Articles Menu
PassPorter Articles |
Planning |
Disney Dreaming
What Keeps Us Coming Back
Disney for Veteran Visitors
Rumor Round-Up
Finding Answers
Best Disney Trip Advice
Getting Your Disney Fix
How Young Is Too Young?
Top Ten Disney Questions
Tipping (Gratuities)
Timeshare Vacation Offers
Disney World on a Budget
Credit Cards 101
Money-Saving Strategies
Preparing Kids For Disney
Taking Toddlers to Disney
Planning Trips for Others
Convincing Others To Go
Importance of Being Lazy
Preparing For Your Disney Cruise
Ten "Must Pack" Items
Touring With A Group
Chaperoning A Group Trip |
Traveling |
Ten Travel Tips
Luggage Tips
iPhone, I Travel
Driving to Disney
Driving With Kids
Child Safety Seats
CARES Harness Review
Rental Cars
Amtrak Auto Train
Airline Security
Flying With Kids
Surviving Long Flights
Surviving Bumpy Flights
Surviving Bad Vacations
Surviving Long Airport Waits
Staying Healthy
First Aid on Vacation
Solo Travel
Pregnant at Disney
Dress For Travel
Traveling With Pets
International Travel
Taking A 'Greener' Trip to WDW
Orlando Sanford Airport |
Lodging |
Choosing a Resort
On-Site Lodging vs. Off-Site Lodging
Disney Resort Primer
Reserving a Room
Key to the World Card
Fun at Resort Hotels
Disney Vacation Club
All-Star Movies
All-Star Music
All-Star Sports
All-Star Vacation Homes
Animal Kingdom Lodge: Perfect for Teens
Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Beach Club
BoardWalk Inn & Villas
Contemporary Resort
Ft. Wilderness Camping
Old Key West
Wilderness Lodge
Home Sweet Home
Grand Californian #1
Grand Californian #2
Grosvenor Resort
Hilton Resort
Orlando Airport Marriott
Priceline.com
Radisson Resort Parkway
Shades of Green
Westin Century Plaza
Making The Most of Bell Services at Disney's Deluxe Resorts
DVC's Old Key West Resort |
Cruising |
Preparing For Your Disney Cruise
New Ships!
Cruise Security
International Port Security
Convincing a Husband to Cruise
Palo Dinner Review
Vow Renewals Onboard
Cruising With Special Diets
Cruising St. Martin
One in a Million Cruise
Zip-A-Dee-Zip-Line: A Canopy Adventure
A 'Magic' Time In The Mediterranean
A Wrap-Up From DCL's Inaugural Mediterranean Cruise
DCL: Not Just for Kids!
Spa Villas Review |
Touring |
Laugh Floor Comedy Club
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Fantasyland For Adults
Mission: SPACE
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Star Wars Weekends
Animal Kingdom
Expedition EVEREST
Surviving the Parks as First Time Parents
Surviving the Holidays
Overcoming Kids Fears
Planning Park Days
Four Parks in One Day
Touring with Toddlers
A Kid's Perspective
A Teen's Take
Educational Epcot
Flower & Garden Festival
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
Scary Places (Halloween)
Playing "Millionaire"
Winning "Millionaire"
A Day With Allie
Past Attractions at Magic Kingdom
Meeting Mickey
Disneyland at 50
Future of Disneyland
Beyond the Disney Parks
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Monorail System
California Adventure
Expanding Disney's California Adventure
10 Reasons to Love Disneyland
A WDW Veteran's First Trip to Disneyland
A Disneyland Veteran's First Trip to Walt Disney World
Disneyland Homecoming
Walt Disney World With Pre-Teen Boys
Keys To The Kingdom Backstage Tour
Pirates & Princess Party
WDW with Teens? Absolutely! |
Dining |
Disney Dining Plan
More Dining Plan Tips
Dining Plan Revisited
Dining Plan Answers
Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) Strategies
Artist Point Review
California Grill Review
Nine Dragons Review
Spoodles Review
The Turf Club Review
