North Wessex Downs
Interactive Map

Zoom in and out using the +/- buttons in the top left of the map.  Or you can double click to zoom in and hold ‘Shift’ and double click to zoom out again.

The boundary of the AONB area shown is approximate and not the definitive boundary.

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Places to visit

Things to do

50 things not to miss

Fosbury Camp

Sitting atop Knolls Down, on the edge of Wiltshire, Fosbury Camp is an iron age hillfort and scheduled monument.

50 things not to miss

The Wansdyke

This 5th or 6th Century defensive ditch and bank runs from Morgan’s Hill near Bishops Canning to Savernake Forest near Marlborough

50 things not to miss

The Aldworth Giants

Visit the Aldworth Giants who lie in splendour in a tiny church on top of the downs

50 things not to miss

Small Grain Picnic Site & Morgan's Hill

Stunning walks and views from this little-known spot on the western edge of the AONB

50 things not to miss

The Views from Martinsell Hill

On a clear day you can see the spire of Salisbury Cathedral!

50 things not to miss

Cycling from Hermitage to Hampstead Norreys

Lovely traffic-free cycle route near Newbury

50 things not to miss

Exploring Pewsey Vale by Bike

Great cycling is to be found in the Vale of Pewsey, both on and off road

50 things not to miss

Hungerford & Antiques

A world-renowned antiques centre, Hungerford lies at the very heart of the North Wessex Downs AONB and is easily accessible by train.

50 things not to miss

Sarsen Stones at Lockeridge Dene

Explore this intriguing site with its landscape of sarsen stones

50 things not to miss

Marlborough

An archetypical English market town in the rural north east corner of Wiltshire with the River Kennet running through it and surrounded by the glorious countryside

50 things not to miss

Aldbourne

Often overlooked, this pretty Wiltshire village is a real gem with some quirky cultural links and surrounded by inviting countryside

50 things not to miss

Sunrise at Adams Grave

This high point on Pewsey Downs provides some of the best views in the AONB!  What better place to watch the sun come up?

50 things not to miss

Bluebells at West Woods

This beech woodland is one of THE best places to see bluebells during April/May.

50 things not to miss

Oxfordshire County Top: White Horse Hill

One of the four county tops within the AONB boundary.

50 things not to miss

Wiltshire County Top: Milk Hill

One of the four county tops within the AONB boundary.

50 things not to miss

Hampshire County Top: Pilot Hill

One of the four county tops within the AONB boundary.

50 things not to miss

Berkshire County Top: Walbury Hill

One of the four county tops within the AONB boundary.

boundary

50 things not to miss, white horses

Westbury White Horse

The perfect white horse, on a steep west-facing escarpment overlooking Westbury. The current horse, cut over an older one is now concreted over and white washed. It sits below the ancient Bratton hill fort, one of a series of earthworks along the chalk downs.

50 things not to miss, white horses

Pewsey white horse

The new horse is on Pewsey Hill about a mile south of Pewsey, to the east of the minor road that leads from the A345 on the edge of Pewsey to the village of Everleigh.  It is a little above and a little to the left of the site of the old horse. It was cut in 1937.

50 things not to miss, white horses

Marlborough white horse

Small but well-maintained, the Marlborough white horse is on a relatively shallow slope on Granham Hill, above the village of Preshute, just southwest of Marlborough.  This white horse was cut in 1804.

50 things not to miss, white horses

Hackpen white horse

The Hackpen white horse is near The Ridgeway on the edge of the Marlborough Downs, two miles south east of Broad Hinton village, on Hackpen Hill where the Wootton Bassett to Marlborough road zigzags up the hill.  Its origin is uncertain. It may have been cut in 1838.

white horses

Devizes white horse

This is the newest of the Wiltshire white horses.  Designed by Peter Greed, it was cut by around two hundred local people in 1999 to mark the millennium.

For walks to the White Horse, and photos, please see the Walking the Wessex White Horses website.

50 things not to miss, white horses

Cherhill white horse

This horse is situated on the edge of Cherhill Down, off the A4 Calne to Marlborough road just east of the village of Cherhill. It was cut in 1780.

50 things not to miss, white horses

Broad Town white horse

Broad Town is three miles south of Wootton Bassett on the Marlborough road, and the white horse is in a depression on a steep slope half a mile north east of the village.  It was cut in 1864.

