Ten Tors - Avebury Loop

Ten Tors Training in a Winter Wonderland

The most recent Ten Tors training hike took place on Saturday 17^th December and was one of the most beautiful Wiltshire walks I've ever done.

22 students set off on a 15-mile hike around Avebury and Fyfield Down amid sub-zero temperatures and glinting early-morning sunshine. The entire area was covered in frost (and up higher, snow) and it gave the landscape a mystical, magical feel. We hiked through the frozen fields and treacherous frozen roads past a variety of stunning Neolithic sites - Adam & Eve standing stones, Avebury Stone circle, along The Avenue, an ancient corridor of menhirs, and then the man-made Silbury Hill. We had an intriguing coffee-break at West Kennet Long Barrow before heading across the 60-million year-old Sarsen stones of Fyfield Down, deposited there by a glacier during an ice-age over 25,000 years ago where, in a similar primitive vein, an enjoyable snowball fight broke out between the 45 / 55-mile team and the younger 35-mile team.

The entire group completed the hike and were treated to a gorgeous sunset as we dropped back down into Avebury having had a gorgeous start to our holidays - I also ended up with some glorious photos of this wonderful part of the world!

Many thanks to all the students involved, and to volunteers Xavier Lord, Iain Richards and also Mrs Brooks - this couldn't happen without you!