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Calstone and Cherhill Downs

By Hugh Stewart August 4, 2019 Leave a Comment

Just after Lammas our daughter Rachel took us on this delightful Wiltshire chalk Downs walk, with flowers you don’t get up north, and too many butterflies to identify for sure. The six mile walk starts at the car park by north Wiltshire Golf course and heads east along a sunken Roman road, then down Horsecombe Bottom and past the hidden church of Calstone. It is obvious by now that the dominant umbiliferous around here at this time is wild carrot, never seen in the north, and much more attractive than our common Hogweed. Past South Farm turn north up a lane, soon along field edges till due west of Cherhill Hill, then climb up to it, with a view of the White Horse, which some liken to a white Llama. The chalk downs here at this time have quite a few lovely Chiltern Gentians, only seen in books before, and much bigger and showy than our northern Autumn Gentians; round headed rampions; scabious; restharrow; woolly and small thistles. Interestingly the National Trust website – they own the Down- does not mention the Chiltern Gentian. Wander through the extensive ramparts of the Iron Age hillfort of Oldbury, and turn down south on the Wessex Ridgeway. At the Roman road turn back home, but you will be delayed by the impressive number of butterflies, the ever present (this year anyway we’re told) painted lady; peacocks; red admirals; small blue; large white. Or so we named them. The Morgan Hill nature reserve can be returned through, but we stuck to the ancient way as it looked more interesting today. The combination of ancient pathways and fort, and the plethora of flora and insect fauna make this one of the best walks of the year.

  • The “Llama” and Cherhill monument.
  • Woolly thistle.
  • Red Bartsia.
  • Yellow wort.
  • Chiltern Gentian.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download file: cherhill.gpx

Filed Under: Walks

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Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations

24 walks into the hills surrounding the historic and iconic Settle to Carlisle railway, based on the stations between Settle and Appleby. The area has some of the finest walking of the north Pennines: the Craven district around Settle; the Three Peaks area; Dentdale, and Mallerstang and the upper Eden valley.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

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Mountain Biking Adventures: Multi-day Routes in Northern Britain

Over the last two decades, mountain biking has developed enormously as a “sport”. We greatly admire the technical and athletic capabilities of modern day mountain bikers and recognise that many excellent guides have been written and custom-built trails set up. In this guide we try to reopen a sense of adventure and wilderness to mountain biking, providing multi-day routes with a remoteness, continuity and “arc” missing from many modern guides with their focus on day and half day outings.

UK £13.95 ( inc. P&P)

View Book

Settle to Carlisle – Hill Walk with Return by Classic Train Route

With over 22,000 ft of ascent in 105 miles set out over 8 days, this walk sets out from Settle, taking in the classic summits of the North Yorkshire Dales, Howgills, Eastern and Northern Lakeland Fells, to arrive at Carlisle. The return journey to Settle by one of the classic train journeys. Illustrated with photographs and route maps.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

View Book

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Alternative start to the Malham Circular walk

Note, this is now fully described in the Second Edition of "Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations", 2014, walk 1b. If the long Langcliffe Scar track does not appeal, but a bit more hillwork does, try this start: as per the book, walk 1, but at the Malham/Settle road turn right … Read More » about Alternative start to the Malham Circular walk

The Highfields walk, Halton with Aughton.

Another plague walk which we could do from home, and although this seems to be a popular walk for locals, we had never done it, and decided to do it both because of that and as we thought it would be less popular and hence less boot-churned muddy than others round Caton and the Bowland Fells. The … Read More » about The Highfields walk, Halton with Aughton.

A Clougha Pike circuit, avoiding Rigg Lane.

I.e. avoiding any crowds parking there. Start at Little Cragg car park and go down the road, turning right to go over the top of Baines Crag for your first view of Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland Fells. At the road go down then left over the first ladder stile and cross the infant Condor by stone or … Read More » about A Clougha Pike circuit, avoiding Rigg Lane.

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