Here are a few images from our quick trip to Stonehenge and a little report.
I love seeing prehistoric sites! It’s really fascinating to me to imagine a society with the skills and wherewithal to build something grand and lasting — and yet we know almost nothing about them. I always wonder if their lives were very, very different from mine — or essentially the same. Did they get grumpy when they were hungry? Did they have leisure time? What was their concept of love and happiness?
Stonehenge didn’t disappoint. It’s old and big and mysterious. We learned that the current circle of stones is the third one that was built on that site — and that the site is older than the pyramids!
You can’t get really close and touch the stones, but you can get close enough for decent pictures. There is roped off path that takes you around the whole site and it provides some pretty spectacular views. If you’re dying to get up close and personal with the stones, Avebury is not too far. It’s another ancient stone circle that’s much bigger than Stonehenge, but far less touristy.
The tickets include a little handset-on-a-cord you can wear around your neck and hold up to your ear, which was great. But it was cold and windy! We wished we were wearing mittens and hats. Stonehenge is kind of in the middle of nowhere — just off the road and surrounded by fields of grazing sheep. The countryside couldn’t have been more charming.
Our trip was short. We played with the idea of visiting Stonehenge plus some other area sites, but really, it was more of an experiment to see if we really could take a decent trip to England on a Saturday+Sunday without missing work or school. Instead of doing more site-seeing we went straight from Stonehenge to the hotel so the kids could swim and go to a movie — in English! — which felt like a treat. We thought our little trip was a success! Next time, we’d really like to visit Bath, and see more of the English countryside.
How about you? Have you ever been to Stonehenge or another prehistoric site? Are you fascinated by them like me? Do you think weekend trips are worth the effort?
P.S. — Our visit to prehistoric caves.
Those caves!!! Did you get to hear the story about archaeologists finding a boy’s footprint next to a wolf’s? I heard about it listen to an interview w/Werner Herzog, talking about his documentary about the caves. So sad they’re closed now!
I was watching HGTV tonight and your episode was on again! It reminded me that I haven’t visited here in forever. Still great content, as always!
I went there, ahem, when I was 16, which was less than 30 years ago, and I have a picture somewhere with me laying on one of the fallen stones. Back then you could walk up to them and touch them. Very cool, but the place did have a creepy feel to it.
Yes! You should totally visit Bath if you get a chance, I spent my entire childhood there (and my family still lives there so I visit whenever I get a chance) and it is a great little city for a mini break – very family friendly too! Love your blog :) xx
regards from Russia! ;)
I’ve been to Stonehenge few years ago and the weather was just about the same (windy). The fact that walking amongst the stones was disabled by the rope around Stonehenge dissapointed a bit, but the place is truly mysterious and pretty old. :) We were lucky to take nice photos with clouds and sun and… yes we pressed the coin for memory
ps: reading your blog for a few months now and this is fantastic. Please keep going! Regards to your nice family.
-Dad of three-
I did go to Stonehenge. We made a lot of jokes like “Stonehenge rocks.” We too were fascinated by the sheep! I spent a semester in England in college, and really enjoyed all the historic sites we saw. The US is so young!
Yay!! I bet it was nice for you to–and the kids–to spend some time in an English speaking country. My husband always feels less stressed when we go to visit his parents in Portugal. It’s nice to speak in your native tongue.
I totally think a weekend trip is doable to the UK. My husband and I have had weekend trips to Paris and the time frame is just enough to enjoy a mini break and you’re really not that far from “home.” You should come to Scotland! We’ve got a lot to see!