50 things not to miss, white horses

Alton Barnes white horse

The Alton Barnes white horse looks out over Pewsey Vale. It dates to 1812.

From the high downs, on a clear day the views south and west are truly awesome. The horse lies below a number of ancient features including a hill fort just to the east and a huge long barrow, Adam’s Grave, overlooking the valley.

walking

Liddington Hill Circular

Medium (4-6 miles)

A lovely walk on chalk hills with stunning views. Less than 5 miles from Swindon it includes the option of visiting the site of Liddington Castle Iron Age hillfort.

walking

Leckhamstead Circular

Medium (4-6 miles)

A lovely varied walk in the Berkshire Downs with great views, especially beautiful in the spring with fields of wildflowers, and butterflies and bees flitting about.

walking

White Horse Trail

Long (7 miles +)

This 90-mile route takes you through Pewsey, Marlborough, Broad Town, Cherhill, Devizes, Steeple Ashton, and Bratton providing great views of the eight white horses which are cut into the turf of the chalk hillsides of Wiltshire. Along the way the trail visits many other historic and prehistoric locations such as in and around Avebury. Why not do the walk in stages, ticking off the white horses one-by-one?

walking

Wayfarers Walk (start)

Long (7 miles +)

This 70-mile, long-distance walking route is one of contrasts with a dramatic start, high on the chalk downs at Inkpen and finishing at sea-level at Emsworth Harbour. The route takes you over some of the finest chalk turf in Hampshire including Walbury Hill which, at 297m, is not only the highest chalk hill in the North Wessex Downs but also in England.

walking

Thames Path (northern end in the AONB)

Long (7 miles +)

The Thames Path follows England’s best-known river for 184 miles as it meanders from its source in the Cotswolds through several rural counties and on into the heart of London. It snakes its way along the north-eastern edge of the North Wessex Downs dipping in and out of neighbouring Chilterns AONB and it is easily accessible by public transport as the Great Western Rail line also takes a similar route. It is a gentle Trail, able to be walked by people of all ages and abilities and very well way-marked.

walking

Test Way (start)

Long (7 miles +)

Linking to the Wayfarers Walk, the Test Way also starts at the high point of Combe Gibbet and finishes at sea-level, this time at Eling on Southampton Water. It follows the course of the River Test, Hampshire’s longest and finest chalk stream which is world-famous for trout fishing.

walking

Pewsey Vale, The Kennet & Avon Canal and the White Horse Trail Circular

Long (7 miles +)

A walk with a steep ascent rewarded by miles of stunning views across the Vale of Pewsey; contrasted with stretches of tranquil canal and ancient woodlands full of bluebells in the spring.

walking

Lambourn Valley Way (southern end)

Long (7 miles +)

Starting from the Berkshire Downs where The Ridgeway passes near the Uffington White Horse, the Way follows the valley of the River Lambourn for just over 20 miles to Newbury. The route is well sign posted with waymark discs and fingerposts and takes in the picturesque villages of East Garston, Great Shefford and Boxford. Generally, this is an easy-going walk and well-connected by a bus route along much of it.

walking

Lambourn Valley Way (northern end)

Long (7 miles +)

Starting from the Berkshire Downs where The Ridgeway passes near the Uffington White Horse, the Way follows the valley of the River Lambourn for just over 20 miles to Newbury. The route is well sign posted with waymark discs and fingerposts and takes in the picturesque villages of East Garston, Great Shefford and Boxford. Generally, this is an easy-going walk and well-connected by a bus route along much of it.

walking

Woolton Hill Circular

Short (<3 miles)

A varied gentle walk on footpaths and minor roads through woodland and open fields near Woolton Hill, West Berkshire

walking

Coate Water to Chiseldon

Short (<3 miles)

This walk has good views of the lake at Coate Water and features woodland good for spotting bluebells.  Coate Water Country Park is a 56 acre reservoir built in the 1820’s.  There is a rich variety of birdlife – great crested grebe, grey herons, Canada geese and kingfishers.

walking

Ramsbury to Littlecote

Medium (4-6 miles)

This walk starts at the historic settlement of Ramsbury and takes you upwards through woodland and along the ridge before heading back down to Littlecote House and returns along the side of the Kennet River.

