Stonehenge and its Environs 134
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Stonehenge and its Environs

Stonehenge visitor centre plans unveiled

VenerableBottyBurp V
VenerableBottyBurp Sep 17, 2004 08:54:02
Replying to Moth

Yup, me too.

However, the other issue is that since 1985 EH started closing Stonehenge at Solstice and this caused a great number to start congregating at Avebury instead, and when Stonehenge later opened but closed shortly after solstice people moved on to Avebury. It follows therefore that if the roads are closed at Stonehenge isn't yur average visitor we want to go into the vistor experience going to do what we did and drive to Avebury instead ?

VBB

B baza
baza Sep 17, 2004 10:27:01
Replying to VenerableBottyBurp

Your average visitor to Stonehenge is probably unaware of Avebury's existence. They go to Stonehenge to see Stonehenge. Seeing Avebury instead of Stonehenge is not what the average visitor wants to do.

Just as visitors to Egypt want to see the Great Pyramid of Cheops, visitors to England want to see Stonehenge.

Those who move on to Avebury at solstice time aren't average visitors. I'm one. At summer solstice I like to be at Avebury before and after the open access time at Stonehenge. Very few do as I do and visit both sites at solstice. Driving to and from Stonehenge from Avebury at solstice time, the roads are clear, whereas the A303 has long queues. The official attendance figure at Avebury for this year's summer solstice was 300-400 people. Even if they'd all come from Stonehenge, that's not an overwhelming number.

:o)


Baz

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