Stonehenge

We saw Stonehenge on a Saturday afternoon, and so did thousands of other people from all around the world. I knew Stonehenge was the kind of tourist attraction that smacks of crowds and bric-a-brac, but I just had to see it. After all, it is the most famous archaeological site in all of Europe, and it’s easy to see why that’s the case, even if it is just a pile of large rocks. The story goes that about 5000 years ago, dozens of 50 ton lintels were dragged up from South Wales, some of them piled atop one another in a display of religious and celestial reverence. Archaeologists believe it took 600 people to drag each stone over the hills and dales, so no matter how jaded you are, you can’t help but marvel at this prehistoric feat.

We arrived at Stonehenge after having seen Avebury, an even larger, older stone circle about a half hours’ drive away. Like Stonehenge, Avebury is a National Trust property, but far less congested, and I’d argue far more interesting overall. Though we’d prepared ourselves mentally for the tourists, it came as a bit of a shock to arrive at Stonehenge and pull into a large, packed parking lot with countless toilets and an ice cream stand. From the parking lot visitors pass the gift shop and take an underpass to reach the henge, after paying several pounds entry fee.

Visitors to Stonehenge are offered hand held audio guides that include commentary in several different languages. While the guides are informative, they’re a bit goofy, to say the least. A quick glance around the stone circle reveals a passel of visitors holding devices that resemble elongated cell phones with strings attached. Casey and I made quick fun of the audio guides by brushing up on our Russian and Chinese.

All in all, Stonehenge is a must see, though if it wasn’t for our National Trust pass, we would’ve probably evaded the steep entry fee by standing behind the roadside fence for a glimpse and a shot of the rocks. Better to save your hard earned cash for some petrol and pub grub on the drive home.