Crystal Palace Review
Yak & Yeti Review
Tutto Italia Review
Character Dinners
Dine With A Disney Imagineer
Eating Healthy at Disney
Food Allergies
White Water Snacks
MurderWatch Mystery Theatre
Disneyland Dining: Yamabuki
Disneyland Area Dining: Pirate's Dinner Adventure
Party For The Senses
Artist Point
1900 Park Fare Dinner Review |
Making Magic |
Romance At Disney World
Beating The Post Trip Blues
Discovering the Magic
Magic of Slowing Down
Unexpected Treasures
Wishes Fireworks Cruise
Backstage Tours
Epcot's Segway Tour
Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival
Taking Great Photos
Taking Great Fireworks Photos
Digital Photo Q & A
Souvenirs on a Budget
Pal Mickey
Birthdays at Disney
Reunions and Gatherings
Holidays (Christmas)
More Holidays
Disney Intimate Weddings
Disney Vow Renewals
Custom Events
Scrapbooking
Preserving Memories
Scrapbooking Supplies
Finding Scrapbook Supplies at WDW
Memories and Milestones
Scavenger Hunts
Geocaching
Hidden Mickeys
Hidden Mickeys Book Review
Richard Petty Experience
More Richard Petty Rides
Ft. Wilderness Trail Ride
Disney Podcasts
MouseFest 2006
Cirque du Soleil: La Nouba |
Sharing |
Making of PassPorter |
Rest of the World |
United States:
Big Apple Greeter
City Pass Cards
Hawaii
Hilton Head Island #1
Hilton Head Island #2
Celebration, Florida
Key Largo & Islamorada
Miami, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida
Space Coast, Florida
Tampa-St. Petersburg
WonderWorks (Orlando)
Knoebels, Pennsylvania
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
San Diego
San Francisco
Anza-Borrego Desert
Grand Canyon
The Poconos
New York City
New York Splash Tours
New York City Dining
New York: Antiques
New England
New Orleans
Nashville, Tennessee
Adventures by Disney: Wyoming
Fort Sumter, South Carolina
Zoos of the World
Universal Studios Orlando
New Attractions at Universal Orlando
Seuss Trolley Train Ride at Universal Orlando
Sanibel & Captiva Islands
Universal: For Non-Thrill Seekers?
Madison County, Iowa
The Great Smoky Mountains
Yosemite
Discovery Cove (Orlando)
Busch Gardens Africa: SheiKra Coaster Review
NASCAR AllState 400
Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Niagara Falls, New York
Blue Horizons at SeaWorld Orlando
International Travel:
London
London Museums
London's Globe Theatre
Kent, England
Bath, England
Great Britain via Harry Potter
Stonehenge
Ireland
Paris
Marseilles
Rome
Stockholm, Sweden
Helsinki, Finland
Quebec City, Canada
Prince Edward Island
South Africa
Leeds Castle
Pompeii
Windsor Castle
Wimbledon
Menorca
Dover Castle
Florence
Monaco
Niagara Falls, Ontario
|
|
|
Stonehenge
by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
It's amazing how some places become such huge draws for
visitors. It's easy to understand why millions of people are drawn to cities
like New York, London, and Paris every year, but it's bizarre to think that a
huge circle of stones is also one of England's most popular tourist attractions.
Essentially that's what Stonehenge in the southwest of England is. Located
around an hour and a half's drive from London, there's been a stone circle on
this site for around 5,000 years, although the stone circle you see today
probably dates back more like 3,500 years. It's safe to say that there aren't
many sites in the world that have survived for such a long period of time and
because of that, it's generally regarded as the most important prehistoric site
in the United Kingdom.
But why was it constructed? Well, the simple
answer is no one really knows, although there are lots of different theories.
