Silbury Hill Ancient Landscape

The North Wessex Downs west of Marlborough is home to one of the most impressive Neolithic ceremonial landscapes in Britain. Part of the complex of monuments around Avebury is Silbury Hill, one of the world’s largest prehistoric man-made mounds.

This driving Spy Trail will give you an idea of how the land in this area must have looked thousands of years ago. At Lockeridge Dene you’ll see stones dumped by glaciers. The Ridgeway, an ancient trading route, follows the crest of the chalk downland where you’ll see a cluster of Neolithic burial mounds and the markings of the Sanctuary. You can walk amongst and touch the ancient stone megaliths of the West Kennet Avenue, enter the burial chambers of the Kennet Long Barrow and puzzle over the biggest man-made mound in Europe.

Take a camera and wear sensible shoes to explore the remains of processional avenues, defence earthworks and ceremonial grounds. Please bear in mind that the area can get busy, particularly around the summer solstice. Due to the location of some clues, this Trail is unsuitable for wheelchairs. However, many of the sights are visible from and can be appreciated from the roadside.

For further explorations in this region of Wiltshire, look out for Treasure Hunts and Murder Mystery or Spy Trails in Avebury, Marlborough, Aldbourne, Ramsbury and Wootton Bassett.