After breakfast we headed to Stonehenge for which we had pre-booked tickets, arriving earlier than our ticket time but were able to go in due to the low number of visitors. I have never seen Stonehenge’s car park so quiet.
We booked in and collected our ticket to visit the stones (most of the site is open access). It was was refreshingly quiet, I put this down to no coach tours or travelers from abroad. It was a delight to be able to view the stones without large crowds. This more than made up for me not being able to visit them as part of my birthday celebrations last year.
The walking route has been changed since our previous visit and does not automatically take you past the Cursus. The new walk leads to a signboard that indicates several points of interest (and the amount of time needed to walk there) We chose the path to the Cursus before walking along it rather than retrace our steps.
Whilst viewing our surroundings a school group turned up and it was lovely to hear the school teacher instructing his pupils on how to walk and behave as they walked through the field full of cows. At one point as we walked along the path near to the Cursus, two bulls were having a head-butt tussle directly across the pathway in front of us, causing us to pause until they had moved far enough away from the path so that we could continue our walk to the stones safely.
It was amazing to see the stones so quiet, The first time I visited from school many years ago when I didn’t really appreciate what they were or the fact that at that time I was able to stand between the stones and look up at them. The sun. was playing on the stones turning them from grey to white. Back at the visitor centre, we enjoyed a picnic lunch from the cafe, eating it outside at one of the picnic tables.
After our visit we returned to Sherborne where we spent too much money in the cookshop before enjoying a slice of Dorset Apple cake accompanied by Elderflower Presse at a pavement table outside the Three Wishes Cafe. We then enjoyed a quiet moment soaking up the atmosphere on a bench overlooking Sherborne Abbey.
For our last night in Sherborne we dined in the hotel. Ben, who had been serving us during our stay, said his goodbyes as he would not be serving breakfast in the morning.
I can’t believe the news that so many people climbed over the fence to see the stones at the summer solstice, just a few days ago.
I can. I saw the camper vans lined up in the distance two weeks before the solstice event.
Camper vans were also parked up on double yellow lines on the road near to Glastonbury Tor. An unpleasant experience which is why we chose to visit Burrow Mum instead.
I thought the authority provided live cam feeds online.
People should just watch the Solstice at home and keep everyone safe.
But paganism is a powerful tool, there are still so many believers.
On this Solstice people breached the fence and the police had to be called in. The live cam which was how people were supposed to view the event this year had to be taken off line because of it.
Gosh Stone henge does look quiet!!! Strikes me now is a good place to visit tourist attractions and NT andEH properties with numbers being limited. I went to Stone Henge as a child – not been since. You could walk among the stones then. Wonderful experience although I still prefer the atmosphere of Avebury. Glad you had a good holiday and enjoyed Dorset Apple Cake too – one of my favourites
I always preferred Avebury but now the road has been removed and Stonehenge is reconnected with the landscape, I am fascinated by it.
I think you would love it, but you have to walk to the stones to fully appreciate them.
Ancient stones and fresh cake sounds a fine mix
A perfect day
I am pleased you saw Stonehenge when it was so quiet. Some year’s ago I was part of a small group for an evening tour – it was magical
I keep thinking we should book one of those. I think English Heritage still do them.
Wow, Stonehenge was quiet when you visited! I went a few years ago and caught the tourist bus from Salisbury (the one where you get an entry ticket into Stonehenge with your bus ticket) and it was heaving, despite it being October.
It is usually hectic. Before the got rid of the old car park and built the new visitor centre we turned away on one occasion because it was too busy for us.