walking

Ogbourne St George to Marlborough

Medium (4-6 miles)

The Chiseldon and Marlborough Railway Path was originally constructed in 1881, and the majority of this walk takes you along it’s length. The track is intermittently lined with trees and hedgerows, and is a good area for spotting wildlife, including buzzards and kites.

walking

Chalk Hills and Landscapes around East Garston

Medium (4-6 miles)

Walk from the pretty village of East Garston through farmland and the Berkshire Downs with stunning views and fascinating geology.

walking

Bishops Cannings, The Kennet & Avon Canal and Wansdyke

Medium (4-6 miles)

A delightful, varied walk taking in the village, the canal towpath, downland and the mysterious Wansdyke with a fantastic view across to the Lansdowne Monument.

walking

Avebury, West Kennet & Silbury Hill

MEDIUM (4-6 MILES)

This walk starts in the village of Avebury and takes in Silbury Hill and West Kennet Long Barrow.

walking, 50 things not to miss

Ridgeway National Trail

50 things not to miss

Wittenham Clumps

Two distinctive round hills topped with 18th century beech trees give a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside and the nearby historic town of Dorchester on Thames. There is a hillfort on Castle Hill, with earthworks dating to the Bronze and Iron Ages. The hills can be seen from miles around and are popular with local people for kite flying and weekend walks. Just a short walk away are Days Lock on the river Thames and Dorchester Abbey.

50 things not to miss, Historic Places

Wilton Windmill

Set high above the village of Wilton, about 9 miles south east of Marlborough in Wiltshire, Wilton Windmill is the only working windmill in Wessex and still produces wholemeal, stone-ground flour.

50 things not to miss, Historic Places

Wayland's Smithy

Wayland’s Smithy is an atmospheric historic site situated approximately 2km along the Ridgeway from the Uffington White Horse. A Neolithic chambered long barrow, it was once believed to have been the habitation of the Saxon smith-god Wayland.

50 things not to miss, Historic Places

Silbury Hill

Europe’s largest man-made hill at 130 feet high (40m). It was built around 2100 BC with antler picks and shoulder blades of oxen as shovels. (Please don’t climb the hill – the archaeology and rare chalk plants are very fragile.)

50 things not to miss, viewpoints & chalk downs

Roundway Hill

The scene of a crushing Royalist victory in the English Civil War, Roundway Hill near Devizes is now a 68-acre nature reserve which features broadleaf woodland with sunny grassy areas where chalk-loving plants thrive. The plants in turn attract a wide range of insects including butterflies, grasshoppers and bees. A nature trail offers panoramic views in all directions.

50 things not to miss

Pewsey Downs National Nature Reserve

50 things not to miss

Kennet & Avon Canal

50 things not to miss, Historic Places

Highclere Castle

Highclere Castle is one of England’s most beautiful Victorian Castles set amidst 1,000 acres of spectacular parkland. The Carnarvon family has lived at Highclere since 1679, and the current Castle stands on the site of an earlier house, which in turn was built on the foundations of the medieval palace owned by the Bishops of Winchester for some 800 years.

 

stargazing

Wittenham Clumps car park

Grid Ref:  SU567923

For more information on stargazing see our dark skies leaflet

stargazing

Wilton Windmill

Grid Ref: SU276617

For more information on stargazing see our Dark Skies leaflet

stargazing

White Hill car park

Grid Ref: SU516565

For more information on stargazing please see our Dark Skies leaflet

stargazing

Uffcott

Grid Ref: SU117771
On road between Uffcott and Broad Hinton

For more information about stargazing see our dark skies leaflet

stargazing

Pewsey Downs car park

Grid Ref: SU115638

For more information on stargazing see our Dark Skies leaflet

stargazing

Hackpen White Horse car park

Grid Ref: SU129747

For more information on stargazing see our Dark Skies leaflet

stargazing

East Kennett

Grid Ref: SU132663

For more details on star gazing see our dark skies leaflet

stargazing

Combe Gibbet & Walbury hill car park

Grid Ref: SU369620

For more information on stargazing please see our Dark Skies leaflet

stargazing

Bury Down car park

Grid Ref: SU479840

For more information on stargazing see our dark skies leaflet

stargazing

Barbury Castle

Grid Ref: SU157761
Main car park is shut at night.

