation options are down in the valleys below, requiring an extra mile or so of hiking to and from the trail. Your entire journey walking the Ridgeway will surely be more than 87 miles.

Why I hiked The Ridgeway

After walking the South Downs Way for the first time, I questioned whether or not long-distance walking was really for me. I made a lot of mistakes, which I share in my book Alone on the South Downs Way. I later walked the Downs Link, a much shorter trail that links the North Downs Way with the South Downs Way. I was able to apply some of the things I learned on the South Downs, and I had such a great time that I decided to try another, longer, adventure.

I read Rambling Man’s book about The Ridgeway, and I decided walking the Ridgeway would be my next National Trail. It did not disappoint.

One of the things that I loved about the South Downs Way was the experience of feeling like I was in another world, somehow separate from normal reality yet so close to home. The Ridgeway, a less popular National Trail than the South Downs Way, gave an even more intense feeling of remoteness: it was a particularly quiet year on the trail, and on one day I walked for six hours and saw only four other people on the trail. The sense of peaceful solitude and secluded passage through nature was delicious.

The Ridgeway route description

Here’s what you can expect when walking The Ridgeway:

• Two trails in one: on the western half you’ll enjoy wide, open byways, with little shade, and views of seemingly never ending farmland and fields of grain. On the eastern half, you’ll travel down narrower footpaths and trails that wind through woodland. Youll have more shade, larger towns and villages, and generally more services.
• A wealth of ancient historical sites, from stone circles to long barrows to tumuli, particularly on the western half.
• Not much water along the way. No lake views, no sea views, no rivers to ford. Water taps are few and far between.
• Mostly natural trails, with very little tarmac to walk on—even on the byways.
• Occasional stretches of busy roads, which can be jarring after the intense solitude of the trail
• Seemingly endless hours of glorious nature, often giving you the feeling of being completely enveloped by never ending fields, with the only sign of civilization being farms or tiny villages off in the distance.
• The Ridgeway is much more remote than the South Downs Way, especially on the western half, which feels beautifully removed from urban life.

Which direction should you hike The Ridgeway?

Either way! As both endpoints of the trail are equally inconvenient with public transportation, it really doesn’t matter which way you walk it. The first time I walked The Ridgeway in 2016, I hiked from west to east, and in 2020, I walked it from east to west. Why? Because ending the trail in Avebury seemed much more exciting to me—it’s an area rich in ancient history that I dearly love.

Most people prefer to walk trails from west to east in Britain, because of the prevailing winds. While the eastern half of the Ridgeway is wooded and protected, the western half is open and exposed, which could be a problem if the weather isn’t great. However, I didn’t have any trouble walking the Ridgeway from east to west.

Following the route also wasn’t a problem, however this was the second time I’d walked the Ridgeway, so I kind of knew where I was going. I also had my guidebook with me, and followed it backwards by reviewing each section of the route the evening before my walk.  As you can imagine, most guidebooks are set up for hikers for  walking The Ridgeway from the more popular direction: west to east.

I think I was the only Ridgeway walker going from east to west, and I much preferred it that way. It was exciting to end in the Avebury area, which is one of my favorite places on earth.

How long does it take to hike The Ridgeway?

It depends on your walking style. I like to take my time and really enjoy the journey and all the sights along the way. I also like to have fairly short walking days. I’m not the kind of person who likes to wake up at the crack of dawn, head out on the trail, and cruise into my accommodation just before nightfall. I’m certainly capable of walking longer days, but 10-12 miles seems to be my preferred length for each day on a long-distance trail.

The first time I walked The Ridgeway, I did it in 8 days, plus a day of walking in Avebury before I started the National Trail. Each day was split up between 5-15 miles (8-24 km). The second time, I wanted to avoid the very short 5-mile (8 km) day at the eastern end of the trail (plus, I didn’t want to start out with a short day of hiking), so I planed to shorten my journey by one day, walking the National Trail in 7 days, with an extra day in Avebury at the end. Each day of walking was split up between 8.5-17 miles (13.4-27.5 km). I was a more experienced walker this time around, and splitting the trail into seven days was perfect.

