Wayland's Smithy
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This is one of my favourite long barrows that I have visited, not only are the massive stones an amazing sight but the fact that it's located away from the roads, (about 2 miles walk from the main car park near the Uffington white horse) and amongst the trees. As we arrived some people were leaving and for the hour or so we were there not another soul disturbed us.
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This long barrow lies in a plantation of beech trees on the famous Ridgeway, not far from the Uffington White Horse and Uffington Castle. Footpaths lead to the site from both the Uffington Castle carpark and the B4000 which crosses the Ridgeway around a kilometre away. Excavations in the 1960s revealed the barrow was constructed in two phases - a wooden mortuary enclosure with stone floor was later covered by a trapezoidal mound of chalk. Inside there are three chambers, one main one and two to the sides. The burial chamber is named after Wayland the Saxon god of metal working.
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Below are a selection of photographs from my visit there.
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