This is Silbury Hill, not far from Avebury, that we passed on Monday after lunch.
It is the largest man-made prehistoric mound in Europe, made around 2400 BC, and at forty metres high, the highest in the world. It hasn’t been properly excavated and I wonder if it is a burial mound similar to the tumuli in the Boyne valley.
Today, Tuesday, we walked up from the Vale of Pewsey to Salisbury Plain. It is an extensive area of almost wilderness used by the army for training. A few years ago Great Bustards were re-introduced here. Not surprisingly we didn’t see one, although I do recall an amusing short story by Saki on the subject. I cannot digress without my collection of his short stories. We skirted the training area, there were many military signs warning of unexploded ordnance and so on but no signs of any military activity. Then we dropped down to the Avon valley. This river Avon (the Hampshire Avon) flows south through Salisbury and eventually arrives at Christchurch Harbour. We followed the river during the afternoon and tonight’s B&B is in Durrington on its banks.
I would be on the sun lounger in front of the wall if I wasn’t being so energetic taking this picture. Tonight there is an Indian restaurant in the village. Tomorrow we continue to Salisbury.