By C. J. De Mel, Jadetimes News
The Ridgeway, an 87 mile prehistoric trackway, offers a journey through the rich history of southern England. Recognized as Britain's oldest road, this path cuts across the chalk hills, connecting Overton Hill in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire. This ancient route, used for over 5,000 years, weaves through a landscape filled with Neolithic burial mounds, Iron Age hill forts, and iconic landmarks like the Uffington White Horse, a 3,000 year old chalk etching.
Setting off from Avebury in Wiltshire, the journey begins in solitude, offering a serene escape from the densely populated southern counties of England. The Ridgeway provides a tranquil contrast to the busy motorways and housing estates below, treating walkers to peaceful views of distant villages, bushy hedgerows, and rolling pastures. Notable sites like the Iron Age hill fort of Barbury Castle command the landscape, providing a sense of calm amid the chaos of modern life.
The Ridgeway has been a significant route throughout history, serving various roles from a trading path to a military road. Designated a National Trail in 1973, it recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special walk and a year long treasure hunt, highlighting its historical and cultural significance. The path has inspired writers like JRR Tolkien and Thomas Hardy and even appeared in the 2019 film "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."
The trail is divided into two distinct halves by the River Thames at Goring Gap. The western section, the North Wessex Downs, features four pre Roman hill forts and two notable geoglyphs, the Uffington White Horse and Hackpen White Horse. This area, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, remains largely unchanged since the 1700s, with settlements concentrated in the valleys, leaving the ridgetops to nature. Walkers often find themselves alone, crossing only one significant road before reaching the village of Streatley at the 40 mile mark.
The eastern section, the Chilterns, offers a more wooded landscape with ancient beech forests and houses built from local flint stone. This region, also an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, provides a timeless quality, with grassy coombes and rustling beech copses. The trail becomes less remote, crossing roads and occasional villages, and even modern obstacles like golf courses and the private driveway of Chequers, the British prime minister's country residence.
Accommodations along the Ridgeway include a mix of B&Bs, hostels, and pubs, each offering a glimpse into local history. Rural pubs, often seen as vestiges of British life, remain integral to the Ridgeway experience, providing comfortable rooms and hearty breakfasts.
The Ridgeway's popularity has increased in recent years, especially since the pandemic. Accessible to thousands of people from nearby conurbations like Swindon, Luton, and London, the trail offers easy walking on a mostly level, chalk surface. The 50th anniversary year saw a significant rise in followers and interest, highlighting the trail's importance for exercise, family time, and learning about the countryside's biodiversity, history, heritage, and climate change impacts.
Despite the weather turning problematic on the final day, with heavy rain creating slippery mud in the Chilterns, the journey on the Ridgeway remained a profound experience. The path continues to reveal new secrets, such as the discovery of 3,000 year old skeletons near Letcombe Bassett, adding to its mysterious allure. As the journey concluded, the Ridgeway left an enduring impression of a timeless path that continues to intrigue and inspire.te the trail, reflects on the extensive efforts to ensure safety while preserving the path's natural beauty, making it a fitting tribute to its name, the Path of Love.
