This is a walk up to the Cherhill White Horse, around the Lansdowne Monument and back down to the A4 alongside the village of Cherhill.
The route is around 1.70 miles and will take around 1 hour without stops.
This route is not suitable for wheelchairs / pushchairs. Please ensure that you dress sensibly , there are some sharp uphill and downhill stages over chalk which can become very slippery.
Parking is available at Cherhill village or the lay-bys along the A4 (please be careful if using these, the A4 is a busy and fast road).
While there are no shops at Cherhill, during normal times, The Black Horse pub is open (check with the pub for opening times).
1) When you have parked / arrived at the start point. Enter the track by the White Horse information board and walk along the lovely beech trees. Soon you will be afforded your first view of the horse, monument, and Oldbury Castle.
2) At the gate, take a moment to sit on the bench, knowing that the next stage is a pretty serious (for Wiltshire) uphill climb.
3) Make your way up the chalk path, taking in the ever-expanding view of this wonderful area.
The White Horse was a scheme brought about by Dr Christopher Alsop, doctor at Bowood, in 1780. It is Wiltshire's second oldest horse and was made under his instruction - by megaphone!
To your left is Oldbury Castle, an iron age hillfort. Amazingly, a 1996 geophysical survey discovered 20 circular features within the hillfort. These are thought to be the 2000 year old remains of Iron Age round houses.
At this stage you will be at the highest part of the walk, at around 258 metres.
5) As you approach the monument, veer to the right of it. This will allow you to read the information board and appreciate the work that must have gone into this structure. It must have been difficult work getting all of this stone up the hill in the 1700s.
This monument, in dire need of repair, was built in 1845 using a design by Sir Charles Barry for the 3rd Marquis of Lansdowne, in memory of his ancestor Sir William Petty. Unfortunately, repairs completed in 1990 by the National Trust used soft stone, which is now crumbling down.
After the monument, follow the path to the right, there is a fence to the left. Follow this down to the wooden gate, which you can open via the latch.
Keep to the left of the mound, which we'll walk around.
The the left you will see some woodland a short distance away. Within this woodland the River Marden emerges, making its way to Calne and then towards Chippenham to meet with the River Avon.
7) As we round the mound, you will see some gates. Head to the leftmost gate, which can be operated by latch.
Make your way down the chalk path, which is steep - and can be slippery.
As you reach the bottom, there are gaps in the hedgerow, take a moment to appreciate the views of the monument, castle, and horse. Such a spectacular part of Wiltshire.
8) Crossing the A4, you will see that there is a Queen Victoria wall box, possibly dating from the 1890s.
From this point, make your way back to your vehicle, while making the most of the countryside views on your way.
Thank you for using this route!
Map from the lovely folks at OpenStreetMap. © OpenStreetMap contributors