For more information on stargazing see our dark skies leaflet

stargazing

Ashbury Hill parking area

Grid Ref: SU273843

For more information on stargazing see our Dark Skies leaflet

riding

Three Downs Link

This is a riding, walking and cycling path following bridleways through Hampshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire.

The trail runs from Exton, in Hampshire, to Dean Hill, near Hungerford. You will pass through open chalk downland, along rivers and canals and through some pretty villages.

The route passes through or near Basingstoke, New Arlesford, Malborough, Winchester, Newbury and Hungerford. It uses the South Downs Way National Trail for part of the route and also links with the Ridgeway National Trail. It is waymarked with a light blue arrow.
For cyclists a mountain bike is advisable as most of the route takes place on off road tracks.

Three Downs Link Leaflet – British Horse Society

Below are PDF documents which are broken down into sections of the route, courtesy of the British Horse Society.

Use the map on the right to guide you to the PDF for the part of the route you are interested in:

PDF1 – Woolstone, Bishopstone & Ogbourne St George

PDF2 – Axford, Great Bedwyn & Buttermere

PDF3 – Letcombe Bassett, Peasemore & Chieveley

PDF4 – Donnington, Ball Hill & Ashmansworth

PDF5 – Ashmansworth, Lichfield & Hannington

PDF6 – Oakley, North Waltham & Brown Candover

PDF7 – New Alresford, Beauworth & Exton.

riding

Ridgeway National Trail

Long (7 miles +)

Walkers can enjoy the whole of The Ridgeway and cyclists and horse riders considerable lengths – all of the 43 miles (69km) of the western half from Overton Hill to the River Thames at Streatley and some stretches east of the river in the Chilterns.

Discover the Ridgeway on the National Trail Website

picnic sites

Snelsmore Common

Managed by BBOWT. Plenty of room to run & play. A paved walk (3/4 mile) and longer nature walks. Surfaces may be uneven. Dogs allowed on leads. It can be very busy at weekends: please park responsibly. Facilities: Picnic tables & BBQ sites. Takeaway café. Accessible toilets. Parking (suggested donation to BBOWT Wildlife Trust).

picnic sites, 50 things not to miss, Nature & Wildlife

Savernake Forest

A wonderful very large ancient forest run by the Forestry Engalnd. Made up of several woodlands, the main being an SSSI predominantly of oak. Excellent for wildlife all year round. Picnic sites at Postern Hill on the south west side along the A346.

picnic sites

Hungerford Common

Dogs allowed on leads. Facilities & refreshments available in Hungerford (two minutes’ drive). Bring your own picnic furniture. Room to run & play. Kite flying.  Parking (no charge). Be aware that cattle graze the Common April-October. Car parking and grass are very uneven.  Managed by Hungerford Town and Manor.

Getting there: 10 mins south of M4 Junction14
Nearest postcode: RG17 0DY (entrance to Common) continue to centre of Common for car parking

picnic sites

Canalside at Kintbury

Managed by Canal & River Trust. Canalside walk. Dogs allowed. The canal towpath can be busy at weekends. Be aware of the deep lock – may not be suitable for small children.Facilities: Toilets. One picnic table near to canal towpath. Nearest postcode: RG17 9UT

picnic sites, 50 things not to miss, Historic Places, viewpoints & chalk downs

Barbury Castle Country Park

Overlooking the town of Swindon, this 60 hectare site is notable for its chalk grassland and Iron Age archaeology. The iron-age hillfort is the best example of this habitat, as part of it has remained undisturbed since ancient times. The thin soil with good drainage allows only specialist plants to grow.

picnic sites, 50 things not to miss, Historic Places

Avebury

Ancient monument of standing stones.

Nature & Wildlife

Wittenham Clumps

Two distinctive round hills topped with 18th century beech trees give a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside and the nearby historic town of Dorchester on Thames. There is a hillfort on Castle Hill, with earthworks dating to the Bronze and Iron Ages. The hills can be seen from miles around and are popular with local people for kite flying and weekend walks. Just a short walk away are Days Lock on the river Thames and Dorchester Abbey.

