When I lived in the UK, a friend and I went for a walk. A long walk. It lasted a week. It took us through some of the best scenery in southern England, wore holes in our socks, gave us blisters, backache, sore shoulders and experiences we will never forget. It was quite simply one of the best things either of us has ever done. The blisters are long gone, but the memories live on.
Photo by foshie
If you’re a genuine Aussie battler, you might like to follow in our footsteps, because this walk takes some beating. It’s Britain’s oldest road: a route trodden by human feet for several thousand years. Its name is The Ridgeway. The very mention of it fills me with longing. I want to go back. I want to experience every step again. Even the blisters.
The entire walk (139 km – and if I can, you can) is through areas of outstanding natural beauty. This is an official designation, not mine. It’s spot-on. The landscapes include the North Wessex Downs, woodlands, farmland and the pretty villages of the Chiltern Hills. Gorgeous.
But …not only is The Ridgeway’s scenery exceptional, parts of it are chillingly historic. Stone circles, ancient burial mounds, a giant white chalk horse and mysterious Silbury Hill are just some of the highlights. The western end, Avebury (pictured right), is one of the most important Stone Age sites in Britain and it’s a personal favourite: an incredible place, with a old beautiful village partly inside an ancient stone circle. And here’s a tip: if you’ve arranged for someone to collect you or drop you at Avebury at the start or finish of your Ridgeway walk, bear in mind that it’s not too far from Stonehenge, so you could combine a visit. But don’t set out on foot – it’s about 50 kilometres!
Photo by Colin Eric
You’ll need to be quite fit to do The Ridgeway, but not exceptionally so, as the countryside is more rolling than rugged. You’ll want good, COMFORTABLE, stout hiking shoes or boots, some very comfortable socks, a backpack and a map, and off you go. Depending on your speed and staying power, you can expect to walk for five to eight days (or dawdle, and spend longer – why not?).
Photo by BeMa
Walk north-east from Avebury or south-west from Ivinghoe Beacon. Both can be reached by bus; Ivinghoe is probably the easier of the two, but walking from Avebury usually means you have the breeze behind you. Stop for lunch in wayside pubs, and choose from a variety of accommodation options in villages along the way.
There's plenty of information available on The Ridgeway, and proper planning will make life easier for you en route. Go some time between April and November, but be aware that June, July and August are the high season. We went in autumn (late September) and stayed in pubs along the way. This it cost us a bit (there are cheaper alternatives) but we’d have been prepared to empty our bank accounts on a couple of occasions, for the sake of a warm bath, a soft bed and a little luxury at the end of a long, tiring day. Oh, the memories. Don’t get me started.