Silbury Hill, Wiltshire

The Ridgeway

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Overview

Route

What's Included?

Itineraries & Prices

Accommodation

Travel Info

Additional Days

Overview

Walking Holidays

7 - 9 Nights

87 miles / 139 km

Prices from: £980 per person
Start: Overton Hill, near Avebury
Finish: Ivinghoe Beacon, near Tring
Availability: Year-round
Grading: Moderate
Way-marked: Yes

The Ridgeway Highlights

Step back in history

Explore the archaeological treasures of the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron ages.

Wessex Downs

Experience a vast sense of space and openness in broad, rolling hills.

Chiltern villages

Relax and recharge amongst the charming market villages in the Chilterns.

Uffington White Horse

See for yourself the incredible spectacle of the world-famous chalk horse carved into the hillside at Uffington.

Wonderful wildlife

Walk beneath soaring birds of prey, and hear the chirps overhead of native skylarks and lapwings.

Thames Valley

Emerge from the wilderness of the Wessex Downs into the sheltered woodlands of the Thames Valley.

An Ancient Walking Route Over Rolling Hills

The Ridgeway is known as ‘Britain’s oldest road’, following ancient paths through the heart of England which have been walked by soldiers, herdsmen and travellers for 5,000 years. The trail runs for 87 miles along a chalk ridge passing through two distinct landscapes: The remote and open hills of the Wessex Downs and the woodlands and quaint villages of the Chilterns.

The Ridgeway starts at Overton Hill near the world heritage site of Avebury in Wiltshire, a Neolithic henge monument which contains the largest stone circle in Europe. From here the trail passes over the high grounds of the Wessex Downs, a surprisingly remote landscape of rolling hills with spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

These chalk downlands are home to prehistoric treasures such as Barbury Castle, Wayland’s Smithy, and the world-famous chalk figure of the Uffington White Horse. Skylarks, lapwings and majestic birds of prey can often be spotted overhead, adding to the tranquil beauty of this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The trail then descends into the Thames Valley and takes you through the charming towns of Streatley and Goring. You will notice a considerable change in the landscape as the wilderness of the North Wessex Downs gives way to sheltered woodlands, arable farmland and attractive villages of the Chilterns.

The trail finishes at the prominent landmark of Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire, where the splendid views make for a fitting end to a spectacular walk. The trail is dotted with monuments from the past, ranging from Neolithic stone circles and Bronze Age round barrows to Iron Age hill forts. These bear witness to the long and remarkable history of this area.

The Ridgeway Route Map

Recommended Itinerary

Our most popular itinerary is RIDGE2 which covers the route in 7 days / 8 nights.

Travel to Avebury for your first night’s accommodation

Arrive in Avebury for the first night of your walking holiday. This quaint Wiltshire village is famous for its prehistoric monument complex which includes the largest stone circle in Europe.

Day 1: Overton Hill to Ogbourne St. George (9 miles / 14.5 km)

The trail starts at Overton Hill, before gradually climbing onto the chalk downland which opens up expansive views of the surrounding scenery and landmarks such as the Cherhill Monument and Windmill Hill.

The Ridgeway then crosses the ‘Herepath’ – another ancient road – before arriving at the prehistoric site of Barbury Castle.

Once past the ramparts of this Iron Age hill fort, the walk continues on springy turf with far-reaching views on all sides before descending to Ogbourne St. George.

Day 2: Ogbourne St. George to Bishopstone (8 miles / 14 km)

This section is rather undulating and can make for a relatively strenuous day, but you will be rewarded with breathtaking views and historical treasures.

The trail travels through the hamlet of Southend before it steadily climbs back onto the Ridge. Here, you will encounter the impressive hill fort of Liddington Castle where there are impressive views of the surrounding countryside. You then leave the Ridge and descend into Bishopstone.

Day 3: Bishopstone to Letcombe Regis (10 miles / 16 km)

Another day of splendid downland walking awaits as the trail leaves Wiltshire for Oxfordshire.

This section is a particular treat for history enthusiasts as the trail passes next to the neolithic burial chambers of Wayland’s Smithy before arriving at White Horse Hill – famous for Uffington Castle hill fort and the internationally-renowned Uffington White Horse.

Day 4: Letcombe Regis to Goring (15 miles / 24 km)

Today you will enjoy the first views of the Thames Valley and the Chiltern Hills in the distance. You will also notice the first changes in the landscape, with woodland and farmland becoming more prominent. The route then dips down into Streatley, situated on the west bank of the River Thames, before arriving in the charming town of Goring.

Day 5: Goring to Watlington (15 miles / 24 km)

The Thames will be your companion for the first few miles today before the path heads east towards the Chiltern Hills. You will be travelling along the ancient Grim’s Ditch, surrounded by beautiful woodland.