Note that my journey does not include rest days. Walking only 10-12 miles a day, I do not feel the need to have a rest day along the route. However, you may want to plan a rest day halfway through—Goring and Streatley, two villages alongside the River Thames, are a good place to have a rest day. They have plenty of shops and facilities, though Goring is the larger of the two.

How long does it take an experienced walker to walk the Ridgeway?

If you’re an experienced walker or hiker, planning your Ridgeway walk will be easy. Just figure out how many miles you’d like to walk each day, and divide 87 miles by that number. For example, if you’re up for walking 29 miles a day, you can complete the Ridgeway National Trail in just three days. If 22 miles a day sounds more like your speed, you can do it in four days.

There are ultramarathons where runners and walkers complete the entirety of the Ridgeway in just one or two days, so you can really challenge yourself if you want when walking the Ridgeway National Trail. Just remember: these athletes are usually carrying no more than a light running vest or a very small day pack, because they’re refueling and rehydrating at all the aid stations along the way. If you’re doing a self-supported Ridgeway walk, you’ll be carrying a lot more in your pack.

​Is The Ridgeway well signposted?

YES.  In fact, unlike other National Trails, the signs on The Ridgeway are made of dark brown Plaswood—a synthetic material made out of recycled plastics. This means that they seem to last much longer than the traditional wooden signs you see all over Britain.

As long as you keep an eye out and pay attention to the signs, you should have no problem. One of the reasons I love the National Trails system so much is that the routes are very well signposted. I don’t have to worry about navigation, and I can focus on enjoying the scenery.

How hard is The Ridgeway?

Assuming you’re in fairly decent shape, walking The Ridgeway is not hard at all. However, when I first walked the trail in late August of 2016, it was really hot, which made the journey much more difficult. I tell about my journey in detail in my book Alone on The Ridgeway. In 2020, I walked the trail in September, when it was much cooler—and the trail was lined with colorful autumn berries.

I’m finding that April and September are my favorite months to walk in southeast England. Yes, there’s more of a risk of rain than in the summer months, but I’d personally rather have rain than heat. The important thing is to know what you prefer as a walker, so you can plan your trip accordingly.

When is the best time to hike The Ridgeway?

This all depends on your own personal preferences. I did my first Ridgeway hike the last week of August. This was far too hot and sunny for my preferences, especially on the western half of the trail, which is open to the sun and unprotected. That’s why I planned my 2020 walk for September. It was much easier!

The summer months are the driest months (usually) in southeast England. As you can imagine, this is also the high season for the trail. But personally, I’d rather have cooler days for walking and take the risk of rain. My preferred months for walking are now April and September.

How much does it cost to hike The Ridgeway?

In 2016, I budgeted about £700 for the nine days. This broke down into eight nights of accommodation at £65 each night, and eight days of food at £25 per day. Note that I got a ride to and from the trail, so that wasn’t a part of my budget.

In total, I spent £512 on accommodation and about £20-25 each day on food: lunch was consistently £6 and dinner came in just under £20 each evening. Breakfast was always included with my accommodation, though I had to supplement the poor breakfast that was offered in Princes Risborough with a trip to M&S.

The total cost for my 2016 journey came in just under my original estimate, at roughly £674. This does not include any gear, as I had all of it already. I’d say this is a mid-range budget, and you could spend more or less depending on where you stay and where and what you choose to eat and drink. Inns will be less expensive than B&Bs, and hostels and camping will cost even less. Most guidebooks will show you accommodation options in all price ranges.

Keep in mind that there are no banks in the villages you’ll be staying in along the western portion of the Ridgeway. While your accommodation will probably accept card payments, always check in advance when you’re booking to make sure, and always carry extra cash just in case.

Unlike the South Downs Way, where accommodation prices really spiked between 2015 and 2019, my budget for accommodation along The Ridgeway in 2020 came in at £539, which isn’t much over my 2016 budget.

Can you walk The Ridgeway on a tight budget?

Absolutely. Walking The Ridgeway is possible on all kinds of budgets. Instead of staying at B&Bs, you could camp or stay at hostels. Wild camping is not permitted in England, but there are campgrounds and hostels all along the route. You could bring your own food and cook your own meals with a camping stove.

