Uffington White Horse and Wayland's Smithy

(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).

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.