Re: When was the first time you visited Avebury? | Forum

Avebury 222

Image by thesweetcheat

When was the first time you visited Avebury?

more_vert

goffik Aug 12, 2009 11:32:15

Replying to Littlestone

My first ever visit to Avebury - and countless subsequent ones - were actually visits THROUGH Avebury!

Working, as I did at the start of the 90s, in a small village not far from Swindon, I used to get the bus from Southampton, via Salisbury, twice a week.

I remember the first time I ever got that bus, marveling at the glorious countryside and twee little villages it passed through, along with the not-so-twee MOD stuff and eventually to Swindon itself.

As the bus turned off the A4 up a small lane, I nearly jumped out of my seat when I saw - what was that? A standing stone? 2? WHOA!!! I'd never seen anything like it in my life! The bus skirted along The Avenue, and I was mesmerised! I wanted to take in EVERY single stone as we passed... I couldn't take my eyes off them!

Then came the enormous bank, and then - WOW! Didya see the size of them stones??? My god!!! How I wanted to just get off that bus there and then and stay, wondering around the stones, forever!

But I had to get to work. :(

Every week, and every bus journey was the same. No time to stop off and have a wander around. The suspense was killing me! I didn't drive at the time, nor did many people I knew. So for nearly 2 years all I had were my magnificent - albeit brief - glances as the bus trundled through and on to Swindon.

It was some years until I passed my driving test (I was a late starter!), and it was soon after that I decided I simply *must* go and explore this wonderful and magical site.

I'd met Mrs G the same year as passing my test so we visited together, and fell in love with the place. It was the start of a great adventure which has taken us all over the UK in search of ancient stones...

The first time I'd ever met anyone from TMA was at Avebury, for our first ever Heritage Action meeting. A day I remember fondly (even though I was extremely nervous - I'd never met anyone off t'internet before!) as it was the start of some very strong and lasting friendships...

Before Avebury, the only first-hand experience I'd had of a stone circle was seeing Stonehenge from the window of a coach on the way back from a school trip in the early 80s. Someone pointed out the window and I peered out at exactly the moment Concorde was flying above it! Which was nice.

Every time we go to Avebury it seems to expand in size as we discover more aspects to the site, and indeed to the whole of the area. There's still tons of stuff we've not seen, but it's that which encourages us to come back so often.

G x

texlahoma Aug 12, 2009 14:52:38

Replying to goffik

My first time to Avebury was a drive to go there especially, with my girlfriend at the time, Charlie (or Snuzz as she is known here).
It was an awe inspiring visit, seeing Silbury appear on the road into Avebury, catching a glimpse of The Sanctuary on the way past too. My forst experience of the Stones was the walk from the NT car park, and coming round the corner past a cricket match there they were, AMAZING!

That day we visited WKLB, Silbury an d spent hours looking at the stones, walking on the banks and just taking it all in.

Like Goffik the first time i met any of you was at the Heritage Action day, a very nice memory, and i hope to make it along again at some point in the future!

Pete G also showed us around on another occasion, in fact on more than one occasion, there are things and places i would have never found without him, Seeing a Hare at Harestone down being one of them, thanks Pete!

Littlestone Aug 12, 2009 18:33:09

Replying to goffik

As the bus turned off the A4 up a small lane, I nearly jumped out of my seat when I saw - what was that? A standing stone? 2? WHOA!!!

Excellent account Goff!

The last bit reminds me of the time I took a Chinese painter and a Greek friend to Avebury. We were off to Clyffe Pypard actually but, without saying anything, I drove first to Avebury. It was dusk, and as we went past the Diamond stone my Greek friend gave out a yell of 'what was that!'. I just casually replied with a, 'there's few more of 'em up ahead' ;-)

What I really wanted to show them was Silbury, so we drove through the Henge and parked in the lay-by opposite the big NT carpark. They hadn't noticed Silbury on our left, so I asked them to get out of the car as there was something I wanted to show them.

Silbury did her loveliest in the last of the summer light. And as we stood there looking across the fields I said to them, "That's Silbury, older than the Great Wall of China, older than the Parthenon, about as old as the pyramids, and until modern times the largest manmade structure in Europe."

They were strangely quiet ;-)