Start/Finish Avebury National Trust car park, A4361. OS grid reference SU 099 695 Total distance 73km (45 miles) Time 4+ hours on a dry day. All day if wet. Map Ordnance Survey Landranger 173: Swindon and Devizes Summary Mainly easy-going trail surfaces but distance makes it one for fitter riders. Follow the Easy Route directions to junction with Ridgeway above Avebury taking you from the stone circle, over Hackpen Hill and past Barbury Castle. Turn left onto Ridgeway to descend to A4. Turn right onto road, then left after 500m onto road signed East Kennett. Follow signs for NCN45 through East Kennett to climb on road over Lurkeley Hill. Take doubletrack byway opposite a T-junction. Climb into West Woods, past the transmitter mast on the left and follow doubletrack through the woods, heading east. At the junction with the minor road go straight ahead then turn left at next T-junction to Clench Common, where you take minor road to the right. At the car park at the crest of the hill go through a gate and climb a grassy path to Martinsell Hill. Bear left to follow the permissive path around the ramparts. Return to main bridleway and bear left along a sunken trail in the woods. Cross A345 and follow the bridleway along the ridge. At car park after Knap Hill turn right, ascend the bridleway to the right to resume ridge-top ride alongside Wansdyke. At Tan Hill, turn left to pass the trig point. At road turn right and drop down to Allington, then first right along the bridleway (ignoring left-hand bridleway). Head north then to descend across Allington Down to Beckhampton. Follow signs for Avebury Trusloe, then take NCN4 and byway to Knoll Down. Cross the A4 and bear west on Wessex Ridgeway track. Bear left at junction of byways to ascend Cherhill Down before taking bridleway to traverse the hill towards Landsdowne Monument. After the monument, bear right on steep, rutted bridleway to descend to the A4. Re-cross road to Cherhill. Follow NCN4 signs to return to Avebury via Yatesbury, White Horse trail and Windmill Hill. by Matt_Skinner
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