The Ridgeway: GPX, map & 6 stages
139 km in United Kingdom · 6 stages · 1,683 m ascent · 5/6 stages with public transport · best Mar–Nov
Plan The Ridgeway with the full GPX download, 6 stage GPX files, map, elevation profile, and 5/6 stages with public transport. Choose a stage, open it in Planner, or download GPX before you go.
An automatic guide. TrailSplits built it from OpenStreetMap and cut it into 6 stages at roughly even distances, 4 of the 5 breaks at a public-transport stop. They are not the official stages or checked overnight stops, and TrailSplits has not checked the stays, water or closures. Check them with the trail's operator before you go.
139km
Total Distance
6
Stages
1,683m
Total Ascent
55
Transit Stops
Full Trail Map
Elevation Profile
Route briefing
What comes next
Access in route order. Not listed does not mean absent: it may not be mapped.
Start
0 m
Ivinghoe Beacon
Start
Route geometry · source 2026-04-02
About 0 min in
139.4 km remaining
+1683 m remaining
Access
63.1 km
Winterbrook Lane
Bus stop
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 16h 48m in
76.3 km remaining
+821 m remaining
Access
65.1 km
Freedom Cottages
Bus stop
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 17h 20m in
74.3 km remaining
+819 m remaining
Access
65.4 km
Cholsey Meadows
Bus stop
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 17h 25m in
74.0 km remaining
+819 m remaining
Access
65.8 km
Recreation Ground
Bus stop
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 17h 31m in
73.6 km remaining
+819 m remaining
Access
66.0 km
Glebe Close
Bus stop
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-02
About 17h 35m in
73.4 km remaining
+819 m remaining
Finish
139.4 km
The Sanctuary
Finish
Route geometry · source 2026-04-02
About 37h 07m in
0 m remaining
Plan The Ridgeway
The Ridgeway covers 139 km from Ivinghoe Beacon to The Sanctuary with 1,683 m of ascent. Use the mapped GPX, stage GPX files, elevation profile, and public transport stops to choose a hiking, trail running, or fastpacking schedule.
- Best season
- March to November· from climate averages
- GPX coverage
- Full route plus 6 stage GPX files
- Transit access
- 5 of 6 stages start or finish by public transport
- Stage options
- 7 days hiking / 3 days trail running / 5 days fastpacking
- Route coverage
- Complete mapped route
- Field use
- Route tools available
How the stages are cut
We split The Ridgeway into 6 stages. 5 of them start or end at a transit stop — look for the 🚌 icon in the stage directory below.
Stage Directory
Browse the stages — swipe to compare
Ivinghoe Beacon → Wendover
Wendover → St Johns Road
St Johns Road → Garden Centre
Garden Centre → Woolstone Turn
Woolstone Turn → Southend
Southend → The Sanctuary
| # | Stage | Distance | Ascent | Time | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivinghoe Beacon → Wendover | 20 km | +329m | 5h 27m | — |
| 2 | Wendover → St Johns Road | 41.9 km | +581m | 11h 19m | 🚌 |
| 3 | St Johns Road → Garden Centre | 22.8 km | +229m | 5h 56m | 🚌 |
| 4 | Garden Centre → Woolstone Turn | 19.3 km | +186m | 5h 02m | 🚌 |
| 5 | Woolstone Turn → Southend | 19.5 km | +172m | 5h 08m | 🚌 |
| 6 | Southend → The Sanctuary | 15.9 km | +186m | 4h 12m | 🚌 |
| Total | 139.4 km | +1,683m | 37h 07m |
Draft day-by-day itinerary
The Ridgeway grouped at mapped section boundaries. Overnight accommodation and access are not verified. Review each day's effort and book suitable stops before using this as a hiking plan.
4 days in this draft — about 34.9 km/day, 139.4 km and 1,683 m of ascent total.
- Day 1 Stage 120 km · +329 m · ~5h 30m
- 1. Ivinghoe Beacon → Wendover 20 km · +329 m
- Day 2 Stage 241.9 km · +581 m · ~11h 18m
- 2. Wendover → St Johns Road 41.9 km · +581 m
🚌 Nearby transit: St Johns Road (not an accommodation recommendation)
- Day 3 Stages 3–442.1 km · +415 m · ~11h
- 3. St Johns Road → Garden Centre 22.8 km · +229 m
- 4. Garden Centre → Woolstone Turn 19.3 km · +186 m
🚌 Nearby transit: Woolstone Turn (not an accommodation recommendation)
- Day 4 Stages 5–635.4 km · +358 m · ~9h 24m
- 5. Woolstone Turn → Southend 19.5 km · +172 m
- 6. Southend → The Sanctuary 15.9 km · +186 m
🚌 Nearby transit: Telephone Box (not an accommodation recommendation)
Want a downloadable GPX for each day, or a different number of days? Open the Multi-Day Itinerary Builder →
How Long Does It Take?
