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Jun

01

2012

Jun

30

2012


Traverse a Time of Tranquility at Stonehenge

Published by Kristin Cowles, Editor-in-Chief

Country: United Kingdom

The Experience

Erected by Neolithic peoples in Wiltshire, England, Stonehenge is believed to be built over the course 2300 years, and dates back to 2200BC. The entire area around Stonehenge is painstakingly stunning and contains many other sites from the Neolithic period and Bronze age, most notably Stonehenge Cursus, King Barrows Ridge, The Avenue, Woodhenge and Durrington Walls. In total this World Heritage Site is over 2000 hectares.Stonehenge is said to be one of the most impressive archeological sites in Britain, being just on the edge of the Salisbury plain it boasts expanses of beautiful rolling hills and soft valleys that make for excellent stress-free hikes. Stonehenge's original purpose when built was a calendar and center for religious rituals, to this day it is still visited by neo-pagans and druids on Summer and Winter Solstice, as well as Spring and Autumn Equinox.

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When to Go to Stonehenge

The best time of year to enjoy the wholesomeness that Stonehenge has to offer is June, but anything in the spring and summer is also a good bet. The scenery around the many bridal path's and footpaths that surround Stonehenge are lush and green, perfect for a relaxing tour of the country side.

Odds n' Ends

It costs about $15.00 Canadian for entry to the main Stonehenge site, this gives you access to an audio tape that explains the history of the site and a closer view but still roped off. If you want to get inside the actual site, “Stone Circle Access” then you can arrange to have private guided tour early in the morning or evening, the cost of these is approximately $130 Canadian per adult and should be booked a few weeks in advance. Or if you want a more condensed viewing just take the M3 from London and A303 to Amesbury, off to the A344. The stones are quite near the road and in plain view of all who pass by. Once on site there are limited offerings so if you are looking to eat, drink and sleep something in the surrounding Amesbury would be best. An extended trip is needed if you plan on taking in the many archeological sites in the area.

More Experiences Nearby

Try to Keep Your Eye on the Prize at the Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling Festival
Roughly 200 years ago a group of geniuses decided it would be fun to chase a wheel of cheese down the steepest hill they could find. Although there is no concrete information describing how this tumble derby began, or why the Double Gloucester wheel of cheese is its coveted prize, one thing is for sure, the Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling Festival is one of the UK's most anticipated annual events. Before the rest of the world discovered the Brit's idea of fun it was attended only by locals, but over the years the popularity of Gloucestershire's cheese rolling has grown ...47 miles away.

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Books and DVDs

England Travel Guide - LonelyPlanet.com
It doesn't take long on English soil to realise England is a breeze to get around and a blast to explore.
Henge Monuments: Ceremony and Society in Prehistoric Britain (Hardcover)
Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips (Hardcover)
No one knows the world like National Geographic—and in this lavish volume, we reveal our picks for the world's most fabulous journeys, along with helpful information for readers who want to try them out.

Elsewhere on the Web

Stonehenge - UNESCO.org
UNESCO regrets U.K. government's decision to cancel A303 road improvement scheme for Stonehenge World Heritage property; Feb 13, 2007
Panorama View of Stonehenge - BBC
Travel Report UK - Voyages.gc.ca
WARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Stonehenge - Wikipedia.org
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) west of Amesbury and 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of Salisbury.

Media References

Stonehenge tunnel ‘too expensive to build’ - Times Online.uk (newspaper)
Stonehenge may be placed on the list of endangered World Heritage sites after the Government abandoned all the options it was considering for relieving congestion on the road that runs past it.
6 Skeletons From Bronze Age Found Near Stonehenge - Ny Times.com (newspaper)
Archaeologists announced today that they had unearthed the skeletons of four adults and two children, perhaps 4,300 years old, all lying in a single grave, only three miles from Stonehenge, in a find that dates to the beginning of the Bronze Age.
Stonehenge builders' houses found - BBC (television)
A huge ancient settlement used by the people who built Stonehenge has been found, archaeologists have said.
A CONNOISSEUR'S STONEHENGE - NY Times.com (newspaper)
As you come into Avebury from the north, on the bus from Swindon, you approach what seems to be a quite ordinary English village. Then you notice a grass-covered bank enclosing the fields around the village, and as the road pierces through this you see on your right an enormous five-sided block of sandstone standing upright in the pasture.
The Not-so-Silent Stones - Time.com (magazine)
The discordant note for visitors is struck by the fact that the monoliths rest within the foul embrace of two busy highways, the A344 and A303, the latter a major route to England's West Country that's often awash with heavy traffic.
Stonehenge Partiers Came From Afar, Cattle Teeth Show - NationalGeographic.com (magazine)
Prehistoric cattle remains found close to Stonehenge suggest that partying pilgrims brought the animals from afar, scientists report.

Language Guides

French , Hindi , Italian , Japanese , Mandarin , Portugese , Turkish , Vietnamese are some of the languages spoken in United Kingdom. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!

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