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.
Technical sheet
n°293295
A Woolstone walk
posted on 04/07/16 by Walking Britain. Last update : 10/02/20
(S/E)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(S/E).
Waypoints
S/E : km 0 - alt. 207 m - White Horse pay and display car park
1 : km 0.66 - alt. 213 m - Turn right
2 : km 1.97 - alt. 217 m - The Long Barrow at Wayland's Smithy
3 : km 4 - alt. 257 m - Go through the gate on the left
4 : km 4.24 - alt. 253 m - White Horse, bear west
S/E : km 5.07 - alt. 207 m
Useful Information
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.
Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.
Date of walk : 28/06/20 Clarity of route description : ★★★★☆ Good Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good Walk interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Great walk. Apart form the white horse, the Wayland's Smithy and Iron Age fort are fascinating.
TrishG
Overall rating :
4.7 / 5
Date of walk : 16/06/18 Clarity of route description : ★★★★☆ Good Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ 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.
