Ridgeway National Trail
celebrates 50th anniversary This year is the 50th anniversary of the Ridgeway National Trail, which runs for 140km from Overton Hill near Marlborough to Ivinghoe Beacon. Wendover and its residents have played important parts in the Trail’s history, so it was fitting that the anniversary was celebrated on 29 September by a ceremony on Coombe Hill, with its panoramic views over Ellesborough and Wendover. National Trail officials and guests gathered at the
Coombe Hill Monument for the anniversary. There was a gathering of exhibitions and demonstrations showing the 5,000 year history of the Ridgeway itself as well as activities along the modern trail such as off-road bikes and the work done to Ivinghoe Beacon. Brett Thorne showed a selection of locally-found make much of the Trail suitable for disabled access. archaeological artefacts from the Discover Bucks museum in Aylesbury. Lee Niven from OTEC Bikes in Halton, together with Graham Wallace, showed some of the world’s first off-road bicycles, which The ceremony at the base of the Coombe Hill Monument was were developed by Geoff Apps from Aylesbury in the late 1970s, as attended by guests including Dame Fiona Reynolds and Patricia well as a modern electrically-assisted off-roader. They are working Birchley, chair of Buckinghamshire Council. The first Ridgeway with Cycling UK on a project to complete the eastern end of the Officer Jo Burgon and an attendee at the 1973 opening event Ridgeway Riding Route for cyclists. and Chris Hall were there, together with current Ridgeway Gavin Casperz, a mobility scooter officer Sarah Wright. There user, together with James Spratley, were also representatives from showed how they and others in Buckinghamshire Scouts, Thames the Disabled Ramblers have been Valley Police, The National Trust, surveying and mapping routes Natural England, British Horse and rating them for disabled Society, Tring Running Club and access. This includes using scooter more. mounted cameras to produce Google Streetviews of the Marking the anniversary, a complete routes. new illustrated map and visitor leaflet for the Ridgeway trail has John Adkin and Chris Patterson been published on the National demonstrated sand casting of a Trail Website, here: https://bit. John Adkin and Chris Bronze Age sword, a replica of Gavin Casperz and James ly/48RbhdH Patterson an ancient original found near Spratley
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Wendover News November 2023
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