west kennet long barrow

Well preserved former ancient tomb, quite empty now but of extreme importance in prehistory. Location is very atmospheric but not ideal to visit in bad weather as it is quite exposed. another wonderful Salisbury Plain site.

WEST KENNET LONG BARROW, an iron age tomb situated near to Sidbury Hill (unmissable) 10 minute walk up hill, muddy even on the best of days. The inside of the Barrow is accessible and the views from the top of the Barrow are impressive. No car park but a layby next to thatched farm house 200yds from Sidbury Hill

West Kennet Long Barrow is one of Britain's best known Neolithic tombs. It is on the crest of a hill, accessed by quite a muddy footpath leading from a lay-by on the busy A4.At the foot of the hill you cross the Kennet River. The tomb is just a ten minute walk from the road and there are great views across the rolling hills of Wiltshire and towards Silbury Hill from the top.The tomb dates to around 3650BC and is faced with a row of massive sarsen stones. These provide great protection from the wind in a little forecourt before you enter the main burial chamber. Once inside there are two dark chambers on each side and one at the end which is lit by a skylight. A torch is handy especially on overcast days.It is very peaceful inside, sometimes people leave candles or incense burning. Back outside you can walk the full length of the mound. The inside of the burial chamber is closed off after just 10m but the full mound extends 100m. The skeletons of 36 people were found here when it was excavated in the 1950's.

Not a large site but once you are up upon the hill you have great views towards Avebury and Silbury Hill, a nice day out on a sunny day. Unlike many long barrows, you can actually walk into the chamber standing up and there is room for a few inside. It is lit with natural light coming from a small glass pane above. It has 24 hour free access and parking.

We ventured up the hill to West Kennet Longbarrow on a crisp Saturday morning. It was hard work walking through the wet slippery mud but well worth it. It was very peaceful with amazing views and we had the whole place to ourselves to take in the atmosphere. Unlike many longbarrows, you can actually walk into the chamber standing up and there is room for a few inside. It is lit with natural light coming from a small glass pane above. It has 24 hour free access and parking. Its a fantastic piece of history which is unspoiled by modernity, save for a plaque, and I hope it remains this way and isn't subjected to restrictions, a toilet block or visitors centre!

Not a big site but once you are up the hill you have great views towards Avebury and Silbury Hill, apparently the largest man-made mound in the world that took 18 million Neolithic man hours to construct!

A short trip up the hill through the fields allows you to step straight into a time from long ago. The Long Barrow is worth the small effort required to ascend the gentle slope. The work undertaken to open the Barrow is tasteful and blends well with the site. Taking the opportunity to sit in each of the chambers gives quiet solitude and time to reflect on the past. Kids will love hiding in the dark recesses whilst adults will grapple with the idea that this site is neolithic and the events of the world since it was created. The small storyboard gives a good indication of the history and the links the Barrow shares with other nearby sites. A quick read through the internet (phone signal is strong within the chamber!) provides ever greater colour to this intriguing site. To think that this link to history is so accessible and free is surprising. Fully recommended as a visit whilst collecting the numerous others in the area. Parking is in a layby and you would benefit from wearing wellies.

You park up in a layby just half a mile or so from Avebury. The path is not marked as such but there's only one path leading up from the layby. I'd say it's a 10 minute walk. You'll need torches as there's no street or other lighting.The entrance is open and you can walk right inside and go to the end of the burial mound. There's room for a couple of people to sit there and take in the feel of the place. If there are other people with you who are walking around outside, their footsteps are quite amplified - so the less experienced could think they're hearing ethereal footsteps. If you're visiting at night, as you should do, the cops are quite active in the area. But if you haven't done anything wrong and aren't speeding through the village you don't have anything to worry about. See my other review for "The Red Lion" pub in Avebury,

This one is not unlike many other long barrows in this part of England. But it is special in that there is light let in from above and you can see into all the chambers where bodies were left as part of funerals and worship of the ancesters. It is set high on a hill with great views out over other parts of the Avebury Temple Complex.

Opposite the geographically imposing Sillbury Hill, the West Kennet Long Barrow is a burial site from around 3500BC. Its entrance is guarded by two huge sarsens (rocks) and its roof was constructed of giant overlapping capstones. In modern times it is empty, with the 50 skeletons being removed during an excavation in the mid 19th century. It is a 4 minute drive from Avebury stone circle, with a few parallel car parks on the side of the road opposite SIlbury hill to mark where it is. From the road you have a 1km walk up a hill to get to it.You can walk inside the burrow but it is essentially empty. There is a sunroof there for light but not too much to see apart from it externally. It doesn’t cost anything though and is probably worth a 30 minute stop if you are combining it with other surrounding attractions like the Avebury stone circle. There usually aren’t many people there, although it has been known to attract oddities, with a few wannabe witches having a seance when I was there.

Interesting place to visit with a good walk from the bottom of the hill to get to it. Not good place to visit if you are not mobile. You can go in the long barrow to which is good.

A little hard to get to, but well worth the trouble. West Kennet is in a beautiful part of the landscape and also provides a great view of the nearby Silbury Hill. (It's so close to Avebury Stone Circle that it seems silly to visit one and not the other.) We went on a weekend and there were other people around, unlike other Neolithic sites, where you're quite likely to be the only ones there. It's a lot more accessible than some sites, too.There isn't much historical interpretation here - just a simple board - so it's worth having a quick read about the subject before you come. This barrow is one of the few I've been able to stand up straight in, which means it's much easier to look around and relax in. For reference, I am only five foot two! There is a little light in here, supplied by small 'windows' in the roof of the barrow, but I'd recommend a torch as well.From the sound of things, the atmosphere of West Kennet will be very different depending on who has chosen the same time as you to visit. I know a previous reviewer had trouble with "bongo players". We were rather more annoyed by the free-range children playing tig and throwing sandwiches at each other! But then, usually if you wait a while, people come and go, and you can have your own quiet time inside. It's just a case of sharing with is, after all, a completely free space to visit.Bring along a camera for the views!

This is a fascinating little place, never seen anything quite like it... however this is not uncommon in this part of the world with Silbury Hill within a stones throw and Avebury Stones a little under 30mins walk away.It is worth a look around, you would probably be disappointed if you want to make a day of it but team it up with Avebury, Silbury Hill and a visit to Calne (where oxygen was discovered don't you know!!) and you can make a fab day out.

A bit hard to get there without guidance, but the footpath leading to it and the site itself are something you should not miss out.

You gain access to the long barrow through a gate and a pathway through a farmer's field. I found the cows a little disconcerting when they ambled over to have a look at us, but they were just interested, not aggressive. You can go inside the long barrow and feel a real sense of history. It is well worth a visit.