Avebury walks I: The Henge

The first in a series of features describing walks from the centre of Avebury that can be done in as little as 30 minutes or, if you have time, longer walks taking several hours.

If you’re arriving in Avebury by coach or car you’ll probably get off in the main car park and then walk along the path to Avebury High Street. Depending on how much time you have it might only be possible to visit the National Trust and Henge shops and then take in one or two of the quadrants of the Henge. If museums are your thing a visit to the little Alexander Kieller Museum is a must.

South-west quadrant

After leaving the Kieller Museum walk back to the High Street and from there enter the south-west quadrant of the Henge (above). You can then walk anticlockwise, following the stones, until you reach a gate that will take you across the road and into the south-east quadrant (look out for the massive stone called the Devil’s Chair). You might have run out of time by now so head towards the Red Lion pub and the High Street, and from there walk back to the path that will take you to the main car park. If you still have an hour or so to spare, however, climb the Bank in the south-east quadrant and follow it in an anticlockwise direction until you reach Green Street, and from there enter the north-east quadrant. From the north-east quadrant you can either carry on walking along the top of the Bank (which will give you a good view of most of the Henge) or cut across the quadrant towards the two tallest stones of the Avebury Henge which are known as the Cove. Cross the road from there and into the north-west quadrant (look out for the massive Diamond Stone by the road) and continue following the stones in an anticlockwise direction until you reach a gate which will bring you back into the lane that leads to the Alexander Kieller Museum in one direction and the main car park in the other.


See also Footprints through Avebury by Mike Pitts.