The surreal landscape set the tone for my visit to one of the world’s most famous stones. The Stonehenge. Found in Wiltshire, England amidst countless of other burial mounds and stone monuments.
The Stonehenge is said to be built during the Neolithic (last of the stone ages) and Bronze Ages. These stones were errected here around 3000BC – 2500BC! That’s such a long time ago and it makes it hard to process how and why these stones were placed here.
The area around Stonehenge is a burial ground for humans at the early beginning but it is unknown if there were any other uses of these ancient stones throughout history. Many believe it is used as a temple or a worship place of some sort. It is voted as one of Britain Seven Wonders and at some point in time had been a gathering point for many neopaganism believers.
Though personally I much prefer ancient buildings rather than rock formations, I can understand how Stonehenge can be such an intriguing mystery given that these massive stones were carried to these plains from a distance of 240miles away. With no modern tools, it would have taken 600 men to get past some obstacles in while transporting!
If you believe in legends and mystery, then this place in all purposes and intents is one with magical mystic powers of honor and healing. It is said that King Arthur and his descendants were all buried here. And that Merlin the wizard had the stones magically moved from Ireland to it’s current location.
In the photo above you’ll see me standing in front of a drawing of what the Stonehenge Circle was supposed to look like while the photo below shows you what is left of it today.
There isn’t much else around Stonehenge itself because the government is working hard to maintain the land to be the way it was thousands of years ago. Of course there are still a little commercialism seen near the site with a gift shop or two but the wide vast lands nearby is devoid of houses or anything much actually.
If you are interested in the Stonehenge, the best time to visit it is on the 21st June where the Summer Solstice festival is celebrated there. Admission the the circle is free and throngs of people would camp at Stonehenge overnight to greet the first day of summer. Normally the stones are roped off to prevent visitor contact but for that one night, you could actually stand next to the stones, touch, feel and become transported to the time when druids gathered for festivals around the rocks.
Hope you enjoy the little video clip I have of my trip there. ( Video clip can only be watched at www.renzze.com)