Avebury: attempt to cycle the Wansdyke

In my 3 May post - cycling from Avebury to Stonehenge - I mused upon the possibility of cycling along the range I loosely call the 'Alton Barns White Horse Hills'. Today, it being another fine day, I gave it a shot. The OS 1:25K map shows a bridleway following the Wansdyke, believed to be a medieval (not prehistoric) defensive ditch and dyke separating the Romano-Brits from the Saxon invaders. Here is a map of my route.

I parked once more at the Avebury NT car park, and this time, starting at around 11am, cycled out on the bridleway past Silbury Hill, on through Beckhampton and along the A361 to branch off on the old Roman Road up to Morgan's Hill.

So far so good, the Roman Road has a generally good surface between well worn tractor ruts. An excellent panorama of the Wiltshire countryside opened up from the flat topped Morgan's Hill, which plays hosts to some telecoms masts. The Wansdyke crosses Morgan's Hill, but it was a disappointment to find that the so-called bridleway along its top was very difficult to cycle, being narrow and bumpy. The stretch descending back down to the A361 at 'Shepherd's Shore' was completely overgrown with weeds in places, and where it was not, contoured the steep-sided bank of the dyke: no way could this be safely ridden: pushing was difficult enough, and how a horse would navigate this so-called bridleway beats me.

The dyke path rising eastwards on the other side of the A361 was equally precarious. After half a mile of exhausting pushing, I decided this was not viable, but then a study of the OS 1:25K revealed that farm tracks running more or less parallel to, and north of, the dyke provided a safe alternative. I followed these tracks until at GR SU 0824 6511 I passed through a gap in the dyke and onto a nice firm surface of grass on the southern side. Here, one could appreciate the scale of the dyke marching over the hills: a sort of southern Hadrian's wall: surprising it's not better known. In addition views south out to Salisbury Plain opened out. At GR SU 1023 6471 there was further confusion: the official path seems to cross a stile to follow the dyke. After some trial and error I found the parallel farm track along the field edge to the south, eventually reaching a gate allowing access through a fence and, leaving the Wansdyke, the descent to the 'Adam's Grave' car park on NCN45 I had passed on 3 May.

By this stage (circa 1500), I was pretty tired, and any urge I had to make an ascent on foot to Adam's Grave subsided quickly. Instead I pressed on eastwards, skirting the hill fort on Knap Hill and on along Tan Hill Way, riding over good grass with fine views South over the escarpment. Skirting Gopher Wood I descended to the 'White Horse trail' in the valley, and followed this to the car park heading back to East Kennet. Big mistake: the WHT was a quagmire: either one wallowed in the mud or pushed through nettles to the side - ouch! It was a relief to get back on tarmac for the return to Avebury (arr c1745).

First impressions were not good. However, on reflection, if I repeated this ride knowing the pitfalls to avoid, which cost me dear in time and effort, it could make a very satisfying circuit, with much quiet traffic-free cycling on reasonable surfaces, plenty of history (Silbury Hill, Roman Road, Wansdyke, Hill forts) and fine views. On the map, I have marked these possible alternative routes, though I stress I have not yet tried them.