Stonehenge

After visiting Avebury we made our way to Stonehenge which I hadn't been to since I was a toddler (in the years before they stopped access into the circle itself; this was due to both vandalism and to protect the history). We passed Silbury Hill on the way but didn't climb to the top:

It was absolutely heaving and at this point I was very jealous that my parents were members as their queue was really quick and short! I also discovered that it would have been a good idea to pre book to reduce the waiting time... Luckily for me my parents brought me my lunch whilst I was waiting to keep me going... Then we had to wait for the shuttle bus to the stones (you can walk the just over a mile but a) I had paid £17.50 and wanted my moneys worth b)  after walking around Avebury some folks needed a sit down!). The bus drops you where the old A303 used to pass close by the circle:

As members for a free audio guide my son kindly lent me his one. There were numbers all the way around the enclosure and you just played whichever one was on the plaque. Lots of folks just went to the nearest point but I made sure we went right the way round:

Avebury Stone Circle

On our way to our holiday accommodation we realised that we were going to be very close to Avebury Stone Circle. So of course we had to make a stop on the way. My son had never been but for all the adults it was a return visit. We had all forgotten what size the stones were:

The National Trust had a couple of exhibitions about the history of the stones and some hands on ways of showing how the stones may have been erected:

We didn't visit the manor house but we did try out the temporary cafe which is in use whilst they recover from last winter's big freeze: