Calstone Down tranquil walk

Calstone and Cherhill Downs Discover a wonderful tranquil setting hidden in the coombes TRAIL of Calstone Down. This is an Walking awe-inspiring landscape which was shaped during the last ice GRADE age. This is a great place for Moderate butterflies from May to September and orchids in June. The walk is DISTANCE dotted with many archaeological 4 miles (6.4km) features, and the view from the top will take your breath away. TIME 1 hour 30 minutes Terrain OS MAP Explorer 157; A circular walk with some steep slopes, gates and stiles. Walking on tracks and natural grassy terrain. Landranger 173 The quality of the chalk downland is maintained by summer grazing with Aberdeen Angus cattle, sometimes with a docile bull. Please keep dogs under control and be respectful of cows with calves by Contact keeping your distance. 01672 539167 Things to see wiltshire[email protected] Facilities

Juniper bushes Adonis blue Early purple orchid http://nationaltrust.org.uk/walks In lowland England this bush with This is prime countryside for the The earliest of the British orchids prickly foliage grows on chalk Adonis blue. Though nationally to flower it is abundant on this and limestone. The berries start rare, this magnificent butterfly is chalk downland other orchids off green and turn blue-black abundant here. The best colony such as common spotted, fragrant In partnership with when they are ripe, they were is on the steep south-facing bank and bee orchid may also be seen. traditionally used to flavour gin. at the west end of Ranscombe Juniper lives for about 100 years, bottom. it needs bare ground to seed into. Juniper can suffer from browsing and too much competition. Many populations of juniper have been suffering over the last few decades. Calstone and Cherhill Downs

Start/end

Start: Bridleway to the west of Divine Café on A4 in Cherhill village SU022699 End: Divine Café on A4 in Cherhill SU022699 How to get there By foot: various footpaths run from the A4 onto the Downs By bike: cycle network route 1. Follow the public bridleway until you get to a crossroads at the red barn. Follow the footpath to the 403 runs through Cherhill to the left until you cross a stile, follow the rough track above the fence line to the right. north, visit Sustrans National 2. Through a gap in an old hedgerow, passing A2, into a strip of chalk grassland above some arable By bus: Connect2Wiltshire, land. A good spot for some of the blue butterflies as well as green hairstreak. It also has a good Calne to Marlborough, stops on juniper population. A4 in Cherhill. All services stop near start of walk 3. Over the stile and turn right, follow the fence line to find a gentler descent into the coombes of By car: between Calne and Calstone Down. Avebury, south of A4. Park in one of the lay-bys on A4 in 4. Cross the stile and follow a cattle track to the right up the slope in front of you, at the post follow the Cherhill or to east of village medieval strip lynchet around the slope until you reach a farm track, passing A5.

5. Ignore the gate at the bottom of the track, instead carry on around the slope into Ranscombe Bottom. The slope that you are walking across has some of the best chalk grassland on the downs; look for Adonis blue, wall brown and clustered bellflower. Keep the fence line to your right.

6. Cross the stile into the heart of the coombes. The flora on the slopes is outstanding with orchids, http://nationaltrust.org.uk/walks round-headed rampion and tuberous thistle.

7. Walk up the coombe, passing A7, this is the best spot for marsh fritillary seen in May and early June.

8. Through the gate (A8) and pass the dew pond on your right which would have been used to collect water from the 19th century onwards. Follow the track uphill to join the Wessex Ridgeway, a drovers trail from Marlborough to Lyme Regis.

9. Through the gate and turn left towards Oldbury Iron Age hill fort. The ditch between the ramparts has its own micro-climate which is great for butterflies. Follow the track past the Lansdowne Monument.

10. Through the gate (A10) and follow the track back to your starting point. Look out for bastard toadflax and field fleawort along the way.