ACCOMMODATION
There is plenty of accommodation along the Ridgeway and if you plan ahead you shouldn’t encounter any problems finding somewhere to stay. Most accommodation falls into the B&B category, though there are some campsites and several Youth Hostels. On the western section, up to Streatley, there is virtually no accommodation on the Ridgeway itself and the nearest place to stay might be a mile or two off the path; for this reason, you really should book ahead otherwise you might find yourself very tired and without a bed for the night.
Camping
Wild camping (see also p48) is not strictly allowed on the Ridgeway; it’s private land and although it’s a public right of way this does not entitle you to stop and camp. However, if you pitch your tent on the path and move on the next morning leaving no trace of yourself, you shouldn’t have any problems. In many places the path is plenty wide enough to pitch a tent and leave room for anyone else passing by. Unless you have personally asked permission from the landowner, do not pitch your tent in fields or woods next to the Ridgeway.
There are a number of official campsites with basic facilities such as toilets and the all-important showers with prices around £2-5 per person which makes this the cheapest accommodation option. The campsites aren’t usually open in the winter (October to March), which is a strong hint that camping at this time of year really isn’t much fun.
There simply aren’t enough official campsites along the Ridgeway for you to stay at one every night of your walk so sometimes you’ll have to engage in a spot of wild camping or splash out on a B&B.
Youth Hostels
Youth Hostels are cheap (£13.95-15.50 on the Ridgeway) and allow you to travel on a budget without having to carry cumbersome camping equipment. They are also good places to meet fellow walkers and in many cases are just as comfortable as B&Bs. However, there are only three Youth Hostels on the Ridgeway: at Court Hill, Streatley and Ivinghoe (though at the time of writing, the latter was expected to close in September 2007).
All the Youth Hostels provide bedding so there is no need to carry a sleeping bag. Additionally they all have self-catering kitchens and all provide meals. Most offer a choice of a continental or a cooked breakfast, a five-item or seven-item packed lunch and a two- or three-course evening meal.
Youth Hostels are, despite their name, for anyone of any age as long as you are a member. You can join the Youth Hostels Association of England and Wales (YHA; % 0870 770 8868, : www.yha.org.uk) at any of the hostels upon arrival, or over the phone or on the internet, for £15.50 per year. They vary greatly in style: Ridgeway Youth Hostel (see p116), at Court Hill, is housed in five large converted barns, while Ivinghoe hostel (see p177) is in a converted Georgian mansion. Most Youth Hostels will only save your booked bed until 6pm which puts you in an uncomfortable rush if you have a lot of walking to do. It’s worth phoning ahead to let them know if you’re going to arrive later.
Bed and breakfast
Anyone who has not stayed in a bed and breakfast (B&B) has missed out on something very British. They usually consist of a bed in someone’s house and a big cooked breakfast in the morning. For visitors from outside Britain it can provide an interesting insight into the way of life here as you often feel like a guest of the family.
What to expect B&Bs have been included in this guide primarily due to their location close to the Ridgeway. They basically all offer the same thing but can vary greatly in terms of quality, style and price.
Many B&Bs offer en suite rooms but often this can mean a shower and toilet have been squeezed into a corner of the room. For a few pounds less you can usually get a standard room and it’s never far to the bathroom, which may have the choice of a bath or a shower, though admittedly you would have to share with the other guests. At the end of a long day’s walking you may prefer to stretch out in a bath rather than squash into a shower.
A single room has one bed in it, though not all B&Bs have a single room so if you are walking alone you might have to book a twin or double room and pay a supplement (see below). Twin rooms and double rooms are often confused but a twin room comprises two single beds (which may be pushed together or left separate) while a double room has one double bed. Family rooms are for three or more people; they often have one double bed and a single.
Most B&Bs provide a hefty, traditional English cooked breakfast as part of the room price, though some are now providing a continental-style breakfast instead or as well. A cooked breakfast will certainly be enough to set you up for a day’s walking; if you are thinking about calories, you’ll probably want to spend the day trying to walk it off. If you want an early start or would prefer to skip breakfast it might be worth asking if you could have a packed lunch instead.
Some B&Bs will make a packed lunch as long as you request it the night before. If you think you would like an evening meal ask when you are booking as most B&Bs require advance warning. Often B&Bs are within walking distance of a pub or restaurant but, if not, the owner may give you a lift to and from the nearest eating place.
B&B owners may also provide a pick-up service from the Ridgeway and drop you off there the next morning, which can be a great help; offering to pay something towards the petrol would definitely be appreciated.
Increasingly B&Bs do not permit smoking; if this is likely to worry you check when you are booking.
Prices B&Bs in this guide vary in price from around £15 per person for the most basic accommodation to over £50 for the most luxurious en suite places. Most charge around £25 per person. Prices can be substantially less during the winter months and if you are on a budget you could always ask to go without breakfast which will usually result in a lower price.
Remember that many places do not have single rooms and will usually charge a supplement of between £5 and £15 for a single person in a double or twin room.
Booking You should always book your accommodation in advance. In summer, at weekends and on public holidays there can be stiff competition for beds and in winter there’s the distinct possibility that the place could be closed.
Some B&Bs have their own website and offer online booking. Most places ask for a deposit which is generally non-refundable. Always let the owner know if you have to cancel your booking so they can offer the bed to someone else.
Guesthouses, pubs, inns and hotels
Guesthouses are usually more sophisticated than B&Bs and offer evening meals and a lounge for guests. Pubs and inns offer bed and breakfast of a medium to high standard and have the added advantage of having a bar downstairs, so it’s not far to stagger up to bed. However, the noise from tipsy punters might prove a nuisance if you want an early night. Prices usually range from £20 to £30 per person per night.
