The Ridgeway footpath runs for nearly 90 miles across central southern England, providing varied habitats including these chalk grasslands.

Birds such as goldfinches love the seed heads that form after the summer blooms.

A cygnet mimics its mother on a stretch of the Thames as the trail swings west towards the Downs.

A shady woodland path in the Chiltern hills, well-worn by generations of walkers and drovers.

Farmers have left wild edges where their fields meet the Ridgeway, allowing flowers like the meadow crane's bill to flourish.

The half way point is close to the crossing over the River Thames at Goring and a welcome sight for the weary traveller.

Some parts of the Ridgeway are thought to date to before the Roman occupation and formed part of a wider network of "green roads".

Didcot power station is a reminder of the 21st Century, but many sections of the trail are blissfully quiet save for the insistent calls of the yellowhammer.

A friendly colt looks for a free hand-out from Ridgeway ramblers.

Although dedicated to a Saxon god, Wayland's Smithy is an ancient burial ground which was first used some 5,500 years ago. Pictures: Dave Gilbert