Following a route used since prehistoric times by travellers, herdsmen and soldiers the 87 mile long Ridgeway is a decent walk, but too far for Andy and I in 24 hours, especially with the 25Kilo Wild camping packs we tend to carry.
In Jan we completed part 1, parts 2 and 3 will be later in the year.
Below are some facts and photo’s from our trip.
We found the The Ridgway a great walk, very accessible, quiet and so we believe it simply must be on your Wild-camping list of locations.
It passes through ancient landscapes through downland, secluded valleys and woodland. We decided to break it down into three chunks, the 1st started at the Ivinghoe Beacon. It’s a prominent hill and landmark in the Chiltern Hills, standing 233 m (757 ft) above sea level, close to the village of Ivinghoe in Buckinghamshire, the Ashridge Estate, and the villages of Aldbury and Little Gaddesden in Hertfordshire, managed and owned by the National Trust.
Ivinghoe Beacon is part of the Ivinghoe Hills Site of Special Scientific Interest. It lies between the towns of Dunstable in Bedfordshire, and Berkhamsted and Tring in Hertfordshire. It is the starting point of the Icknield Way to the east, and the Ridgeway long-distance path to the west.
Ivinghoe Beacon is a popular spot for walkers, sightseers, and model aircraft enthusiasts, who use lift generated by the wind blowing up the hill – a technique known as slope soaring although we didn’t see to many on the day we ventured out.
Ivinghoe Beacon’s appearance of remoteness, yet relative proximity to the film studios at Elstree, meant that it was a favoured location for many dramas, especially those produced by ITC in the 1960s.
It’s pretty hard to get lost on The Ridgeway. The signage is fantastic in part because it’s such a popular walk, but also because the ground is chalk, which shines in the moonlight.
Why not pop in for a cuppa T when passing Chequers!?
We managed to find a quiet spot on top of a wooded hill away from prying eyes. As always with Wild Camping, camp after dark and be gone by sunrise leaving no trace of your stay!
camping jedi 
Do you get to part 2? Great article
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