Comfortable pace with time to enjoy the scenery. 7 days.
Weather this week
Loading the forecast for low point (41 m) and high point (278 m)…
Month by month
Typical weather on this trail: at the lowest point (41 m) and the highest point (278 m). Select a month to see why it is rated as it is.
| Month | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather | Mixed | Mixed | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Mixed |
| Stages rated good on typical weather | 0/6 | 0/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 0/6 |
| High point, day / night | 7°/1° | 7°/1° | 9°/2° | 12°/4° | 16°/6° | 19°/9° | 21°/11° | 20°/11° | 17°/9° | 13°/7° | 9°/4° | 7°/2° |
| Low point, day / night | 8°/2° | 9°/2° | 11°/4° | 14°/5° | 18°/8° | 21°/11° | 23°/13° | 22°/13° | 19°/10° | 15°/8° | 11°/5° | 9°/3° |
| Rain, mm | 75 | 57 | 56 | 51 | 55 | 58 | 63 | 70 | 64 | 86 | 89 | 87 |
| Snow at high point | Frost | Frost | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Frost |
| Daylight | 8 h 19 | 9 h 57 | 11 h 46 | 13 h 48 | 15 h 34 | 16 h 36 | 16 h 13 | 14 h 41 | 12 h 44 | 10 h 47 | 8 h 56 | 7 h 52 |
Source: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages. Averages for the area at each point’s elevation (4 km grid, corrected for height). Not a forecast or a report of current trail conditions. Snow at the high point is estimated with a simple snowpack model from these temperatures and precipitation, not observed; steep islands and high summits can hold more snow than it shows. Daylight is for the 15th of each month. Hut, transport and park seasons are separate: check them for your dates.
Transit Stops Along the Trail
Bus and train stops within 2 km of the trail, sorted by distance along the route. Tap a stop to see it on the trail map or get directions.
Take The Ridgeway offline — free
Most trail guides are just a page to read. TrailSplits is a free app you install straight from your browser — download the whole The Ridgeway map to your phone and follow the route with no signal, in multi-day battery mode. No app store, no account, no subscription.
- ✓ Offline map for the full route
- ✓ Turn-by-turn navigation
- ✓ Download before losing signal; carry backup power
Long route — you can download it stage by stage to save space.
Download for offline — pick your stages
Save the sections you'll walk, or download the whole route. Each selection saves its map and GPX in My Hikes. Stages are not necessarily overnight stops. Before leaving signal, reopen and test your downloads on this device.
Trail route lab
Turn this trail into your own route
Open a planning copy, adjust the line, then share the version you would actually run or hike.
Share this trail
Send it to your hiking crew — they’ll get the route, elevation profile & GPX.
Planning ahead?
Checking snow-monitoring coverage... Notifications require permission on this device; on iPhone use the installed Home Screen app. No email alerts are sent.
The The Ridgeway is a 139 km long-distance hiking trail in United Kingdom. This guide breaks it into 6 stages; 4 of them start and end at a public transport stop.
The Ridgeway — frequently asked questions
How long is The Ridgeway?
The Ridgeway is a 139 km long-distance route from Ivinghoe Beacon to The Sanctuary, presented as 6 stages with map, full GPX download, elevation profile, Planner handoff, and 5/6 stages with public transport.
How many days do you need for The Ridgeway?
The distance-based examples cover 3-7 days for 139 km. They are not verified overnight itineraries. Choose days around your ability, ascent, accommodation and current conditions, not distance alone.
When is the best time to hike The Ridgeway?
Based on 1991–2020 climate averages, the weather on The Ridgeway is usually best from March to November. Hut, transport and park seasons are separate: check them and current conditions for your dates.
Can you reach The Ridgeway by public transport?
This page lists 5/6 stages with public transport in United Kingdom as planning references. Nearby stops do not guarantee a walkable connection. Check access paths, operating dates and current timetables before relying on public transport.
Can I download GPX files for The Ridgeway?
Yes. TrailSplits has a full GPX and 6 stage GPX downloads for The Ridgeway — load them on a Garmin, Suunto, COROS, or your phone, or open any stage in the Planner.
How hard is The Ridgeway?
The Ridgeway is rated epic: 139 km with roughly 1,683 m of total ascent, with a high point near 278 m. The elevation profile, per-stage climb, and surface breakdown on this page help you judge each section.
Ready to hike The Ridgeway?
Pick your first stage below and download the GPX. Transit notes are marked on 5 of 6 stages.
More long-distance trails to explore
🗂️ Open data source: The Ridgeway on OpenStreetMap (relation 8879). Transit stops from OSM.