Westbury White Horse, Wiltshire, UK

Kesaisella Englannin reissullamme teimme pienen retken Daddyn kotikaupunkiin Westbury:yn Wiltshiren ns kreivikunnassa. Kavimme tietysti tutkailemassa missa oli hanen kotinsa, missa oli kaynyt koulun ja missa molemmat mummot (meidan lasten great grannyt) asuivat jne.

On our summer trip to England we visited Daddy's home town Westbury in Wiltshire county. Of course we had to see where he had lived as a boy, where his school had been, and where both of his grannies (great grannies to our girls) lived etc.

Westburysta loytyy myos kuuluisa valkoinen hevonen. Westbury sijaitsee Salisburyn kalkkitasangon reunalla ja yhteen kohtaan sinne on kaiverrettu hevosen kuva, joka on sitten kalkittu. Tama kyseinen hevonen on Wiltshiren vanhin. Ihan tarkkaa ajankohtaa hevosen tekemiselle ei ole. Varmasti se on ollut olemassa 1742 mutta se voi olla myos paljon vanhempi. On legenda sen olevan jopa 800-luvun lopulta kuningas Alfredin Eodunin taistelun voiton merkiksi kaiverrettu mutta tasta ei ole varmaa tietoa.
Aina ajoittain hevonen kalkitaan uudestaan niin etta se nakyy kauemmas, se on ollut maamerkkina matkaajille. 1950-luvulla hevonen vandalisoitiin pahoi ja se korjattiin osittain. 2007 Westburyn valkoinen hevonen restoroitiin kokonaan ja 2012 se maalattiin uudestaan.

Westbury is famous for its white horse. The town of Westbury is located at the edge of Salisbury Plain and at the edge of town there's an engraved picture of a horse on the hill. This particular white horse is the oldest in Wiltshire. Exactly how old the white horse in Westbury is is unknown. For sure it has been there 1742 but it can be much older. There's a legend that it would commemorate King Arthur's win on Battle Eodunin at the end of 800s. But this cannot be confirmed.
Every now and then the horse is chalked again so that it can be seen properly further away and it has been a land mark for travelers. In 1950s the horse was vandalised badly and it was was mainly fixed. In 2007 the white horse was completely restored and 2012 it was painted latest.

Maki johon hevonen on kaiverrettu kuuluu viela Salisburyn kalkkitasankoihin eli kalkkikivea on joka puolella. Niita ihmeteltiin ja kokeiltiinkin.

The hill where the white horse has been carved is at the edge of the Salisbury plain which is rich in chalk stone. We saw them everywhere and of course had to study them closely and even try them. 

Oli aikaisen utuista vaikka aurinko oli laskemassa. Kirkkaana paivana maen paalta nakee vaikka kuinka kauas.

It was quite hazy even though the sun was going down. On a clear day you can see far away from on top of the hill.

Tassa kuvassa nakyy kuinka jotku teinipojat olivat laskeneet hevosta pitkin, pyllymakea kaiketi, kavioihin ja he myos kiipesivat sielta ylos kun oltiin lahdossa. Moni on satuttanut itsensa ja muutama kuolemantapauskin tassa kyseisessa hommassa on ollut vuosien mittaan. 

In the picture above you can see how some teenage boys had slid down the horse to its hooves. They did climb also up when we were leaving. Many has hurt themselves badly and there have been deaths as well while doing this.

Ison neidin mielesta oli erityisen jannaa kun paasi koskemaan hevosen korvaa. Tassa he katselevat mita ne aikaisemmin mainitut teinipojat siella alhaalla tekivat.

Big Miss thought it was extremely exciting to touch the ear. Here they are looking down to see what those boys were doing.

Lampaat laiduntaa maen paalla. Muistan ensimmaisen kerran kun taalla kavin lampaat olivat puoliksi lumen peitossa kun oli hetken pyryttanyt.

The sheep were grazing on top of the hill. I remember how I came here for the very first time and the sheep were half covered with snow as there had been a brief snow squall.

Mieheni on kolunnut valkoisen hevosen makea ystaviensa kanssa, kasvanut naissa maisemissa. Oli hienoa vieda tytot sinne ja nayttaa heille paikkoja. Isompi neideista on jo sen verran iso etta muistaakin asioita.  Kuvat auttaa pikkuneitia. 

Valitettavasti minulla ei ole kuvaa hevosesta kauempaa. Mutta Google on siita mukava etta kun sinne kirjoittaa Westbury white horse and etsii kuvia niin niitahan tulee vaikka kuinka. :)

My husband has been roaming on this hill with his friends. He's grown up in these scenes. I was lovely to be able to take the girls there and show them around. Big Miss is old enough to remember things. Pictures will help Little Miss.

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the horse further away. Howeer, Google is here to help and if you search Westbury white horse and images you'll get loads of them. :)