The Ridgeway Path

rowanalder · #1 (**permalink**) 22-07-2009, 04:28 PM

Hi everyone

I am going to be doing the Ridgeway Path in a couple of weeks does anyone know of any birds that are unusual or rare that will be along it. Im trying to up my bird list and would like to get some rarer birds on there.

I would love to see the Dartford Warbler but ive heard the news any chance of there being any around?

Also any insects worth checking out while im there?

aland · #2 (**permalink**) 22-07-2009, 04:41 PM

Hi rowanalder, I am curious as we have a ridgeway path at stratford on avon Warwick's, does this path go in your direction or is it just a common name,, aland,

rowanalder · #3 (**permalink**) 22-07-2009, 04:49 PM

Sorry i mean the one that starts at avebury and runs for 85 miles sorry thats what ive always called it its also called the ridgeway national trail hope this helps

Pete Collins · #4 (**permalink**) 22-07-2009, 05:34 PM

You should see plenty of Red Kites when you reach the Chilterns! Lots of Buzzards too, and there are a few Ravens about now as well. I don't know much about insects, but you could come across the Chalkhill Blue butterfly. I've seen Dark Green Fritillaries at Ivinghoe Beacon where the walk ends.

I've walked the eastern half of the Ridgeway, from Streatley to Ivinghoe Beacon, as a series of day walks. I'd love to do the other half some time.

Hopefully you'll get a response from eeyore, as he's an expert on the subject of the Ridgeway!

aland · #5 (**permalink**) 22-07-2009, 05:36 PM

This could still be the same path depending on the way it runs, The name is the same some, old walks etc can go for miles, aland,

eeyore · #6 (**permalink**) 22-07-2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aland

This could still be the same path depending on the way it runs, The name is the same some, old walks etc can go for miles, aland,

Its not the same path - the one rowan is talking about goes from ivinghoe beacon in bucks along the edge of the chilterns to goring then accros the goring gap and down the edge of the wessex downs to avebury.

rowan - you're in the right place , because I am the National Trails Officer (route maintenance) for The Ridgeway (and Thames Path) National Trails.

Birds wise - you will definitely see red kites - there are loads along the chiltern scarp, particularly in the lewknor area , buzzards are also more or less a given - you might see stone curlew as there are several near the trail (but I'm not going into detail on that for obvious reasons), There is regularly a short eared owl arround bury down in berks, lots of lapwing and sundry other waders on the wessex half,

check out the ridgeway website Home - The Ridgeway - National Trails for more info - if you need help planning your trip you might also want to invest in a ridgeway companion - available from the trails office direct (see the website) , or via amazon.

I hope you have fun walking the trail and if you encounter any problems or defects please feel free to let me know about them either via the website or by pm on here.

Incidentally there are many ridgeways on the maps as it originally meant any track that ran along the scarp of a hill - there is also the wessex ridgeway that continues south west from avebury for example, which is why we capitalise bot the "The" and the "R" of ridgeway to distinguish the National Trail from the others.

captaincarot · #7 (**permalink**) 22-07-2009, 08:26 PM

you will obviously want to have a look at white horse hill and waylands smithy too. round uffington. i had a red kite fly past me about 10 yards above me a few weeks ago here.

presuming you're going from the avebury end if you happen to find yourself walking alongside a race horse gallop, with a bit of rough ground at the far end of it and a small wood about quarter of a mile further on you might want to spend a short while staring into the rough ground especially the fence post right in front of you as you might just be stood next to another of the short eared owls. there are also yellowhammers round here. in fact there's an absolute load of lbb's round here for you to identify.

it's a shame the accountants killed concord as it also used to fly over at just after 11am every morning.

full moon · #8 (**permalink**) 22-07-2009, 09:16 PM

I often go up to the ridgeway above swindon and you can see lots of farmland birds that are in decline elsewhere - corn buntings, yellowhammers, skylarks, lapwings etc. Also meadow pipits and wheatears. Heard of Ring Ouzels but not seen myself.