Perhaps it was built to carry out human sacrifices? A nicer thought is that
maybe it had something to do with astronomy, but the truth is we'll never have a
definite answer. It's not even certain why this site was chosen to have a stone
circle, although there is certainly a feeling about this place, one that you
can't quite put your finger on, when you visit.
Work at Stonehenge was
undertaken in three main stages, with the first stage being a circle of timbers
surrounded by a ditch and a bank. As you can imagine, there's little sign of
those left today, but work from the other two phases can be seen.
The
site was left as it was for some time - estimated to be something like 600 to
700 years, before it was rebuilt, using bluestones from the mountains of South
Wales. Now considering that Stonehenge is not that close to Wales, we're talking
more than 200 miles away, you can imagine how much work it must have been to
drag that stone down to the sea and then float it along the river to this site.
These are the smaller stones on the site.
In the final phase of work, the
bluestones were dug up and re-arranged and a new set of bigger sandstones, known
as Sarsen stones, were added. As you stand and look at these today, you really
can't begin to comprehend how on earth they dragged them here from the nearby
Marlborough Downs. Even though that's comparatively nearby, it's still a 20 mile
trek! Then of course, there's the issue of how on earth they managed to get the
things upright. Like many things about the history of Stonehenge, it's another
case of nobody really knows, but it must have involved an awful lot of muscle
and the strength of literally hundreds of men.
As you walk around
Stonehenge today, the first thing that strikes you is the enormity of these
stones. Then, there's the eerie feeling to the place. Of course, the great
British weather often helps with that -- if you go there on a slightly misty
day, as we once did, it really adds to the whole mystery of the
place.
Unfortunately, today you can't actually get up close to the
stones, as sadly this place has become a victim of its own success and the
stones were getting damaged by visitors. Even though you can't touch the stones
and have to admire them from a distance, it's still a stunning place to visit.
If you do want to get into the stone circle itself - and it's something that
will live with you forever if you do it - then the best thing to do is to
arrange for a Stone Circle Access visit through English Heritage, which looks
after the site. There's more information on their web
site.
When you visit the site, you will have to pay, as Stonehenge
was passed to English Heritage with the provision that a charge should be made
to pay for the site's upkeep. However, you will receive an audio guide that will
take you on a self-guided tour around the site and you'll learn all about the
history of the site and what you're seeing.
It's a fascinating place to
visit, but be warned, it's rarely quiet, as it's such a popular place to visit.
It's an odd feeling to be walking around somewhere that ideally you'd like to be
viewing on your own so that you can take in the atmosphere, only to be
surrounded by thousands of people, but don't let that put you off - it's one of
the most unique places you'll ever visit in the world.
Stonehenge is open
all year round, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and with limited
opening hours on December 26 and New Year's Day. Opening times vary throughout
the year, although it's usually open from 9am or 9.30am until between 4:00 pm
and 7:00 pm, with shorter opening hours in the winter months. Admission costs
6.30 pounds for adults, 3.20 pounds for children and 4.70 pounds for
concessions. A family ticket is 15.80 pounds and it's free of charge for English
Heritage and National Trust members.
It's worth keeping in mind that
Stonehenge is still used at the summer solstice for worship, so if you're
planning your visit on the longest day of the year - usually around the third
week in June, you may want to double check on opening hours.
Related Links: Kent, England
Return to PassPorter.com |
Ask a Question on the PassPorter Message Boards
Updated 04/06/07
Read additional articles from PassPorter.com
Subscribe to our free e-mail newsletter, PassPorter News, published for more than 58,000 opt-in subscribers worldwide.
As an added bonus for subscribing, you will receive a 20% discount coupon for the PassPorter Store -- no catch!
We respect your privacy and never sell or rent our subscriber list. Subscribing will not result
in more spam! We guarantee it.
|
Copyright 1999-2015 by PassPorter Travel Press, an imprint of MediaMarx, Inc.
|
|
|