Swallowhead Spring Wiltshire 2021

One of the Kennet's sources is Swallowhead Spring near Silbury Hill in Wiltshire, and others are springs north of Avebury near the small villages of Uffcott and Broad Hinton. These then converge. In these early stages it passes close by many prehistoric sites including Avebury Henge, West Kennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill. The land drained by the headwaters normally has a deep water table (being in the North Wessex Downs which is mostly chalk as the upper subsoil), thus many stretches are winterbournes when and where precipitation is low and surrounding soils are not so dense with impermeables as to form a surface spring.I visited on a lovely October morning and found the two tributaries to Silbury both dry but this made walking round the site very easy in order to photograph the clothie left by visiting pilgrims.

I easily find the way over to the spring via an official turnstyle thus avoiding the many Private Property signs that are nearby.
You can see behind me where I have left my car parked in the lay by made for visitors going to West Kennet long barrow.
I had mixed feelings today seeing the spring was dry which lessened its inpact however it made taking my pics all the easier.
Looking East toward the river Kennet.
The first sign that visitors were here
Brilliant stone bridge that ordenarily would have running water under it.
Most of the clothie are left on this strangely arched tree.
Fire pit
Someone loved it here enough to leave this touching tribute.
I will return after Christmas to hopefully see this with water running down.
More clothie.
I almost missed this!
Obviously been trained to grow this way but very impressive.
In the field next to me were some hooray Henrys having a clay shoot..I managed to get quite close to one vehicle!
I will return.

klempner69

Swallowhead Spring Wiltshire 2021