# 🥾 Walk 455 - Pewsey and the White Horse Trail

We had an early start on Saturday 22nd May, starting our walk at 9:40 in Pewsey, Wiltshire. Ten of us, including a visitor trying us out, gathered at Pewsey railway station for one of Ian's "ten mile walks". This one being over 12 miles with around 1900 ft (570m) or accent in total. Ian is a great walk leader and his walks are full of interesting features, but he hasn't got the hang of estimating the mileage yet.

We set off along Buckleaze Lane through Pewsey and joined the White Horse Trail heading north. We crossed the Kennet & Avon Canal at Pains Bridge and continued north on this long-distance path towards a ridge of hills.

![The Giant's Grave as seen from Oare Hill.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume36/images/giants_grave.jpg)

The path then turned east and went steeply upward onto the Giant's Grave, gaining 100m (330ft) of height in ten minutes. Needless to say, we stopped at the top to admire the view - and get our breath back!

We followed the ridgetop eastward, and temporarily left the White Horse Trail to follow the Mid Wilts Way as it circled round Martinsell Hill, the site of an Iron-Age Hillfort and the third highest point in Wiltshire. Now on the Tan Hill Way we headed west and re-joined the White Horse Way, getting a view of the Giant's Grave from the other side.

![The Tan Hill Way on Huish Down.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume36/images/tan_hill_way.jpg)

Next, the route was to have gone through Gopher Wood, but the leader new how wet and muddy the woodland path would be, so we detoured around the wood and then made our way to the small village of Huish. We sat in the grounds of St Nicholas Church  to have our packed lunches.

After lunch, we took a footpath that passed through the ornamental gardens of the manor house, where we saw large metal sculptures, a three-way bridge and a small circle of standing stones. Most unusual.

![A tiny circle of standing stones at Huish Manor.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume36/images/huish_standing_stones.jpg)

The weather forecast had predicted rain in the early afternoon, and it duly arrived as we were crossing East Stowell Farm. The rain was quite heavy, but didn't last for long. It stopped as we arrived at the picturesque village of Wilcot, with its many thatched buildings, including the pub.

Leaving the village, we took a footpath through fields, which joined a road that crossed the Kennet & Avon Canal on a high bridge. We left the road at the bridge and followed the canal towpath through Pewsey Wharf to Pains Bridge. Here we joined our outward path and retraced our steps back to Pewsey railway station. See our route on Google Maps.

![Caught in a a downpour at East Stowell Farm.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume36/images/east_stowell_farm.jpg)

*Thank you to Ian for leading this walk.*

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