Waneas one

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Wantage to East Ilsley 1 (Waneas 1) review.

An enjoyable walk across the North Wessex Downs which takes in stretches of the Ichnield Greenway and The Ridgeway.

The Slow Way begins at Wantage Market Place, with King Alfred’s statue and plenty of amenities (Photo 1). There is a short urban walk to join the Icknield Greenway, a well-maintained cycle path east to Harwell (Photo 2).

There is a break point at The Boar’s Head in Ardington.

After crossing a wooden bridge over Ginge Brook, the route turns south; leaving the Greenway for footpaths, undergrown in places. There is an ascent up onto The Ridgeway National Trail.

The Ridgeway passes an Iron Age barrow at Cuckhamsley Hill (Photo 3), and then there are great views down over the surrounding landscape – including the Harwell Science Campus (Photos 4,5 & 6).

The A34 is crossed via an underpass with murals (Photo 7). The Slow Way then leaves the Ridgeway for a footpath south into East Ilsley; parallel to the A34 and overgrown in a few places (Photo 8).

East Ilsley has a choice of two pubs, facing each other on the high street. The village is served by the No. 6 bus from Newbury.

A pleasant route for walkers using sections of the Icknield Greenway and the Ridgeway. A couple of the connecting footpaths are quite narrow and, when walked in July, dense with vegetation although never completely indistinct. Some sections are likely to get muddy in winter. There are several stiles (all bar one on the section from the Ridgeway to East Ilsley). There is also a small amount of walking on quiet roads where there is no pavement or trail alongside. In the village of Ardington, the route passes The Boar pub. There is a small shop and café in the village within a short walk of the route.

Walked from Wantage to East Ilsley:
From Wantage marketplace, the route follows a series of pedestrian alleyways and residential roads before joining a section of the Icknield Greenway which doubles as a cycle route to the nearby Harwell Campus. From here to the village of Ardington, there is a mixture of traffic-free greenway and shared-use quiet roads, some with and some without pavement or trail for walkers. The route leaves the village on a wooded footpath towards a more open path alongside fields. Crossing the Icknield Greenway again, the route follows a narrow footpath alongside Ginge Brook before ending at the first stile of the journey. A second narrow footpath then starts the climb to the Ridgeway. Both of these footpaths were quite overgrown in places – watch out for nettles!
The Ridgeway path here is wide, slightly rutted in places, well-walked, and easy to follow. There are super views into Oxfordshire and beyond.
After crossing under the A34, the route leaves the Ridgeway on a footpath through the fields. The footpath had been cleared through the crops although there were several stiles with overgrown vegetation. The path meets the A34 exit road into East Ilsley with a pavement alongside.
Unfortunately, this last section is accompanied by the constant rumble of the nearby A34. For a more peaceful alternative, stay on the Ridgeway for approx. 1km before dropping down to East Ilsey on a signed footpath to meet the end of the official route. This adds approx. 1km to the total length.

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