Old Sarum Circular Walk
History underfoot — walk the ramparts of England's oldest city with panoramic views across Wiltshire
Old Sarum is one of England's most dramatic historic sites — an Iron Age hill fort later used as a Roman encampment, a Norman castle and a medieval cathedral, all on a windswept hill above Salisbury. This circular walk takes you around its massive earthwork ramparts with 360-degree views that stretch to Salisbury Plain and beyond on a clear day.
The walk begins at the English Heritage car park and rises to the hilltop ruins. The path around the outer ramparts is exhilarating — you genuinely feel the weight of thousands of years of history beneath your boots. Look out for the foundations of the original Salisbury Cathedral within the walls, built before the current one in the valley below.
The return leg follows a downhill path through farmland with views of the modern city spread below you. A complete circular route that showcases why Old Sarum was such a strategic location throughout British history.