50 things not to miss, Nature & Wildlife

Snelsmore Common

Managed by BBOWT. Just north of Newbury on the very edge of the AONB lies Snelsmore Common which contains a range of habitats including heathland, wet mires and woodland making it home to nationally rare bird species including nightjar, woodlark and tree pipit.  A good place for a picnic too!

Nature & Wildlife

Pewsey Downs NNR

Pewsey Downs is one of the finest examples of chalk downland in southern England. It is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the European Habitats and Species Directive.

The flower-rich grasslands which occur on the Downs have developed over the Upper Chalk due mainly to the low level of plant nutrients in the soil. This nutrient-poor soil prevents more vigorous plant species dominating the finer herbs.

While the lack of nutrients is important, the localised climate, steepness of slope, aspect and amount of – or even the lack of – soil also creates a variety of conditions ideal for a wide range of plants.

Plant species found in the reserve include common spotted, frog and fragrant orchids, field fleawort, early gentian, round-headed rampion and bastard toadflax. Butterflies include marble white, skipper, green hairstreak, wall brown and chalkhill blue.

Nature & Wildlife

Morgans Hill

Managed by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. Lying between Devizes and Calne this fine stretch of chalk grassland offers incredible views of Cherhill Down and the plains of north Wiltshire. The reserve is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its orchids, butterflies and for the general quality of chalk grassland and wildflowers. Morgans Hill is home to numerous wildflowers including early purple orchids and round-headed rampion, cowslips, primroses and violets and in summer wild thyme, horseshoe vetch, common rock rose and marsh helleborine. Where there are flowers, butterflies follow and you can find the Adonis, chalkhill, common and small blues. Further down the slopes look for the marsh fritillary – one of the UK’s most endangered species of butterfly, which feeds on devil’s-bit scabious. Birds found at the reserve include kestrel, buzzard, yellowhammer and skylark.

Nature & Wildlife

Letcombe Valley

The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust works with volunteers living nearby to care for this precious habitat, where kingfishers hunt across the water flashing blue as their sharp call pierces the stillness of the valley. Streamside, heron and little egret can be seen prowling the shallows for a tasty fish morsel.  At dusk, Daubenton‚ bats swoop low across the lake gorging on insects at the water‚ surface. Numerous springs create flushes along the streams and these habitats support an interesting range of insects, particularly rare flies.

Small remnants of ancient woodland include old coppice stools around which wild flowers, such as bluebell, common dog violet and wood avens, grow. Running along the eastern edge of the reserve is a steep bank with a flat top (the Old Bassett Road) where fragments of chalk grassland remain among the scrub. Large ant hills survive among bird-foot trefoil, field scabious, cowslips and meadow grasses. Barn owls hunt for small mammals in this area.

50 things not to miss, Nature & Wildlife

Freemans Marsh

Freemans Marsh is a rich mix of water meadows, reedbeds, damp scrubland and patches of woodland. A lovely place to visit at any time of year, it affords delightful views towards the picturesque town of Hungerford, which dates from Saxon times.

Colourful wetland wild flowers include yellow iris, ragged-robbin, southern marsh-orchid and fen bedstraw. Marsh-marigolds, a familiar sight in England until widespread field drainage in recent times, adorn the ground here in spring.

The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust has recorded 120 different bird species on this reserve including heron, kingfisher, yellow wagtail, water rail, little grebe and grasshoper warbler. In winter, look out for siskins on the alder trees. River birds include mute swans, mallard, moorhen and coot.

50 things not to miss, Historic Places, Nature & Wildlife, viewpoints & chalk downs

Fyfield Down

Situated on a high plateau of chalk grassland, Fyfield Down displays the best collection of sarsen stones in Britain. Sarsen stones are large boulders of siliceous sandstone that were transported to the area through glacial action during the ice age. Ancient peoples used these stones for building purposes and today they support rare lichen and moss communities.  The site is internationally important for its archaeological interest and is part of a World Heritage Site.

Nature & Wildlife

Bucklebury Common

The common is privately owned by Bucklebury Estate but there is public access for walkers, horse riders and cyclists on an extensive network of public rights of way. The common is mainly broadleaved woodland of oak, ash and beech with younger areas of birch and large areas of heathland. There is also an old avenue of oaks at Chapel Row which are over 400 years old and planted in the late 16th century to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth I.

