The Ridgeway: National Trail
Published 24 June 2026
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2026
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The Ridgeway is a 87-mile (139km) National Trail in southern central England that’s remote and mostly off-road. It follows Britain’s oldest road, known as the Ridgeway.
The trail goes through the North Wessex Downs and Chilterns National Landscapes.
A section of The Ridgeway from Overton Hill to Streatley-on-Thames is open to horse riders and mountain bikers.
About the trail
The trail goes between:
- Avebury, Wiltshire
- Ivinghoe Beacon, Buckinghamshire
You can choose to walk the entire trail, a specific section or two, or find local walks or rides that follow some of the trail.
You can find some circular and linear walks and rides on the National Trails website.
When to visit
The trail is open all year.
Signposts on the trail
All National Trails are marked with an acorn symbol or the trail name. You’ll see these along the trail, for example on gates and signposts.
Walking the whole trail
- Length: 87 miles (139km) long
- Time to complete: around 6 days – if you walk 15 miles (24km) a day
Accessibility on the trail
Most of the trail is off-road on natural ground or stone surfaces, which can be muddy when wet.
There are no stiles on The Ridgeway. Many people visit The Ridgeway in mobility vehicles including wheelchairs, hand-trikes, mobility scooters or off-road mobility scooters such as the Tramper.
Mountain biking on the trail
Most of the section that is open to mountain bikers would be graded a ‘blue route’. This means that riders should be in good health and have at least basic off-road riding skills and a basic mountain bike.
What you can experience on the trail
There are many things you can experience on The Ridgeway, including:
- wildlife – such as bluebell woods, chalkhill blue butterfly and red kite, beech woodland and along the River Thames
- historic and heritage sites – such as archaeological monuments from the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages and figures of white horses cut into the chalk
- nature reserves – such as Aston Rowant and Duchie’s Piece
- local culture, food and entertainment
On the trail you can also visit cities, towns and small villages, including:
- Avebury World Heritage Site
- South and North Stoke
- Swyncombe
Sections of the trail
You can break the trail into sections that you can walk or ride in a day, or that give you time to visit specific things on or near the trail.
There’s an example below, but you can find more information online and in guidebooks to help plan your route.
Overton Hill to Ogbourne St George – 9.3 miles (14.8km)
The trail starts at Overton Hill and climbs gradually to Barbury Castle. Some of the countryside has grazing livestock. The trail goes down to the village of Ogbourne St George, where there are some places for food and drink.
Ogbourne St George to Sparsholt Firs – 16 miles (25.6km)
This is considered the most remote section of The Ridgeway, although it crosses the M4 at one point. After crossing the M4 there’s a series of small villages.
In parts of this section the trail is a narrow track. Lots of the trail has been surfaced with limestone. However, in places where it’s wide enough the grass verge is often mown which provides an alternative to the surfaced trail.
Sparsholt Firs to Streatley – 17.4 miles (27.9km)
The section can be exposed to the weather. The trail along this section is a broad track for a considerable distance, mostly with a natural surface and few hedges. After Bury Down the trail goes under the A34 through an underpass.
Streatley to Watlington – 15.3 miles (24.6km)
This section of the trail follows the river Thames and passes through water meadows with grazing livestock. The Thames Path National Trail follows the opposite bank of the Thames and crosses at the bridge separating Streatley and Goring-on-Thames.
The trail goes east along a narrow path, known as “Grim’s Ditch”. From the village of Nuffield, it goes north to Swyncombe and then goes down to the Upper Icknield Way. The trail follows this track to Watlington.
Watlington to Wendover – 17 miles (27.2km)
This section has several climbs in and out of valleys. The trail follows the level track of the ancient Icknield Way. The trail crosses the M40 using an underpass near the Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve.
The trail goes across fields and over Lodge Hill to Princes Risborough. The trail then climbs up and down valleys before finally going down to the small town of Wendover.
Along this section there’s a choice of villages or small towns with places for food and drink.
Wendover to Ivinghoe Beacon – 11.8 miles (18.8km)
This is a relatively short section of the trail in the Chiltern Hills. The trail goes mostly through woodland from Wendover to Wigginton. It goes down and crosses the A41 on a footbridge designed for The Ridgeway. The trail then goes over the Grand Union Canal and finally the railway at Tring station.
Finally the trail goes through Duchie’s Piece nature reserve and on to Pitstone Hill, ending with a climb up to the top of Beacon Hill.
Maps for the trail
You can find:
- a map on the National Trails website - you can also download GPX data
- other maps and guidebooks online and in print
- circular and linear walks and rides online and from the local council
The Ordnance Survey (OS) Explorer maps that cover The Ridgeway are:
- 157 Marlborough and Savernake Forest
- 170 Abingdon, Wantage and Vale of White Horse
- 171 Chiltern Hills West
- 181 Chiltern Hills North
Diversions or closures on the trail
You may find minor diversions, seasonal or tidal changes to the route. These will be clearly signposted and you should always follow the signposts on the trail.
Prepare for your visit
Read guidance on how to prepare for your visit for information on:
- checking the route – including for diversions or closures
- planning your trip
- what to prepare before you set off
- what to do on the trail
Contact
Use the relevant National Trails online form to:
- report a problem
- ask a question about accessibility on the trail
- find out about volunteering opportunities
Contact the local council to report a problem on a public right of way, for example obstructions, poor maintenance or a misleading sign.