Wiltshire

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 the West Kennet Avenue into beautiful rolling chalk downland. You'll catch glimpses of the prehistoric Silbury Hill, pass Bronze Age burial mounds and walk along ancient roads with far-reaching views across the landscape.

Near to

Avebury

Start point

National Trust car park, Avebury. Grid reference: SU 09960 69654

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 5 (km: 8)

Duration3 hours

Dog friendly***

*Uneven terrain with gently sloping downs. For further details, please see Terrain section.
**This trail isn't suitable for wheelchairs or those with limited mobility. For further details, please see section marked Access.
***Dog on leads are welcome across the site. For further details, please see section marked Facilities.

Avebury Stone Circle and Henge

The bank and ditch of the Neolithic Avebury Henge are almost a mile in circumference, and the ditch was originally 9 metres deep. The outer stone circle is the largest prehistoric circle of standing stones in the world and has the remains of two other smaller stone circles within it.

Address
National Trust car park, Avebury. Grid reference: SU 09960 69654
Directions via Google Maps
By train
The nearest train stations are Pewsey and Swindon.
On foot
You can reach Avebury by following the Ridgeway National Trail.
See the National Trails website for details.
By bus
Frequent buses pass nearby. There's 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).
For more details see the Connecting Wiltshire website.
Cycling
Both NCN 403 and NCN 45 pass through Avebury providing links to/from Chippenham, Calne and Marlborough and southwards towards Salisbury. Bike racks are available in Avebury near the Barn Gallery.
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. Sat Nav users please use the postcode SN8 1RD to find our main visitor car park. Parking: pay and display. National Trust and English Heritage members free. Overnight parking prohibited. Please respect the community and do not park on the village streets
Dogs
Dogs are welcome on a lead and under control as livestock graze the fields.
Car park
Pay & display parking, 500 yards from stone circle (off A4361). National Trust and English Heritage members park free. Note: parking during the Summer Solstice in late June may be limited. Arrive early to avoid crowds in busy times.
Toilet
Toilets are open 9.30–18.00 daily. Baby-changing facilities available.
Café
Enjoy local, seasonal food at 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, including a range of locally sourced giftware.
Total stages: 8
Total stages: 8
Start point
National Trust car park, Avebury. Grid reference: SU 09960 69654
Stage 1
From the National Trust car park follow the signs to the henge and stone circle. Turn right into the High Street, enter the stone circle via the first gate on your right and follow the curve of the huge sarsen stones and the ditch. Cross the road and head right along the fence line past the bank and trees.
Avebury henge
It's hard not to be impressed by the Neolithic Avebury henge when you remember it's over 4,500 years old. The chalk would have been dug out using only deer antler picks and it was once much deeper at 9 metres (30ft) and with steeper banks of 4 metres (13ft). The stones are huge, the largest weighing at least 100 tonnes, the heaviest in Britain. They are formed of a hard, grey sandstone known as sarsen, often used in building.
Stage 2
Go through the gate and cross the road into the West Kennet Avenue. This part of the Avenue was excavated by Alexander Keiller in the 1930s. He re-erected the stones, putting markers where he found holes that once held stones that had been broken up and taken away for building.
Stage 3
At the end of the re-erected part of the Avenue, cross the road and follow the footpath straight ahead. Look out for the sole remaining stone of Falkners Circle in the hedgerow on your left. Continue on this footpath until you reach a crossroads.
Stage 4
Turn right and walk uphill along the track. As you gain height, looking across the valley, you'll be able to see the top of Silbury Hill. Stay on this track until it meets the well-defined track of the Ridgeway.
Stage 5
Turn right for a short detour to explore Overton Hill barrow cemetery (Seven Barrows). See if you can spot the grassy remains of a Roman road running across the field. Retrace your footsteps along the Ridgeway.
Stage 6
Continue along the Ridgeway until you meet the junction with Green Street. Turn left along here, heading downhill.
Stage 7
Passing through the banks of the henge, go through the gate on your right into the north-east sector of the henge. Cross the road at the gateway behind the giant Cove stones to explore the north-west part of the henge.
Stage 8
The steps down from the henge bring you into the Old Farmyard. Turn left for the footpath back to the car park, or turn right to explore the Museum, café, shop and Avebury Manor. The displays in the Alexander Keiller Museum will explain more about the archaeology you have just visited.
End point
The Old Farmyard, Avebury. Grid reference: SU100700
Trail map
Avebury Ridgeway walk map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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A lake of mist surrounding Silbury Hill on an autumn morning at Avebury, Wiltshire. Silbury Hill is managed by English Heritage.

Trail

Around Silbury Hill

This walk circles the base of Silbury Hill, affording a real sense of scale of this important prehistoric structure, part of the World Heritage Site of Avebury.