50 things not to miss, Nature & Wildlife, viewpoints & chalk downs

Beacon Hill

One of the best know hillforts in England, this was a site for one of the beacons that formed a network across Hampshire. The ditch and banks are still prominent and well preserved, but the grassland that covers this historic site is species-rich chalk downland, having been maintained by centuries of sheep grazing – apparent from its ‘stepped’ appearance. The chalk grassland supports a variety of wildflowers, such as rock rose, wild thyme, kidney vetch and clustered bellflower. These delightful plants support a diversity of insects – one species of interest being the two-coloured mason-bee, one of the first solitary bees to appear in spring and which nests in empty snail shells. The site is also important for its stands of juniper. Skylarks and meadow-pipits can be seen and heard – though these are easily disturbed by dogs. The north-west flank of the hill can be a good place to see ring ouzels as they migrate northwards. On top of the Beacon look out for soaring red kites, treating you to their aerobatic displays.

Historic Places

Wilton Windmill

Set high above the village of Wilton, about 9 miles south east of Marlborough in Wiltshire, Wilton Windmill is the only working windmill in Wessex and still produces wholemeal, stone-ground flour.

Open to visitors from Easter to September.

Historic Places

Seven Barrows, Lambourn

Lambourn Seven Barrows is the name given to a large group of burial mounds (over 40) scattered over a dry chalk valley north of the village of Lambourn. At the core of the cemetery are at least ten Bronze Age barrows arranged in two parallel rows. A range of barrow types are represented, named for their shapes bell, bowl, disc and saucer, and they are well preserved as Scheduled Monuments within a small chalk grassland nature reserve which is open to the public.

Many of the Seven Barrows mounds were opened by antiquarians in the 19th century and numerous finds were recorded including cremation burials (some in urns), animal bones, jewelry and bronze artefacts. It is likely that this valley was a focus for ritual funerary activity for thousands of years, from the Neolithic when a long barrow was constructed through to the pagan Saxon period when round barrows were used as burial sites.

50 things not to miss, Historic Places

Sandham Memorial Chapel

This modest red-brick building tucked away in a quiet corner of Hampshire houses an unexpected treasure  –  an epic series of large-scale murals, by the acclaimed war artist Sir Stanley Spencer.

Built to honour the ‘forgotten dead’ of the First World War, who were not remembered on any official memorials, the series was inspired by Spencer’s own experiences as a medical orderly and soldier on the Salonika front, and is peppered with personal and unexpected details. The paintings took six years to complete in all, and are considered by many to be the artist, finest achievement, drawing such praise as ‘Britain’s answer to the Sistine Chapel’.

The chapel still holds services three to four times a year, the most important of these being the annual Remembrance Day event.

50 things not to miss, Historic Places

Littlecote Roman Villa

The famed Roman Orpheus Mosaic and the remains of a Roman Villa.  You can see this mosaic on our circular walk from Ramsbury.  Click the link for more details.

50 things not to miss, Historic Places, viewpoints & chalk downs

Liddington Hill

Sited on a commanding high point close to The Ridgeway, Liddington Castle was one of the earliest hill forts in Britain, with first occupation dating to the seventh century BC.

Historic Places

Knap Hill

Knap Hill is an extremely steep hill just north of Alton Barnes offering great views into the Pewsey Vale.  Knap Hill is surmounted by a neolithic causewayed camp. Various finds such as a Medieval hearth and 17th century pottery suggests that Knap Hill has been used extensively over the centuries.
Car parking is available at the bottom of Knap Hill

50 things not to miss, Historic Places

Crofton Beam Engines

These are the oldest working steam engines in the world. There are two beam engines, one of which is an original 200-year-old Boulton & Watt. Both are fed by a hand-stoked, coal-fired Lancashire boiler.

50 things not to miss, Historic Places, viewpoints & chalk downs

Combe Gibbet

Combe Gibbet is the replica wooden post of a structure erected in 1676 and linked to the capital punishment of a murderous couple. A local man George Broomham and his mistress Dorothy Newman were hanged for killing George’s wife and son – the gibbet was used to display the criminals’ bodies are a dire warning to all. Despite this gory association, the site is a popular and accessible viewpoint, being on a chalk ridge with stunning views both north across the Kennet Valley and south over the Hampshire Downs.

