Synopses & Reviews
A new title in Trailblazer's 10-title series of British Walking Guides. The Ridgeway begins near Avebury and runs 85 miles across the high chalk downs of Wiltshire, into the Thames Valley and on to the Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire, finishing at Ivinghoe Beacon near Aylesbury. This is the oldest road in Britain, some of it dating from prehistoric times. Its a popular six-day walk.
· 10 town plans and 50 large-scale walking maps at just under 1:20,000 showing route times, places to stay, places to eat, points of interest and much more. These are not general-purpose maps but fully-edited maps drawn by walkers for walkers.
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· Itineraries for all walkers whether walking the route in its entirety over one to two weeks or sampling the highlights on day walks and short breaks
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· Practical information for all budgets camping, bunkhouses, hostels, B&Bs, pubs and hotels; Avebury through to Ivinghoe Beacon where to stay, where to eat, what to see, plus detailed street plans
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· Comprehensive public transport information for all access points on the Ridgeway
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· Flora and fauna four page full color flower guide, plus an illustrated section on local wildlife
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· Green hiking understanding the local environment and minimizing our impact on it
Review
...the Trailblazer series stands head, shoulders, waist and ankles above the rest.
They are particularly strong on mapping...-- The Sunday Times
Synopsis
The Ridgeway begins near Avebury and runs 85 miles across the high chalk downs of Wiltshire, into the Thames Valley and on to the Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire, finishing at Ivinghoe Beacon near Aylesbury. This is the oldest road in Britain, some of it dating from prehistoric times. Its a popular six-day walk.
About the Author
Nick Hill lives in Wiltshire, England, very near the start of the Ridgeway. After completing a design degree at university, Nick headed off into Asia for a short trip; several fascinating years later he had crossed the continent overland four times. He has worked on several Trailblazer guides including the Trans-Siberian Handbook. As Trailblazer's cartographer he has drawn most of the maps for the British Walking Guides series.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION (1) PART 1: PLANNING YOUR WALK About the Ridgeway (History, How difficult is the Ridgeway, How long do you need?), Practical information for the visitor (Accommodation, Food and drink, Money, Other services, Information for foreign visitors, Walking companies), Budgeting (Accommodation, Extras), When to go (Seasons, Temperature and rainfall, Daylight hours, Annual events), Itineraries (Which direction? Highlights, Village and town facilities, Suggested itineraries, Mountain biking, Walking with dogs), What to take (Keep it light, How to carry it, Footwear, Clothes, Toiletries, First-aid kit, General items, Sleeping bag, Camping gear, Money, Maps, Recommended reading), Getting to and from the Ridgeway (National transport, Getting to Britain, Local transport, Local transport map and details) Sources of further information (2) PART 2: MINIMUM IMPACT TREKKING Economic impact, Environmental impact, Access, Outdoor safety (Avoidance of hazards, Weather forecasts, Blisters, Hypothermia, Heat exhaustion and heatstroke, Sunburn) (3) PART 3: THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURE Conserving the Ridgeway (Natural Heritage, Campaigning & conservation organizations), Fauna and flora (Mammals, Reptiles, Birds, Trees, Flowers (4) PART 4: ROUTE GUIDE & MAPS Using this guide, Stage 1: Overton Hill to Ogbourne St George, Stage 2 Ogbourne St George to Liddintgon, Stage 3 Liddington to Letcombe Regis, Stage 4 Letcombe Regis to Goring, Stage 5 Goring to Nuffield, Stage 6 Nuffield to Chinnor, Stage 7 Chinnor to Wendover, Stage 8 Wendover to Wigginton, Stage 9 Wigginton to Ivinghoe Beacon (5) APPENDICES (6) MAP KEYS (7) INDEX