Exploring Britain’s Ancient Ridgeway A 7-Day Hiking Adventure Through 5,000 Years of History
Exploring Britain's Ancient Ridgeway A 7-Day Hiking Adventure Through 5,000 Years of History - Day 1 Avebury Stone Circle to Ogbourne St George
As you set out from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Avebury, you'll be walking in the footsteps of our ancestors from 5,000 years ago, with the largest stone circle in Europe serving as a dramatic starting point for this 7-day odyssey through time.
The Avebury Stone Circle, constructed around 2600 BC, contains the largest stone circle in Europe, measuring 6 meters in diameter.
This massive structure required an estimated 5 million man-hours to complete.
The stones used in the Avebury Circle were not quarried but rather carefully selected from naturally occurring sarsen stones in the nearby landscape.
Some of these megaliths weigh up to 40 tons.
Along the route from Avebury to Ogbourne St George, hikers pass by Silbury Hill, a prehistoric artificial chalk mound standing 6 meters tall.
It's the largest man-made mound in Europe, containing an estimated 248,000 cubic meters of chalk and earth.
The path between Avebury and Ogbourne St George crosses the Ridgeway, which is considered Britain's oldest road, with sections dating back over 5,000 years.
This ancient trackway was used by traders, invaders, and travelers long before the Romans arrived in Britain.
Near Ogbourne St George, hikers can observe the remains of a Roman road that once connected Cunetio (modern-day Mildenhall) with Corinium (Cirencester).
This road's construction demonstrates advanced Roman engineering techniques, including a cambered surface for drainage.
The area around Ogbourne St George contains numerous round barrows, or burial mounds, dating from the Bronze Age (circa 2000-700 BC).
These structures provide valuable insights into prehistoric burial practices and social hierarchies.
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- Exploring Britain's Ancient Ridgeway A 7-Day Hiking Adventure Through 5,000 Years of History - Day 1 Avebury Stone Circle to Ogbourne St George
- Exploring Britain's Ancient Ridgeway A 7-Day Hiking Adventure Through 5,000 Years of History - Day 5 Nuffield to Watlington Hill
Exploring Britain's Ancient Ridgeway A 7-Day Hiking Adventure Through 5,000 Years of History - Day 5 Nuffield to Watlington Hill
Day 5 of the hiking adventure along Britain's Ancient Ridgeway takes hikers through the remote landscapes of the North Wessex Downs and the Chilterns, offering exceptional views and access to historical sites.
The stretch from Watlington Hill to Princes Risborough is characterized by straightforward paths and picturesque countryside, with the Watlington Hill area known for its scenic walks and glimpses of ancient history.
This segment of the Ridgeway showcases the route's significance as a cultural and historical corridor, as hikers traverse landscapes that have been shaped over 5,000 years.
The Icknield Way, an ancient trackway dating back over 5,000 years, intersects the Ridgeway near Watlington Hill, creating a significant crossroads for historical travel and trade routes.
Watlington Hill offers panoramic views of the surrounding Chiltern Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty recognized for its exceptional geological features, including exposed chalk escarpments formed during the Cretaceous period.
Archaeologists have uncovered numerous burial mounds, or round barrows, along the Ridgeway near Watlington Hill, providing insights into the funerary practices of Bronze Age societies that inhabited this region over 3,000 years ago.
The Ridgeway's path through the Chilterns is characterized by its straightforward, well-marked trails, in contrast to the more rugged terrain found in other sections of the ancient route, making this segment an appealing choice for hikers of various skill levels.
Interestingly, the Ridgeway's route through the Chilterns region was likely influenced by the presence of natural springs and water sources, which would have been essential for sustaining the movement of people and livestock along this ancient corridor.
Watlington Hill is home to the remains of an Iron Age hill fort, dating back to around 300 BC, showcasing the strategic importance of this elevated vantage point for prehistoric communities in the area.
The Chiltern Escarpment, which the Ridgeway traverses near Watlington Hill, is known for its unique geology, featuring bands of chalk, clay, and flint that were deposited during the Cretaceous period and subsequently uplifted and eroded over time.