Is it safe for women to do on their own?

Yes! I do a lot of solo walking in England, and I always feel safe. There was no time on The Ridgeway when I felt unsafe or in danger, even during the long stretches where I was utterly alone, with no other walkers or cyclists crossing my path. In fact, The Ridgeway felt even quieter and more remote than the South Downs Way, yet I never questioned whether it was safe to be a woman alone walking The Ridgeway.

If you choose to walk alone, you need to be totally self-reliant: pay attention to the weather, the temperature, and your water supply, especially when walking in the warmer months of the year. You must be sure that you set out each morning with more than enough water to drink, and food to keep you going until you arrive at your evening destination. I cannot stress this enough.

The Ridgeway baggage transfer

Both times, I carried everything on my back in my Osprey Kyte 36 backpack. However, some walkers prefer to carry a smaller daypack and have a larger piece of luggage transferred between each B&B. There are a few companies that offer baggage transfers along The Ridgeway. One of the, Ridgeway Luggage Transfers, charges from £4.95 per piece of luggage, which is incredibly inexpensive compared to other trails.

If you’re reasonably fit and healthy, you can pack light and carry everything with you when walking The Ridgeway. In my experience, only older walkers or people with injuries use a baggage transfer service. However, do what works for you!

Can I just do half of The Ridgeway National Trail?

Yes, absolutely! You can either start at one end (Avebury or Ivinghoe Beacon) and walk toward the centre, at Goring/Streatley, or you can start at Goring/Streatley and walk to one of the ends. The two halves of The Ridgeway National Trail are very different. The western half is very open and exposed, with gorgeous views and loads of ancient sites to visit. The eastern half is beautiful rolling green hills.

To get from Avebury to London (for example), take the 49 bus from the Red Lion pub in Avebury to Swindon train station. Times can be found here. Then take the train from Swindon to London Paddington. To get from London to Avebury, to this in reverse. 

To get to or from Ivinghoe Beacon, the closest train station is in Tring, which is right on The Ridgeway. Trains go into London Euston. 

Otherwise, if you can get a friend or family member to drive you to The Ridgeway or pick you up, that’s easiest. 

The Ridgeway accommodation

One thing I learned from walking the South Downs Way was to stay as close as possible to the trail, and to stay in a place as central as possible within the village (rather than on the outskirts) to avoid extra walking between the trail and the B&B and to and from dinner in the evenings. When I’ve walked twelve to fifteen miles during the day, I really don’t want an extra walk added on at the end. Luckily, I managed to put this into practice when walking The Ridgeway, and it made for a much easier experience.

You’ll see that at most of these places, you can book a room online, which is often the deciding factor in planning walking accommodation for me. It can be difficult to plan a walk when you’ve got to phone a B&B, leave a message, and wait for the owner to get back to you. Online booking makes the planning process much easier, and if I know that a place offers this, I’ll often choose it over other, possibly nicer, accommodation that requires you to book via phone call.

East Kennet

If you’re planning an extra day in Avebury to explore the surrounding area, you’ll want to stay at The Old Forge in East Kennet. It’s perfectly situated between The Ridgeway and all the ancient sites in the Avebury area. East Kennet sits right on the path coming down from the West Kennet Long Barrow and toward the Sanctuary and the western start of the Ridgeway at Overton Hill. If you use the Trailblazer guide, as I did, you’ll find The Old Forge right on the map of the “walk around Avebury.” Excellent location.

I absolutely loved my stay at The Old Forge. It was nicest room that I stayed in on my Ridgeway walk, which is both good and bad: while I always enjoy a pretty, comfortable place to stay, an extra nice room—especially when it’s in somebody’s home—always makes me feel uncomfortable when I arrive muddy and dirty from the trail. I paid £75 for my room, which included an excellent breakfast.

If you decide to start your Ridgeway walk on a Monday, as I did, and you stay at The Old Forge on a Sunday night, you’ll probably have to hop in a taxi and travel to Marlborough for dinner—none of the local pubs were open on a Sunday when I stayed there. Or you could plan to pick up something for dinner at the shop in Avebury so you can eat in your room, without leaving the B&B. There’s a fridge in your room, where you can store food.

