Avebury

Avebury is the largest stone circle in the world, and a village sits inside it — the road runs between the stones and there is a pub in the middle. Entry is free and you can walk up and touch them, which you cannot do at Stonehenge.

Overview

The henge encloses eleven hectares, with two smaller circles inside the great one and a double avenue of stones running a mile and a half south to the Sanctuary. Many stones were buried or broken up for building in the medieval and early modern periods; Alexander Keiller, of the marmalade family, bought the site in the 1930s and re-erected what he could, marking the missing ones with concrete markers. Silbury Hill, the largest prehistoric mound in Europe, and West Kennet Long Barrow are both within walking distance and part of the same World Heritage inscription.

Highlights

Do it as a loop on foot: the circle, the avenue, the long barrow and Silbury, which is about three hours and shows how the monuments relate. The National Trust car park is the only parking and is a ten-minute walk from the stones. Go early or in winter — the site is open always and the crowds are only ever mid-afternoon.

Overview

Highlights

Location