King Alfred's Way: Ridgeway from Ogbourne to East Hendred Down

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This ride completed my circumnavigation of the KAW. I started doing the KAW in September 2020 as a project during Covid restrictions: plenty of social distancing! I did the less familiar sections first, and the ones closest to home. This final section of the Ridgeway was one I cycled before about 10 years ago, and is also one of the most difficult for me to reach. Here's the map of my route.

I parked at the Coate Water Country Park in Swindon (£2 for 24 hours) and cycled NCNs 45 and 482 to Ogbourne St George (7 miles), where I picked up the KAW where I left off. I followed the Ridgeway to East Hendred Down above Didcot (24 miles), whence I descended to Didcot Parkway on the mainly traffic free route to Didcot (8 miles), which I had previously used to ascend for the section of the KAW to Reading. I got the train back to Swindon from Didcot Parkway station, and cycled back to my parked car (3 miles). (ie 41 miles in total).

It was a lovely autumn day on which to complete the KAW. Here's the story in photos.

I parked at Coate Water, and joined NCN45

Impressive brutalist spiral ramp to NCN45 bridge over M4

Ridgeway hoves into view from NCN482 disused railway path

I joined the Ridgeway near Ogbourne St George where I left off the previous section

Ridgeway heading towards Liddington Castle

The track becomes single track, care needed

View over Swindon from near Liddington Castle (the hill fort itself is a short excursion off the ridgeway on a footpath)

Ridgeway descending from Liddington Castle

After torrential rain the night before, there were lots of puddles but they were easily ridden through

Wayland's Smithy burial chamber

Ridgeway approaching Uffington Castle

Uffington Castle hill fort trig pillar (push your bike)

Overlooking Uffington White Horse

Uffington White horse and flat-topped Dragon Hill

East of Uffington Castle, the Ridgeway surface gets rougher

After rain, chalky sections of the Ridgeway get slippery, and need care. But considering the heavy rain the night before, the path was in quite good condition