Itinerary

Day One
Having settled into your comfortable accommodation, read through your walks pack and enjoy dining at the Bell’s excellent restaurant or, if you are staying in or near Avebury, there are some good pubs within easy reach.

Day Two
The most outstanding collection of prehistoric remains in the country, monuments of mystery and magic, combine with the solitude and immense beauty of the Marlborough Downs: ‘never abrupt, but flowing on and on, to make a type of infinity’. The World Heritage Stone Circle at Avebury, dating from 1700BC, is more random, more impressive, more romantic than Stonehenge but unknown to many. Silbury Hill at 40m high is the largest ancient man-made mound in Europe and West Kennet’s impressive Long Barrow, dates from 3700 BC. Enter inside if you dare – perhaps not for the faint-hearted!

From the legendary Ridgeway, Britain’s oldest trackway, at Fyfield Down you can picnic amongst famous sarsen stones, 25,000 of them! In summer enjoy a sea of wild flowers and a wide range of birds. Back at Avebury, there’s the church, the highly-acclaimed museum, the Manor House gardens or the National Trust shop to enjoy and, of course, tea before returning to your comfortable inn.  (8 or 10 miles/12.8 or 16 km, moderate walking)

Day Three
The views from the summit of beautiful Pewsey Downs, your starting point, are wide and dramatic. Admire one of Wiltshire’s famous white horses etched into the chalk hillside. And climb Adam’s Grave, highest and most noble of all barrows, before striding out on a stunning ridge walk, marvelling at dramatic views of the vale below. Experience the sheer beauty of these hills, the elemental landscapes of sky, pasture and breathtaking panoramas: ‘divinely carved in rolling ridge and hollowed flank’ – an altogether unforgettable experience.

Following lunch at the Kings Arms, your afternoon walk offers completely contrasting scenery as you stroll along the towpath of the Kennet and Avon Canal, a haven for wildlife, unspoilt, tranquil and green. Beyond the old settlement of Honey Street is the ancient hamlet of Alton Barnes with its tiny Saxon church, tucked away in the heartland of this secret vale. (8 miles/12.8 km, moderate walking)