“Can you believe this place is older than Stonehenge?”, whispers our trusty guide, Steve.
“It pre-dates it by almost 1000 years”, he adds reverently, laying his hands gently on the huge stone next to him, “so you’re standing on incredibly ancient and sacred land”.
Where I’m standing, is in a glorious green field in Wiltshire.
Behind us, the sun peeks his head out from behind the white clouds, while friendly local sheep peacefully nibble the grass at my feet.
Around us is a large collection of neolithic standing stones, their roots embedded deep into this English soil, their jagged heads craning up towards the brightening May sky.
This is Avebury Henge, one of the largest and most significant Neolithic monuments in Europe.
Constructed around 2600 BC, it features a massive circular earthwork over 300m in diameter, one of the largest in Britain.
Believed to have served religious or ceremonial purposes, possibly related to seasonal cycles or ancestor worship, the henge was rediscovered and partially restored in the 20th century, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Without barriers, tickets or crowds, we’re able to get right up to the stones, touching them, walking around them, and feeling their presence in a landscape that forms one of the richest prehistoric sites in Europe.
It’s quite the change from more famous neighbour, Stonehenge.
Some 32km away, this other Neolithic standing stone circle sees hordes of daily visitors, roped-off access and an imposing visitor centre, all of which take away much of the magic of this special megalithic structure.
In contrast, Avebury is delightfully understated.
Protected by the National Trust, the stones here are free to visit for all, separated from the village of the same name only by a few swinging garden gates.
Aside from some friendly National Trust volunteers, there’s maybe 25 other visitors here at the same time as me, and that includes the pagan wedding guests at a ceremony that’s causally taking place in the heart of the henge.
The whole experience is remarkably peaceful, giving a powerful sense of the stones’ perfect placing in this bucolic landscape.
It’s hard to believe I’m only 2 hours from London, but after hiring a car from Heathrow and scooting along the M4, I arrive at Avebury and my accommodation for the next few days – Longstones – where I’m greeted warmly by local owner, Ben.
A generational farmer, whose lived and worked his whole life on this land, Ben has recently refurbished some of his farmhouse barns into a series of stunning holiday homes.
And they are gorgeous!
A total of 6 properties, clustered around a landscaped garden, each barn is named after a local ancient icon.
I’m staying in Windmill Hill, one of the 2 bedroom properties that gives perfect views over its namesake mound – one of the largest Neolithic causewayed enclosures in Britain, which served as a significant ceremonial and gathering site for early farming communities here back in 3700 BC.
But there’s nothing ancient about Longstones.
These modern apartments contain everything you could need for a relaxing getaway – think lush interiors, fully-equipped kitchens, supremely comfy beds, premium linen, free-standing baths, private gardens and hot tubs under the stars.
And best of all, they’re just a few minutes’ walk from the ancient stones.
Strolling along designated Wiltshire footpaths, it’s easy to make your way from Longstones to the heart of Avebury – entering the village through the Church grounds, before arriving at the Red Lion gastro pub for a delicious dinner and proper pint in perfect view of the henge.
But 2 feet isn’t the only way to explore Avebury.
The next day, I fasten my cycle helmet and summon my nerves of steel for my first 2 wheel off-road experience in this famous mountain biking area.
Luckily, my wonderful guide Steve from New Forest Cycling Tours is extremely patient with novices, kindly offering me the choice of a mountain eBike, rented from Boost Bike Hub.
I’m only too glad to accept the powered assistance.
After a few training exercises in the Longstones car park, we set off to explore the riveted tracks and wide open views of the surrounding Wiltshire countryside.
Our first stop is Silbury Hill – the largest artificial prehistoric mound in Europe.
Built around 2400 BC, it stands an impressive 30m high, reflecting the remarkable engineering skills of the Neolithic people.
Constructed only using chalk and earth, it’s believed to hold religious significance and remains a powerful symbol of prehistoric mystery.
And, in keeping with Avebury’s universally understated appeal, there’s not a single other person here!
Next we tackle the Ridgeway, thought to be Europe’s oldest road.
Now a dirt track through fields, it forms part of the Great Chalk Way – an ancient trail stretching right across southern England from Dorset to Norfolk.
Used for thousands of years by traders, herders, and pilgrims, this important heritage corridor, traversing several rich archaeological sites, offers a fascinating glimpse into Britain’s prehistoric past.
While at the start of the ride my knuckles are white from frantically gripping the handle bars, by the time we reach the top of the Ridgeway, I’m beginning to relinquish my grip a little and ease into this whole mountain biking business.
After all, there’s something incredibly peaceful about cycling this historic landscape; the rhythmic peddling allowing for gentle immersion, with only the tweeting birds and the occasional mooing cow for company.
As we enter the Valley of Stones, I find myself almost enjoying the adrenaline, whizzing down the hill to take in our next Avebury icon, which fans out spectacularly in front of us.
