Out and about - a day of Henges

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D-Rider · #1 Post by **D-Rider** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:52 pm

I'm on holiday at the moment and today took my son and his girlfriend to see some history (she's American and history is a bit of a novelty)

We visited Woodhenge, Stonehenge, Avebury, Sillbury Hill and West Kennet Long Barrow.

When we arrived at Stonehenge I noticed a few German plated bikes in the car park.
As I wandered round looking at the stones from the required distance (not like when I was a kid and you could just wander amongst them - like you still can at Avebury). Anyway, back to the story, a biker chap asked if I could take his pic in front of the stones - of course I obliged. Turnsed out he's an Italian touring on his Fazer. The West Country last week and now exploring elsewhere.
We talked bikes a bit - I mentioned I have an Aprilia and showed a pic or two from my camera. He seemed quite impressed that it was an Italian bike.

That was my random biking moment of the day .... we then continued our tour of the sights.
Weather was great - but a bit windy. So much better than the crappy days we've had in the Midlands this week.

snapdragon · #2 Post by **snapdragon** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 5:23 pm

Lurvely

thats a nice afternoon out from here.

BikerGran · #3 Post by **BikerGran** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:28 pm

I keep meaning to visit Woodhenge, but every time I see the sign I'm usually on my way home from a rally, and tired, and dirty, and wanting a shower and a bucket of tea!

back_marker · #4 Post by **back_marker** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:37 pm

I live about 7 miles away from Woodhenge and have still not got around to going and seeing it.

I usually pass it early on a sunny sunday morning when I've escaped for a blast before the traffic builds up, when stopping and looking at things is probably furthest from my mind.

snapdragon · #5 Post by **snapdragon** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 8:16 pm

Not much to see at Woodhenge (I've taken visitors to all the henges too) apart from the view of the great henge (Durrington Walls)
Avebury is the best stopping place I reckon

Tea available at chez Dragon

various sizes of bucket

D-Rider · #6 Post by **D-Rider** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:15 pm

Yes - the locals weren't exactly sure where it was but eventually we found some signs to it.
In a day of visiting henges, it's not one to leave to the end ..... might be just a bit of an anti-climax.
An indication is the size of the car park ..... literally for 4 cars as long as they park carefully.

It's more of "concrete stump henge" really - a lot of concrete marker posts about 18" high with different colour tops to show which circle they belong to.

However, having learned more about it and it's connection to Stonehenge - courtesy of the recent Time-Team documentary, I really wanted to visit it (it was the only one of the places we visited I hadn't been to before.

Another thing I learned is that they are going to put the A303 in a tunnel and parking will be a couple of miles from Stonehenge with access only by "Land Train".
I don't like the idea of this - there's something really good about having such an important monument that can be seen by anyone just driving along the road - just like when I was a kid travelling from home in Berkshire to holiday or visit relatives in the West Country. You came over the hill and there it was .... and it still is for a little longer. It seems more in keeping with it being something put there by the community but now they seem to be hiding it away .... until you've paid ......

..... and yes, Snappy, Avebury is the best of the henges

BikerGran · #7 Post by **BikerGran** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:31 pm

I'd like to see Woodhenge in the spirit of visiting many ancient circles and stones - the Round Britain Rally has taken me to quite a few.

TBH the one at Avebury does nothing for me! Though the West Kennet avenue is something else....

K_D · #8 Post by **K_D** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:47 am

My backyard:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilmartin_Glen

Samray · #9 Post by **Samray** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 11:05 am

My backyard:

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/aburnham/eng/seahenge.htm

D-Rider · #10 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:39 pm

My backyard:

(courtesy of Google maps)

..... perhaps I should build a henge

.....

Nooj · #11 Post by **Nooj** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 12:05 am

Stonehenge is impressive for the size of the rocks, but the actual site and the visitors' centre is absolute shite! To this day I've never been round the stones properly. Growing up in Amesbury (3 miles from them) they've never been a big deal to me, I always thought Salisbury Cathederal was way more impressive.

The plan to build the A303 tunnel past them has been on and off for at least the last 15 years or so, it's currently off again. Personally I think they should do it, the junction there is a nightmare to negotiate, there are always bad accidents there. The plan to approach the Stones from the proposed visitors centre is the route that neolithic man would have walked to get to them, along the avenue, it's a really good idea. You'd get to see them grow bigger and bigger as you approached, it would be a much more impressive setting to see them standing against the comparatively flat and featureless Salisbury Plain rather than seeing them as they are now, wedged between the A303 and the road to Devises.

I think Avebury's better, you can hug the stones and feel their vibes (man). Plus there's the Red Lion pub in the middle of them which hosts a MAJOR bike meet every Wednesday night in the summer.

snapdragon · #12 Post by **snapdragon** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:40 pm

Luckily I'm old enough to have visited them before they were locked up, left to the nation - and the nation has to pay

K_D wrote:My backyard:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilmartin_Glen

blardy hell -my backyard is 15 x 15 (feet) - your fence must take an age to paint

and Samray can't have a fence cos the sea would wash it away - plus I think that bit belongs to the queen doesn't it?

K_D · #13 Post by **K_D** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 8:37 am

Standing stones are all open to the public up here ...........we do however get some weird visitors during the solstice times.

When you get fed up wondering why some 5000 yr old dudes stuck feck off big stones in the ground..............you can go look at the rock art and wonder why 5000yrs a go those same dudes sat and smacked stone outcrops with boulders to make 'cup and ring' marks.........

Personally I think they were all stoned.