The Ridgeway: Trailblazer British Walking Guide

Nick Hill is Trailblazer's cartographer. He lives in Wiltshire, England, very near the start of the Ridgeway on which he regularly hikes.

INTRODUCTION PART 1: PLANNING YOUR WALK About the Ridgeway History 9 - How difficult is the Ridgeway? 10 - How long do you need? 11 Practical information for the walker Accommodation 12 - Food and drink 14 - Money 17 - Information for foreign visitors 18 - Other services 19 - Walking companies and luggage transfer 20 - Disabled access 20 - Mountain biking 21 - Motor vehicles 21 - Horse riders 21 - Taking dogs along the Ridgeway 22 Budgeting 22 When to go Seasons 23 - Temperatures and rainfall 24 - Daylight hours 24 Festivals and events 24 Itineraries Village and town facilities table 26 - Suggested itineraries 28 - The best day and two-day walks 29 - Which direction? 30 - Side trips 30 What to take Keep it light 32 - How to carry it 32 - Footwear 33 - Clothes 33 Toiletries 34 - First-aid kit 34 - General items 34 - Camping gear 35 Money 35 - Maps 35 - Sources of further information 36 Recommended reading 37 Getting to and from the Ridgeway Getting to Britain 38 - National transport 38 - Local transport 41 Local bus services 42 - Public transport map 44 PART 2: MINIMUM IMPACT AND OUTDOOR SAFETY Minimum impact walking Economic impact 46 - Environmental impact 46 - Access 49 Outdoor safety Avoidance of hazards 51 - Weather forecasts 52 - Health 52 PART 3: THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURE Conservation of the Ridgeway Natural England 54 - Campaigning and conservation organisations 56 Flora and fauna Mammals 57 - Birds 59 - Butterflies 62 - Trees 62 - Flowers 63 PART 4: ROUTE GUIDE AND MAPS Using this guide Trail maps 65 Marlborough Services 66 - Where to stay 67 - Where to eat and drink 68 Avebury and around Avebury 71 - Avebury stone circle 72 - West Overton 76 - West Kennet & East Kennet 76 - A walk around Avebury 78 - Avebury to Marlborough walk 82 The route guide Alternative starts to the Ridgeway 86 Overton Hill to Foxhill 88 (Ogbourne St George 96 - Liddington 100) Foxhill to Court Hill (& Wantage) 101 (Bishopstone 101 - Ashbury 105 Woolstone 106 - Uffington 109 - Down Barn Farm 110 - Sparsholt 112 Letcombe Regis 114 - Wantage 116) Court Hill to Goring 119 (East Ilsley 125 - Compton 126 Aldworth 128 - Streatley 130 - Goring 132) Goring to Watlington 133 (South Stoke 134 - North Stoke 138 Wallingford 139 - Crowmarsh Gifford 142 - Nuffield 146 Watlington 150) Watlington to Princes Risborough 151 (Lewknor 152 - Kingston Blount 152 - Chinnor 156 - Princes Risborough 161) Princes Risborough to Wigginton (& Tring) 163 (Wendover 165 Wigginton 172 - Tring 174) Wigginton to Ivinghoe Beacon 177 (Aldbury 178 - Ivinghoe 180) APPENDICES Appendix A: Map key 182 Appendix B: The Greater Ridgeway 183 Appendix C: GPS waypoints 184 INDEX 187