Avebury stands on the Marlborough Downs in east Wiltshire, about halfway between Marlborough and Calne.
Distances from Avebury
Marlborough 10 km (6 miles) east.
Calne 11 km (7 miles) west.
Swindon (M4 motorway & railway station) 19 km (12 miles) north.
Pewsey (railway station) 16 km (10 miles) southeast.
Stonehenge 32 km (20 miles) southeast.
Devizes 13 km (8 miles) southwest.
Bristol 31 km (50 miles) southwest. *
Oxford 56 km (35 miles) northeast. *
London 121 km (75 miles) east. *
[ * Source: www.mapcrow.info ] |
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1. getting to Avebury by train |
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The nearest railway stations are Swindon and Pewsey.
Regular mainline trains connect Swindon with London Paddington Station (to the east) and Chippenham, Bath, Bristol and Cardiff (to the west).
Rail information Tel: +44 (0) 845 74 84 950
www.nationalrail.co.uk station info and online booking.
Rail travel: some words of caution
Trains in the UK are operated by several companies which makes planning itineraries more complicated than on the European continent. Telephone enquiry lines seem to be permanently busy and the websites of the various companies can be confusing. Online booking requires a credit card, and last time I tried to book it simply did not work. The nearest station was unmanned and the ticket machine, which only sold local tickets, was out of order.
Luckily, I was able to board the first train on the initial leg of my journey without a ticket (which in some places is illegal) and the train conductress was very friendly and professional. A real Person! She not only provided me with a ticket at a price lower than stated on the defective website, she also provided information on when and where to change trains.
Hopefully things have since improved. We would be interested to hear about your experiences of rail and bus travel in the UK. Please get in contact.
If you plan to take a bicycle on your train journey, check to find out if this is possible and whether there is a guard's van in which to store it during your journey. Otherwise you may find yourself having to stand in the narrow train corridor with your bike, being cursed by fellow passengers trying to get to the toilet. |
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2. getting to Avebury by bus |
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As with rail travel, the plethora of bus companies can make route planning in Britain a real headache. The buses themselves are usually great value.
The BBC Wiltshire website has local bus information with links to bus companies, timetables and route maps.
National Enquiry Line: +44 (0)870 608 2608 timetable enquiries for anywhere in the UK.
Wiltshire bus enquiry line: +44 (0)084 57 09 08 99
There are regular buses to Swindon from London (Victoria coach station), Bath and Bristol.
National Express coaches is the largest nationwide bus operator.
From Swindon, buses which pass through Avebury include:
Stagecoach bus No. 49 Swindon–Trowbridge;
Wilts and Dorset bus No. 96 Swindon–Pewsey.
Both from near Swindon railway station.
Local buses also run to Avebury from Calne, Marlborough, Trowbridge and Salisbury.
There are local bus stops near most of the historical sites around Avebury. |
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3. getting to Avebury by car |
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Avebury is 16 km (10 miles) south of the M4 motorway which runs east-west from London to Bristol and South Wales.
Exit the M4 at the Swindon Junction 15 and follow signs to Marlborough.
From Swindon itself you can also take the A4361 south through Wroughton village to Avebury.
You may find the older, slower A4 London to Bath road, which passes right by Avebury, better for enjoying the countryside of southwest England. |
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4. parking in Avebury |
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It is not avisable to try to park in the tiny village itself, especially in summer.
There is a free disabled car park in the centre.
The larger The National Trust "pay and display" car park is 500 metres south of the village on the A4361.
Parking charges and opening times
£5 all day. £3 after 2 pm in winter, after 3.30 pm in summer.
Redeemable against entry to the Alexander Keiller Museum.
Free for National Trust and English Heritage members.
No charge for coaches and motorbikes in the main car park.
All proceeds from the car park go to the care of Avebury.
winter 9.30 am - 4.30 pm, summer 9.30 am - 6.30 pm.
Overnight parking is prohibited.
Alternative parking available in the village car park after 5 pm.
The Red Lion Pub has a small car park for customers.
There is free roadside parking (the great British lay-bys) just over 2 km south on the A4 near Overton Hill (the Sanctuary) and Silbury Hill. From the latter it is an easy walk to the ancient sites of Swallowhead Springs, West Kennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill before continuing along West Kennet Avenue which leads to Avebury Henge and the village.
This is the route we show in the photo gallery.
Of course you will have to walk all the back to return to your vehicle, but from Avebury it's downhill. |
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5. getting to Avebury by motorbike & bicycle |
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East Wiltshire has great countryside for two-wheeled travel. The low-rolling hills should not be too much of a challenge for most pedalists, especially the downhill bits. For refreshment and breathing breaks, you are seldom more than 10 km from a village, café or pub.
As on most of England's roads, traffic can get quite fast and heavy, with plenty of huge trucks hurtling about. However, there are smaller B class roads if you want to get away from the noise and diesel fumes.
Information about local cycling routes on the National Cycle Network website. |
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6. walking around Avebury |
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Avebury's sites are all within walking distance of each other, and most can be visited in a day. Care should be taken crossing the busy roads. The uneven, rough grassland and the slippery-when-wet chalk footpaths also demand some attention. Good sturdy footwear and weatherproof clothing are always essential when walking in the British countryside.
Sheep graze just about everywhere, so it is important to close gates after you and keep your ferocious dog on a lead.
For more serious hikers and cyclists there is also the 137 km long (85 miles) Ridgeway National Trail, part of a much longer ancient pathway which is thought to have run from Dorset in the west to Norfolk in the east. The surviving section starts near the Sanctuary at Overton Hill and ends at Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire among the Chiltern Hills. See National Trails and The Friends of the Ridgeway websites for further information.
text and photos: © David John
Page 5 practical information about Avebury > |
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photos in the
Avebury
photo gallery:
Swallowhead
Springs
West Kennet
Long Barrow
Silbury Hill
West Kennet
Avenue
Avebury Henge
Avebury village
Marlborough
White Horse
Swindon sunset
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Avebury Tourist
Information Centre
Avebury Chapel Centre,
Green Street,
Avebury SN8 1RE.
Tel:
+44 (0)1672 539179
April - October,
every day
9.30 am - 5 pm.
November - March,
Thursday - Sunday
9.30 am - 4.30 pm.
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