Historic Places

Beacon Hill

One of the best known hill forts in England and the site of the most famous beacon in Hampshire, though in fact the Beacon at Burghclere was called the Berkshire Beacon.  The firing of beacons kept on prominent hill tops was for many years an integral part of the defence system of this country and the last chain of beacons were lit on 2 June 1977 to commemorate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.

50 things not to miss, Historic Places

Basildon House and Park

Basildon Park is an impressive Georgian mansion, surrounded by glorious parkland, which was lovingly rescued from ruin by Lord and Lady Iliffe in the mid 1950s.

50 things not to miss, Historic Places

Ashdown House

This extraordinary building with a dollshouse appearance nestles in a beautiful valley on the Berkshire Downs, surrounded by woodland.  It was built by an Earl, William Craven, as a house fit for the queen he loved, Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia in 1662.

cycling

Whitchurch/Ashmansworth Circular Cycle Route

A 23 mile challenging trail (14 of which are off-road) covering many of the places that were an inspiration for Richard Adams’ Watership Down. Stunning views from Woodcott Down and Ladle Hill contrast with the picturesque Hampshire villages of St. Mary Bourne and Binley.

cycling

Watership Down Off-Road

Distance: 18 miles (9 of which are off-road)
Start: Car park in Anchor Road, Kingsclere. (Grid ref. 527586).
Summary: The Watership Down Trail is an invigorating cycle ride which takes in some of Hampshire’s finest scenery.

The route begins on a quiet country lane out of Kingsclere followed by a challenging off-road climb to the top of Ladle Hill. The route continues along the ridge of Watership Down, south past North Oakley, through Ibworth and off road back to Kingsclere. Go to Hampshire County Council website for details and route map.

cycling

Three Downs Link

This is a riding, walking and cycling path following bridleways through Hampshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire.

The trail runs from Exton, in Hampshire, to Dean Hill, near Hungerford. You will pass through open chalk downland, along rivers and canals and through some pretty villages.

The route passes through or near Basingstoke, New Arlesford, Malborough, Winchester, Newbury and Hungerford. It uses the South Downs Way National Trail for part of the route and also links with the Ridgeway National Trail. It is waymarked with a light blue arrow.
For cyclists a mountain bike is advisable as most of the route takes place on off road tracks.

Three Downs Link Leaflet – British Horse Society

Below are PDF documents which are broken down into sections of the route, courtesy of the British Horse Society.

Use the map on the right to guide you to the PDF for the part of the route you are interested in:

PDF1 – Woolstone, Bishopstone & Ogbourne St George

PDF2 – Axford, Great Bedwyn & Buttermere

PDF3 – Letcombe Bassett, Peasemore & Chieveley

PDF4 – Donnington, Ball Hill & Ashmansworth

PDF5 – Ashmansworth, Lichfield & Hannington

PDF6 – Oakley, North Waltham & Brown Candover

PDF7 – New Alresford, Beauworth & Exton.

cycling

Ridgeway National Trail

Walkers can enjoy the whole of The Ridgeway and cyclists and horse riders considerable lengths – all of the 43 miles (69km) of the western half from Overton Hill to the River Thames at Streatley and some stretches east of the river in the Chilterns.

Discover the Ridgeway on the National Trail Website

cycling

Wiltshire Cycleway

For more information about Wiltshire Cycleway visit the Wiltshire Council website

cycling

NCN 482 Chiseldon & Marlborough Railway Path

Easy cycling route along the now disused Chiseldon and Marlborough Railway.

viewpoints & chalk downs

Windmill Hill, Avebury

The classic Neolithic ’causewayed enclosure’, with three concentric but intermittent ditches. Large quantities of animal bones found here indicate feasting, animal trading or rituals, or perhaps all three. Part of the Avebury World Heritage Site.

Windmill Hill is in the freehold ownership of The National Trust and in English Heritage guardianship. It is managed by The National Trust on behalf of English Heritage, and the two organisations share the cost of managing and maintaining the property.

50 things not to miss, viewpoints & chalk downs

Watership Down

Richard Adams classic book about rabbit families living on Watership Down drew on his memories of living near the real Watership Down in northern Hampshire, on the south-eastern edge of the AONB.  The area is now a popular destination for cyclists and walkers‚ a bridleway, the Wayfarer’s Walk cross county footpath, runs along the ridge of the Down.

viewpoints & chalk downs

Walbury Hill

Walbury Hill is the highest chalk down in England, and also the site of the largest hillfort in Berkshire, Walbury Camp.

