Walking in the North Wessex Downs

author: Steve Davison
This guide describes 30 contrasting walks exploring the North Wessex Downs AONB including Avebury, the Uffington White Horse, Neolithic long barrows, Iron Age hill forts and the highest points in Berkshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire, the highest chalk hills in England.

These walks allow you to explore the undulating chalk landscape, offering panoramic views and peaceful riverside strolls along the Thames, Kennet, Pang and Lambourn. They feature fascinating prehistoric sites, picturesque towns and villages with thatched cottages, historic churches and cosy pubs. The Downs can be explored throughout the year: spring and early summer are best for wildflowers, butterflies and birds, autumn brings a change of colour while frosty winter days can offer far-reaching views.

The walks vary in length from 4 miles to 12 miles, some of which follow parts of the Ridgeway.
The name 'Wessex' brings to mind Alfred the Great, Saxon hordes and chalk downs sculpted into ancient forts. And while that is all true, the North Wessex Downs are also accessible hills that rise above the towns and rural plains of southern England and roll gently west from Reading and Basingstoke to Swindon and down past Malborough to Andover.

The walks in this guidebook offer fantastic half and full days for walkers of all abilities. Alongside detailed route descriptions and Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 scale maps, is a wealth of detail on points of interest along the way, as well as practical information on the area from public transport links, to ideal refreshment stops on each walk. The book is also beautifully illustrated with colour photographs. The result is an ideal companion to exploring both the popular and untouched corners of the North Wessex Downs.

For a full listing of the walk locations click the link below the 'Add to Cart' button

ISBN 9781786311108 Pages 185 (2021) 120mm x 172mm