Day Trips: Stone Henge,
Stonehenge, worth a visit or over hyped ?
The legend of Stonehenge and the many mysteries behind its construction was what initially intrigued me about this historic monument. However, would it live up to the theories and speculation or was it just a waste of time?
The Weather
Our first problem when we arrived at stone henge was the weather. It was absolutely freezing. I was practically waddling around wrapped in my thick coat while trying to take in the ‘wonder’ of the henge.
The visitor centre !
Before getting to the monument, there was the visitor centre, and also a small museum exploring where stone henge may have come from and the facts we knew. Personally, I found that boring. Long answer cut short, nobody has a clue where it has come from or what it is or even why it’s there. With the museum itself just a few boards of information stuck on walls and a video. Not for me.
The Stonehenge ?
The stone henge itself wasn’t brilliant either. Compared to the classic postcard shot, it was quite underwhelming and much smaller than I had anticipated (especially with the build up from the museum). With tours walking the short distance around the stones and me still waddling like a penguin with my dad and brother, nobody could actually get very close to the stones at all. Then it was a short bus ride back to the main building and, most importantly, the coffee shop.
Should we have gone ?
Overall, I wouldn’t go back to stone henge. However, it may be a different story if you know what to expect when walking around the stones and if you are more motivated for the history of the monument. Be warned, it raises more questions than answers with most boards of info just stating the obvious.
Top Tips if your planning a visit
- Check the weather forecast as this is an outdoor attraction.
- Best time to visit – Early morning
- Parking- available on site
- Tickets – Book online for speed of entry
- Take the shuttle from the visitor centre or walk its about 15 minutes to walk.
Useful links
Advanced tickets and planning:
www.englishheritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/plan-your-visit/