This short walk on the North Wessex Downs offers wonderful and the chance to explore some fine ancient monuments including the Uffungton White Horse, Uffington Castle and Wayland's Smithy Long Barrow.
Calculated time: 1h40[?] 
Distance : 3.15mi
Vertical gain : 259ft
Vertical drop : 259ft
Highest point : 843ft
Lowest point : 650ft 
Difficulty : Easy
Back to starting point : Yes
Walking
Location : Woolstone
Starting point : N 51.577307° / W 1.578978° 
(D/A)The start of this walk in Oxfordshire is at the White Horse pay and display car park (grid ref. SU293865) which is signed off the B4507 Ashbury to Wantage road near the village of Woolstone. Exit the parking area and walk up the access lane. Continue straight ahead at the first junction. In a short way you will reach another junction. This is the Ridgeway.
(1) Turn right and follow the Ridgeway to Wayland's Smithy. There are wide ranging views on this section of the walk.
(2) The Long Barrow at Wayland's Smithy (grid ref. SU282854) is an excellent example of a burial mound with the entrance protected by large stones. Once you have explored the site walk back to the Ridgeway and return the way you came. Continue past the lane where you came up from the car park and start the gradual climb up to Uffington Castle.
(3) Just past the extensive earthworks you will see a gate on your left and the trig point. Go through the gate from where you can explore the extensive earthworks. To continue, walk at right angles to the Ridgeway descending slightly to reach the viewing point for the Uffington White Horse. At close quarters it is quite hard to visualise the horse so it is a good idea to take a picture with you so you can fully appreciate what you are looking at!
(4) Once you have finished enjoying the White Horse bear west to pick up a wide grassy path. This leads to a lane. Cross the lane and continue on the grassy path back to the car park(D/A).
Waypoints :
D/A : mi 0 - alt. 679ft - White Horse pay and display car park
1 : mi 0.41 - alt. 699ft - Turn right
2 : mi 1.23 - alt. 712ft - The Long Barrow at Wayland's Smithy
3 : mi 2.48 - alt. 843ft - Go through the gate on the left
4 : mi 2.63 - alt. 830ft - White Horse, bear west
D/A : mi 3.15 - alt. 679ft
This short walk provides an excellent way to explore a number of ancient monuments including the White Horse, Uffington Castle and the Long Barrow at Wayland's Smithy together with a section of the Ridgeway one of Britain's oldest thoroughfares.
If you are lucky there might be an ice-cream van waiting for your business.
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
Global average : 4.5/5
Number of opinions : 2
Description quality : 4/5
Routemap quality : 4.5/5
Walk interest : 5/5
Global average : 4.33 / 5
Date of walk
: 29/06/20
Description quality
: Good
Routemap quality
: Good
Walk interest
: Very good
Great walk. Apart form the white horse, the Wayland's Smithy and Iron Age fort are fascinating.
Global average : 4.67 / 5
Date of walk
: 17/06/18
Description quality
: Good
Routemap quality
: Very good
Walk interest
: Very good
Lovely walk. The Wayland's Smithy Long Barrow is definitely worth the walk. Not great views of the Uffington White Horse due to its angle but great views over Oxfordshire. Lovely big car park with lots of shade. Be aware some cyclists come flying round corners - we had our 2 dogs on the lead but they could easily knock over a small child or a dog. We did see some families with pushchairs - but I wouldn't recommend it because the track is stony in parts and not flat in others.
5.93mi
+577ft
-577ft
3h15
Easy
Starting point in Woolstone - Oxfordshire This walk on North Wessex Downs offers some wonderful views as well as the opportunity to explore some fine ancient monuments. These include the Uffington White Horse, Uffington Castle and Wayland's Smithy Long Barrow.
4.11mi
+226ft
-223ft
2h05
Easy
Starting point in Savernake - Wiltshire Starting from Postern Hill Car Park this circular route explore much of the beautiful forest including several of the named oaks and the arboretum.
5.42mi
+105ft
-105ft
2h35
Easy
Starting point in Witney - Oxfordshire Oxford Hill Witney to South Leigh circular walk. A leisurely walk with some nice scenery, a lake and a bird sanctuary. The Masons Arms pub at South Leigh. Mostly B roads and single-track roads.
7.85mi
+482ft
-479ft
4h00
Average
Starting point in Wootton Rivers - Wiltshire This Wiltshire walk climbs onto the Pewsey Downs from where there are excellent views across the Vale of Pewsey. The route uses a number of national trails before returning along the towpath of the Kennet and Avon Canal and offers a range of scenery from rolling downs to the open aspect of the Vale of Pewsey.
9.04mi
+417ft
-407ft
4h30
Average
Starting point in Avebury - Wiltshire The North Wessex Downs provides some good walking terrain and this extended route from Avebury takes you onto the downs to follow a section of the Ridgeway.
6.7mi
+328ft
-341ft
3h20
Average
Starting point in Avebury - Wiltshire This Wiltshire walk provides a way of visiting many of the interesting World Heritage Neolithic sites around the village of Avebury including the Stone Circle, Silbury Hill and West Kennett Long Barrow.
8.78mi
+233ft
-233ft
4h15
Average
Starting point in Burbage - Wiltshire This circular walk takes in parkland, woodland, pretty villages, especially Great Bedwyn, which has various facilities. Returning on the Kennet and Avon Canal past the famous Crofton Beam Engines dating back to 1812 and still operational some summer season weekends.
6.16mi
+266ft
-272ft
3h05
Easy
Starting point in Burbage - Wiltshire A lovely varied circular walk taking in part of Savernake Forest and Kennet and Avon Canal.
For more walks, use our search engine.
The GPS track and description are the property of the author.
