The Walk: The Ridgeway saves the best till last. This fifth and final leg of the Ridgeway East of the Thames starts where Leg 4 finished at Tring Station, climbing through woods then along open chalk downland to the official finish atop Ivinghoe Beacon. The 360 degree panorama is a fitting end to our journey.
Route
NB The map shows my route, with various diversions and excursions which you may not wish to follow precisely. You can download the Google map info, as a KML/KMZ file, then convert to GPX using a site like GPS Visualiser. The GPX for the entire Ridgeway can also be downloaded from the National Trails website.
The Ridgeway is shown in BLUE. (I did the walk as part of a circuit from the NT Ashridge Estate Visitor Centre (RED) see under 'Logistics')
For the Ridgeway part of the circuit, leave Tring Station on the Eastern side. Make to follow the main road, but immediately on the right is a gate opening onto a permissive path along the field edge, which is preferable to walking beside the busy road. After about 300m, cross the road and the Ridgeway is signed along a bridleway.
The path is well signed, and climbs through the Aldbury Nowers Wood, then emerges onto Pitstone Hill. From here on, the walk is a delight, with two and a half miles of open chalk downland, finally offering distant views unimpeded by trees. From Pitstone Hill, descend to, and cross, a minor road, then climb over Steps Hill and descend to cross another road, then make the final ascent to Ivinghoe Beacon.
Why do it?
Walking the Ridgeway East of Thames can be frustrating because so much of it is through woodland with limited views. The final two miles or so of this walk are along a woodland-free open chalk ridge, reminiscent of the Trail West of the Thames, and of the North Downs in Kent or the South Downs. Views are far reaching, out over four counties (Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire).
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| Ivinghoe Beacon |
From the Beacon, the view opens out to 360 degrees, over to Dunstable Downs and the White Lion chalk figure of Whipsnade Zoo.
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| Gallows Hill Spur, looking to Whipsnade Lion |
On the ascent of Steps Hill, the path skirts the impressive hollow of Incombe Hole.
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| Incombe Hole |
I made this walk as part of a circuit from the NT Ashridge Estate. Highlights include the Bridgewater Monument, the village of Aldbury, and the descent from Ivinghoe Beacon along the Gallows Hill 'spur'.
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| Bridgewater Monument |
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| Aldbury duck pond |
Bluebells in Dockey Wood were a springtime bonus.
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| Dockey Wood |
Logistics:
Start: Tring Station.
Finish: Ivinghoe Beacon
There are no convenient public transport options to return from the Beacon. Options are:
- Walk back the way you came.
- Continue along the Icknield Way to Whipsnade Zoo or the Chilterns Gateway Visitor Centre on Dunstable Downs, from which there are buses to Dunstable and Luton. This would be a long day, and need careful research, since I believe the buses only run at weekends and bank holidays.
- Do the walk as I did as a circular from the NT Ashridge Estate. There is plenty of parking (free to Members). I walked down through the pleasant village of Aldbury to join the Ridgeway just up from Tring Station (or Ridgeway completists could walk all the way down to Tring Station and return). From Ivinghoe Beacon I followed the NT Ashridge Estate Boundary Walk back to Dockey Wood to see the bluebells, then cut through the woods back to the Visitor Centre.
Distance: 3.6 miles from Tring Station to Ivinghoe Beacon.
So the out and back again option would be 7.2 miles.
The circuit from the NT Ashridge Visitor Centre is 9 miles.
Challenges:
Many of the paths, particularly on the open downland are on bare chalk, and I imagine would be quite slippery after heavy rain and in winter.
This is a very popular walk, so for a quieter experience, avoid weekends.
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| Large walking group (maybe DofE) |
Refreshments:
There is nothing on the main walk. The former pub next to the station has been converted to residential use.
On my circuit:
- There is a cafe at the NT Ashridge Estate Visitor Centre.
- The village of Aldbury is a good pit stop, with a village store, pub and coffee shop ('Poppies', in the British Legion).
- Just outside Aldbury is the Church Farm Cafe which is popular with cyclists and walkers.
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| Church Farm Cafe, Aldbury |
Nearby Walks:
For an overview map of all my walks along the Ridgeway East of the Thames see this page.
For cycling the Ridgeway West of the Thames as part of the King Alfred's Way: this blog describes cycling the whole King Alfred's Way, with links to more detailed blogs for the Ridgeway sections.
Previous leg: Leg 4: Wendover to Tring Station
More Photos
Early May, sunny till late afternoon then clouding over. Circular walk from NT Ashridge Estate Visitor Centre
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| Visitor Centre, NT Ashridge Estate |
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| Path descending to Aldbury from NT Ashridge Estate |
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| Aldbury village stores |
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| Church of St John the Baptist, Aldbury |
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| Bridgewater Monument can be seen from the path out of Aldbury (and vice versa) |
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| Permissive Ridgeway Path alongside busy road from Tring Station |
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| Ridgeway climbing through Aldbury Nowers |
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| View from Aldbury Nowers |
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| Aldbury Nowers woods |
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| Aldbury Nowers |
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| Emerging onto Pitstone Hill |
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| Chalk Pit lake from Pitstone Hill |
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| Pitstone Hill |
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| Pitstone Hill |
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| Village of Pitstone from Pitstone Hill. Pitstone Windmill (NT) is black tower in the field on the left |
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| Descending from Pitstone Hill |
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| Big building in distance might be Mentmore Towers |
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| Descending from Pitstone Hill |
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| Final blip on Pitstone Hill |
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| Path descends to road and car park then climbs round Incombe Hole on the flank of Steps Hill |
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| Incombe Hole |
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| Optional direct ascent of Incombe Hole |
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| Looking into Incombe Hole |
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| View from Steps Hill |
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| View from Steps Hill |
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| Path descending from Steps Hill |
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| Whipsnade Lion |
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| Looking back from Ivinghoe Beacon |
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| Top of Ivinghoe Beacon |
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| View over to Wendover Woods |
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| Setting off down Gallows Hill Spur (Whipsnade Lion in distance) |
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| Gallows Hill Spur |
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| Looking back to Ivinghoe Beacon from Gallows Hill |
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| Path back behind Ivinghoe Beacon |
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| Follow Ashridge Estate Boundary Path |
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| Take some breadcrumbs |
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| Steep set of steps on Boundary Path |
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| At Wards Hurst Farm |
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| Dockey Wood |
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| View from top of Bridgewater Monument |
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| View over Aldbury towards Wendovwer Woods |
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| Indicator board atop Bridgewater Monument |
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