Avebury Travel Guide: The Ultimate Guide to the Avebury Stone Circle
Table of Contents
If you know me personally, or if you’ve read my book If Trees Could Talk, you know how much I love Avebury. In 2018, when I was researching that book, I visited Avebury at least once a month. Unfortunately, most people who visit the area simply walk around the stone circle and then drive off. They miss out on all the magical places in the area that are off the beaten path! That’s why I’ve created this Avebury travel guide.
While the stones are the main attraction, there are so many other magical places to visit in the area. I love taking people to Avebury for the first time! Here’s an expanded version of the Avebury travel guide itinerary I send to friends who are visiting the area for the first time.
Avebury travel guide
If you want to see everything that Avebury has to offer, I’d recommend staying the night in the area, so you have two full days to explore.
If you don’t have the time, then either pick and choose what sounds interesting from this list, or start at the top and work your way down—I’ve written this list in order of importance, thinking about where I take people first when we go to Avebury for the day.
When to go to Avebury
I’d say it’s more of a question of when not to go. In order to avoid overcrowding, I prefer to visit outside of the solstices and equinoxes. Avebury can get quite crowded at those times. So, any time of the year except:
- March equinox: 20/21 March
- June solstice: 20/21 June
- September equinox: 21/22/23 September
- December solstice: 21/22 December
If you’re going during the other pagan festivals known as the “cross quarter” festivals, these seem to be less popular: Imbolc (February 1), Beltaine (May 1), Lughnasadh (August 1), and Samhain (October 31). I often visit Avebury just before or just after Samhain—the ancient sites have an extra magical feel to them.
How to get to Avebury
The best way to get to Avebury is to drive. There’s a large National Trust car park that’s very centrally located. Parking is free if you’re a member.
If you don’t have a car, the best way to get to Avebury by public transport would be to take a train to Swindon, and then bus 49 to Avebury. It will let you off right outside The Red Lion pub, which is in the middle of the stone circle.
Mobile connectivity and wifi in Avebury
This is an issue. There is no mobile connection in the Avebury area. Sometimes I can get one bar of signal in the National Trust car park, but it’s spotty. The only two other places where there is a mobile signal is at the top of Windmill Hill and at West Kennet Long Barrow (see below).
There used to be a Free Community Wifi service, where you could connect to wifi for 20 minutes for free. After that, you could connect again for another 20 minutes, and so on. Sadly, this seems to have ended.
If you’re meeting others in Avebury, you have a couple of options: meet in the churchyard, where you can sit on a bench and wait for them; or, meet in the Old Farmyard, where there are benches and facilities, but there are also a lot of people hanging out there, so it might be more difficult to find each other.
Accommodations in Avebury
There are a few B&Bs located right in Avebury village (Avebury Lodge, Silbury House, and Avebury Cottage), with a couple more located just a mile away in Avebury Trusloe.
There’s a little B&B a few minutes away in Beckhampton, and The Old Forge in West Kennett has lovely breakfasts. It’s also the perfect location to stay if you’re planning a pre-sunrise or post-sundown visit to West Kennet Long Barrow (see below). Unfortunately, my favorite B&B where I always used to stay in Avebury has closed, so I’ll probably be staying at The Old Forge the next time I go.
Getting around in Avebury
When I visit Avebury, I like to walk everywhere I go. If I’m visiting for the day, I park at the National Trust car park and use that as my base. From there, I visit the Avebury stone circle, Windmill Hill, Silbury Hill, and West Kennet Long Barrow. You can also walk to the two pubs in the area: The Red Lion in Avebury and The Waggon and Horses in Beckhampton.
Alternatively, you can drive to each destination that’s mentioned in this Avebury travel guide. This is a good option if you want to get around and see a lot of the sites, but you don’t have much time. Park at the National Trust car park to visit Avebury stone circle, the manor house, and all the shops. From there, walk to Windmill Hill, which isn’t accessible by car. Then drive to Silbury Hill, and park at the car park to explore this ancient monument. Hop back in the car, drive two minutes down the road, and park in the lay-by to visit West Kennet Long Barrow. Finally, get in the car one last time to explore the churches at Alton Barnes and Alton Priors.