It is designated as a Scheduled Monument in recognition of its national importance. The banks and ditches of this early Iron Age enclosure are best viewed at the north-western entrance by the car park; once inside the camp, its area is so extensive that the ramparts cannot be readily be seen from the bridleway.

The south-east gap in the earthworks is probably also original, and there are reports of a dew pond and flint mines within the hillfort. However, a recent geophysical survey of the interior found few archaeological features and it seems that Walbury was not intensively occupied in the past. It is likely that this hill-top enclosure was mainly for the protection of cattle.

Other evidence of prehistoric farming around Walbury Hill survives in the lynchets of ancient fields, which can be seen particularly well in low light on slopes to the west and south.

Free car parking on the north-western side of Walbury Hill, accessed from Upper Green, Inkpen or Combe. There is also a car park on the south-east side of the hill

picnic sites, 50 things not to miss, Historic Places, white horses, viewpoints & chalk downs

Uffington Hillfort and White Horse

The internationally-renowned Bronze-Age Uffington White Horse can be seen for miles away leaping across the head of a dramatic dry valley in the Ridgeway escarpment.

viewpoints & chalk downs

Seven Barrows, Lambourn

Lambourn Seven Barrows is the name given to a large group of burial mounds (over 40) scattered over a dry chalk valley north of the village of Lambourn. At the core of the cemetery are at least ten Bronze Age barrows arranged in two parallel rows. A range of barrow types are represented, named for their shapes‚ bell, bowl, disc and saucer, and they are well preserved as Scheduled Monuments within a small chalk grassland nature reserve which is open to the public.

Many of the Seven Barrows mounds were opened by antiquarians in the 19th century and numerous finds were recorded including cremation burials (some in urns), animal bones, jewelry and bronze artefacts. It is likely that this valley was a focus for ritual funerary activity for thousands of years, from the Neolithic when a long barrow was constructed through to the pagan Saxon period when round barrows were used as burial sites.

viewpoints & chalk downs

Pewsey Downs NNR

Pewsey Downs is one of the finest examples of chalk downland in southern England. It is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the European Habitats and Species Directive.

The flower-rich grasslands which occur on the Downs have developed over the Upper Chalk due mainly to the low level of plant nutrients in the soil. This nutrient-poor soil prevents more vigorous plant species dominating the finer herbs.

While the lack of nutrients is important, the localised climate, steepness of slope, aspect and amount of – or even the lack of – soil also creates a variety of conditions ideal for a wide range of plants.

Plant species found in the reserve include common spotted, frog and fragrant orchids, field fleawort, early gentian, round-headed rampion and bastard toadflax. Butterflies include marble white, skipper, green hairstreak, wall brown and chalkhill blue.

viewpoints & chalk downs

Knap Hill

Knap Hill is an extremely steep hill just north of Alton Barnes offering great views into the Pewsey Vale.  Knap Hill is surmounted by a neolithic causewayed camp. Various finds such as a Medieval hearth and 17th century pottery suggests that Knap Hill has been used extensively over the centuries.
Car parking is available at the bottom of Knap Hill

viewpoints & chalk downs

Calstone and Cherhill Downs

Far-reaching views of rolling valleys and hills. Cherhill Down is well known for its White Horse and views of the Lansdowne Monument, which can be seen for miles around.  Walk to the top of the Down and be rewarded with great views. In the summer enjoy carpets of chalk grassland flowers and the sound of sky larks. Take time to explore the impressive landmark of Oldbury Castle Iron Age hill fort, which also provides shelter for butterflies flitting from flower to flower. Or simply enjoy the feeling of peace and tranquillity in the Calstone Coombes, a haven for some of the rarest butterfly species in Wiltshire and the Wart-biter Bush Cricket.

AONB Office

North Wessex Downs AONB Office
Units 3-4
Denford Manor
Lower Denford
Hungerford
Berkshire
RG17 0UN

Telephone: 01488 685440

E-mail us at info@northwessexdowns.org.uk

North Wessex Downs AONB Office

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AONB Boundary