Avebury walks III: The West Kennet Avenue

As with Walk I and Walk II below, 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. Once there, turn right and walk to the south-east quadrant (opposite the Red Lion Pub). Enter the quadrant and walk as far south as you can within it, and then out of the quadrant and onto the road. Straight ahead of you, on the other side of the road out of Avebury towards Beckhampton, are the first stones that make up the West Kennet Avenue; this Avenue of standing stones once wound its way up to the Sanctuary from Avebury.

West Kennet Avenue looking towards the Sanctuary
Image credit Moss

The walk to the bottom of the Avenue and back will take less than an hour but, time permitting, at the south end there are two options you can take. Option one is to follow the signpost that points east towards Falkner’s Circle. This circle once consisted of twelve stones, although sadly only one stone now remains.

The single surviving stone of Falkner’s Circle © Alan S

The walk to Falkner’s Circle and back will add another 30 minutes or so to the walk from the bottom of the West Kennet Avenue. Option two however involves walking in the opposite direction from Falkener’s Circle up Waden Hill (the name Waden is derived from Woden) and will reward you with one of the most spectacular (and unexpected) views of Silbury that there is. From the top of Waden Hill look slightly to the left of Silbury – West Kennet Long barrow should just about be visible.

Silbury from the top of Waden Hill.
Image credit Moss

The walk from the bottom of the West Kennet Avenue to the top of Waden Hill and back again will take about 45 minuets. Walk IV in this series will suggest another walk, from the top of Waden Hill back to the main car park, rather than retracing your steps down the hill and along the West Kennet Avenue again.

See also Footprints through Avebury by Mike Pitts.