The Ridgeway in Grim's Ditch near Mongewell

The Ridgeway passing through open downland

The ancient tree-lined path winds over the downs countryside

For other meanings see Ridgeway. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3456 × 2304 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3456 × 2304 pixel, file size: 3. ... Grims Ditch or Grims Dyke (also Grimsdyke in derivative names) is a name shared by a number of bank and ditch earthworks found on the chalk uplands of southern England. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 903 KB) Â©  This image is copyrighted. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 903 KB) Â©  This image is copyrighted. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1411 KB) Summary Photographer: User:Ballista Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1411 KB) Summary Photographer: User:Ballista Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... There are several places named Ridgeway: In England: Ridgeway, Derbyshire The Ridgeway National Trail, often referred to as The Ridgeway. In Canada: Ridgeway, Ontario In the United States: Ridgeway, Alaska Ridgeway, Iowa Ridgeway, Ohio Ridgeway, Missouri Ridgeway, New York Ridgeway, South Carolina Ridgeway, Virginia Ridgeway, Wisconsin Ridgeway (town), Wisconsin Ridgeway...

The Ridgeway is an ancient trackway described as Britain's oldest road. At 85 miles (137km), the route follows the chalk hills between Overton Hill, near Avebury, and Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire and represents part of a route in use since Neolithic times. Specifically, the Ridegway hugs the ridge tops of open downland west of the Goring Gap and the tree-covered Chiltern Hills east of the River Thames, thus avoiding once difficult woods and marshes in the valleys below. In winter Ivinghoe Beacon is a prominent hill and landmark in the Chiltern Hills. ... Categories: UK geography stubs | Berkshire | Oxfordshire ... The Chiltern Hills are a chalk escarpment that stretches in a south-west to north-east diagonal from Goring-On-Thames to Luton, but is most prominent in Buckinghamshire. ... The Thames (pronounced //) is a river flowing through southern England, and one of the major waterways in England. ...

National Trail

Now one of fifteen long-distance National Trails in England and Wales, the Ridgeway beetles northeast, from its trail head at Overton Hill to its tail at Ivinghoe Beacon, near Tring. Opened as a National Trail in 1973, the Ridgeway meets the much newer Thames Path at the Goring Gap where both trails use the banks of the Thames between Goring-on-Thames and Mongewell - the Thames Path following the western bank and the Ridgeway hugging the eastern bank. National Trails is an umbrella agency of the UK government which has a mandate to promote, maintain and develop the network of long distance footpaths in the United Kingdom. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the  United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130... This article is about the country. ... In winter Ivinghoe Beacon is a prominent hill and landmark in the Chiltern Hills. ... Map sources for Tring at grid reference SP924117 Tring is a small market town in the Chiltern Hills in Hertfordshire, England with a population of 13,000. ... National Trails is an umbrella agency of the UK government which has a mandate to promote, maintain and develop the network of long distance footpaths in the United Kingdom. ... The Thames Path is a National Trail following the length of the River Thames from its source in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier at Greenwich. ... Categories: UK geography stubs | Berkshire | Oxfordshire ... Railway bridge near Goring Goring-on-Thames is a village and civil parish on the River Thames in the English county of Oxfordshire. ... Mongewell Park Mongewell is a hamlet in the civil parish of Crowmarsh, near Wallingford in the English county of Oxfordshire. ...

In use since Neolithic times, the original Ridgeway almost certainly used to traverse the entire chalk ridge (escarpment) that runs from Dorset to Lincolnshire, but human development and military restrictions on Salisbury Plain have interrupted the trail; only 85 miles remain. The Ridgeway represents one of four long distance footpaths which combine to run from Lyme Regis to Hunstanton, collectively referred to as the Greater Ridgeway. The Needles,situated on the Isle Of Wight, are part of the extensive Southern England Chalk Formation. ... In geology, an escarpment is a transition zone between different physiogeographic provinces that involves an elevation differential, often involving high cliffs. ... Dorset (pronounced DOR-sit or [dɔ.sət], and sometimes in the past called Dorsetshire) is a county in the south-west of England, on the English Channel coast. ... Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs) is a county in the east of England. ... This article is about the plateau in southern England; Salisbury Plain is also an area on South Georgia Island. ... Long-distance trails (or long-distance tracks, paths, footpaths or greenways) are trails or footpaths covering large distances, typically 50 km or more, used for rambling (that is, hiking or backpacking). ... Lyme Regis (IPA: ) is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 miles west of Dorchester and 25 miles east of Exeter. ... Hunstanton is a large seaside town in Norfolk, England, facing The Wash. ... The Greater Ridgeway is a 583 kilometer long distance footpath crossing England from Lyme Regis to Hunstanton. ...

