West Kennett Round
West Kennett, Marlborough
TRAIL
Walking
GRADE
Easy
DISTANCE
5 miles (8km)
A circular walk with historic
ancient monuments in the
beautiful setting of Wiltshire's
chalk grassland. Brown hares,
red kites and a vast array of
wild flowers can all be seen
around West Kennet Long
Barrow, Silbury Hill and other
archaeological features in this
beautiful and ancient landscape.
TIME
2-4 hours
Terrain
OS MAP
Explorer 157
(Marlborough and
Savernake Forest)
This is a slightly hilly walk and the byways can be uneven under foot. Be extremely careful when
crossing the A4 (on two occasions). The walk includes stiles and could get muddy following bad
weather. Dogs are welcome, but please keep on leads where there is livestock.
Things to see
Contact
01672 539250
[email protected]
Facilities
http://nationaltrust.org.uk/walks
In partnership with
Seven Barrows
West Kennet Avenue
A Bronze Age barrow group on
Overton Hill next to the National
Trust car park.
The standing stones of West
Kennet Avenue - a 5,000 year old
processional route our ancestors
took from The Sanctuary to
Avebury Henge.
West Kennet Long
Barrow
One of the best-preserved long
barrows in the country, West
Kennet Long Barrow was in
use for around 1,000 years and
pre-dates Avebury Henge, The
Sanctuary and Silbury Hill.
West Kennett, Marlborough
Start/end
Start: Overton Hill car park
End: The Sanctuary
How to get there
By car: park in the National
Trust car park (free) at Overton
Hill, next to the A4, 5 miles
west of Marlborough, nearest
postcode SN8 4EX (will take
you to West Overton, approx. 1
mile away)
1. Park in the car park opposite the Sanctuary. Don't cross the road to visit the Sanctuary itself - you'll
see this later. Head north along the ridgeway with the series of Bronze Age round barrows on your
right.
By bus: Calne and Marlborough
(Connect2Wiltshire 42) to West
Kennett, (opposite telephone
box). It's then 0.5 miles (804m)
up the hill to the car park
2. After about 650m turn left down the byway towards the clumps of beech trees on top of bronze
age round barrows. Ignore the permissive path to your left and keep going along the byway and drop
down the hill for a further 800m or so.
By rail: Swindon (11
miles/18km), Pewsey (12
miles/19km)
3. At the crossroads of the byway and a farm track, turn left along a permissive footpath, keeping
the fence line on your right. The clump of trees you pass through contains the remains of a Neolithic
stone circle (much smaller than the famous Avebury Henge) called Faulkner's Circle.
4. When you reach the road, take care to cross over and take the left-hand pedestrian gate into a
large, open field. The standing stones of West Kennet Avenue are on your right and lead to Avebury.
Keeping the stone avenue on your right in the adjoining field, walk up and over Waden Hill, the top of
which is the same height as Silbury Hill, now clearly visible to the south.
http://nationaltrust.org.uk/walks
5. Drop down the hill until you pick up the footpath that runs alongside the River Kennet and turn
left towards the A4. Take very great care crossing over and follow the gravel footpath towards West
Kennet Long Barrow.
6. After you've crossed the stream and walked through the metal kissing gate, you can turn right
and go up the hill to the Long Barrow (return the same way back to this point if you do), otherwise
continue east along the field boundary keeping the fence line and a row of mature sycamore trees on
your left.
7. Cross over the stile and the farm track (Gunsight Lane) and keep going along the bridleway
towards East Kennett. When you get to the road that leads into the village, turn left along the quiet
country lane (though do take great care), cross the bridge over the river and turn immediately right
onto a footpath at the bottom of the field, keeping the river on your right. When this path reaches a
byway, turn left up the hill. Be very careful once more when crossing the A4 to finish your walk back
at Overton Hill car park.