Hanging out with the stones...

An away day to Stonehenge.....

15th September 2012

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Amesbury Millennium Cross

Squeezing out the last bits of summer is the name of the game now that the evenings are drawing in. On Saturday I joined a day trip on a minibus to Stonehenge organised locally from west London. An eight mile hike was also part of the itinerary which was going to allow the group to explore the surrounding Wiltshire country side and enjoy which looked like the last good day of the summer. 

Armed with clipboard, our organiser Tom marked everyone off as they boarded the 9.30 for Stonehenge. Acton town is  an unusual meeting point for a tour but convenient for me as I live in nearby Ealing. It of course allowed for an earlier arrival home along with, time permitting, the chance to enjoy at least some prime-time Saturday night locally ("cake" and "eating it" are always on my mind). I could also then get home comfortably before the nutty season kicked in.

Off we went. 22 stones fans on board and the bus slipped onto the M3 from the Chiswick roundabout bound for Wiltshire. As with most bus trips it was quiet on the outbound journey with the odd newspaper in view, some couples having quiet chit-chat and a girl in the same row as myself having a snooze. Luckily I had a seat all to my good self so I parked my day pack next to me and fished out a banana. 

Fly fishing along the river Avon

The weather looked very promising and because of the recent stretch of dry days chose to wear my walking shoes instead of my sturdy Brashers. We were to be dropped off in Amersbury, four miles from Stonehenge and which marked the half-way mark of a planned circular walk.

The bus passed into Hampshire after 40 minutes then Wiltshire just before 11 and passed a road sign for Stonehenge shortly after that.  We finally pulled up at 11.45 in the Amersbury where we began our hike. Everyone off of the bus, and a after a few introductions moved off along a lane from the village following The Lords Way.

Walking group winding it's way to Stonehenge

Amersbury is a small picturesque village of a couple of main streets lined mostly with independent family run shops. It gives you a feel of days gone by before familiar franchises and chain stores became the mark of every street.

Wooded path leading to Stonehenge

Not far into the Lords Way we found ourselves following the river Avon with a path that had become overgrown and a sure sign of autumn's return. A few middle-aged men were fly-fishing and with the mix of the partial shaded areas and strong sunlight made it was one of those sights straight out of a brochure for English country life.  

After crossing a small bridge the group followed along trails and lanes and into wooded walkways almost made for this hike towards the monument ahead. We took the sign for Dunford and followed what then looked like a mix of horse breeding country and farmland. All farms had their fields cut with hay piled high and several well packed sheds marked harvest time for sure. 

Cloud watching over Stonehenge

We continued on and from over a hill caught sight of Stonehenge for the first time. Tom announced lunchtime and we stopped for a picnic at the Normanton Barrows which although was in a nice location delayed the reason for my been on this trip. Patience patience I thought. The Normanton Barrows stretches for about a kilometre and is made up of a series of disc shaped barrows like small grass spaceships in the distance from Stonehenge. The curved line they follow feel parallel with the ancient sight beyond. We sat  and had a packed lunch in the strong sunshine and watched a demon like cloud that sailed across the sky in front of us as it peered down upon where we were headed.

Stonehenge is a neolithic monument from around 3000BC that has went through various  rebuilds, additions and face 

Salisbury plain

lifts over time. The image we are so accustomed to seeing isn't the original structure and was preceded by structures made from stone and wood. Many theories exist as to its purpose and the popular use of a place of worship is kept prominent with the strong association with the Druids. There is no actual link or overlap in the known history of Stonehenge and Druidism other than the annual gathering during the summer solstice. This annual procession is enough to keep it in the public conciousness and that of a place of intrigue.

Entrance to car park at Stonehenge 

Lunch over and we headed on. When we reached the monument the group stopped for another 40 minutes allowing the choice of entering the sight and forgo the admission charge or simply relax in the nearby fields. In would have been a sin not to go I thought especially since the sun was just starting to cast shadows from the stones. A good time for take a nice snap or two. 
Those who chose to visit joined the conveyor belt of day trippers queuing for admission then passed through a tunnel that went under a fence and emerged onto a path towards the stones. 

Stonehenge

The breakaway group made our way as close as we were allowed up to the lines that prevent you getting close enough to touch. All visitors following each other slowly around its guided perimeter path. Everyone moved at about the same pace gazing at it's wonder and making the odd remark whilst keeping it light and interesting. With everything from comparisons to the pyramids, one of the wonders of the world, a place of sacrifice, the iPad2 of it's day and "No way am I getting my photo taken against a big lump of rumble!", continual comments that broke the silence and all in the good taste of an enjoyable day out. There is wonderment here and most feel a draw of some kind. The height of some of the stones alone are breathtaking and how they sit and have sat over the years is a wonder. I have to say that few people expressed much knowledge about what they were looking at (me included) and few realised that the current monument wasn't the original circle. Stonehenge is the Mona Lisa of Neolithic history with the surrounding countryside of barrows, Bronze age monuments and burial grounds the Louvre of archaeology. 