You can book your room online with Booking.com.

Ogbourne St. George

The Inn with the Well isn’t more than 15 minutes off The Ridgeway, depending on where you come off the trail. With its boot tray just inside the door to the room, the Inn with the Well is clearly used to walkers, but to me its most important feature is the heated towel rack, with three heated bars to dry clothes on overnight. Dinner and breakfast were also excellent, as was the packed lunch. I paid £70 for my room, which included breakfast.

I’ve stayed here twice: once in 2016 when I walked The Ridgeway, and once in 2020 when I was out walking in the area. I also stayed here on my September 2020 walk.

You can book your room online with Booking.com. However, if you book directly, you’ll probably be given a 10% discount—and maybe even a free pint of beer!

Ashbury

The Rose & Crown was newly renovated by its new owners in 2016, and is just a half mile (.8 km) off the trail. My room was incredibly spacious and comfortable, much larger than I needed. Note that if you arrive while the pub is closed in the afternoon, you’ll have to walk around to the back door and phone their off-hours number to get someone to open up for you. The good news is that you can wait in the shade of their garden for them to let you in. Dinner and breakfast were excellent, as was the packed lunch.

You can book your room online with Booking.com.

Court Hill

The Court Hill Centre (a youth hostel) is close to The Ridgeway—much closer than Letcombe Regis or Wantage, which are the two villages nearby. If you don’t mind sharing a room, or if you plan on camping, the Court Hill Centre is perfect. The tea room is nice for a cup of tea at the end of a long day’s walk, the courtyard is perfect to relax outdoors in the afternoon, and the meals are very inexpensive and good. The staff are very, very friendly.

I paid £41 total, which included my room, dinner, breakfast, and a packed lunch.

You’ll have to phone to book a room. See their website for more details. They appear to have an online booking system, but their calendar always appears fully booked, even when that’s not the case.

Wantage

If you can’t get a room at Court Hill, or if you don’t feel like staying at a youth hostel, you can stay in the nearby village of Wantage (about 1 3/4 miles or 2.8 km from The Ridgeway), which is what I’m probably doing in September. Options there include:

• The Gillett’s Cottage
• The Greyhound Inn
• Portway Mews
• Comfortable annexe in pretty 18th century cottage
• The Star Inn
• Ashbrook Mill St
• The Volunteer Inn

Goring

Melrose Cottage, where I stayed in 2016, is a very comfortable and very affordable B&B with a lovely owner. It is a good 10-minute walk from the town centre, meaning that you’ll have a short trek into town and back for dinner. If you are staying here, don’t walk all through town to reach the B&B via the High Street. Instead, keep going along the Ridgeway, and turn off it down Mill Road, then turn right on Wallingford Road, then left on Milldown Road, where Melrose Cottage is located. It’s a much quicker method of access than what I did. Check it out on Google Maps before you go so you understand how to find the B&B.

My room was comfortable, with a ceiling fan to keep cool, a small fridge and a bathroom just next door. Breakfast was delicious. I paid £40 for my room, which included breakfast.

You can book your room online with Booking.com. 

Watlington

If you’ll be staying in Watlington, be sure to take the correct road into town. Do not take the busy B480 road, which I did, but rather the much quieter Hill Road, which is a little bit farther down the Ridgeway. Both are clearly marked on the map in the Trailblazer guide; make yourself familiar with the landmarks, and you’ll have a much more pleasant walk into Watlington than I did.

Having said that, there aren’t many options for accommodation here, and I highly recommend the Fat Fox Inn, where I stayed. Small, comfortable room. Nice bathroom, and most importantly: a heated towel rack to dry my clothes. I paid £75 for my room, which included breakfast.

Please note that as of April 2023, the Fat Fox Inn is closed. It has changed management before, so hopefully it will be open by the time you’re planning your Ridgeway adventure.

Excellent dinner and breakfast, though they only provide a simple sandwich, and not a full packed lunch. The sandwich will also cost you as much as a full packed lunch costs elsewhere along the Ridgeway: £6.

