The Ridgeway 40
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The Ridgeway 40
The Ridgeway 40 is a linear long-distance walk of 40 miles completed in one day, running between Avebury in Wiltshire and Streatley in Berkshire. The route follows the ancient Ridgeway track across the chalk downlands of Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire and passes a range of historic features such as Bronze Age burial mounds, Iron Age hill forts including Barbury Castle and Liddington, the Neolithic tomb Wayland Smithy, and the Uffington Castle hill fort with the nearby White Horse figure, which may be up to 3,000 years old. The Ridgeway itself has contested antiquity, with some theories suggesting origins up to 300,000 years ago and others proposing continuous use for at least 6,000 years.
The event is part of the UK tradition of long-distance challenge walks and uses public rights of way and open land. Organisers provide a mapped or written route and checkpoints to monitor progress. Checkpoints typically offer sustenance such as water, squash and food, and a first aid kit is available at checkpoint locations. Entrants who complete the course within the specified time receive a certificate of achievement; commemorative badges are available for purchase. Historically first held in 1962 by a Youth Hostels Association local group, the walk has retained its connection with the Streatley hostel and is commonly run as a coach-assisted linear event. The next scheduled event date is Saturday 9 May 2026 and entries are listed as open. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
