Silbury Hill — Attraction in Avebury

I had to go to London, so I took the scenic route, I was intentionally driving through Avebury to show my wife where I take my daughter for summer solstice... it was only by chance that we came across this, and it had a convenient layby right beside it, so we spontaneously pulled over to get out and see it up close.

As we were walking up to it, it suddenly became very clear that even from 100 yards away, which we were parked that, we were deceived with the size of it!

At the bottom of the mound is a fence that informs you that it is prohibited from climbing it and being the law-abiding citizens that we are we complied!

Purely based on my "observation," I would offer this advice to visitors who may be crazy enough to ignore the sign and step over the 2ft perimeter fence!

Do a bit of light stretching. You've probably been driving a few hours and completely unprepared for how steep it actually is, take a drink and a jumper...

When you are about halfway up, im sure you will stop to take a moment as you realise that you have only just appreciated the amount of effort that was obviously required in its construction by who knows how many thousands of people ( or a few dozen giants?🤐🤔) in my spontaneous haste to vue it up close I left my drink in the car and I'm sure I would have regretted it at this stage 😬

You will no doubt commit to reaching the top and I would imagine as you near the top and are using your hands to help you climb the last few feet you'll be wondering why you ever thought that it looked easy and that it must have taken twice the effort that you thought it had just a few minutes earlier!

From what I saw you will be well rewarded with spectacular views in every direction... you'll also be asking yourself.... who, what why and when!?? So many questions with no real answer!

You would no doubt have noticed that if you had just taken a few minutes to walk around the mound you would have found an easier path that winds around the mound and requires a lot less effort to get back down 🤣

If you are approaching the mound as I was in the pictures provided... do yourself a favour and take a few minutes to walk...

The A4 road has a viewing point as a parkingpull in on this road, though the parking pull in for the West Kennet Long Barrow is sometimes less busy and equally scenic. From this pull in there is a track leading to the Avebury Stone Circle and if you enjoy walking you can circle back and do the West Kennet Barrow too as a day visit. Silbury hill is best admired from a distance to appreciate its mass in the rural landscape. Access to the hill is now banned to save erosion and damage to the landscape. Plan your visit to make best use of the light and seasonal changes to the fields and woodland to place the hill in its setting. The A4 can be kept out of your photos with a bit of patience and walking. Keep to the paths to avoid annoying the local gamer with their crops and cows. It is a good walk for children though you will have to have done your research to bring it...

Had a look around Silbury Hill today the 29th of August 2018,this is one of Wiltshire’s many ancient monuments which can be seen in this very historic county.It’s the largest man made mound in Europe,it’s the size of a small pyramid and was completed around 2400BC.....The mystery is no one knows why it was built as they dug down from the top,tunnelled in from the side to the centre and nothing of significance was found to entirely explain why it was created....So to this day it still remains a complete mystery......It must have taken ancient man ages to construct,it is said that it took around 500men some 15 years to complete.It stands at approximately 131ft high and covers 5 acres,it’s quite some structure to look at.....Maybe one day with all this new technology that is evolving they might discover its mystery.Wouldn’t that be...