So, I was driving up the A303 to Guildford yesterday to go and see Brian Blessed in King Lear (although that didn’t work out, it was still an excellent show), and as usual on that road, we drove past Stonehenge, just sat in its field like it is.
Normally, we just drive past and point at it but, since it was a reasonably nice day (although very cold - we had coats), we pulled off into the car park and went and had a look. It’s a very different experience close up - you can’t go among the stones anymore, but you can get close up and really get a much better sense of the scale of the things than you get driving past at 60mph*. They’ve put a visitors centre in now as well, with a giftshop - I got a pendant thing for the wife’s birthday which is made of the same bluestone that the rocks are made of, from the quarry in Wales.
I also bought some postcards, which I’ll probably use for the next SDMB postcard exchange.
But anyway, yes, big rocks in a field. 5000 years old.
Or, more likely, 30mph, as people slow down to look at the stones.
It’s an odd thing about Stonehenge. I didn’t expect to be much moved by it. I mean, you know, pile of rocks. I understand the history and the incredible engineering feats required to accomplish it, but still… there are many things in this world equally arduous.
I couldn’t stop taking pictures of it, and it just stirred something in me. Interestingly, although there were easily 200 people visiting that day and walking around the stones, I managed to capture one shot where not a single person is visible. One of my favorite personal pictures ever.
I imagine that as a tangible creation of man trying to understand, interpret and interact with creation Stonehenge has to be moving to witness in person.
I was there this past August - we spent 2 hours following the self-guided tour around the circle, listening to the recordings, plus looking at the displays outside the gift shop. It was a dreary, gray day, but still an amazing experience.
Actually, Gatopescado, whilst I was a touch dismissive in my OP there, I was very impressed. It’s much more real looking close up to it than seeing it on TV (or driving past). I think the thing with Mount Rushmore, which I haven’t seen personally, is that people think it’s much bigger than is actually the case.
Stonehenge is bigger, up close, that I thought it would be. The big central stones are huge.
Since the stones actually came from Wales, this leads to the question: Did whales bring them?
We think not. Whales are aquatic mammals after all, and the journey is over land for quite some bit. Though one could envision a scenario during the last ice age, with whales using the stones as some sort of toboggan. Pity we’ll never know.
The “bluestones” came from Wales. The bluestones are actually the smaller standing stones inside the circle. The great big sarson and lintel stones - the ones people tend to think about when thinking of Stonehenge - are much more local.
English Heritage does offer a package called Stone Circle Access, where you can get in among them. There are limited places, and the access is outwith the normal opening hours, but it’s something I’ve long fancied doing.
I’ve driven past but never been. We’ve got family membership of English heritage now so when we go to the Dorset coast in May we are going to stop by and have a look.
I’m a bit unsure as to whether it’ll “grab” me or not as I’ve a bit of a mixed history with world wonders. I saw the pyramids a few years ago and they failed to wow me, but I saw Pompeii and Hurculaneum and was positively bowled over. The Trevi fountain and Colliseum?..meh, but the Pantheon was stunning.
I’ve driven past, but I must admit, I can’t get excited enough to pay the entrance fee.
I like stone circles, there’s loads of them locally, but generally because you get to wander around them (or sit on them in some places), when it’s just you and maybe some cows, and that appeals so much more than standing behind a fence with 200 other people, even if the stones themselves aren’t as impressive.
I guess it’s like the difference between going to see a local band at the pub, when you can go over and have a chat and a pint with them afterwards, and seeing a famous group perform from the back of a massive stadium.
Actually, you may have hit upon the nub of the issue here. When visiting the Pyramids we were shepherded hither and thither and exploration and touching was a no-no.
At Pompeii and Herculaneum we were free to wander and explore pretty much where we liked. We were rather shocked that we had such freedom but it was delightful nonetheless. I have vivid memories of myself and my wife, alone, strolling down a blazing hot Pompeii back street and taking shade in the central garden of a rather fine villa. With no other tourists around It took no imagination at all to picture it as it once was and that is a very powerful feeling.
Trevi fountain? packed and tedious. Colliseum? again it was go here…go there…see that…hassle, hassle, hassle. The Pantheon on the other hand we could stroll in and amble around.
Ha, you have obviously never tried to drive the A303 in Summer. Far more like 0.5 mph, as the traffic jams up all the way through from Amesbury to Mere.
I liked visiting Old Sarum, personally. But Stonehenge is impressive.
I took one of those ten years ago. It was wonderful. My tour was the evening tour, but they also did a champagne breakfast at dawn (too early for me!). The one I took was a package. We also visited the West Kennet Long Barrow and Avebury.
Last time I was at Stonehenge was back when you could wander all about and touch everything. It’s even more amazing in person, as opposed to Mt. Rushmore, which is a joke.
My first visit to Stonehenge was back in 1976. Everyone I talked to said that it wasn’t as big as they had imagined and were thus disappointed. So I prepared myself to be disappointed as well. Upon arriving on site, I was overcome with awe at the majesty of the place. Back then you could walk unfettered within the circle and as I approached the first stone I threw myself sobbing upon it! I visited on another occasion many years later (when the circle was closed to the public) and was again moved to tears. It is my most favorite place on the planet.
I was there back in 2003, and due to train/bus problems, became an entire day trip from London. But it was impressive. I did buy one thing from the shop: A little sheep made from black wool. It’s become one of my Christmas tree ornaments.
I couldn’t help wondering what the creators of Stonehenge would think, if they could have known about people traveling up to thousands of miles, just to see those rocks.
