Solstice and Stonehenge



Stonehenge - over 5000 years old and still a question as to how or who created the circle.

Managed to book the afternoon Stonehenge Express tour with Evan Evans tours - two hour drive out of London through the countryside, one hour visit, and two hour ride back into the city. It was well worth the £25 price. During the pick ups for the tour the drive through London passed some of the highlight points as we followed the guards marching up the street for the changing of the guard at the palace, around the people packed Trafalgar square, and through the west end theatre district, and Hyde Park area. Traffic is somewhat insane and I give the bus driver full points for managing not to kill anyone - pedestrian or vehicular (definintely not a job for the weak of heart).
Spring is well underway as we headed into the greening countryside, with little lambs chasing about spinning their tales. Daffodils growing wild, some hedgerow with yellow flowers, cherry blossom laden trees and most trees just beginning to show green though there is some crazy ivy or vine that had wrapped some of the huge trees trunks from base to limb in green leaves. Not sure if it is a weed but it gave the trees a very weird look, like thousands of leaves were growing out of the trunks, then the skeletal tree limbs up top where the hint of green shows as the leaves are just beginning to unfurl. Also saw my first thatched roof on the drive out on the multi-lane M4,

Stonehenge was smaller than I had imagined - still huge 40 plus ton rocks. You aren't allowed to actually go into the rock circle but the walk about it puts you in close vicinity (15-20 yards). Considering the limited resources, lack of tools during the time of its construction it is a pretty amazing construct that has largely stood the test of time.
You listen to an audio guide as you walk the perimiter of the circle and it gives the details of the various stages of the development of Stonehenge as it was built in phases. It is still an acurate calendar based on the arch that the sun rays fall through during the year and the geometry is spot on for the equinox sunrise to hit the centre altar stone (which has fallen from its original standing position).