Milk Hill
{{Short description|Hill in Wiltshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Milk Hill
| photo = File:Downland West of Milk Hill. - geograph.org.uk - 185577.jpg
| photo_caption = Milk Hill
| elevation_m = 295
| prominence_m = 148
| prominence_ref =
| listing = Hardy, County top
| location = Wiltshire, {{ENG}}
| range = North Wessex Downs
| coordinates = {{coord|51.37766|N|1.85196|W|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| map = United Kingdom Wiltshire
| map_caption = Milk Hill in Wiltshire
| map_size = 270
| label_position = right
| grid_ref_UK = SU104643
| topo = OS Landranger 165
}}
Milk Hill, located near Alton Priors east of Devizes, is the highest point in the county of Wiltshire, southwest England, at some {{convert|295|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level (the adjacent Tan Hill rises to 294 m). It is the location of the Alton Barnes White Horse (a hill figure cut in 1812).
Height
On 23 August 2009, the BBC programme Countryfile featured an item on analysis by Ordnance Survey to determine whether Milk or Tan Hill is the higher. It was confirmed that Milk Hill is {{convert|26|cm|in|1}} higher than Tan Hill.{{cite episode|title=23/08/2009|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mbv07|network=BBC One|series=Countryfile|airdate=2009-08-23}}
File:Alton Barnes White Horse - geograph.org.uk - 1744619.jpg
Located at the western edge of the Vale of Pewsey (part of the North Wessex Downs AONB), it is also the highest summit along a 50 km ridge extending all the way from the South Downs, across the southern Chilterns and into Wiltshire. Milk Hill is the second highest point between Bristol and London after Walbury Hill in West Berkshire ({{convert|297|m|ft|abbr=on|disp=semicolon}}), and is thus also the second highest chalk hill in the UK, again behind Walbury Hill, though it has a slightly greater prominence.
Views are extensive from here, as far as the Mendips and Cotswolds and in very clear weather as far as the Black Mountains in South Wales, making this one of the most southeasterly points in the UK from which high mountain country can be sighted.
Hang gliding/paragliding
Milk Hill is frequently used by the Thames Valley Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club.
- It was the starting point for longest hang-glider flight ever in the UK on 10 May 2011 by Nev Almond. He flew {{convert|269|km|mi|abbr=on}} to near Blakeney on the Norfolk coast.
- It was also the starting point for the longest paraglider flight in the UK, by Mark Watts on 3 August 2014: {{convert|275.5|km|mi|abbr=on}}, to near Felbrigg in Norfolk.Cross Country magazine
- Alex Coltman (M) broke the record achieved by Mark Watts in 2017 with a new {{convert|281|km|mi|abbr=on}} paraglider flight straight-line record to Mundesley in Norfolk.
- Kirsty Cameron (F) also broke paragliding records in 2017 with a straight-line {{convert|235.6|km|mi|abbr=on}} flight from Alton Barnes White Horse to near Beeston in Norfolk. She also gained a declared goal record with Luke Nicol and Mark Watts.
Milk Hill continues to be one of the best locations in England for free flight.
Gallery
File: Milk Hill and Walkers Hill - geograph.org.uk - 3142856.jpg|Milk Hill and Walkers Hill
File: Milk Hill - geograph.org.uk - 3275386.jpg|On Milk Hill in 2012
File: Downland on Milk Hill - geograph.org.uk - 1914532.jpg|Downland on Milk Hill
File: Scene on Milk Hill - geograph.org.uk - 2189318.jpg|Scene in December 2010
File: View towards Milk Hill - geograph.org.uk - 3862785.jpg|View towards Milk Hill (from All Cannings)
File: Hang gliders on Milk Hill - geograph.org.uk - 4714983.jpg|Hang gliders on Milk Hill
References
{{reflist}}
- [http://www.tvhgc.co.uk Thames Valley Hang Gliding Club]
Category:Highest points of English counties
{{Wiltshire-geo-stub}}