I have walked through the Greywethers drift many times; today I was in the unusual position of leading three ‘walking’ friends who had never seen them before up to Fyfield Down. The Polisher first; where an ominous mist descended – we were not deterred and descended diagonally across the bumpy stone-strewn downland towards the Herepath. In the distance a pair of brown deer leaped their way across our line of vision.
As we made our way across the Herepath and around the sarsen ‘greywethers’ the mist disolved and the pale January sun made an appearence again. One of my friends was plotting a route for a guided walk so following the OS map we picked up a green track along a field boundary. A word of caution – perhaps because of the recent snow there were many potentially ankle-turning deep crevices and holes in the ground so not a good place to walk alone at this time of year.
Most people who experience Fyfield Down for the first time are astonished that somewhere so wild and ancient still existed in Wiltshire. My three friends were no exception. Words used – misty and mystical.
Such a nice acount, I wanted to read more!
Fyfield Down is such a fantastic place isn't it and away from the madden crowd. I could wander around it all day....actually thinking about it, I sometimes do.
:o)
Thanks Scubi, I did leave a lot out as was a wee bit k-nackered last night; we walked nine and half miles.
After walking around the greywethers we walked uphill then downhill towards a large barn, making our way to the A4 almost opposite The Bell in West Overton (pit stop).
Leaving the comfort of the log fire in The Bell, we walked from West Overton to East Kennett along a quiet back lane; stopped to eat our sarnies at a bench and table in the village school playground (no-one seemed to notice) then made our way to West Kennet Long Barrow via the White Horse Trail, a great view of East Kennet LB on the way. We didn't go up to WKLB on this occasion as was getting late , so walked back to Avebury across Waden Hill and along the West Kennet Avenue.
Because I with walkers rather than 'stonies', our walk was as much about the geography of the landscape as it was about the archaeology. I will be back to walk to Devil's Den very soon.
bw
June