New date: 16th May

The pre-historic landscape of the Avebury World Heritage Site offers a wealth of interest to the walker.  Committee Member Jim Gunter has arranged to lead a walk around the major monuments, on 16th May, 2010, with expert input from FoR member Matilda Webb.  Matilda  is a very experienced archaeologist,  having worked in Rome, Sicily, Crete, and Mongolia,  plus a long time in Orkney on many of the neolithic monuments up there, before coming to Avebury.  She is also the author of a book on Early Christian Rome (The Churches and Catacombs of Early Christian Rome) as well as a history of Henley-on-Thames and a totally unrelated children's novel (The Ship's Kitten). 

The plan is to include Silbury Hill, West Kennet long barrow, the Sanctuary, up The Ridgeway to Green St (the Herepath), West Kennet Avenue and back to the Avebury Henge.  For those with browsers, Jim has done a neat bit of mapping at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3263283.  The walk is some 11.5km (6.9 miles), taking some 4 hours, but a longer option would be available to anyone interested. 

Details will be confirmed later, but timing is likely to be to depart the NT car-park (parking free to NT and English Heritage members) at 10.30 a.m.  Late arrivals could park and join the walk at  Silbury Hill.  Bring a packed lunch and look forward to a high tea at the NT restaurant on return.