Stonehenge

[DitasMom]

Hi guys,

As you may have guessed I'm planning to go to Stonehenge later this year. Though no one knows what it's for exactly, Britain has modern day druids (because old school druids can't do much because...you know, they've been dead for a while.) preform a ceremony, again common knowledge.

I hear that sometimes people who visit leave little pieces of paper with prayers on them but THEN I heard that they have the place roped off so to speak because tourists were chipping off pieces of the rock

Does anyone know if any of this true?

I don't want to get there thinking I can just swan in and find out I'm trespassing!

Thanks for your help!

D.M.

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Stonehenge

You cannot get very close to Stonehenge at all unless you make a prior arrangement with English heritage and go at the crack of dawn. It's probably worth it actually, just to get up close to the Stones, and it is the only way you will do it.

They didn't really rope it off because tourists were chipping the stones... go down the road a bit to Avebury (now that really is a MUST and it will blow your mind away) and you will find that the village there is built in and amongst the stones and I have never seen anyone chipping away at anything...

Personally I think they just wanted to keep 'the common hordes' away from the stones at Stonehenge. It's still a magnificent sight, but not perhaps the experience it could have been.

[Willow]

Re: Stonehenge

You cannot get very close to Stonehenge at all unless you make a prior arrangement with English heritage and go at the crack of dawn. It's probably worth it actually, just to get up close to the Stones, and it is the only way you will do it.

They didn't really rope it off because tourists were chipping the stones... go down the road a bit to Avebury (now that really is a MUST and it will blow your mind away) and you will find that the village there is built in and amongst the stones and I have never seen anyone chipping away at anything...

Personally I think they just wanted to keep 'the common hordes' away from the stones at Stonehenge. It's still a magnificent sight, but not perhaps the experience it could have been.

This. The stone arrangement is fenced off from the general public, so you can't really get all that close. I've heard it's because of people taking home souvenirs, littering, graffitti-ing (is that a word?), and otherwise disrespecting Britain's heritage. If I'm not mistaken, it is open to the general public during solstices/equinox's. But I've never attempted to go there during those times, so I can't say definitively.

There are other stone circles around the area that are less famous, but no less awe inspiring. Personally, I've found the "smaller" ones placed in the middle of sheep fields to be more interesting.

[Evaine]

Re: Stonehenge

There's just been a lot of work done around Stonehenge to re-route the road that used to pass right by the stones, and to build a new visitor centre. When I visited, many years ago, there was a rather grim coach park with an underpass under the road that led to the stones, and you were kept well back from the stones by a fence. Now you arrive at the new visitor centre (which is quite expensive, but has lots of good stuff to look at), and from there you are taken on a little train pulled by a land rover to the stones. You cannot get in among the stones, but there is a virtual experience of being among the stones at the visitor centre.
I agree with Ljubezen that other stone circles in the area are awe inspiring and more easy to access, especially Avebury. Silbury Hill and West Kennet long barrow are also in the area, and well worth a visit.

[Sondst]

Re: Stonehenge

My dad said its roped off like you can't get very close. Though I am sure you can figure out a way to arrange to see them up close.

[DitasMom]

Re: Stonehenge

Thank you all for your help I aplogize for not saying something sooner but apparently Our Great Lady has decided that I have other worries on my plate...*sigh* but thanks so much for helping this noob