366 Photos - 16/366 - Clouds over Stonehenge

[byslantedlight]

Today was a going-to-Stonehenge day. Just cos.




Even the carpark was pretty impressive, cloud-wise... *g*I've been before with the new visitor centre, but this time I decided to walk from there to the stones, and it was actually really nice. It wasn't exactly a peaceful ancient landscape (they were bombing hell out of something somewhere on the Plain, you can still hear the A303, they have the noisiest shuttle buses I've heard for years, and people were allowed to take their children), but you can wander all over the landscape now, which always felt fenced up before, so that was rather good. And I'm always surprised by the way Stonehenge doesn't stand out in the landscape (it's almost in a dip until you get close to it), which wasn't really noticeable before.

Also there's a gift shop, and I may have bought Christmas mead (which you drink warmed up) and a book that's started really well called Blood of the Isles - about our genetic heritage. *g*

Comments

[milomaus.livejournal.com]

Such wonderful clouds!
I remember the weather and cloud changes when we went to Stonehenge, it was fabulous!

And how fab is it, to just decide at breakfast, hey, let's visit Stonehenge? Lucky you!

We went to town today, ordered a new sofa, went shopping, (I got "grandchild" (doll) number six today.....), and went to a picture show from Micheal Martin, Planet dessert, (translated the title). It was fabulous, fantastic fotos, really amazing.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of you guys at Stonehenge while I was there - and of course Bodie and Doyle at Stonehenge, just because... *g* There's some great clouds over Salisbury Plain - but it seems to get more than its share of rain too, I think... It was rather cool to suddenly think hey, I shall visit Stonehenge! I shall get to Avebury again one day soon, cos I like that alot too, and it's also not far - barely an hour. *g*

Hurrah for new sofas - hope it's beautiful and comfy for you all! And six dolls? Any particular kind...? *g*

I had to google Martin Michael, but wow - if the picture on the front of his website is like the exhibition then that must have been just brilliant!

[fiorenza-a.livejournal.com]

The Red Lion at Avebury used to be my 'local' (it was nothing of the sort, but why would you go anywhere else?).

And I used to drive by Stonehenge regularly on the way to work, once upon a time.

I think, of the two, I prefer Avebury. And Salisbury plain between 6:00 and 7:00 with the mists rising as I pootled along in my own ford (not a capri, sadly), looking for all the world as if one of my early ancestors was about to hove into view was always magical.

Lucky you :0)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Early morning work, by the sound of it - it's very easy to imagine it as a magical landscape for people all those years ago though, isn't it.

[jessebee.livejournal.com]

Like the guardian sitting on the Stonehenge sign *g*.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I rather like the guardian too - actually there's lots of them around the area where the shuttle buses come in. They've always been around the stones, and on the fences going away from the stones, but I don't remember them being so friendly with visitors when the old visitor centre/carpark/road was there... I suppose they're expanding their territory now that the cars are gone! Plus the EH wardens feed them... *g*

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

Oh, so atmospheric! The bird on the sign is almost like a warning.

I'm so looking forward to checking out their gift shop in September. And seeing the Stones, too, of course. *g*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Gosh, September - it's finally the right year! *g* I suspect the birds will still be there when you visit, and the gift shop definitely - you're practically herded into it when you get off the shuttle buses from seeing the stones now! It's expanded considerably, too... *g*

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

Can't be any worse than when we toured the Coors plant in Golden, Colorado. After the tour they take you to a room where everyone gets three glasses of beer. The only way out is through the gift shop!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

It looks so calm and quiet... !

No matter how often I see Stonehenge, it always startles me - the way it's so small and so huge all at once, and how it's suddenly there in front of you, with no warning.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Even with all the visitors there it was kind of peaceful - but I usually think that.... *g* Oh, and so small and so huge all at once is a perfect description - it is, isn't it! It's small in comparison to everything we're led to expect now, but it's actually huge! *g*

[loxleyprince.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, the clouds in the first pic are really interesting. Never seen ones like that before. I really also like the circle of cloud over Stonehenge and the way it seems to want to wrap itself around the site. The first time I went to Stonehenge, I was also surprised by its unprepossessing location. I'd expected it to be up on a hill somewhere, like Glastonbury tor. Before decamping to the Bundesrepublik, I used to live near Avebury. If you like Stonehenge, I think you'll love Avebury because you can get right up to the stones and touch them. It's all wonderfully atmospheric.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I loved the sweep of the clouds in the first pic - so very beautiful and over such a big stretch of sky! D'you know, I didn't even spot the circle of clouds over the stone circle though, until you said it - and yet it's perfect! *g*

Oh, I do love Avebury - very much! A village inside a stone circle, how fab! It used to have one of my favourite cafes in it too - Stone's, it was called, and was a veggie wholefoods cafe. It was so good that I bought the cookbook! In fact I've not made anything from it for ages, and I must get it out again.... *g*

[miwahni.livejournal.com]

Being able to just jump into your car and visit Stonehenge is marvellous. I've only been the once, and it made me feel so small and inconsequential, but in a good way - like the stones had always been there, and always will be, when I am long turned to dust.

Is Blood of the Isles by Bryan Sykes? If so, it's been on my amazon wishlist for a while. I've read his book Adam's Curse which was a fascinating read.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

- like the stones had always been there, and always will be, when I am long turned to dust.
See, there's a bit of me thinks that, cos thousands of years already, but then I think of Durrington Walls, which had 150 stones that just aren't there any more!

And yes - Blood of the Isles is the Brian Sykes book, and I'm really enjoying it - to an extent that's very unlike me with non-fiction books, which I tend to enjoy briefly and then dip in and out of rather than read all through. This one I look forward to picking up, though. It's started off with an excellent run-down explaining why the history of the British Isles is presented the way it is (which completely makes sense of all the disjointed bits that meant there was much about it that I just didn't get as what really could have happened)! Totally worth treating yourself sooner rather than later, I'd say! *g*

[miwahni.livejournal.com]

That's quite a good recommendation, thanks!