The Great Stones Way. Steve Davison

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      After passing the Wansdyke, the route heads for Walkers Hill (Stage 3)

      The nearest mainline train station to the start of the route is Swindon, on the line from London Paddington to the south-west and south Wales. Local buses operate daily between Swindon town centre and Coate Water (east-bound stop) or Chiseldon. National Express coaches (403) running between London Victoria and Bath stop at Coate Water (A4259). (Stage 1 in this guide details a walking route from Coate Water to Barbury Castle – the start of the Great Stones Way.)

      Salisbury, located a few kilometres south of the end of the Great Stones Way at Old Sarum (which has daily bus services to Salisbury), has rail services on the line between London Waterloo and the south-west. (A walking route to Salisbury from the final section of the Great Stones Way is described in Stage 6.)

      Between Swindon and Salisbury (between Pewsey and Salisbury on Sundays), Salisbury Reds (www.salisburyreds.co.uk) operate route X5. This follows the A346 south to Marlborough, calling at Chiseldon, and then follows the A345 to Salisbury with intermediate stops including Enford, Netheravon, Figheldean, Bulford, Durrington, Amesbury and Old Sarum (on Stages 4, 5 and 6).

      Contact details for public transport information are given in Appendix B.

      For anyone wishing to drive, there is parking (either car park or on street) available at the start and end of each stage. Always remember to park considerately, and be aware that theft from parked cars does occur, so do not leave anything valuable in your car.

When to walk

      The route can be undertaken at any time of the year, although walking between early spring and the end of autumn offers the chance of more settled weather and better walking conditions. (During the summer nettles can cause problems, so long trousers are advisable.)

Where to stay

      Accommodation ranges from campsites to B&Bs, pubs with rooms and hotels, and places where accommodation may be available are given in the box at the start of each stage description. Some of these places are located along the route, while others involve short detours (less than 3km) off route.

      A brief list of some accommodation close to the route is given in Appendix D, and up-to-date details are available from local tourist information offices (see Appendix B).

Food and drink

      Places where refreshments and food may be available (pubs, cafés and shops) are mentioned in the box at the start of each stage description (some of these are located along the route, while others involve short detours (less than 3km) off route). A table in Appendix C also gives an overview of where refreshments are available along the route. However, there is no guarantee that any particular establishment will be open when required, and walkers should carry enough food and water for the day with them.

Waymarking, access and rights of way

      (L) Great Stones Way route marker and (R) Ridgeway National Trail signpost (followed on Stage 2)

      The Great Stones Way follows normal rights of way with standard waymarking. However, it is important to note that at the time of publication the route has not been officially accepted and is not signed using the Great Stones Way logo. The descriptions in this guide, along with the map extracts and the signage on the ground, mean that route finding should not cause any major problems; however, it is recommended that walkers also carry the relevant Ordnance Survey Explorer map.

      Rights of way are indicated on signage as follows:

       Footpaths Yellow arrow – walkers only

       Bridleways Blue arrow – walkers, cyclists and horse riders

       Restricted byways Purple arrow – walkers, cyclists, horse riders and carriage drivers

       Byways Red arrow – same as for a restricted byways plus motorcycles and motorised vehicles.

Using this guide

      Church of St James, North Newnton (Stage 3, White Horse Trail route)

      In this guidebook an information box at the start of each stage gives the stage start and finish location accompanied by grid references, stage distance, map details, places close to the route that offer refreshments (pubs, cafés and shops), public transport links and accommodation.

      A short introduction gives a brief overview of the stage, identifying any major points of interest, including towns and villages. Throughout the route text easily identifiable features that appear on the OS map are highlighted in bold to help with navigation, and there is information given about places of interest en route.

      Distances and times

      The Kennet and Avon Canal at Honeystreet (Stage 3)

      The distances given in the text (metric, with approximate imperial conversions where appropriate) have been measured from OS Explorer maps. The walking time for each stage is based on a walking speed of 4km per hour (2½ miles per hour), plus 10 minutes for every 100m of ascent. This is the minimum amount of walking time required to undertake the stage and does not include any time for rests, photography, consulting the map or guidebook, visits or simply admiring the view – all of which can add substantially to the day’s activity.

      GPX files for all the stages of this route are available to download free from the Cicerone website at www.cicerone.co.uk/911/GPX.

      Maps

      The OS maps covering the Great Stones Way are

       Landranger (1:50,000): 173 and 184

       Explorer (1:25,000): 169 (Stage 1 only), 157 and 130.

      This guide contains extracts of the OS 1:50,000 Landranger series of maps with information added to show the main route and any alternative routes.

      Taking care

      A great spot to take a seat and admire the views across the River Avon valley before moving on to Old Sarum (Stage 6)

      When out walking, please respect the countryside and follow the Countryside Code:

       be safe – plan ahead and follow any signs

       leave gates СКАЧАТЬ