You can book your room online via their website.

Princes Risborough

There aren’t many options here, and the place where I stayed in 2016 is now closed (you didn’t miss much).

The Ridgeway Lodge B&B (not to be confused with the retirement home of the same name), a place right on the Ridgeway trail, which makes for easy access, but they don’t offer dinner, so either plan ahead to eat in your room, or plan to walk 1.5 mile (2.4 km) to the Princes Risborough High Street to get food at the M&S or at a local restaurant. You can check availability and send a booking enquiry via their website.

The other option is Bakehouse Farm House, where I’ve never stayed. You can book your room online with them using Booking.com.

Wendover

Rather than staying in Tring, you might want to stay in Wendover, which has a few options for accommodation. This little village has several shops and restaurants, making it a good place to stay the night. Plus, The Ridgeway goes straight through it.

• The Old Bakery
• Red Lion Wendover
• Hale House

Tring

Located just a half mile (less than 1 km) from the Ridgeway, Pendley Manor makes for an ideal stop for your last night on the trail. It’s more of a wedding venue than a walker’s rest stop, but it’s conveniently located. It does, however, look like it’s been renovated since I was there in 2016 (which is a good thing!) and room rates have just about doubled.

Dinner and breakfast were excellent. You’ll probably want to have your dinner in the Shakespeare Bar as I did, rather than in their main dining room, unless you’ve got room in your pack for “smart casual” clothes. Their bar menu has a wide variety of options, and the food is delicious.

You can book online via Booking.com.

How you can run The Ridgeway

I recently received an email from someone who wanted to run The Ridgeway, but wasn’t sure how to split it up into 5 days and stay at B&Bs. Here is my suggestion for splitting up the trail into 5 days:

1. Ivinghoe Beacon to Wendover. This makes for a 17.7 mile (28.5 km) day. Here, I stayed at the Red Lion.
2. Wendover to Watlington. This makes for an 18 mile (30 km) day. Here, I stayed at the Fat Fox Inn.
3. Watlington to East Ilsley. This makes for a 20.7 mile (33 km) day. I haven’t stopped here, but there are a couple of B&Bs.
4. East Ilsley to Bishopstone. This makes for a 17.2 mile (26.5 km) day. I haven’t stopped here, but there are a couple of B&Bs.
5. Bishopstone to Overton Hill. This makes for an 11.3 mile (18 km) day, but remember that from Overton Hill, you’ll probably want to walk on to East Kennett or Avebury to stay the night. If you’ll be heading straight home, you’ll probably need to head to Avebury or Marlborough to catch a bus. If you’re looking for accommodation in the area, I have stayed twice at the Old Forge in East Kennett.

If you want to make it even more challenging and split The Ridgeway National Trail up into 3 days, I’d suggest the following:

1. Ivinghoe Beacon to Lewknor. This makes for a 30 mile (48.2 km) day.
2. Lewknor to Sparsholt Firs. This makes for a 32 mile (51.5 km) day.
3. Sparsholt Firs to Overton Hill. This makes for a 24 mile (38.6 km) day. Remember that from Overton Hill, you’ll probably want to walk on to East Kennett or Avebury to stay the night. If you’ll be heading straight home, you’ll probably need to head to Avebury or Marlborough to catch a bus.

The Ridgeway resources

There are three main resources I recommend:

• The Ridgeway: British Walking Guide: Planning, Places To Stay, Places To Eat (Trailblazer Guide), by Nick Hill and Henry Stedman
• The Ridgeway A-Z Adventure Atlas
• Alone on The Ridgeway: One Woman’s Solo Journey from Avebury to Ivinghoe Beacon, by Holly Worton (me!)

Related articles

• The Ridgeway National Trail: Events on The Ridgeway
• Hiking Mistakes: Top Mistakes I’ve Made Walking Long Distance Trails
• Camping on The Ridgeway: Planning Your Ridgeway Walk
• Walking The Ridgeway National Trail: Hillforts Along The Ridgeway
• Ancient Sites to Explore: Hillforts Near The Ridgeway National Trail
• How to Keep a Trail Journal: How to Journal on a Long-Distance Backpacking Trip

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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