A slightly different area this week, and not one to have featured on the website before. I’m in Wiltshire, staying with my boys at my brothers and his wife’s house. It had been nearly a year since the cousins last saw each other and it was time to sort that out. Whilst there my brother had organised a saunter around Walkers Hill taking in the impressive Wansdyke ( a bit like Offa’s Dyke) which was built around 490AD to keep out the West Saxons and stop them entering the West Country. The mist stopped the views but the idea to get them away from there screens for a couple of hours worked wonders. Before heading back to my brothers we also called in at Avebury, the worlds largest stone circle (no photos unfortunately). A superb place which was filling nicely with those there to celebrate the solstice the next morning. I will be back there on my next visit to have a proper look around and see the huge stone row and circle. All in all a great visit to family in Swindon.
Start – New Town/Knap hill parking
Route – Wansdyke – Milk Hill – White Horse – Adams Grave/Walkers Hill – parking spot
Distance – 3 miles Start time – 10.30am Time taken – 1hr 50mins inc sarney stop Highest Point – Milk Hill 294m
Weather – Low cloud, mist
Where we are today, Pewsey Vale and specifically Walkers HillWe are heading that way, into the mist and up to Wansdyke, in particular the East Wansdyke which runs from Savernake Forest to Morgan’s Hill and is about 9 miles in lengthThe cousins are talking games, gaming, computer games, and games on computers. You get the driftThe East Wansdyke is very clear in these parts, around 4 metres high and the ditch is around 2 metres in places, these gaps or gates in the dyke are common along its lengthWalking the Wansdyke, we aren’t heading too far along it but the views to my right are normally brilliant. We all agreed that the ground falling away to my right here would mean the dyke was probably built by those who owned the left hand side, the Romano-Britons to keep out the right hand side, the West Saxons.The dyke continues onwards over rolling hills, we are turning left here onto….Pewsey Downs nature reserve, Marsh Fritillaries are seen here, but they hide in mist Walking around Milk Hill and the high point of the walk a respectable 290 metres aslThe views on this southern side are a little better and improving as we round Milk HillPewsey Valley below as we head towards the White HorseThere’s the white horse ahead, Walkers Hill is the last hill along this ridgeLooking down at the white horse, they are never as impressive up closeSlightly better view from this side thoughOn Walkers Hill now and time for a sarney. This is named Adam’s Grave on the map and is a site of a Long barrow alsoAdam’s Grave Long barrow and Pewsey Vale stretching away, the view had improved a fair bit this sideOn the top of Walkers Hill all that was left was to join the path behind me and head down towards the car park down there. A fine outing followed by a nice roast for tea, before the drive back to Plymouth in the evening
An interesting area I was supposed to visit yesterday (I have a mate who lives down that way) but the stormy weather intervened. Good to see what it looks like – or not in this case! 😂
Crikey, didn’t realise how far behind I’ve got with my blog reading. Will have to catch up in reverse order, I think!
Wiltshire is an almost unknown area to me, although my parents lived in Durrington for a few years. We didn’t really explore the region when we visited them.
treksandtors 
A long time since I’ve walked there – a most underrated county.
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It was a lovely small part of Wiltshire for sure
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An interesting area I was supposed to visit yesterday (I have a mate who lives down that way) but the stormy weather intervened. Good to see what it looks like – or not in this case! 😂
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Yeah, not really the views my brother promised, but Wansdyke looks to be a great walk
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Crikey, didn’t realise how far behind I’ve got with my blog reading. Will have to catch up in reverse order, I think!
Wiltshire is an almost unknown area to me, although my parents lived in Durrington for a few years. We didn’t really explore the region when we visited them.
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Same for me with my brother, an area I will try to see more of when I visit
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