The Ridgeway passes near many Neolithic, Iron age, and Bronze age sites including, Avebury Circle, a stone circle similar to Stonehenge; Barbury Castle, Liddington Castle and Uffington Castle, all Iron age and Bronze age hill forts; Wayland's Smithy, a Neolithic chieftain burial tomb; the White Horse, an ancient 400 foot chalk horse carved into the hillside near Uffington Castle; and Grim's Ditch, a 5 mile section of earthwork near Mongewell created by Iron age peoples as a possible demarcation line. Other points of interest include the Blowing Stone, and Victory Drive, the private drive of Chequers (the British Prime Minister's country retreat). This article is about the Avebury prehistoric site; for an article on the modern village and civil parish containing it, see Avebury, Wiltshire. ... For other meanings of Stonehenge, see: Stonehenge (disambiguation) Map showing the location of Stonehenge Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 8 miles (13 km) north of Salisbury. ... Barbury Castle is an Iron Age hill fort situated in Wiltshire, England. ... Liddington Castle is a late Bronze Age and early Iron Age hill fort in the English county of Wiltshire. ... Uffington Castle is all that remains of an early iron Age hill fort in Oxfordshire, England. ... Waylands Smithy is a Neolithic long barrow and chamber tomb site located near the Uffington White Horse and Uffington Castle in the English county of Oxfordshire. ... As seen from an altitude of 2000 feet, from the cockpit of a glider The Uffington White Horse is a highly stylised hillfigure, 374 feet (110m) long, cut out of the turf on the upper slopes of Uffington Castle, an Iron Age hill fort near The Ridgeway, in southern England. ... Grims Ditch or Grims Dyke (also Grimsdyke in derivative names) is a name shared by a number of bank and ditch earthworks found on the chalk uplands of southern England. ... Mongewell Park Mongewell is a hamlet in the civil parish of Crowmarsh, near Wallingford in the English county of Oxfordshire. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Chequers, or Chequers Court, is a large house to the south east of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England, that sits at the foot of the Chiltern Hills. ...

The Ridgeway's surface varies from chalk-rutted farm paths and green lanes (which have a propensity for becoming extremely muddy and pot-holed after rain) to small sections of metalled roads. Labelled a Bridleway (shared with horses and bicycles) for much of its length, the Ridgeway also includes parts designated as Byway which permits the use of motorised vehicles. Local restrictions along many Byway sections limit the use of motorised vehicles to the summer months. Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, many public rights of way in England and Wales that authorities had not explicitly classified as Bridleway or Byway defaulted to the classification "Restricted Byway" which precludes the use of motor vehicles at all times. As a result of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, much of the Ridgeway remains free of motor vehicles year round [1]. In England and Wales, a bridleway is a way over which the public have the following, but no other, rights of way: a right of way on foot and a right of way on horseback or leading a horse, with or without a right to drive animals of any description... A byway is a less-traveled side road, as in: A Byway Open to All Traffic in the United Kingdom, or A National Scenic Byway in the United States. ... The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 is a UK act of parliament which came into force on November 30, 2000. ...

Despite the Ridgeway's artificial creation, the TV programme Seven Natural Wonders featured it in 2005 as one of the wonders of the South. Seven Natural Wonders is a television programme that aired on BBC Two from 3 May to 20 June 2005. ...

A Brief History

For at least 5000 years travellers have used the Ridgeway. Originally connected to the Dorset Coast, the Ridgeway provided a reliable trading route to the Wash in the Norfolk. The high dry ground made travel easy and provided a measure of protection by giving traders a commanding view, warning against potential attacks. The Bronze age saw the development of the White Horse along with the stone circle at Avebury. During the Iron age, inhabitants took advantage of the high ground by building hill forts along the Ridgeway to help defend the trading route. Following the collapse of Roman authority in Western Europe, Saxon and Viking invasions of Great Britain saw the Ridgeway used as a road for moving armies. In medieval times, the Ridgeway found use by drovers, moving their livestock from the West Country and Wales to markets in the Home Counties. Prior to the Enclosure Acts of 1750, the Ridgeway existed as an informal series of tracks across the chalk downs, chosen by travellers based on path conditions. Once enclosures started, the current path developed through the building of earth banks and the planting of hedges. Since 1973 the Ridgeway has enjoyed the status of a National Trail. As seen from an altitude of 2000 feet, from the cockpit of a glider The Uffington White Horse is a highly stylised hillfigure, 374 feet (110m) long, cut out of the turf on the upper slopes of Uffington Castle, an Iron Age hill fort near The Ridgeway, in southern England. ...

