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Stonehenge plans for the solstice 2003

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baza B
baza May 19, 2003 02:18:00
Replying to copius-freakus2

>First up why are people not being allowed access to the stones until 2am in the morning on the 21st of June?

There have been requests for more time during daylight at solstice time (who from, I don`t know). EH are only prepared to open Stonehenge for one working shift, therefore the opening time has been put back to allow for more time in the day.

>Secondly why is the designated car park not being opened until midnight on June 20th?

I`m sure that EH ( or perhaps NT, as the car park is on their land) would argue that two hours is plenty of time for you to get from the car park to Stonehenge.

>What are the thousands of people attending the solstice supposed to do up until midnight....

People will be arriving from all over the world for the solstice. Presumably, they`ll all plan there journeys to arrive as the car park is opening, or later.

>Don't forget also that the solstice this year falls on a Saturday.

This year, the solstice falls on a Sunday, the 22nd. Not many people know that, that`s why Stonehenge will be open on the wrong day, the 21st, because EH know that that`s when most people will turn up.

>What will happen, Chaos?

Yes.

>...if English Heritage think that by opening up the site later less people will attend...

No, that`s not the intention. Open Access is for 10 hours. If it finishes later, then it has to start later.

>Let's hope that English Heritage change there mind and allow access to the car park and the stones before 2am....

I think the car park is more a matter for the NT and the police. Let`s face it, they know that there`s thousands of people who would like to see the Free Festival return. They don`t want to give us enough time to settle in to the car park.


baz

B BlueGloves
BlueGloves May 19, 2003 07:07:43
Replying to baza

The sunset is also important at the Solstices - that's going to be on Sunday night this year. The main reason for going to Stonehenge - rather than to the local small circle - is to be with the other people - 'to gather'.

As a balancer to this institutional daftness can I remind that the melting icecaps are adding to sea level at an estimated two and a half metres a century and Sellafield, which is right on the coast, has places that are too radioactive to be approached for thousands of years. (I want to tell someone this - yet 'there's no one to tell').