The enormous Neolithic stone henge and bank at Avebury surrounds the entire village of Avebury.  Dating from c2600BC, it is part of a wider complex of prehistoric sites nearby that include West Kennet Avenbue and Longbarrow, Silbury Hill and Windmill Hill. Get up close and personal with the stones - which you cannot normally do at nearby Stonehenge.

South Cadbury Castle is an Iron Age hill fort, overrun by the Romans in the 1st century and subsequently used by them, but then reoccupied and its defences restored in the sub-Roman period and in occasional use up to at least the 10th century. It is one of several places associated with the legendary King Arthur and suggested as a possible location for the mythical Camelot. The walls and defences are now wooded, but the size of them can be appreciated, and there is a wonderful view of Glastonbury Tor, on the mystical Isle of Avalon, from the top.

Take the pathway, Castle Lane, from the village; it is invariably muddy.

The Cerne Abbas Giant is one of Britain’s best known hill figures, cut into the hillside near the pretty Dorset village of Cerne Abbas. It is formed of a cut trench about 1 foot deep and across, stands 180 feet (55 metres) high and depicts a nude male wielding a large club. Possibly its most noticeable feature is its prominent erection – so the figure is often associated with fertility. Some people think the giant represents a Celtic deity, or Hercules. In fact, the age of the Cerne Abbas Giant had long been uncertain, but following hi-tech analysis of sediment, it was announced in 2021 that he dates from the late Saxon period - possibly 10th century.  There is a viewing area a short distance from Cerne Abbas village and there are walks nearby.

It is hard to photograph the Giant. The image here is from Google Earth.

Cheddar Gorge is a breathtaking limestone gorge located in Somerset’s Mendip Hills, near the village of Cheddar.  It is roughly 3 miles long, around 400 feet deep, England’s largest gorge and one of the country’s most popular natural tourist attractions.  It was formed about one million years ago during the last Ice age from glacial melt-water, which created a cave system.  Prehistoric remains have been found in the caves, both human and animal, and inside Gough Cave was found Britain’s oldest complete human skeleton, Cheddar Man, who lived around 7150 BC and whose descendants still live nearby. Other human remains are some 5,000 years older and the evidence is that they were cannibals. Gough’s Cave is a spectacular show cave, with fabulous formations of stalactites and stalagmites (remember, tites are the ones that come down).

The south side of the gorge, including Gough’s Cave and associated attractions, is owned by the Longleat Estate and heavily commercialised.  The north side of the gorge is owned by the National Trust. Both offer walks along the cliffs.

Given post code is for NT land – pay and display car parks.  Use BS27 3QF post code for show cave.

Cissbury Ring is the largest hillfort in Sussex, covering an area of c60 acres. Flint has been mined there since Neolithic times, open mining giving way to the digging of numerous shafts and tunnels. It was used as a burial ground in the Bronze Age and was fortified in the Iron Age, in around 400 BC. It is a univallate fort - one with a single rampart and ditch. The fort was in use for about 300 years, was abandoned, and then resettled in the late Roman period - possibly in defence against Saxon raids. It was fortified again during WW2, when an anti-tank ditch was dug round it, an AA battery based there and, during the run up to D-Day, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders were camped there. Now, it's just a pleasant place to walk, with great views over the Downs and nearby coast. If you're lucky, you may spot some wild ponies grazing there.