Picnic in Avebury
If you want a picnic lunch and would like to plan ahead, the nearest supermarket is Waitrose in Marlborough (postcode SN8 1AA) or in Wroughton (postcode SN8 1AA). The latter is a large Waitrose on the outskirts of Swindon, but it seems to have less traffic than the one in Marlborough and it’s a lovely drive to/from Avebury down quiet country roads. If you want a picnic and didn’t plan ahead, there’s a tiny community-run food shop with sandwiches, drinks, and all the basics.
Where to have a picnic in Avebury? If you want to be in the center of things, there are picnic tables and grassy areas in the Old Farmyard, which is at the center of action at the National Trust center. They will often have a big chest full of toys for children to play with.
If you prefer a quiet, peaceful picnic, take your meal up to Windmill Hill (see below) and settle down for a leisurely lunch off the beaten path. Odds are, you won’t see another person the entire time you’re there. Choose from a sunny location near the barrows, or a shady location in the little wood at the top of the hill.
Dining in Avebury
The National Trust has the lovely Circles Cafe with both indoor and outdoor seating. They offer fresh sandwiches, homemade soups, and lovely cakes. I love heading in there for a cream tea when it’s cold out and I’ve been walking all day in the area. The Manor Tea-room also offers afternoon tea and light lunches. The Coach House Cafe on the Avebury High Street is open during the high season.
If you want a great meal with excellent service, head over to The Waggon and Horses in Beckhampton, which is right down the road. You can walk to it (about 2 miles down lovely footpaths, passing through the little village of Avebury Trusloe) or drive. The Red Lion pub, which is within the stone circle, is a favorite with tourists (probably because of its location—it’s the only pub in the world set within a stone circle), but the food is hit or miss and the service can be terrible.
Shopping in Avebury
If you’re looking for a keepsake or memento of your visit to Avebury, you have a few options. The National Trust has its own shop, with books and gifts. The Henge Shop is filled with crystals, books, and jewelry. If you need a warm hat or scarf, you can find one at both of these shops. Elements of Avebury sells crystals, jewelry, and artwork.
Avebury Stone Circle
The center of attraction of this Avebury travel guide is of course the stone circle. Avebury is the largest stone circle in Europe, with two roads cutting through it like an X. You can walk through all four quadrants of the circle and—unlike at Stonehenge—you can actually touch the stones. The National Trust center also has two museums, a manor house and its garden, and the Circles Cafe. Entrance to the stone circle is free; entrance to the museums and manor house have an entrance fee.
Inexpensive hour-long tours of the circle cost £4 per person and are very much worth it. I’ve done the tours twice, and I learned a lot each time. You’ll learn lots of little details about the history of the stone circle. The two little museums are also very worthwhile. You’ll learn about what life was like in the time when the stone circle was built. They’ve also got ancient pottery and other items that have been uncovered over the years at the circle.
Not much time?
You don’t have to do every single thing that I’ve mentioned in this Avebury travel guide. If you’re pressed for time, skip the manor house and garden. If you have the time, visit both. I’ve been through the manor house a few times, and I’ve probably visited the garden at least 20 times. The garden is absolutely gorgeous: beautifully designed and carefully manicured. There’s even a kitchen garden where you can buy vegetables, flowers, and sometimes bulbs for a donation. If you feel like settling down for some afternoon tea, you can do that at the manor house.
Be sure to bring your National Trust membership card to get free parking and free entrance to the museums, manor house, and garden.
There’s a small grove of beech trees that people use as wishing trees. You can’t miss them because they’re covered in brightly-colored ribbons. If you want to make a wish at the cloutie trees, remember to bring a (natural fiber, please!) ribbon with you.
Meet these trees from If Trees Could Talk: Avebury Beeches, Twin Sycamores.
West Kennet Avenue
When you visit the southwestern quadrant of the Avebury stone circle, you’ll see more stones across the street, heading roughly parallel down the B4003 road. This is West Kennet Avenue, a prehistoric row of stones that would have led from The Sanctuary and past West Kennet Long Barrow (see below) to the Avebury stone circle.
