The route starts at Faringdon Market Place (Photo 1) and heads south down Southampton Street, then footpaths crossing the A417 and A420. The route eventually turns east to roughly follow the former Wilts & Berks Canal (Photo 9) into West Challow. After West Challow, the Slow Way leaves the canal for a footpath into East Challow (Photo 10). The walk into Wantage is along the A417, then down an alleyway for a quieter route that visits a park dedicated to John Betjeman (Photo 11). The Slow Way ends at Wantage Market Place with plenty of amenities and the Alfred the Great Statue (Photo 12)....

Martin Ellis

I agree with the points made in the previous two reviews (though I should add that the 'road closed' item mentioned is no longer there)....

Martin McGovern

No route finding issues, although walked along edge of one of the fields between Ridgeway and Sheepdrove Farm as actual path totally overgrown....

Christine R

I actually tried the Lyford path route he mentioned, and whilst this took me off the main road on the route, I ended up having to rejoin another road to make it into Kingston anyway for the final stretch....

FootpathFaye

Hedges block the best of the view for this stretch of the route (Photo 2), but the landscape opens up beyond an intersection of byways at Sheepdrove Organic Farm (Photo 3). The Slow Way takes a well-maintained footpath (Photo 10) from the village into Wantage, and there is a short urban walk to finish by Alfred the Great’s statue in Market Place (Photo 11)....

Martin Ellis

There is a short urban walk to join the Icknield Greenway, a well-maintained cycle path east to Harwell (Photo 2). 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)....

Martin Ellis

A variant to Wanabi 1 that adds a loop between Ardington and West Hendred....

Martin Ellis

Wantage to Abingdon 1 (Wanabi 1) review. A route which weaves between several villages, and pub break points, on its way from Wantage to Abingdon. There is a pleasant urban walk to the centre of historic Abingdon, some of which is beside the Thames (Photo 7)....

Martin Ellis

The village of West Hanney provides the only break until you get to the outskirts of Kingston Bagpuize, which also features the photogenic and visitable Kingston Bagpuize House, about 1km from the end of the route. Both Wantage and Kingston Bagpuize have good bus services, which helps if you're doing this as a one-way trip...

Martin McGovern

Where it leaves the Charney Bassett-Fyfield Wick road, the route follows a bridleway northward, running west of Swannybrook Farm....

Martin McGovern

I agree with pretty much everything in Strider's earlier review - this is slightly longer than the other two routes, but has great scenery. I cycled the whole way, using a hybrid bike which was fine. Anyone planning to try this with four wheels might want to check out the pictures I've posted - the entry to the long straight eastbound path at East Ginge is manageable for bikes, but for anything wider, it could be a challenge....

Martin McGovern

I walked from Faringdon to Wantage. Cut through paths in Faringdon and Wantage minimise exposure to traffic in town. Keep close eye on the map it's quite easy to miss a turn and the OS map is not always correct....

Strider

Whilst standing at a dead end close to Wickwood Farm a local helpfully pointed out the correct route which had been in use for 30+ years....

Strider

This gives an alternative route for wheels between Wantage and Didcot. Wheelchairs might need electric assistance up long inclines. Long hills, quite tiring....

Strider

The route heads eastward out of Wantage, running roughly parallel to the Reading Road, before turning northeast towards Steventon and then northward to Abingdon....

Martin McGovern

There is a short urban walk to join the Icknield Greenway (Photo 2). The walk to Harwell is directly east along the tarmacked cycle path (photo 4)....

Martin Ellis

I walked The Ridgeway from Wantage to Ashbury in the morning, including a break to join in the annual Scouring of the White Horse. Lunch in Ashbury, and then walked this Slow Way back to Wantage in the late afternoon. There’s a brief glimpse of the White Horse itself (Photo 3) from the path out of Woolstone....

Martin Ellis

Fairly easy walk, not very muddy at present. Not very exciting scenery but a good view of Didcot from above Upton. Have to take a diversion through Harwell Campus...

Andrew Kerr

Nice route using the Icknield way and the disused railway line from Upton. Ran this after some decent rainfall and still good surfaces throughout. No turnstiles, one steep bit over Ginge bridge but not that bad....

Mathew_jones

This is a lovely direct route travelling through the Lambourn Downs up to the Ridgeway before descending into the Vale of the White Horse at Letcombe Regis for a flat finish to Wantage. Where the route takes a right turn at the next junction, the road continues for a while with the bridleway as a wide grassy verge on its left side (Photo 4). There is only about 200m of Ridgeway to walk before the route takes a left, over a stile (Photo 8) to descend (quite steeply in places) through fields and woodland (Photos 9 & 10) to Letcombe Regis....

Ursula

Starting in Ashbury the route largely follows a series of footpaths below the B4507 which runs along the northern spring-line of the Berkshire Downs below the Ridgeway all the way to Wantage. After Sparsholt the route makes more use of the road with quite a long section to Childrey and another section after crossing the B4507 at East Challow to Letcombe Regis. For visitors new to the area though, it may be tempting, as a more scenic option, to climb up to the Ridgeway from Ashbury to Waylands Smithy, following it to take in the Uffington White Horse and then on to Segsbury Camp where you can drop down to Letcombe Regis to pick-up the footpath into Wantage....

Ursula

A pleasant route for walkers using sections of the Icknield Greenway and the Ridgeway. 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. Crossing the Icknield Greenway again, the route follows a narrow footpath alongside Ginge Brook before ending at the first stile of the journey. After crossing under the A34, the route leaves the Ridgeway on a footpath through the fields....

Ursula

Some bits are very muddy / standing water after significant rain....

Neil Patrick McColl

Good route....

Neil Patrick McColl

If you don't want to cross stiles, look at the other wandid routes...

Neil Patrick McColl

The route should follow the Harwell - Wantage cycle path. That would avoid stiles etc, give a better surface but still be close to villages for facilities. I will suggest alternative based on that....

Neil Patrick McColl

This route avoids stiles etc and is less prone to any mud....

Neil Patrick McColl

Reasonably easy to follow with little stickers on the standard council waymarks and fingerposts. A variety of surfaces from tarmac and gravel to grass, field edge and a couple of cross-field paths that may be ploughed or cropped but are usually reinstated....

jcgordon

Mainly a good route but it could be much improved by utilising the recently-opened Icknield Greenway....

jcgordon