From the Surrey Hills made my way to the North Wessex downs. Would be staying in Wiltshire for a few days and exploring the Marlborough Downs and surrounding area.

North Wessex Downs Return

Had visited Wiltshire a few months before based at Salisbury. Back then was more exploring new locations on Cranbourne Chase. On this road trip through Wiltshire wanted to explore some locations on the North Wessex downs. Had briefly explored the east side of the North Wessex downs once back in 2020. The base this time would be a hotel in Marlborough in easy reach of the Marlborough Downs.

Cherhill White Horse

The first stop the first afternoon back in Wiltshire was the Cherhill white horse on the Marlborough Downs. Parked up in a layby on the A4 directly under the gaze of the white horse. It was a dull overcast cloudy afternoon, no light. But still would scout the location and stretch my legs. As well as the white horse of Cherhill there are a few other locations of interest in the same area including the Landsdowne Monument and Oldbury castle or hillfort. But was here primarily to shoot the white horse.

It can be challenging to get a keeper landscape photo in dull overcast light. Its important to try to more emphasise form and texture in these conditions with a strong subject and focal point. Cherhill and Marlborough downs helps with layers of combes and tuffs of grass, that then lead your eye to the main focal point of the white horse, nicely crowned with a crop of dark trees above and a broody sky. There are lots of white horses and hillforts with great views in Wiltshire and the intention was to explore a few more of them. Plan was to return to the white horse of Cherwell with a setting sun behind me, but the conditions not happen.

Pewsey Downs

The first full day on the Marlborough Downs in Wiltshire and took a trip to the Pewsey Downs. Another dull overcast day forecast at least it was not raining. To be honest it was just good to be out walking again, filling my lungs with fresh air and scouting out new locations. Took the footpath over Walkers Hill and round to the white horse. Although taking shots there was no light and good compositions were hard given the viewing angles. Followed the footpath round over Tan Hill back towards Knap Hill.

On top of Knap Hill on the Pewsey downs compositions improved and a little light broke through the thick clouds.

Barbury Castle

The next morning in Wiltshire on the Marlborough downs took a visit to Barbury Castle. Missed a dramatic and very colourful sunrise as driving to Barbury castle. That’s the problem with prioritising a cooked breakfast at the hotel. But primarily a scouting expedition, can always return to these places.

Once parked up at Barbury castle carpark, rushed around with camera trying to get the last of the colourful sunrise sky, but missed the best of it. The lone tree acts as a focal point and anchor against the big sky shot. Explored Barbury hillfort and the viewpoints back to Swindon. Then took the long walk along the Ridgeway.

Its a nice walk along the ridge, had some moody skies above and sunspots on the landscape which made some good compositions. There are a couple of other points of interest nearby to Barbury Castle, namely the Hackpen white horse and Liddington hillfort. But was following a route in a walking guide. Fine if you want to get fit and a good walk in. But for scouting out new landscape photography locations its often better to drive to each POI and cover a little of the ground on foot. This is what we learn.

Devils Den Fyfield Hill

If you just zoom into google maps in an area of interest like the Marlborough downs you will often discover new POI that have been marked on the map. So it was with the Devil’s Den on Fyfield Hill near Marlborough. Looked good for a dawn shoot and was hoping for a repeat of the colourful skies from the morning before at Barbury hillfort.

You park up at Gravel hill then take the walk to Devils Den. Dawn was lacklustre. A red sky like the morning before would have looked very dramatic behind the Devils Den. Getting down low enhances the Neolithic tomb. From a compositional point of view wanted to keep the gap in the middle of the stones clear of any land, just sky. Shoot done, back to the hotel for a cooked breakfast and continue the road trip west.

Westbury White Horse

Not strictly on the Marlborough Downs but in Wiltshire is the Westbury Hillfort or Bratton Camp White Horse. Was continuing the road trip west to the Blackdown Hills and Devon but would stop off at a few key locations along the way.

Again not much light another overcast day in Wiltshire but not raining. What would have made the composition more interesting of the white horse of Westbury was waiting for some walkers to appear as silhouettes above the horses head to give more a sense of scale. There were one or two paragliders flying that day, they would also have added some interest to the sky like flying birds, had I been patient.

Battlebury Hillfort

Again not strictly on the Marlborough downs but in Wiltshire between the North Wessex downs and Cranbourne chase is Battlebury Hillfort. Actually visited Battlebury hillfort on the homeward bound leg of the road trip west. With lots of POI between your start and end location its a good way to break up a long drive.

The best views that evening were of Middle hill with a clump of trees on top of a ancient burial mound. Battlebury is MOD land and a lot of it was fenced off.

That wraps up my road trip through the Marlborough downs and Wiltshire. Check out the Wiltshire Landscape Photography gallery.