The Ridgeway

Avebury to Ivinghoe Beacon. 87 miles. 94 miles with detours.
15th to 22nd July 2017

Locations

We were lucky to be chauffeured to the start of this walk by our eldest. We had a pleasant group wander around Avebury and lunch in the Red Lion. We were then taken to Marlborough where we stayed two nights.

16th July 16.3 miles
On the Sunday we took a bus to Avebury and started the walk. From Avebury we walked the Wessex Ridgeway and picked up The Ridgeway at Overton Down. A very welcome find on this leg was a mobile coffee emporium at Barbury Castle Car Park.We walked to Liddington and then got the bus back to Marlborough.

17th July 12.7 miles, 29 total.
The next day, Monday, we caught the bus back to Liddington and walked to Letcombe Regis, leaving the Ridgeway at Gramp's Hill. We stayed at the excellent Greyhound Inn.

18th July 16.8 miles, 45.8 total.
On Tuesday we returned to the Ridgeway via Segbury Castle. then walked to Goring to stay in The John Barleycorn, which is sadly currently shut. We had a fine dinner in The Miller. Entering Goring is where The Ridgeway crosses the Thames Path.

19th July 16.2 miles, 62 total.
On Wednesday we walked to Watlington stay in the Fat Fox Inn. The day starts with a pleasant riverside walk, on the opposite bank to when we walked the Thames Path. We took time to admire the beautiful brickwork of the railway viaduct between South and North Stoke. We next encountered a "Grim's Ditch" for the first time on this walk. I don't know if it is part of the same named earthwork we encounter later. We turned off the Ridgeway at the B480 and utilised some local paths to walk into Watlington itself.

20th July 14.8 miles, 76.8 total.
Thursday we returned to the Ridgeway at White Mark / Watlington Hill and walked to the Plough at Cadsden. We obviously got thirsty and deviated into Chinnor for a coffee at the Cob Cottage Cafe. We left the Ridgeway at Keens Lane, crossing the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway. We returned via a track to Lower Wainhill, rejoining at Thickthorne Wood. The viewpoint on Brush Hill and Whiteleaf Hill are excellent.

21st July 13.5 miles, 90.3 total.
For organisational reasons we didn't complete the walk on this day, instead walking to Aldbury and The Greyhound Inn. The route today took us past Chequers complete with signs warning of the dire consequences of trespass. There was some fine walking along the ridge of Coombe and Bacombe Hills.

22nd July 3.9 miles, 94.2 total.

Short walk today to meet our chauffeur for the trip home. The section along Pitstone Hill and Ivinghoe Hills is excellent. We had a fine lunch in the Rose and Crown at Ivinghoe before heading home.