Guy will be leading this walk - our 69th - and for added excitement he casually mentioned that "there may be lots of small arms fire along the way." To you and me that means bring a hard hat, flak jacket, first aid kit - and wear bright clothing.

But let him continue: "this walk will be in two parts; the first of roughly 2 - 2.5 hours, will follow the ridgeline, using parts of the Wessex Ridgeway Path and the Imber Range Path. It will be easy walking, with only one incline, using well used and fenced paths and a ‘made up’ Military roadway. We will return to the car park for lunch, where (weather and circumstance permitting) there will be a ‘Butty Wagon’ providing tea and hot food (courtesy of K&R catering – they even have dog biscuit!!). We will need to be aware that the Imber Range Path is used by walkers/ cyclists/ horse riders/ off road vehicles! (and perhaps riflemen?).

After lunch we will return to the Imber Range Path for a short distance, before descending gently down the escarpment, with spectacular views of ancient plough terraces, we then climb gently up to Bratton Camp Fort (an Iron Age hill fort) where sheep permitting, we will walk around the battlements, enjoying fantastic views, before returning, again, to the car park. This part should take a little over an hour.

There is no water along the walk route, and it is very exposed, so please bring plenty of water for your hounds

Getting there:

(Click map to enlarge: the junction below is shown as
circled on the map on left - from Google Earth)

From the North – approach Westbury along the A350. At the very first roundabout you meet (by a Co-Operative supermarket) – turn left, follow this road until you meet a ‘T’ junction where you turn right. From then on, simply follow the brown tourist signs for “BRATTON CAMP WHITE HORSE”.

DO NOT FOLLOW THE BROWN TOURIST SIGNS FOR “WHITE HORSE COUNTRY PARK” – THIS IS A DIFFERENT PLACE

From the South – approach Westbury along A350, follow this into the town until you meet a junction which says ‘all other traffic’ to the left and B3098 BRATTON ahead. This is where you will pick up the first brown tourist sign for “BRATTON CAMP WHITE HORSE”. Again simply follow the brown tourist signs.

Once you are at the car park, we will meet at the furthest end.

(Or see the map supplied by English Heritage here>)

SatNav: try BA13 3ED. This will take you along Long River Road. This is NOT the start of our walk, please carry on past the house and it will take you to Guy + the pack. (NB English Heritage gave me BA13 3EP which is their Westbury office. I did say it was awfully kind of them to offer hospitality to maybe 25 Basset Hounds but suggested that maybe a pack howling through their offices for Bonios would not go down well. Shall we send them on a course?)

Please bring plenty of water for your Hounds, as there is no natural source on the walk.

For more about the White Horse see here>

Along the ramparts.

Combe Bottom.

Bratton Camp car park.