Walking Ancient Wessex

We start the day with a walk around Uffington to take in the iconic sites of this historic hill. We start with the Wayland Smithy, an early Neolithic long barrow built at the very beginning of the agricultural revolution in Britain. We continue our walk to the Uffington Castle Hillfort, an imposing early Iron Age fort before ending up at the iconic White Horse, the late Bronze Age representation, which is by far the earliest of the depictions of hill carved horses. In the afternoon, we venture to Barbury Castle, an early Iron Age fort reused in the Roman period as a garrison or village. (c 4 miles)

Hotel: Hotel in Marlborough

Today we explore the fascinating history of the Avebury area. In the morning we wander the 3^rd millennium Neolithic henge, the largest stone circle in Britain which encircles two smaller stone circles. After a lunch in a local restaurant, we drive a short distance to Silbury Hill, the largest artificial mound in Europe, from whence we walk to West Kennet, where we explore the chambers of the long barrow, located on a hilltop. (c 4.5 miles)

Hotel: Hotel in Marlborough

Today, we visit the inimitable site of Stonehenge built in the 3^rd millennium in an effort which defies reason, making it Europe’s most famous prehistoric site. Following a walk around Stonehenge, exploring the archaeology of the area, we visit Salisbury, starting with the Salisbury Museum, with its fine collection of archaeological artefacts, and continuing to the Salisbury Cathedral, famous for housing the Magna Carta and for having the tallest spire in England. We then drive to Dorchester, our base for the rest of the tour. (c 3.5 miles)

Hotel: Hotel in Dorchester

The day begins with an exploration of Maiden Castle, the Iron Age hill fort largely dating to the 1^st century BC whose vast and imposing ramparts are the size of 50 football pitches, making it the largest in the country and possibly in Europe. We will explore the vast timescale of the site, from its 4^th millennium enclosure to the late antique Roman temple. In the afternoon, we explore the newly opened Dorset County Museum which holds a stunning collection of archaeological artefacts, making the museum one of national significance. (c 2 miles)

Hotel: Hotel in Dorchester

Today we start with a circular walk around Cerne Abbas, a beautiful village famed for its 10^th century Benedictine Abbey, as was as for the iconic Cerne Abbas Giant, the chalk ithyphallic figure holding a club whose date is uncertain. (c 2 miles)

We later venture to Lyme Regis, part of the Heritage Coast, which has been declared a World Heritage Site because coastal erosion has exposed rock formations dating from the Triassic and Jurassic, through to the Cretaceous periods. Here we follow into the footsteps of Mary Anning, the pioneering geologist who discovered some of the earliest complete skeletons of dinosaurs, and explore the famous beach in the search of fossils.

Hotel: Hotel in Dorchester

This morning is spent exploring the Roman Villa Fishbourne, thought by many to be the home of Togidubnus, the 1^st century king of the Regni and client king of Rome. Here will see a fantastic array of mosaics, one of the most important in the country. We end the day with a visit to Porchester Castle, built inside the best-preserved curtain wall of any Roman fort in Northern Europe. It was built in the late 3rd century as the most westerly of the Saxon Shore Forts, protecting cross channel trade and defending against piratical raids.

Hotel: Hotel in Dorchester

Our tour ends at Dorchester train station where we make our independent onward journeys.