Icknield Way Path, footpath going over hills along britain's oldest road, thistles and long grass, wheat fields and dark clouds

Icknield Way Path

110 miles Easy

The Icknield Way is often described as the oldest road in Britain. The path runs from Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire to Knettishall Heath, Suffolk. It also forms part of the Greater Ridgeway, a prehistoric route linking Dorset with The Wash. The path's ancient heritage is demonstrated by numerous Neolithic barrows and Iron Age hillforts.

Quaint Building
Historic house on the Icknield Way Path

The Icknield Way Path terrain is relatively easy, with the highest point on the path only 614 ft high. As you pass across the Northern end of the Chiltern Hills, there is a reasonable amount of up and down but nothing too strenuous. The Path is well signposted with the Icknield Way Path’s prehistoric axe symbol.

Itinerary

  • Day 1   Ivinghoe Beacon to Chalk Hill – 10 miles
  • Day 2   Chalk Hill to Warden Hill – 12 miles
  • Day 3   Warden Hill to Baldock – 13 miles
  • Day 4   Baldock to Royston – 11 miles
  • Day 5   Royston to Great Chesterford – 14 miles
  • Day 6   Great Chesterford to Balsham – 9 miles
  • Day 7   Balsham to Cheveley – 11 miles
  • Day 8  Cheveley to Icklingham – 14 miles
  • Day 9  Icklingham to Knettishall Heath – 16 miles

The most popular direction to do this walk is from South to North, but if you would prefer to go from North to South then this can be easily arranged. Both ends of the walk are near train stations in Tring (for Ivinghoe Beacon) and Thetford (for Knettishall Heath).

Price

The price for a holiday walking the Icknield Way Path is from £995 per person (based upon 2 people sharing). This includes:

  • Personalised itinerary for walking the Icknield Way Path on a self-guided basis over 9 days
  • 10 nights’ bed & breakfast accommodation on a double or twin room basis (this includes B&B for the night before you start and the day you finish)
  • Taxis for drop-off/pick-up where the B&B is not within easy walking distance of the Path
  • Advice on travel arrangements to and from the start and finish points
  • Ordnance Survey Explorer maps which can be downloaded onto the OS App
  • Standalone Safe Seat Plan Guarantee for each traveller issued by the Travel Trust Association
  • Kit checklist – covering boots & socks, clothes & waterproofs, and other useful kit
  • Helpline – you can call us at any time

Solo traveller price is £1320. This is because most B&Bs do not have single rooms and so will charge almost as much for one person as for two.

Key Information:

  • Time of Year: this walk can be done at any time of year, although if you choose to go between November and March then you will have to contend with winter weather conditions and shorter daylight hours. Therefore, we would suggest that the best time to go is between April and October.
  • Terrain: The terrain is moderate. For much of its length, the path is relatively level with a few steep climbs and descents in the Chiltern Hills section. The walking surfaces are generally good, but can be muddy in places depending upon the time of year.
  • Waymarking: The route is well signposted.
  • Bed & Breakfast: We always aim to book good quality B&B accommodation as near as possible to the path. Despite the fact that the Icknield Way Path is a popular long-distance walk, there are not a huge number of B&Bs actually on the path itself or within easy walking distance. This means that sometimes the only option is to book B&Bs that are away from the path and arrange pick-up/drop-offs by taxi.
  • Refreshments: Compared with some other routes, this walk is actually quite good for places en route where you can get a cup of coffee (and maybe even a bacon butty or cake!) while not having to deviate from the path. Whether these will be open depends upon the time of year, day of week and time you happen to be passing.

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