A full-circle panoramic view on The Ridgeway between Wantage and Uffington, 2004

Download high resolution version (2000x210, 41 KB)a full-circle panoramic view at a point on The Ridgeway between Wantage and Uffington. ... Download high resolution version (2000x210, 41 KB)a full-circle panoramic view at a point on The Ridgeway between Wantage and Uffington. ...

Places along the Ridgeway

Places that are near to (or on) The Ridgeway include (from West to East):

• Avebury
• Overton Hill
• Swindon
• Marlborough
• Faringdon
• Uffington Castle
• Lambourn
• Hungerford
• Wantage
• Abingdon
• Oxford
• Newbury
• Didcot
• Blewbury
• Streatley
• Wallingford
• Thame
• Chinnor
• Reading
• Henley-on-Thames
• Princes Risborough
• Aylesbury
• Wendover
• High Wycombe
• Tring
• Maidenhead
• Ivinghoe Beacon
• Hemel Hempstead

Avebury Village framed by the Stone Circle Avebury (the traditional local pronunciation is Abury) is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire. ... For other places with the same name, see Swindon (disambiguation). ... Marlborough is a market town in the English county of Wiltshire on the Old Bath Road, the old main road from London to Bath. ... The Folly, from the A420 Faringdon market place All Saints church, Faringdon Faringdon is a picturesque market town in the Vale of White Horse, near the Thames Valley in southern England, United Kingdom. ... Uffington Castle is all that remains of an early iron Age hill fort in Oxfordshire, England. ... Lambourn is a small market town and civil parish in the northwestern corner of the ceremonial county of Berkshire in England. ... Hungerford is a market town by the River Kennet in the English county of Berkshire. ... Wantage is a small town in the Thames Valley, southern England. ... Abingdon Town Councils coat of arms. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. ... Statistics Population: 25,231 Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SU525900 Administration District: South Oxfordshire Shire county: Oxfordshire Region: South East England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Oxfordshire Historic county: Berkshire Services Police force: Thames Valley Police Ambulance: South Central Post office and telephone Post town... Blewbury is a village in Oxfordshire. ... Streatley is a village on the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire. ... Map sources for Wallingford at grid reference SU6089 Wallingford is a small town in Oxfordshire in southern England. ... Statistics Population: 10,886 Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SP710060 Administration District: South Oxfordshire Shire county: Oxfordshire Region: South East England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Oxfordshire Historic county: Oxfordshire Services Police force: Thames Valley Police Fire and rescue: {{{Fire}}} Ambulance: South Central Post office... This article needs to be wikified. ... Reading is a town, unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) and urban area in the English county of Berkshire. ... Henley-on-Thames from by the playground near the Rail Station River Thames, the five arched Henley Bridge and Leander Club (to the far left) Henley-on-Thames is a town on the north side of the River Thames in south Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east... Princes Risborough is a town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 9 miles south of Aylesbury and 9 miles north west of High Wycombe. ... Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in south east England. ... Wendover is a picturesque market town that sits at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England. ... // The world renound retard, jack milner, has been said to be living in the retarded town just west of high wycombe known as down syndromly. ... Map sources for Tring at grid reference SP924117 Tring is a small market town in the Chiltern Hills in Hertfordshire, England with a population of 13,000. ... Statistics Population: 58,848 (2001) Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SU889811 Administration District: Windsor and Maidenhead Region: South East England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Berkshire Historic county: Berkshire Services Police force: Thames Valley Ambulance service: South Central Post office and telephone Post town: MAIDENHEAD... In winter Ivinghoe Beacon is a prominent hill and landmark in the Chiltern Hills. ... Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire, England with a population of 81,143 at the 2001 Census. ...

Maps

• Annotated map of the Ridgeway
• Ridgeway National Trail. Published by Harvey Maps, UK.

External links

• The Ridgeway
• BBC description of the Ridgeway
• Improvised music recorded at various sites along The Ridgeway