周辺の天然記念物・トップ5

Outstanding views and the perfect place for a midride picnic or chill.

A must do off road tour

The path along this section of the river Frome between Tellisford Mill and Langham Farm where you join a track to Rode is a lovely run. The grassy field is a nice surface, but it does get a bit wet in the winter. The weir is a popular swimming spot but gets very busy in the summer and you aren't allowed to swim here as the weir gets damaged and affects the working of the mill.

Easy running with lovely views up to the escarpment and white horse.

Roundway Down is an Iron Age hill fort that can be seen for many miles around. This steep-sided, wildlife-rich chalk grassland down has fantastic views from the top. It's also a great place to spot wildflowers and butterflies in summer.

The Iron Age hillfort at Bratton Camp was first carved into the chalk downland over 2000 years ago. The earthworks would have protected a settlement of round houses, granaries, storehouses and workshops. Its strategic position would have afforded residents a far-reaching view and advance warning of any potential attackers. But Bratton's human history stretches back even further than the Iron Age. Three thousand years earlier, a Neolithic long barrow existed here, and 19th century excavations unearthed human skeletons and evidence of cremations. Today, this area of chalk grassland is rich in wildlife, including many important plants that provide a habitat for insects, including the rare Adonis Blue butterfly and the scarce forester moth. Visible from many miles around, Westbury White Horse, which lies just below Bratton Camp, was probably originally cut in the late 1600s to commemorate the Battle of Ethandun, which is thought to have taken place at Bratton Camp in AD 878.

Lovely wide gravel bridleway with somewhat distracting views of the white horse and the Wilts lowlands that I had one of my worst crashes on. Deceptively smooth chunky gravel surface good for medium gravel or touring tyres. Nothing really wrong with the path excepting a few potholes and larger stones, but those potholes can make panniers bounce up and, if unsecured, said panniers can bounce into the path of one's front wheel tossing the obliviously joyful bike tourist over their handlebars and into said hard chunky gravel. One can rag their fully loaded bike down as many unsuitable trails as they please, as long as the load is secure. edit; the potholes are much bigger now.

There are over 1,200 hillforts in England, most of which occupy fantastic viewpoints and Bratton Camp hillfort is no different. In fact, it has a truly extraordinary vistas from its earthen ramparts. The camp sits just on the ridge between Westbury and Bratton, and immediately above the Westbury White Horse. There's a long barrow within the castle's fortifications estimated to be around 5,000 years old.