Re: Stonehenge Winter Solstice | Forum

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nigelswift Dec 2, 2009 14:12:21

Replying to Maelwen

Make it a trip to remember, do some real research.... http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/forum/?thread=50841&message=635689

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tjj Dec 2, 2009 19:19:26

Replying to Maelwen

Maelwen wrote:

I emailed English Heritage, and they had this to say....

"Good day Maelwen,
The Winter Solstice celebration is usually much lower in key than the Summer celebration. Usually there is a Managed Open Access between about 7.30am until 9.00am, weather permitting. This year it will be on Monday 21st December 2009. There are upwards of 100 people for this and no booking is required. No parking is offered though. Please see www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge or possibly www.english-heritage.org.uk/wintersolstice in due course for further information.

Helen"

I'm making the trip that morning from Bristol with my father. It will be my first visit to Stonehenge, I'm very excited!

BB,
Maelwen
xx

That's a really helpful post Maelwen as some people were wondering what the access arrangements would be - so it seems no booking is required but parking may be tricky (a deliberate deterrent perhaps). For the summer solstice the Wilts & Dorset Bus Company ran a special service from Salisbury but this is unlikely to happen in the winter.

I hope the trip turns out to be something memorable for you and your father - and that it is a clear bright morning.

best wishes
tjj

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bladup Dec 2, 2009 20:44:12

Replying to Maelwen

Maelwen wrote:

I emailed English Heritage, and they had this to say....

"Good day Maelwen,
The Winter Solstice celebration is usually much lower in key than the Summer celebration. Usually there is a Managed Open Access between about 7.30am until 9.00am, weather permitting. This year it will be on Monday 21st December 2009. There are upwards of 100 people for this and no booking is required. No parking is offered though. Please see www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge or possibly www.english-heritage.org.uk/wintersolstice in due course for further information.

Helen"

I'm making the trip that morning from Bristol with my father. It will be my first visit to Stonehenge, I'm very excited!

BB,
Maelwen
xx

Hope you have good time, last year i couldn't believe the amount of people that turned up , they where turning up all though the night, thanks for the info about the 21 st because on the link above to the stonehenge druids site it says access is on the 22 nd, so i would have missed it, thanks again!!!!

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suave harv Dec 2, 2009 21:10:27

Replying to Maelwen

Bless you Maelwen! Thank-you for posting that. I was hearing stuff about it being the 22nd, but I'm so pleased it's the 21st.

See you there! (there will be lots more than 100 though. . )

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handswithenergy Dec 2, 2009 23:24:33

Replying to Maelwen

Sounds like chaos is in the air. The Genesis Order of Druids and the Dolmen Grove both bill their events as sunrise on 22 December. Both announced in the last couple of days. I will dig some more.

P.S. It was around 2,000 in attendance last year. Compared to 300+ at the equinoxes and 35,000+ at Summer Solstice. So saying 100+ is a bit far off the mark. Last year the police were appealing for people to stay away, with cars parked on the main road, way down from the monument site.

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handswithenergy Dec 3, 2009 05:16:21

Replying to Maelwen

Don't believe anything just yet. Head of Stonehenge at English Heritage (Peter Carson) has only just told Frank Somers of the Stonehenge Druids that managed open access is on the 22nd. As both of us have been billing. The monthly Stonehenge Round Table is due to take place this week and we should hopefully get some clarification out of that.

Matthew

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handswithenergy Dec 3, 2009 21:20:41

Replying to Maelwen

I've heard back from Frank Somers and it was 100% confirmed at today's Stonehenge meeting that Managed Open Access will be on the morning of 22 December.

Matthew