The Ridgeway
Often called Britain’s oldest road, the Ridgeway has been used for at least 5,000 years by traders, armies and cattle drovers. It runs 85 miles (137 km) from Overton Hill to Ivinghoe Beacon, passing Neolithic stone circles, hill‑forts such as Segsbury Camp and the iconic Uffington White Horse.
- Length: 85 miles (137 km)
- Current use: rural trail, paved sections suitable for vehicles
- Highlights: Uffington White Horse, Neolithic sites, historic villages
Icknield Way
Running 110 miles (177 km) from Thetford to Ivinghoe Beacon, the Icknield Way is another contender for Britain’s oldest road. It shares much of its character with the Ridgeway – a patchwork of drivable country roads, footpaths and hiking trails maintained by the Icknield Way Association.
- Length: 110 miles (177 km)
- Current use: mixed‑use trail – walking, cycling, and limited driving
- Highlights: historic countryside, community‑maintained path
Fosse Way
Fosse Way is a genuine Roman road, cutting straight across England from Exeter to Lincoln (≈230 miles). It links Roman forts, bathhouses and other archaeological sites. Modern sections appear as parts of the A429 and B4455, with many off‑road segments for walkers and mountain bikers.
- Length: ≈230 miles
- Current use: fragmented modern roads, walking and mountain‑bike routes
- Highlights: Roman forts, Chedworth Roman Villa, historic bridges
Watling Street
Watling Street once stretched nearly 276 miles from London to the Welsh border at Wroxeter. Though broken into modern roads (A2, A5) and urban streets, sections of the original route are still visible, especially after a 2024 discovery in Southwark.
- Length: ≈276 miles (original)
- Current use: urban streets, country roads, historic walking routes
- Highlights: Roman‑era origins, Battle of Watling Street site, sandstone bridge remains
Ermine Street
Named after the Earningus tribe, Ermine Street was a key Roman artery from Bishopgate (London) to Brough, near Hadrian’s Wall. Today the A10 and A1 follow large portions of its course, offering drivers and walkers a glimpse of Roman engineering.
- Length: several hundred miles (original)
- Current use: major highways (A10, A1) and walkable segments
- Highlights: Roman burial mounds, roadside museums, English countryside churches