Considering an attempt on the Ridgeway double. Anyone know of a campsite really close to the start just outside Avebury?

http://www.thebrucearms.net

Camping, pub, near-ish to Avebury. Just checked – it’s not super close to the start.

Postern Hill, in the woods, a bit closer.

Last time i looked it seemed camping around avebury was thin on the ground (maybe to keep people away?).
Will be keeping an eye on this thread though as after the same, unfortunately both the pub and postern hill are over 12miles away.

If you have a support vehicle, I would go for camping at the Barge at HoneyStreet Pewsey Vale. Would probably never leave

There’s a Caravan Club CL site about 3.5 miles away.

This very much depends on where your starting and what your support is like, and how fit you are.

I did the half, Avebury to Goring and back a week ago. 1hr Drive to Avebury NT carpark arrive at 5:30am ish ride the mile or so to the Sanctuary and the start of the ridgeway.

The carpark wasn’t locked but the ticket machine wasn’t open either.

I took c7:30hr, so double and add a bit should see you back early evening.

This very much depends on where your starting and what your support is like

Depends on factors like camp sites 🙂

I rode quite a bit of ridgeway and similar trails around Swindon last year, I found it really quick to ride and the climbs went by pretty easily becausse they are’t steep which is where I normally have to dig deep, as a fat bastard. So I reckon this will go some way towards offsetting the silly distance.

I’d have to be able to do it on-spec though rather than fix a date, cos there’s no f’in way I’m doing it in the wet 🙂

I’m struggling to think of anywhere legit that’s nearby, because so much is World Heritage, National Trust and English Heritage.
There are places along the Ridgway where you might be able to sneak a crafty bivvy in one of the beech hangers just off the path, one or two are quite dense and don’t get too many people in them, these are between Hackpen Hill and Avebury itself, but it’s all farmed up there, and there’s some woods with shooting rights close to Fyfield Down, alongside the Sustrans trail that goes across the Ridgway towards Marlborough, where you might be able to find a well-covered spot that’s fairly well hidden.
There’s some fairly thick gorse with open areas down in the valley that you could get into and set up a bivvi with a cover, but it’s all quite open, and it would need to be a late to bed, early to rise to avoid any issues.
I would avoid the top of Silbury Hill, it’s a bit draughty up there…
The Wagon and Horses at Beckhampton have a garden area out the back, it might be worth a cheeky phone call to see if they’d allow an overnight pitch, you never know.

Postern Hill campsite on the edge of Savernake is probably the closest, If you’re not planning a bivvy? 10-min drive or 30-min cycle.

You can park FOC on the Ridgeway at Overton Hill just off the A4.