From Martinsell Hill....

Pewsey and Marlborough Downs

Martinsell Hill https://megalithix.wordpress.com/2011/03/06/martinsell-hill/ is Wiltshire's 2nd highest prehistoric hillforts, reaching a height of 289m above sea level.

LARGE!

The only path (White Horse Trail) from the bus stop at Oare, is via the back of the extremely steep Oare Hill, which you see in the foreground left. Giants Grave, a huge mound, is just out of picture, forward of this.

I had only managed to get up here, on this most impressive set of hills, once before, in March 2011. The weather then was bright but misty, clearing somewhat. Similar today, though it took much longer to clear and never lost its haziness over the Vale of Pewsey, far below.

The two hills cover a large area and takes several hours to mooch around comfortably. Only one young couple up there all the time I was, that's how crowded it was.

The main London to west country railway line threads through somewhere below, with '125' trains speeding through and the Kennet and Avon Canal was down there somewhere too. So high up one is, buzzards swoop about eyeing up their prey below the level one is at.

Buses from Salisbury take absolutely ages, as they cater for every military town and village and every street within them and bus stops beyond are only in villages and towns, meaning restrictions on where one can cross main roads and start/finish from. The return journey here takes close to 4 hours! So you can see why it's not one I undertake very often.

Traditional landscape photographers will be aware of Fay Godwin. She didn't shoot her famous black and white images quite this far south but certainly on the Downs north of Marlborough, an area that I really want to explore more of. Maybe this summer, and certainly before another 4 years since I was in the area.

 Lens, once again, is Tamron SP 70-300mm VC

You might have noticed that, true to my word, now that Spring is here and Derelict Challenge is finished for now, I am out and about, outside, for as long as I reasonably can.

This DOES mean much less time at the computer, meaning less time on Blip. Less replying to all your lovely comments, stars and Favourites and less time looking at Journals. I did have a bit of blitz yesterday but otherwise, please accept my apologies and future (and past!) thanks for all your support, in whatever form it may come in.

Cheers!