West Kennet Long Barrow
A 5 minute drive from the stone circle, or a 30 minute walk. This is one of my favorite places in the Avebury area: built around 3650 BC, this is a Neolithic chambered tomb that has been excavated and restored. You can actually walk into each of the five chambers! If you only have time to visit two places in this Avebury travel guide, they should be the stone circle and West Kennet Long Barrow.
My favorite time to visit is either before sunrise or after sunset, when there are no tourists, and I can settle into one of the chambers to meditate without fear of being interrupted. This is a very magical place—locals say there’s a lot of star people energy there.
Entrance is free. If you’re driving, there’s a small lay-by where you can park (postcode SN8 1QH).
Related reading – Leave No Trace: Keeping Our Sacred Sites Free From Ritual Rubbish
Windmill Hill
About 1.5 miles from the stone circle, and you can’t drive here, which means that it’s very rarely visited by tourists. Without this Avebury travel guide, you probably wouldn’t even know it was there! Windmill Hill—a Neolithic camp with several round barrows— is one of my favorite places in the area. There’s also a magical little wood that’s home to several of the trees from the book. I feel a lot of fey energy in this wood. This is an excellent place for a quiet picnic.
Meet these trees from If Trees Could Talk: Windmill Hill Sycamore, Windmill Hill Hawthorn, The Three Witches, The Four Knights.
Silbury Hill
The largest neolithic man-made structure in Europe and one of the largest in the world, comparing in size to the Giza pyramids (that’s it in the photo above). You can’t walk up it, because numerous excavations (during which nothing was found) have left it unstable. Locals say there’s a lot of dragon energy there.
You’ll pass this on the way from Avebury to West Kennet Long Barrow, whether you’re walking or driving. It’s worth stopping off in the small car park and walking around the hill (postcode SN8 1QN). There’s no entrance fee.
Frequently asked questions
Is Avebury worth visiting?
Absolutely! If you’re interested in stone circles and ancient history this is the place for you—it’s got loads of historical sites to visit. Even if you’re not that fascinated by Neolithic history, it’s an excellent place to go walking. The Ridgeway, the Wessex Ridgeway, and the White Horse Trail all pass through the area.
Is Avebury open to the public?
Absolutely. The stones are open from dawn to dusk, but the gates are still accessible outside of those times. The National Trust car park is open from 9am-5pm. Toilets are located in the Old Farmyard, about a 2 minute walk from the stone circle, and are open from 10am – 5.30pm.
Can you walk around Avebury?
Yes! The stone circle is fully accessible. It’s divided into four quadrants, and you can access each of them on foot. All of the other sites I’ve listed above are accessible via public footpaths, except for the churches, which you’ll have to drive to.
Is Avebury better than Stonehenge?
It depends on what you’re looking for. Avebury is a much larger site than Stonehenge, but it’s suffered damage over the years when some of the stones were pulled down for building the local houses. So that’s quite sad. However, unlike at Stonehenge, where the stones are cordoned off, at Avebury you can walk right up to the stones and touch them.
It’s also a much less popular site than Stonehenge, which means that there won’t be as many visitors when you’re there. If you go outside of peak visiting times (weekends), you might even find yourself alone with the stones. Also, entrance to the Avebury stone circle is free.
How far is Avebury from Stonehenge?
Just over a half hour by car. You can easily drive between the two stone circles, taking the A360 or the A345. Remember that Stonehenge is the more popular destination, so perhaps start there to beat the crowds, then head up to Avebury. Plan to have your lunch in the Avebury area, which has more facilities than Stonehenge, which is not close to a village, as Avebury is.
How far is Avebury from Salisbury?
About 50 minutes by car. If you’re going to be driving to Avebury from Salisbury, you might want to stop by Old Sarum or Stonehenge along the way. This would make for a very long day out, but it’s possible, depending on how much time you spend at each site.
Related reading
Read the stories from Avebury trees in If Trees Could Talk: Life Lessons from the Wisdom of the Woods. I’ve spent the last few years talking to trees – the birches, the oaks, the beeches and the sycamores. In this book, they tell their tales.
This book will encourage you to get back to Nature and turn to the magic and the wisdom of the trees. By reconnecting to Nature, you can improve your relationship with yourself, which will help you make better, more aligned choices in your life.
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