One thing that struck me when walking the pathway around the circle is that almost every tourist walked by the equally significant Heel Stone without any thought or realisation of it's importance. When viewed from inside the circle itself, the Heel Stone marks the direction from where the sun rises on the morning of the summer solstice. Relatively speaking though, it is situated out of the way and outside the guided perimeter path around the monument. In fact it's right up against the fence beside the road that passes the site erected to protect and preserve the stones from too much interference. 

Here's a good video overview of Stonehenge.....



Forty minutes passes quick when you're drawn into an ancient world and those that made their way to the stones now had to rejoin the group. The walk back to Amersbury along the open fields of Salisbury plain, beautiful as they were, didn't offer the variety of the route we followed to the monument and didn't serve up the same air of anticipation either. The heat and direct sunlight were causing tired legs as we neared Amersbury again en route for a scheduled pub stop. Cloudier days make for better walking conditions especially in these parts as there's little in the way of shade. Take my advice and wear a hat if you intend visiting.

The George Hotel, Amersbury

We edged back into Amersbury along a different lane from where we had started and Tom guided us to The George Hotel. "The George" is an ancient coaching house founded by Henry II in 900AD as a Pilgrims Hostel. It's a pub of two halves with tables in the court yard in between that still provides Bed and Breakfast and is very olde worldy indeed. 

With our laurels well rested we boarded the bus when it pulled up and set off east back to London. The setting sun made for a quiet trip back which felt quick partly due to the time of day.
We were back on the ground in Acton Town just after 8pm and allowed for that sensible arrival home time. 

Thereafter a well earned bit of Ealing style jazz with food rounded up the day.

If you ever intend going to Stonehenge I would recommend a full day and go and investigate the surrounding barrows as well. Research the area and follow the Lords Way that leads to the monument. It's a perfect approach. Amersbury is a great place to park up, look around and spend time in. It's also a perfect place to start and return to if spending the day of foot. 

For the full Stonehenge experience however go for the mid-summer all-nighter and join the hundreds who show up to celebrate the solstice with the Druids. 

See you there next year :)

Crop Circles in Avebury

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This trip is one of a few that can be found leaving London during the summer months and provides a tour of the crop circles around Avebury. As new circles appear all the time this (along with the weather) makes each tour  different from the next. 

Crop circles intrigue most people. Their designs are often complex and tend to be both mathematically precise and have a spiritual connection with the earth and the solar system we reside in. Sacred Geometry is the term I learned during this trip that best fits the phenomena.


The bus departed from Westminster after 9am and headed west out of London. There were around 20 in the group and from a good cross-section of age and background. Quite a few had been to the area to see the circles before and also the stones in Avebury.

Onto the M3 from the Chiswick en route for Wiltshire we went. Although quiet, there was an upbeat feel on the bus with printed handouts been passed which set the context for the trip and put everyone in the mood.

The printouts detailed recent formations we were likely to visit along with background history of the circles and interpretations of some formations. The lady organising the tour mentioned that the first recorded circle was around 1690, created by "The Mowing Devil" which left me quite taken aback I have to say.

We passed Salisbury hill which marked our arrival at the epicentre of crop circle activity in England if not the world. Although Neolithic, Salisbury hill's history and origins are a mystery as it sits nicely amongst the gentle farmland around it.  Shortly after, we pulled up at the Silent Cafe, stretched our legs, had coffee and browsed around the little shop that sold books, t-shirts and other related crop circle souvenirs. Grouped around outside were guides waiting to be picked up. Some with long walking staffs, some with big wellies, some with oil skin coats and all looking the part. It was time to say hi and get to know each other in the group and break the ice. 


With a local guide on board we departed in good spirits and ended up at the side of a road at Wanborough Plain where we got out and scaled a fence in single file to a field of barley. One by one we followed the tracks made by the harvesters towards the formation. The thing that strikes you when walking around these mystical works of art for the first time is that up until that point you've only seen the aerial view. This different aspect means you adjust your attention to the experience of being there which isn't easy at first but you can't help but get into the detail of the craftsmanship. The group wandered around in a sort of random order. Some followed the path of the outer circle, some followed the paths of the two overlapping pyramids and some just wandered around the centre. Some stood still and meditated and one or two held crystals picking up the energy that circled from the end of a chain. The group started to intrigue me as much as the formation itself and throughout the initial time there silence filled the air until everyone gathered at it's centre. Light conversation ensued with questions about when and how it was made. After about 30 minutes we headed back to the mini-bus and returned to Avebury.

