Wiltshire

Around Silbury Hill

This walk takes you around one of the most important sites in the World Heritage Site of Avebury. Silbury Hill is the largest prehistoric man-made mound in Europe and was built between 4,400 and 4,300 years ago. It would have taken hundreds of people working continually for several years to build it, using only stone and bone tools. The walk, which takes you around the hill's base from the north, gives you a real sense of its scale.

Near to

Avebury

Start point

Avebury National Trust car park, SN8 1RD

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 3 (km: 4.8)

Duration1 hour 15 mins to 2 hours

Dog friendly**

*Surfaces can be uneven, muddy, with potholes or long tussocky grass. For further details, please see Terrain section.
**Dogs welcome on a lead and under control as livestock graze the fields.

Address
National Trust car park, Avebury, SN8 1RD
Directions via Google Maps
By bus
Frequent buses pass nearby. There is a £1 discount on entry for those who have travelled by bus to Avebury (please show a valid ticket or a bus pass when buying tickets).
More info on bus routes at
Cycling
NCN4 and 45.
See Sustrans for more info
On foot
Ridgeway National Trail.
By road
6 miles west of Marlborough on the A4361. Our main car park is a short walk from the stone circle and our facilities in the Old Farmyard. Satnav: SN8 1RD.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome on a lead and under control as livestock graze the fields.
Car park
Pay and display. National Trust and English Heritage members free. Overnight parking prohibited. Please respect the community and not park on the village streets. NB. parking during the Summer Solstice in late June may be limited – arrive early to avoid crowds in busy times.
Toilet
Toilets open 9.30-18.00 daily. Baby-changing facilities available.
Café
Circles Café in the Old Farmyard and the Coach House Café on the High Street.
Picnic area
Picnic Area in the Old Farmyard.
Shop
Buy a memento of your visit at the shop, which sells a range of locally sourced giftware.
Total stages: 13
Total stages: 13
Start point
Avebury National Trust car park, SN8 1RD
Stage 1
From the car park at Avebury, exit through the main entrance and walk to the right, along the A4361 for a few metres until you see an entrance on the opposite side of the road. Carefully cross the road and take the track ahead of you.
Stage 2
Follow this path, keeping the stream known as the Winterbourne on your right. You will see Silbury Hill ahead of you.
Stage 3
After approximately 700 yards take a right-hand turn over a small bridge crossing the stream. Follow the path which will take you around the northern side of Silbury Hill.
Stage 4
At the end of the path you will reach Silbury Hill car park. If you turn left towards the Hill there is an information panel you can read if you wish.
Stage 5
When ready, retrace your steps back to the Silbury Hill car park and then walk up to the pavement which runs alongside the A4.
Stage 6
Turn left and follow the pavement past the Hill until you reach a pedestrian gate on your left. Go through this gate and walk along the fence-line, keeping the A4 on your right.
Stage 7
Cross a small boardwalk over the stream and approximately 100 yards further on turn left, keeping a line of trees on your left.
Stage 8
Just before the next field boundary turn right and walk up the hill, keeping the fence on your left. Turn around for a moment to see one of the finest views in the World Heritage Site of Silbury Hill.
Stage 9
As you crest Waden Hill the lines of the stones you can see below you to your left are the remains of the part of the West Kennet Avenue excavated and re-erected by Alexander Keiller in the 1930s. Walk down the hill and go through the gate on your left and follow the Avenue back towards Avebury.
Stage 10
After 800 yards you will reach the end of the Avenue. Go through the gate on your right, cross the road and go through the gate on the other side.
Stage 11
Turn left, through the trees and continue straight ahead, past the stones on your right, to a gate on the opposite side of the field. Go through and carefully cross the road.
Stage 12
Walk to the right, going around the Red Lion pub and join a paved footpath on your left which runs parallel to the road. At the end of the footpath, follow the line of stones around to your left. When you reach another gate, go through it, down the steps and turn right.
Stage 13
You have reached the Old Farmyard where you will find refreshments, a shop, the Museum and Avebury Manor. When you are ready to leave, follow the signposts to the car park to complete your walk.
End point
Avebury National Trust car park
Trail map
Around Silbury Hill map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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The stone circle in autumn evening sunshine at Avebury, Wiltshire

Trail

Avebury Ridgeway walk

Starting at the heart of the World Heritage Site, this walk takes you through the remains of the largest stone circle in the world and along ancient roads into rolling chalk downland.