A 22,000 strong sarsen collection, the Valley of the Stones is believed to have been a major source of materials used to build Avebury Henge – where hard sandstone blocks, naturally scattered across the landscape, were likely collected, worked and transported by Neolithic people.
Steve gives us a direct example of this at the nearby Polisher Stone, where the ancient groves and rivets we see and touch in this rock, evidence how Neolithic people shaped and smoothed tools used in the construction of Avebury’s famous monument.
We round off our day by peddling back to the Avebury stones – the ideal finale that brings this cycling adventure full circle.
But it’s not just ancient history Avebury boasts, as I find out when I visit the nearby Bowood House and Gardens.
A Grade I listed Georgian country house, which has been the seat of the Lansdowne family since 1754, the estate was first purchased by the 1st Earl of Shelburne, who commissioned renowned architect Robert Adam to design the interiors, while landscape architect Capability Brown created the surrounding parkland.
The house features an impressive blend of classical architecture and historical artefacts, including the laboratory where Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen in 1774.
Over the centuries, Bowood has evolved, and now, in its 50th year of being open to the public, offers the visitors the chance to explore the lower rooms of this stately home, plus the chance to stroll through the sensational gardens.
May, it turns out, is the ideal time to visit.
Not only are the bluebells, wisteria (my favourite) and rhododendrons all in spectacular full bloom, but the Woodland Garden – a separate-ticketed, 30 acre garden, open only for 6 weeks of the year – is also at its peak!
For children, there’s plenty to do here too, including the Adventure Playground, featuring a life-sized pirate ship, aerial walkways, zip wires, and the thrilling ‘Space Dive’ slide complete with 19-foot vertical drop.
Equally, The Den offers little ones hours of entertainment with its role-play farmyard setting, outdoor tractor trail, and sandpit, while the Partridge Play Pen boasts swings, a Wendy house, a ball pit, and a jumping pillow.
Child-free, I stick to the formal Italianate Terraces.
Established in the 19th century, they feature stunning symmetrical gravel paths, manicured lawns, and vibrant flowerbeds, all set before sweeping views, that lead me to the Pleasure Grounds where I find a charming cascade waterfall, a cute grotto and an elegant Doric temple.
My day at Bowood is topped with a quintessential afternoon tea, served in the gardens of the Bowood Hotel and featuring some of the best scones I’ve ever eaten – light, fluffy and laden with cream then jam, obviously!
Continuing the stately home tour, no trip to Wiltshire would be complete without a bucket list excursion to Longleat.
The seat of the Marquesses of Bath, this grand Elizabethan house was built in the 1560s by Sir John Thynne, and was the first stately home in England to open to the public in 1949.
Boasting vast landscaped grounds also designed by star of the day, Capability Brown, Longleat is however most famous for its pioneering safari park.
Leading the way long before the trend for diversification began, Longleat Safari Park, opened in 1966, was the first of its kind outside Africa, and seeing the wildlife here when you visit nowadays is still a must – the views of lions snoozing in the Wiltshire countryside never gets old!
I’m lucky enough to experience one of the Bronze VIP safari experiences, which involves a fantastic 2 hour adventure in the capable hands of expert guide Ronnie, whose worked at Longleat for 4 years.
No need to worry about the windscreen wipers of my hire car being ripped off by the park’s 200 animated macaques, this was the perfect chance to relax and enjoy a front-row seat to some seriously incredible animal encounters.
Knowing each animal by name, plus a wealth of fun facts about the wildlife and work of this conservation trust, Ronnie even stops for some perfect photo moments – including an up close and personal feeding encounter with some ring-tailed lemurs.
From the flamboyance of flamingos, to Anne the old rescued elephant, the tousled-looking Mongolian Bactrian camels, to the hunter packs of endangered African wild dogs, not to mention the family-favourites zebra, giraffe, ostrich, cheetah, rhino, lion and tiger, this is a full tour of Longleat’s colourfully curated creature collection.
I finish up at Longleat with an extensive tour of the grand, historic house – including special areas only open to VIP experience ticket holders – before heading to Koala Creek to see the only southern koalas in Europe and their nearby neighbours – the porcupines, marmosets, snakes and sloths.
Combining history, and nature, Longleat is one of the UK’s most popular and unique destinations and it perfectly rounds off a fantastic few days in the delightful and diverse area of ancient Avebury.
SAVE THIS ARTICLE TO PINTEREST!
My trip to Avebury was sponsored by Longstones, New Forest Cycling Tours, Bowood House & Gardens and Longleat but, as always, all views are my own.
This page contains affiliate links meaning Big World Small Pockets may receive a small commission on any purchases at no extra cost to you.
The post Skip Tourist-Saturated Stonehenge: Ancient Avebury is the Ideal Antidote appeared first on Big World Small Pockets.
