In a bid to get you fit and ready for the Chapter2 Ridgeway Challenge, I have prepared for you these two training walks for you to try before the big day. Walking these routes before the big day will familiarise you with key parts of the final walk, and it will give you the perfect opportunity to get together with some of the other challengers whilst maybe gaining a bit of fitness. I really hope that you enjoy them!
Each walk comes with an open source map, an OS map, a GPX file for you to download and a set of written instructions, which alone, should be enough for you to navigate by.
Pewsey to Marlborough
Run it or walk it: get to grips with this walk and you will be familiar with the ground that takes you from Pewsey to the Ridgeway. On the day of the actual walk, this section is probably going to be the bit that requires the most focus with your navigation, so doing this practice walk could really pay dividends. The walk described here is 23Km and is designed as a linear walk. To that end we recommend that you park your car in Marlborough and then take the 95/96 bus to Pewsey to start the route.
Route Description
| Description of location | Dist. from start (KM) | Description of route to next check point | |
| Pewsey Railway Station, Pewsey SN9 5ER | 0 | Head down the lane to the road at the bottom. Turn left onto the road and a few meters later see the footpath opposite turning right down Way’s Way. At the end of the footpath turn left towards the houses. A path then leads you so that the railway line is on your right. This brings you out to the end of Hollybush Lane with Knole Cottage in front of you. Do a left turn following the public bridleway. This leads you to the river. Follow the river now so that it is on your right-hand-side (RHS). Follow the river past the Waterfront Bar, under the bridge and on to the next road. At this spot walk up onto the road and then back down to the river so that it is on your LHS. 500m later or so this brings you out to a lovely thatched cottage. Escape the tow path here onto the road and continue another 500m or so to the road junction with Alton Rd in Wilcot. | |
| road junction with Alton Rd in Wilcot | 3.6 | At this junction, turn right. About 300m up the road take a right turn just before the driveway and garden of Oak Farm. It’s not well marked, but there’s a stile by a metal gate and sign telling you to keep your dog on a lead. (Have you even got a dog?) Turn left here ‘handrailing’ the fence to your left. At the corner of the field you will pass through the fence and for a short while the path takes you in the same direction but with the fence on your right, then left again. Keep going until you come to the lane. Turn left on the lane and continue to the main road. Turn right onto Alton Rd, taking care to stay on the RHS. About 900m later you’ll see a grassy bridleway (by the chevrons) leading you rightwards off the main road. Follow this up a (still muddy?) hill. Shortly the bridleway looks like it splits: take the right fork. Uphill and to the road at Pewsey Downs Car Park. | |
| Pewsey Downs Car Park SN8 4LU | 7.4 | In front of you now you’ll see a metal gate and two tracks. Take the byway that heads diagonally rightwards, NOT the bridleway that leads directly up the hill. About 1Km later you’ll come to an intersection with a bridleway. Stay on the obvious rutted track to your front. You should also see a big metal water trough down to your left if you’re on the right way! The byway now leads you down to a road and to East Kennett. At the road turn left, and then about 200m later fork right by the thatched cottage. Stay on this until you come to small bridge over a stream. Over the bridge, immediate left and then a few meters later right turn heading up the BYWAY. This brings you to a car park at Overton Hill. | |
| The Ridgeway and Sanctuary Car Park, SN8 1QG | 11.8 | You’re now on the Ridgeway! Continue along the Ridgeway until you come to the fingerpost near the top of the hill which marks the Byway down to Avebury to your left. Turn right through the gate onto the bridleway leading to Marlborough (if the fingerpost doesn’t show Byway to your left it’s the wrong one!)
As you near the wood on your left-hand-side you’ll cross the gallops through two gates and start heading downhill. Ahead the track bears left at the bottom of the hill, you want to bear right off the gravel track at this point and continue in the same direction you were headed onto a grassy path. |
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| Fyfield Down Nature Reserve | Head uphill on the grassy path towards two gates on the horizon just to the left of the wood. Pass through the left-hand gate and turn immediately right to handrail the fence to your right (ignore the next two gates to your right. Pass through another gate heading for the white gallops fences ahead of you. Take the pedestrian gate through the gallops fencing and go straight across the gallops beside a row of white posts. Pass through a row of trees continuing in the same direction. You’ll reach a huge kissing gate made from wooden pallets. Turn right onto the metaled track. | ||
| Byway on White Horse Trail | Head uphill on the grassy path towards two gates on the horizon just to the left of the wood. Pass through the left hand gate and turn immediately right to handrail the fence to your right (ignore the next two gates to your right. Pass through another gate heading for the white gallops fences ahead of you. Take the pedestrian gate through the gallops fencing and go straight across the gallops beside a row of white posts. Pass through a row of trees continuing in the same direction. You’ll reach a huge kissing gate made from wooden pallets. Turn right onto the metaled track. | ||
| Byway on White Horse Trail | Continue on the byway ignoring paths heading off to left and right, keeping the fence close to your right. You’ll eventually reach Gravel Hill Car Park | ||
| Gravel Hill Car Park | Cross the car park turning left as you exit it. Turn right onto the road just before the gate and fencing. Continue on the road, it bears right after a few hundred meters. Ignore the brick pillars and driveway of Manton Park on your left. Continue on the metaled road heading downhill. Just before a small wood on your right turn left onto a footpath (signposted White Horse Trail). Cross the field, bearing right onto a track under the overhead power lines. Just before entering the wood turn hard right onto a narrow muddy path signposted Manton Hollow, Marlborough and White Horse Trail. If you get the chance to walk into the field and continue along its left hand edge running parallel with the footpath you may find it less muddy and overgrown. Continue on the path until you get to a T-junction or along the edge of the field until the fence ends on your left hand side. Turn left and handrail a huge hedge with a field on your right to the end of the field where the path bears briefly right before continuing in the same direction down along the back of some houses to Barton Dean. | ||
| Barton Dene | Turn right onto the gravel Bridleway which you stay on as it gradually gets more built up and passes through Marlborough School. Turn left onto College Fields at a T-junction and then when you reach the A4 Bath Road with a large church in front of you have reached your destination. Turn left to head into Marlborough town centre. |
Goring to Reading
This section of the route is the final section on the big day. It is easily navigated, but on the day, by the time you get to Goring, fatigue will be clouding your ability to think. Walking this section in advance, will be an excellent way to familiarise yourself with the lay of this land, before you revisit in a fog of exhaustion! Plus, it’s a lovely walk to do in it’s own right, and possibly perfect for bringing your family out one Sunday too! Again, this is designed as a linear walk: take the train to Goring and Streatley Railway Station and then walk back to Reading.
