Nine of us travelled down in four cars to Avebury on Tuesday - Graham, Mick, SueP, Paul, David, SueC, Carol, Peter and me. A good journey down but with some light rain as we got closer to Avebury.  The main NT car park was closed for repairs but as we were early, we parked OK in the coach park - the main car opened after we left. It felt a bit cooler as we headed off into Avebury Village past the standing stones and onto a bumpy track beside a field following the NCN403, The Wiltshire North Rivers Route, and then onto tarmac roads and wide gravel tracks. After Yatesbury on the gravel track we could see the Lansdowne Monument, a large obelisk on the top of the Calstone Downs at the edge of Oldbury Castle Hillfort before we had a fast downhill run on the gravel track to Cherhill where we picked up the road again as it looped north. By this time, it had warmed up and the sun was out. The NCN403 then branched off on a gravel cycleway around the former gravel pits and then onto the road into Calne. River Avon - Chippenham

 

The cycle path out of Calne went through Castlefield Park onto a rail trail beside the Wilts and Berks Canal then the River Marden for about 3 miles then onto the roads. As we entered Chippenham the cycle path ran beside the River Avon through Monkton Park leading to the main road bridge over the river at the end of the High Street. It was lunchtime. so we opted for the Wetherspoons that was close by and on the riverside. Although there was seating outside on the terrace, we opted for the first floor that we had all to ourselves and also overlooking the bikes and the river. After lunch, the convoluted route out of the town followed local roads to Lacock Village, wholly owned by the National Trust.

Lacock VillageMost of us had visited before so we did not stop long and followed the NCN403 into and through Melksham down to the Kennet and Avon Canal where we rode on the towpath all the way into Devizes including the 1 mile climb beside the famous staircase of 29 locks at Caen Hill. We opted to head into Devizes town for a cafe, but instead went to the Wetherspoons where we had coffee and dessert and the quick service would be guaranteed as time was pressing.

 After our quick stop we took the roads through the town centre back to the canal further on for a short bit before taking the direct road to Allington and Alton Priors rather than follow the NCN4. We passed the white horse carved into Milk Hill just before the long climb over the Downs back to Avebury - almost all the climbing was at the end of what was mostly a flat route. We arrived back at the cars at 5:15, loaded up and headed home - 49 miles and 475m ascent.