The Friends of The Ridgeway

16/06/2026

The Ridgeway National Trail in Goring-on-Thames looking gorgeous in today's sunshine. This week is the wonderful GAP Festival, 12th to 21st June, in the Thames-side villages of Streatley and Goring. Gardens to visit, live music, opera, art, walks and talks, children's photo exhibition, food and drink for every taste👇
https://www.thegapfestival.org/



Ridgeway National Trail
Chilterns National Landscape
Chiltern Society
Chilterns Treasures

16/06/2026

Emma and Rebecca aka 'Boots and Banter' are walking the Ridgeway National Trail fundraising and supporting two charities that are dear to their hearts: The Brain Tumour Charity and the Abingdon-based Amber Phillpott Trust for research into childhood leukaemia. Check out their Go Fund me pages 👇
https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-brain-tumour-charity-tmdn6
and
https://www.gofundme.com/f/Amberphillpott
to support them, and follow them to join in the 'Boots and Banter' along the way. 😅☺️🥾🥾☺️🥰

14/06/2026

The humps and bumps we see today in downland fields along the Ridgeway National Trail are where people buried their dead more than 5,400 years ago.
On Ordnance Survey maps they are noted as Tumulus or Tumuli, Latin words for one or a group of small burial mounds of soil and stones over graves. There's a cluster of them on the north-facing escarpment of the downs at Sparsholt Firs.
Now, thanks to the Historic Ridgeway Project, an information board has been installed at Sparsholt Firs describing the Barrows in this area, and nearby at Seven Barrows, Hackpen Hill and Stancombe Farm. Thank you to Gordy one of the Ridgeway volunteers who installed this board recently.
The Historic Ridgeway Project is funded by Historic England and North Wessex Downs National Landscape



The Uffington Museum
Oxford Archaeology
Cotswold Archaeology
West Berkshire Heritage
Vale & Downland Museum

14/06/2026

From TVP South & Vale

📣 Wantage & Grove NHPT 📣

We’re lucky to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, which means our rural car parks are very popular this time of year. Walkers, dog walkers, nature lovers… and unfortunately, the occasional opportunist thief.

As the sunshine arrives, so does the annual rise in thefts from vehicles. And while we’re out patrolling, we need your help too.

Top tips to keep your belongings safe:

🚶🏻 Take them with you — the safest option

🙈 Hide them well — thieves can’t steal what they can’t see

👜 Don’t leave bags on seats — even empty ones attract attention

If you’re struggling to hide things, feel free to ask your kids. They’re experts at making items disappear… permanently.

Let’s enjoy the countryside without giving thieves a day out too.

13/06/2026

Great to see these folk from Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service, Carterton Station, taking to the Ridgeway National Trail this weekend fundraising for Fire Fighters Charity

Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire Ramblers

12/06/2026

The Harwell Science and Innovation Centre, below the Ridgeway at Bury Down, hosts a magnificent array of glittering buildings where thousands of people work at the cutting-edge of science. In the middle of the 20th century this site was an RAF airfield where hundreds of young men were trained to fly and operate bombers during the Second World War.
Now, thanks to the Historic Ridgeway Project, a new information board has been installed at Bury Down car park to describe the extraordinary history of this landscape.
This is one of several information boards to be installed at historic sites such as Scutchamer K**b and Segsbury Camp, enabling more people to discover why these places were significant to people.
Thank you to Hayley and Ridgeway National Trail volunteer Gordy who installed the RAF Harwell board this week.
The Historic Ridgeway Project is funded by Historic England and North Wessex Downs National Landscape



Harwell Parish Council
Harwell Campus
Anna Dillon the Artist
Hedley Thorne
The Oxfordshire Museum
Vale & Downland Museum
Cotswold Archaeology
West Berkshire Heritage

12/06/2026

Wonderful Uffington Museum is worth visiting, spot the dragons and discover the mysteries of Wayland's Smithy.

Have you visited our new exhibition yet? Open Saturday & Sunday 2pm to 5pm FREE ENTRY. Find the dragons hiding in The Uffington Museum. On Sunday finish off with tea & cake served in the church - 2.30pm to 5pm.

11/06/2026

Christine Bass, who won the Swire Ridgeway Arts Prize in 2022 with her gorgeous painting 'Ivinghoe Beacon from Steps Hill', will be displaying her latest work in Bucks Art Weeks from 6th to 14th June at St Dunstan's Church, Monks Risborough. This will be Christine's last visit to St Dunstan's after exhibiting there for 20 years, so be sure to save the date and see Christine's new paintings.



Bucks Art Weeks
Ridgeway National Trail

10/06/2026

If you love maps - and who doesn't! - take a look at this opportunity to be a landscape detective and help the Historic Ridgeway Project discover the hidden histories of villages, farms and communities in the landscapes along the Ridgeway National Trail



North Wessex Downs National Landscape
The Uffington Museum
Vale & Downland Museum
West Berkshire Heritage

Could you be a landscape detective?

We’re looking for volunteers to help identify, record and research historic sites across Oxfordshire. You don’t need previous archaeological experience — just curiosity, enthusiasm and an interest in local history.

As a volunteer, you’ll receive:
access to maps and research resources
recording templates and guidance
training sessions and regular catch-ups
opportunities to take part in field visits and site investigations and your findings could contribute to the County Historic Environment Record and help preserve local heritage for future generations.

Interested in joining us? Please send your details to [email protected]

North Wessex Downs National Landscape West Berkshire Heritage The Friends of The Ridgeway

The image shows two maps of a farm and surrounding Berkshire Downs landscape.