Route Description
| Description of location | Dist. from start (KM) | Description of route to next check point | |
| Goring & Streatley Railway Station | Turn left out of the station onto the Gatehampton Rd. Pass tesco Express on your right and keep going. About another 250m later you’ll come to a crossroads, with the Farm Rd on your right. Turn left down the High Street until you see the post office on your right (with a telephone box). Turn left down some shallow steps, so that Goring Mill is on your left and you will now be on the Thames Path. Follow this down to the river, and hand rail the river now so that it is closely to your right. | ||
| The Thames Path, Goring | 80.6 | Stick to the path now, which leads you under a railway bridge (at 82.5Km). Under the railway bridge, and through the gate with a sign for Goring Fishing Club (that is your path). Keep to the path, which, 500m later leads you leftwards away from the river, up a short path to a bridleway. Head right along the bridleway, continuing to follow signs for the Thames Path. Through the woods, up a small hill (which by now, will feel nothing less than a mountain for you). Eventually you’ll come to a road junction where you need to turn right for Whitchurch on Thames. Stay on this road. (Ignore the sign for the Thames Path that leads you on a tour through the local church). Stay on this road until you have passed the toll kiosk and crossed the Whitchurch Bridge. | |
| Whitchurch Bridge | 87.3 | Having crossed the bridge, you’ll see a big sign saying “Pangbourne”. Right before this sign you’ll see your footpath down to your left. Follow this through the car park of the Dolphin Centre, so that the Centre is on your right. Through a metal kissing gate, and back to the river. Follow the river so that it is now on your left, heading now for Purley. Folow the path until it brings you to Mapledurham Lock. You’ll be able to get water here, and whilst there are toilets here, they’re likely to be locked. The path leads you over a small footbridge. just after this, follow the Thames Path right, (away from the river). There is a path heading left lalong the river, but this will take you to a dead end. The Thames Path shortly leads you to Mapledurham Drive. Onto this, and left turn. Halfway along you may need to pass through a gate (the Purley Gates maybe?). | |
| Purley Village, road junction with Mapledurham Drive | 91.5 | Mapledurham Drive brings you to a road junction. Here the Thames Path sign is a little misleading. In essence, turn left and then follow the road right, uphill and over the railway line. Then do a left turn (at bus stop 16) down Hazel Rd. Follow Hazel Rd for about 500m and when you come to a faded sign for the Thames Path (by someone’s fake grass lawn) take the right turn down Skerritt Way. | |
| Skerritt Way, RG8 8HR | 92.3 | The road soon leads you into a small wood, and this path leads you to the nearby main road (A329 Oxford Rd). Quickly you’ll see the sign that welcomes you to Reading. You’re almost there! (Actually you have 7km left to go). Stick with the designated route now: if you simply follow the main road into town you’ll cheat yourself of the full distance and swap a lovely stretch of path for a smelly road. A few meters later, right before the Roebuck Hotel, follow the Thames Path sign down to your left. Down some steps and back onto a path, with the river down to your left now. By now it could be daylight, and the walking here is lovely. Stick to this path all the way to Caversham Bridge, the first bridge you will come to. | |
| Caversham Bridge | 97.5 | As you approach the bridge, the way underneath might not be immediately clear to you. Stick with the path, it will take you under the bridge, keeping you by the river. 700m later you will come to a suspension bridge on your left: pass this, keep walking. Then just before the next bridge, Reading Bridge, take a right turn down a path between two buildings, (one is big, modern and corporate looking, with metal railings). The path is marked on the floor for use by pedestrians and cyclists. Down to the station and over the pedestrian crossing. To the station, turn left and follow signs that lead you down and through the subway. Out of this turn right. Moments later, at the Grey Friar pub, turn left. 200m now down this road and you will see Grey Friars Church to your right. Well done! |
Further reading
A Stitch in Time – preparing for a rainy day in the hills
Walking boots: a new approach
Ten ways to be better at map reading
Free training resources for navigation practice
Grade 1 Scrambles for Aspirant Mountain Leaders
Training for challenge walks – guide to get fit
Outdoor First Aid – Five items of essential first aid kit for the outdoors
What to do in an Emergency Outdoors