From Nuffield, the route heads north towards the lovely hamlet of Swyncombe, before arriving in the ancient market town of Watlington.

Day 6: Watlington to Wendover (17 miles / 27 km)

The first part of the route today follows the path of the ancient Icknield Way along the foot of the hill before crossing the M40 via an underpass.

The Ridgeway emerges at Aston Rowan Nature reserve before arriving at the edge of Princes Risborough. From here, the path undulates in and out of valleys and through woodlands before emerging at Combe Hill, from where you will enjoy splendid panoramic views.

It is then time to descend to the charming town of Wendover.

Day 7: Wendover to Tring via Ivinghoe Beacon (16 miles / 25.5 km)

The last section of the Ridgeway weaves through the magnificent woodlands of the Chilterns once more before swooping down to the valley floor at Wigginton. It then crosses the Union Canal before passing through Duchies Piece Nature Reserve.

The Ridgeway finally emerges at Pitstone Hill and from here you will enjoy outstanding views for the last few miles of your journey.

The walk culminates in the final climb onto Ivinghoe Beacon itself, where the breathtaking views over the Vale of Aylesbury make for a rewarding end to your walk.

Onward travel

After breakfast, you will start your journey home after a wonderful walking holiday on the Ridgeway.

What's Included?

Your walking holiday on the Ridgeway includes:

Carefully-selected accommodation along the route, and trail transfers when applicable
En-suite or private bathroom facilities whenever possible
Daily door-to-door baggage transfers
Comprehensive information pack, kit list, guidebook and map (one set per room)
Personalised itinerary with details of your accommodation, route and recommendations for lunch and dinner
Traditional English breakfast
24-hour emergency contact number
Full financial protection

Your walking holiday doesn't include:

Travel insurance
Transport to and from the start and end of the walk
Lunches and evening meals

Itineraries & Prices

We offer 5 suggested itineraries for walking the Ridgeway.

Our most popular itinerary is RIDGE2 which covers the full route in 7 days. If you’d prefer to walk shorter sections of the trail we also offer separate itineraries for the Wessex Downs and Chiltern Hills.

Tour code

Itinerary

Average miles

Difficulty

Price per person

RIDGE1

6 Days / 7 Nights

15 miles per day

Moderate

From £980

Average miles : 15 miles per day

Tour code: RIDGE1

Difficulty : Moderate

6 Days / 7 Nights (RIDGE1)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is also a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Avebury for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Overton Hill to Bishopstone 17 miles / 27 km

Day 2 Bishopstone to Letcombe Regis 10 miles / 16 km

Day 3 Letcombe Regis to Goring 15 miles / 24 km

Day 4 Goring to Watlington 15 miles / 24 km

Day 5 Watlington to Wendover 17 miles / 27 km

Day 6 Wendover to Tring (via Ivinghoe Beacon) 16 miles / 25.5 km

Depart Onward travel from Tring

Prices

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £980 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

Enquire Now

RIDGE2

7 Days / 8 Nights

13 miles per day

Moderate

From £1110

Average miles : 13 miles per day

Tour code: RIDGE2

Difficulty : Moderate

7 Days / 8 Nights (RIDGE2)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is also a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Avebury for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Overton Hill to Ogbourne St George 9 miles / 14.5 km

Day 2 Ogbourne St George to Bishopstone 8 miles / 14 km

Day 3 Bishopstone to Letcombe Regis 10 miles / 16 km

Day 4 Letcombe Regis to Goring 15 miles / 24 km

Day 5 Goring to Watlington 15 miles / 24 km

Day 6 Watlington to Wendover 17 miles / 27 km

Day 7 Wendover to Tring (via Ivinghoe Beacon) 16 miles / 25.5 km

Depart Onward travel from Tring

Prices

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £1110 per person

Enquire Now

RIDGE3

8 Days / 9 Nights

11 miles per day

Moderate

From £1195

Average miles : 11 miles per day

Tour code: RIDGE3

Difficulty : Moderate

8 Days / 9 Nights (RIDGE3)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is also a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Avebury for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Overton Hill to Ogbourne St George 9 miles / 14.5 km

Day 2 Ogbourne St George to Bishopstone 8 miles / 14 km

Day 3 Bishopstone to Letcombe Regis 10 miles / 16 km

Day 4 Letcombe Regis to Goring 15 miles / 24 km

Day 5 Goring to Watlington 15 miles / 24 km

Day 6 Watlington to Princes Risborough 10.5 miles / 16.5 km

Day 7 Princes Risborough to Tring 14 miles / 23 km

Day 8 Tring to Ivinghoe Beacon (and back to Tring) 7 miles / 11 km

Depart Onward travel from Tring

Prices

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £1195 per person

Enquire Now

RIDGE4

4 Days / 5 Nights (Wessex Downs)

10.5 miles per day

Moderate

From £705

Average miles : 10.5 miles per day

Tour code: RIDGE4

Difficulty : Moderate

4 Days / 5 Nights (RIDGE4)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is also a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Avebury for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Overton Hill to Ogbourne St George 9 miles / 14.5 km