This video below gives you an idea of formation at Wanborough Plain




We got to the Avebury stones, broke for an hour and wandered the site that is reason enough to visit this area alone. For me, the size of these stones is what makes it so special. Where I come from we just have short dumpy ones but do they job all the same I have to say. Their presence is quite something and you can't help but follow their path across the two fields near the information centre.

I followed the stones with a girl from the group who joined the tour only for this part of the day saying that she has always been drawn to this place throughout her life and had visited many times. An hour passes quick when lost amongst neolithic wonders and we had to hurry back to the bus. The photo below which taken from flickr and is of one stones that caught my eye on returning to the bus. There seemed to be a horselike carving on one side of the nearest stone in the photo which I didn't see until almost back at the bus but didn't stop to take a snap. Next time I will.

Avebury Stones
Courtesy of Lee Robinson1

Fields of Barley,
Salisbury Hill in the distance

Everyone back on the bus again and off we went to the second formation of the day. There was a lively atmosphere on board and lots of anticipation for the next formation. We passed Salisbury hill a second time and pulled up alongside another field of barley. The ground was alot drier and we were now in the middle of a very pleasant afternoon. With coats wrapped around waists we walked through the field to the brow of a hill. 

There was a great feel amongst the group wandering in silence through a very intricate formation that spread very wide. It had no obvious shape and was made up like a lattice pattern with small clearings here and there. In silence the group drifted through this maze meeting each other along the way for a quite analysis.






Everyone gravitated towards what looked like the central point where the guide stood and the silence was well broken at this stage with many smiling faces and lots of comment. The guide then suggested an Om. Everyone fell into line holding hands in a circle and with eyes closed the guide lead off and all followed. "Ommmmm......." it was easy to follow for sure and this was all new to me and will say that I was carried away a little after a while. The connection with the group over the next several minutes was a spiritual experience I'd never felt before.  Omming is a healing meditative technique which originated in Hinduism and is a mystical Sanskrit sound which means "that which is sounded out loudly". Anyone was invited to say some words and thanks was given for the energy felt at this moment and at the place we all stood. On breaking hands there was alot of warmth and a few spoke of the great feeling they had within them during this moment of meditation. We headed back to the bus.

I found this on youtube which will gives an idea on Omming .....



 

After a short drive away we disembarked and walked through an avenue of stones to our final formation which was only days old. 

Crop formations appear all the time and this one was as fresh as they came. The avenue allowed us to walk as a group which was nice as there was alot of bonding going on, the interest level was high and there was a good vibe in the air.

Avenue of Stones leading to Etchilhampton Hill

As we followed the avenue of stones a microlight flew over several times. The interest in the crops formations, circles and Spiritual Geometry brings in visitors from all other the world and there are many options available on how they can be viewed. The microlight seemed the perfect choice to see circles all in one go but it doesn't compare to being on the ground where you feel the energy and see the detail.

Crop Circle, Etchilhampton Hill   

We got to the top of the field where the formation was and this time it was a perfect circle. It was quite small and the first impression (now that I was an experienced crop circle expert!) was that of a fake. Too simplistic I thought compared to the previous two. 

That said, none of the give-away signs of fakes existed. There were no broken stalks or damage to the crop itself. We were standing on Etchilhampton Hill and the circle was only 2 days old. We gathered neatly around the edge of the formation and stood in silence as the last few filed in through the small avenue made by the track left by the harvester. 

After a few moments the guide suggested another Om and everyone took part once again. The feel good factor of this felt right in the moment especially since this was our last formation of  trip. The guide suggested we all gather out hands into a middle point of the circle and feel the energy together. It was a great moment on a day that got better as it went on.

Courtesy of Jac Mac

The skies started to turn grey again as we returned to the bus and one final stop at a local pub for a reflection on the day. 

And after a hour spent over a pint of local brew and lots of lively chat we headed back and returned to London mid-evening.

Thanks to Margaret  for organising this trip through her meetup group The London Forum for Crop Circles & Other Mysteries 

Further reading on Crop Circles can be found on the website Crop Circle Connector and also look out for the annual Glastonbury Symposium which takes place each year.

And there are many many videos on YouTube just waiting to be found.