Greater Ridgeway

Location: Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk

OS Maps: Explorer™ Not recommended due to number required. OS Strip Mapping in guide is adequate.

The full Ridgeway, from the south coast at Lyme Regis to the north Norfolk coast near Hunstanton, runs for 363 miles. It is thus not only the oldest, but also the longest single inland path. The full Ridgeway incorporates four established long distance footpaths: The Wessex Ridgeway, the Ridgeway National Trail, the Icknield Way and the Peddars Way National Trail. It is a walk of incredible variation; from the flat open plateau of the Salisbury Plain to the undulating Dorset hills; from the airy ridges above Wantage to the big sky country around Thetford; from the small intimate villages of the shires to the pleasant northern fringes of Luton. Although the full Ridgeway is a challenge for any experienced backpacker, it is also open for walkers of all abilities. The route, as described by Ray Quinlan in the guide below, has been divided into sections suitable for day trips. There are 25 sequential sections which start at the following locations: Lyme Regis; Beaminster; Cerne Abbas; Shillingstone; Ludwell; Heytesbury; Coulston; Devizes; Avebury; Fox Hill; Scutchamer Knob; Mongerwell; Chinnor; Wendover; Ivinghoe; Luton; Letchworth; Royston; Great Chesterford; Stechworth; Icklingham; Knettishall; Little Cressingham; Castle Acre; Sedgeford.
Most walkers will dip into this guide, exploring parts of the route at different times. However, if you have the time and stamina, walking the complete Greater Ridgeway is a tremendous and rewarding challenge.

Guide Book: [Click for further information or to purchase]

The Greater Ridgeway by: Ray Quinlan. This guide has a detailed full route description and colour OS strip maps, with the route clearly colour highlighted, and has been divided into sections for day trips. There is also advice on public transport and refreshment stops. There are 25 sequential sections described in the guide which start at the locations listed above. An introductory chapter explains the history of the Ridgeway, putting the walk into context and the text is illustrated throughout with colour photographs.