Calstone and Cherhill Downs

Cherhill Down rises south of the A4 three miles east of Calne, carrying two landmarks seen for miles around: the Cherhill White Horse, one of eight in Wiltshire and not National Trust, and the Lansdowne Monument, built in 1845 by the 3rd Marquis of Lansdowne. On the summit the ramparts of Oldbury Castle Iron Age hillfort shelter butterflies, and in summer the chalk grassland is full of flowers and skylarks. Behind the down, the Calstone Coombes are a haven for some of Wiltshire's rarest insects and one of very few British homes of the wart-biter bush cricket. Reviewers praise the views across Wiltshire and the red kites, but warn of a steep climb, a chilly wind at the top and hit and miss parking in small lay-bys. Tips from visitors: wear proper footwear, as the rutted paths are slippery after rain and very steep beside the white horse. The Wessex Ridgeway and White Horse Trail run through the property from footpaths off the A4 at Cherhill.