After a short stop in Devizes for supplies, I continued along the A361 towards Avebury. At Beckhampton I turned onto the A4 London road. After a short distance, Silbury Hill, the largest prehistoric man-made mound in Europe, appears on the left. Before long, the road climbs Overton Hill, then, on the left is the start of the oldest road in Britain, the Ridgeway. I turned in. I noticed that a gate where the track narrows was closed. A sign indicated that the track was closed off some distance on for maintenance. Still, there was enough room to drive up to it and reverse back to the fence bordering the field adjacent. I unhitched my caravan, then backed the truck alongside.
There were a number of people there in live-in vehicles. It didn’t take long to meet them all. There were some dogs, mostly well behaved, and a young cat who quickly learnt to fend for herself, especially when my two turned up! There was also a couple of ferrets who were surprisingly good natured. They were often out and about and never went too far. All in all, there was a very relaxed ambience.
Hikers were also frequent. Many were either starting their hike along the Ridgeway or ending it. How many were doing/had done the 87 miles, I couldn’t say. The road apparently originally connected the Dorset coast to the Wash.
Across the road is the Sanctuary, one of the many ancient sites that litter that part of Wiltshire. Originally made with both stone and timber posts. The tumuli to which are alongside the start of the Ridgeway where we were parked. A gate gives easy access to them.
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