Rolling countryside, wildlife-rich chalk downlands, picturesque villages, stacks of rural charm – that’s Wiltshire! This beautiful part of the West Country is a popular destination for holidays and short breaks in the UK, with plenty of attractions and historic houses to visit, exciting activities and miles and miles of glorious countryside to explore. Getaway from the hustle and bustle, walk the pathways, climb the hills. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out our guide to 5 of the best country pub walks in Wiltshire.
Stourhead and Alfred’s Tower Circular Walk: Make Like a Georgian
This 8.8km circular walk around part of the Stourhead estate takes you from the National Trust Visitor Centre, along the village, up through the woodlands to Alfred’s Tower, and back through an Iron Age Hill Fort and Turner’s Paddock – named after landscape artist J.M.W. Turner, who painted there in 1799.
Go in the autumn when the leaves are turning, especially if you’re visiting the gardens as well; the colours reflected in the lakes are incredible.
Wind up at the Spread Eagle next to the church, for baguettes, burgers and pub classics, or if you can wait, jump in the car and go to the Bell & Crown, less than 2 miles away, just outside Zeals.
The stainless steel pool and hot tub are yours for the whole of your stay at La Belle Folly
A Puff to the Top of Cley Hill: Historic Wonders
It’ll only take you 45 minutes max to get to the top of Cley Hill, so this is a good walk to get in before a hearty Sunday roast in a village pub nearby. You can see Cley Hill from the A36, rising out of the landscape 3 miles west of Warminster; off the A362 there’s a small car park, which is your starting point. From there you follow the track past the farm, around the bottom of the hill and up the wider path to the summit.
Atop the hill there’s much to wonder at - besides the far-reaching views across Wiltshire and Somerset, there are some interesting archaeological features by way of an Iron Age hill fort, two Bronze Age bowl barrows, and medieval strip lynchets.
And then your Sunday roast. We’d suggest booking a table at The White Hart at Corsley or The Royal Oak on Corsley Heath – both traditional country pubs less than two miles from Cley Hill. If you’re staying at one of the Sleeps12 group holiday houses on The Wiltshire Estate (see Hunky-Dory, Zippity, Boon Barn, Tickety-Boo and La Belle Folly) the Three Horseshoes at Chapmanslade is a good option.
Seend Lock Walk: An Amble Along the Kennet & Avon Canal
Ah, isn’t it nice to amble along a canal, watching swans gliding, herons dunking and moorhens scooting about? Seend Locks is a good place for it, and the good thing is it’s entirely up to you if you walk just a little way, or lace up your boots and do the bigger Seend Locks circular walk of 8.1km. That will take you mostly along the towpath, with some field paths and lanes, starting and finishing in the village. Along the way you’ll pass five locks on the Kennet & Avon, three swing bridges, and no doubt a few narrowboats.
For a well-earned pint, it has to be the waterside Barge Inn. If it’s lunchtime, have a flatbread or a sandwich to go with it. Within walking distance is Pinklet, a pretty 16th century thatched cottage with snooze space for 15.
Come to rural Wiltshire and unwind in gorgeous Pinklet
Bradford on Avon to Avoncliff Circular: Along the River, Beside the Canal
This is a good 5.2km circular walk, with some lovely sights along the way. The trail takes you from the centre of Bradford-on-Avon, past the 14th century Tithe Barn, through fields and fern dense woodlands, and beside the River Avon. Your halfway point is the Avoncliff Aqueduct, where the Kennet & Avon canal crosses the river – a good viewpoint is the riverside beer garden of the Cross Guns. When you’re ready to head back, either retrace your footsteps or take a different route along the towpath.
If you can wait for eats till you get back to town, go to the canal side Lock Inn Café or to Timbrells Yard – both are very good.
Westbury White Horse and Bratton Camp: Chalk Downlands, Sweeping Views:
This 5.6km walk takes you over the rolling chalk downlands on the northern ridge of Salisbury Plain. The going is easy to moderate, mostly following chalk tracks, with one steep climb past the Westbury White Horse to the Iron Age hillfort at Bratton Camp. At 180ft tall and 170ft wide, dating back to the 1700s, the Westbury White Horse is the biggest and the oldest of the 8 visible Wiltshire White Horses carved into the chalk hills.
The views are staggering, sweeping across the Wiltshire countryside. If you like church crawling it’s worth a detour to the small but beautifully formed Norman Church of St James at Bratton.
Start your walk from the car park just off the B3098, finish up in The Duke Inn at Bratton for good home cooked food. The pub is dog friendly and there’s plenty of outdoor seating for warmer weather days.
And Remember…
Stout shoes are a must, especially if you’re walking in the countryside on tracks and trails rather than metalled lanes, and there may be livestock in the fields, so dogs should be kept on a lead. Embrace the great outdoors, fill your lungs with fresh air, make memories.