Day 2 Ogbourne St George to Bishopstone 8 miles / 14 km

Day 3 Bishopstone to Letcombe Regis 10 miles / 16 km

Day 4 Letcombe Regis to Goring 15 miles / 24 km

Depart Onward travel from Goring

Prices

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £705 per person

Enquire Now

RIDGE5

4 Days / 5 Nights (Chiltern Hills)

11.5 miles per day

Moderate

From £665

Average miles : 11.5 miles per day

Tour code: RIDGE5

Difficulty : Moderate

4 Days / 5 Nights (RIDGE5)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is also a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Goring for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Goring to Watlington 15 miles / 24 km

Day 2 Watlington to Princes Risborough 10.5 miles / 16.5 km

Day 3 Princes Risborough to Tring 14 miles / 23 km

Day 4 Tring to Ivinghoe Beacon (and back to Tring) 7 miles / 11 km

Depart Onward travel from Tring

Prices

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £665 per person

Enquire Now

The Ridgeway Accommodation

All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by our expert team to ensure it meets our exacting standards. We regularly review our extensive database.

We will always prioritise accommodation as close to the walking trail as possible. Occasionally, your accommodation may be located a short distance from the trail, or you may need to spend more than one night in the same place, in which case we will provide return transfers.

Travel Information

As an environmentally conscious tour operator, we actively encourage the use of public transport by providing clients with a detailed breakdown of travel options in their information packs. The following information may help with your pre-trip planning.

Getting to Avebury

By Air

Nearest international airport: London Heathrow Airport

Nearest regional airport: Bristol Airport

There are direct National Express connections from the coach station at Heathrow Airport all the way to Swindon (journey time 1 hour 30 min).

An airport shuttle bus operates to Bristol city centre (journey time 30 min). You can then connect with a train to Swindon. From Swindon, you can travel the 10 miles south to Avebury by bus or taxi.

By Public Transport

Nearest railway station: Swindon

A train service operates from London Paddington Station to Swindon Station (journey time 1 hour), and Bristol Temple Meads Station to Swindon Station (journey time 40 min). From Swindon, you can travel the 10 miles south to Avebury by bus or taxi. The taxi fare from Swindon is approximately £30 (journey time 20 min).

By Car

Long term car parking in Avebury is limited, so we recommend that you travel by public transport. However, if you do plan to travel by car, we can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Departing from Tring

By Air

Nearest international airport: London Luton

Tring is located 15 miles east of London Luton Airport.

There are regular train services from Tring to Milton Keynes, from where you can take a bus to London Luton Airport (total journey time 1 hour 40 min).

There is also a frequent bus service between Tring and Luton town, where you can connect with an airport bus to London Luton Airport (journey time 35 minutes).

By Public Transport

Nearest railway station: Tring

London Midland run train services from Tring to London Euston Station. Services run every half hour (journey time 45 min).

As the train services can be very busy, we recommend booking in advance.

By Car

Long term car parking in Tring is limited, so we recommend that you travel by public transport. However, if you do plan to travel by car, we can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Additional Days

We would be delighted to arrange additional accommodation for you along the Ridgeway.

You may wish to plan a rest day or have an additional night at any of the locations along the route which offer activities or sightseeing opportunities – we’ve made some suggestions below. Please request this when you make an enquiry.

Avebury

Explore the largest stone circle in Europe at Avebury World Heritage Site
Discover archaeological treasures at the Alexander Keiller Museum
Visit Avebury Manor and Garden

Goring

Hire a boat and take to the water for a lazy day on the River Thames
Enjoy the scenic views from Goring and Streatley Bridge – a fantastic photo opportunity
Take a day trip by train to visit Oxford, renowned for its history, heritage and famous University

Tring

Visit Tring Natural History Museum
Sample some local beer at Tring Brewery
Enjoy woodland walks and a variety of wildlife at Ashridge Estate
Explore the Grand Union Canal

How do our Walking Holidays Work?

For more than 20 years, we’ve been weaving together unforgettable walking holidays amidst the enchanting landscapes of the British Isles. Dive deeper into how they work in our comprehensive guide. Read more

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Walking the Ridgeway: A Journey on Britain’s Oldest Road

From its start in the World Heritage Site of Avebury, The Ridgeway travels through ancient landscapes which have been used by travellers, herdsmen and soldiers since prehistoric times. Discover more about this historic walking route along 'Britain's oldest road' ... Read more