West Kennet: The Pot of Gold

West Kennet: The Pot of Gold
9 July 2002

Location	West Kennet, Wiltshire, OS Explorer 157 The main reason I wanted to go to Wiltshire was to see Avebury and the monuments nearby. This page shows West Kennet Long Barrow and West Kennet Avenue. The village and stone circle of Avebury are on a separate page. West Kennet Long Barrow is reached from layby on the A4. West Kennet Avenue starts at Avebury on the south-east side of the circle. It follows the B4003, or maybe it's the other way around. The title refers to the pot of gold that is supposed to be found at the end of the rainbow but also to the fact that this was the best part of the holiday. I found West Kennet Long Barrow to be the most atmospheric of the ancient monuments that I visited.

Weather	Mostly sunny but not all that warm.

Click on the images to see larger versions.


	Approching the long barrow from the foot path.

The entry to the long barrow is quite complicated. As a matter of fact the people who used it didn't want people to enter. .

	The inside. There are five burial chambers connected by a corridor.

Looking out we see stones and grass.

	The view of Silbury Hill is stunning from the top of the barrow.

The landscape to the south of the long barrow isn't bad either.

	Here we have arrived at the far end of the West Kennet Avenue. It is thought that it connected the long barrow with the stone circle.

A single stone in the long grass looks dramatic in this light.

	It was getting late. I used the low position of the sun to my advantage in this image.

There was a brief shower that created a beautiful double rainbow.

	This is where the proverbial pot of gold must be.

Another image that hides the sun behind a stone.