Hotels are usually aimed more for the motoring tourist rather than the muddy walker and the prices are likely to put off the budget traveller. You’ll probably arrive there in the late afternoon and leave fairly early the next morning so it’s hard to justify the price. However, if you want a few more luxuries in your room, or room service, it may be worth considering a hotel.
FOOD AND DRINK
Breakfast and lunch
If staying in a B&B or hotel you’ll almost certainly be offered a full English cooked breakfast which may be more than you are used to. Ask for a continental breakfast if you can’t stand so much food first thing in the morning. Most Youth Hostels offer a choice of cooked or continental breakfasts. Many B&Bs and Youth Hostels can also provide you with a packed lunch at an additional cost.
Alternatively, breakfast and packed lunches can be bought and made yourself. In most towns and villages you should be able to find at least one shop selling sandwiches and usually a café. If you are lucky you may be in town when there is a farmers’ market (see box below). Remember that certain stretches of the walk are devoid of anywhere to eat so look at the town and village facilities table (pp24-5) and check the information in Part 4 to make sure you don’t go hungry.
Evening meals
There are some lovely pubs and inns on the Ridgeway but nearly all are from Streatley eastwards. Before then there is precisely one pub directly on the path – the Shepherds Rest at Fox Hill, just after you cross the M4 motorway. Although there are fewer freehouses than there used to be you can still sample some excellent beers (see box above) after a day’s walking. Most pubs also serve food and this ranges from standard ‘pub grub’ to restaurant quality fare. There will usually be at least one vegetarian option. A popular lunchtime option in a pub is a ‘ploughman’s lunch’. This is a cold meal traditionally comprising a thick slice of cheese, bread and butter, salad, some pickles and possibly an apple though there are many variations.
There are some quality restaurants in the larger towns. Additionally, most towns and some of the larger villages are riddled with cheap takeaway joints offering kebabs, pizzas, Chinese, Indian and fish ‘n’ chips; they can come in handy if you finish your walk late in the day, since they usually stay open until at least 11pm.
Buying camping supplies
If you are camping, fuel for your stove, outdoor equipment and food supplies are important considerations. Plan your journey carefully as particularly on the first half of the Ridgeway, there aren’t many opportunities to stock up without embarking on a fair trek to the nearest shop and back.
Drinking water
Depending on the weather you will need to drink as much as two to four litres of water a day. If you’re feeling lethargic it may well be that you haven’t drunk enough, even if you’re not feeling particularly thirsty.
Drinking directly from streams and rivers is tempting, but is not a good idea. Streams that cross the path tend to have flowed across farmland where you can be pretty sure any number of farm animals have relieved themselves. Combined with the probable presence of farm pesticides and other delights it is best to avoid drinking from these streams. There are drinking water taps at some points along the Ridgeway and these are marked on the maps. Where these are thin on the ground you can usually ask a friendly shopkeeper or pub barman to fill your bottle or pouch for you, from a tap of course. When you are filling your bottle have a good drink from it then fill it again so you leave the tap with a full bottle and don’t feel like drinking half of it 100 metres down the path.
WHEN TO GO
Seasons
The western half of the Ridgeway follows the high ground and is very exposed so if it rains you’ll certainly know about it. Likewise, if it is sunny, you’ll get very hot. To compound this there is very little in the way of shelter on the western section. The eastern section, on the whole, follows lower ground and is often in sheltered woodland. You are also far closer to human habitation on this section should the weather turn really bad. The main walking season is from Easter to the end of September.
Spring
The biggest attraction of walking the Ridgeway in the spring is to see the wild flowers in bloom, especially the carpets of bluebells in the woods. You’ll also get good walking weather at this time but there will be a risk of showers and thick fog can obscure pretty much everything in the early to mid-morning. Unsurprisingly, the Easter holiday is a busy time.
Summer
Obviously summer is the busiest season for walkers on the Ridgeway due to the good weather. You probably still won’t see many people on the western section, but the eastern section is very popular with dog-walkers and day-trippers. If you are walking on your own it can be nice to stop and chat to other walkers every once in a while. Although summer is your best bet for good weather, we all know how unpredictable the English weather is. Look at the forecast before you go and be prepared.
Autumn
Autumn can be one of the best times of year to walk the Ridgeway. Most walkers have finished their holidays but you can still have good, clear weather and the sections of woodland walking are especially colourful. The western section will be getting less inviting at this time due to its exposed conditions.
Winter
The cold and often unpredictable weather in the winter makes walking the Ridgeway low on most people’s lists of priorities. It certainly wouldn’t be much fun on some of the open western sections but there is still plenty of opportunity for some good day walks on other sections if the weather is clear.
TEMPERATURES
The English climate is temperate and comfortable walking can be enjoyed at most times of the year. However, there will be plenty of days in the winter where it will be too cold for comfortable walking but equally in the summer it can sometimes be too hot. The air temperature will generally be fine, it’s the rain you need to watch out for.
RAINFALL
On average it rains on about one day in three in England, though more often in the winter. Rainfall in July can be as much as half that of January in the Ridgeway area, but that’s not much consolation if you are caught in a summer downpour.
DAYLIGHT HOURS
If walking in autumn, winter and early spring, you must take account of how far you can walk in the available light. It may not be possible to cover as many miles as you would in summer. The sunrise and sunset times in the table (see opposite) are based on information for Oxford on the first of each month. This gives a rough picture for the Ridgeway. Also bear in mind that you will get a further 30-45 minutes of usable light before and after sunrise and sunset depending on the weather.
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