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The Gentle Giant, The Lovers and the pasta people, (two nights in Avebury)

A tardy weblog, it’s been a few weeks now since Summer Garland & I spent a few days in Avebury. So . . Here’s a brief ‘here’s what we did on our holidays’ type blog.
For starters, I like to approach the whole Avebury complex via Cherhill. I see it as a gateway to the whole area. This time however, we drove through Swindon, towards Marlborough. From there I drove the country route so we could stop above the Hackpen White Horse. From there, you can see Cherhill, perhaps ten miles away. Windy, bracing . . . bloody cold!
Driving through Avebury's Swindon entrance just isn’t as good as the southern entrance. I drove all around Beckhampton/Silbury/the Avenue so I could get the ‘entrance thrill’ of the south circle. I'm silly like that, but I don't feel I've arrived till go through the larger stones.
After the usual sightseeing we spent the night inside the circle, (and I don't mean in the Red Lion:-) Summer Garland & I got drunk and eat fine cheeses by our new favourite stone, the 'Gentle Giant', in the inner circle. (yea, we took our rubbish home).We christened another stone 'The Lovers' because of a weird trick of the light that made it look like two people dancing to Sinatra.
Or Ella.
We watched the lazy, low moon rise, seemingly following Mars over the southeastern ramparts of Avebury’s henge. We saw two shooting stars and something else amber & strange. Spending a warm, clear evening inside the circle with someone who is ‘tuned in’ (don’t want to seem elitist here, but you know what I mean), made this the best night of the year so far. Magical.
Whatever rituals and wonders the ancients witnessed or performed at Avebury, I feel sure the most intense were at night. Something’s going on there still. Avebury is a living monument with a pulse I reckon.
Anyways . .
Saw some lads camping under Knap Hill, sky watching for corn-circle making UFOs whilst trying to cook pasta in a vile Vale of Pewsey wind.
Hope they saw something cosmic!
Summer Garland had never been to West Kennet Long Barrow, so I took her, and must admit, felt much the same sense of detachment I felt when I first visited it ten years ago. Somehow Long Barrows just don't enthuse me the same as circles & standing stones. Why do I seem to spend most of my time at West Kennet Long Barrow staring at Silbury?
Despite best intentions, didn't look for the excavation markings around Adam & Eve, (too many triffids in the field), and didn't see Devil's Den again. Well, it was hot, and I'll be back soon.
Avebury was wonderful. I can’t help but be enchanted by it. I calculate this was possibly my 20th visit since 1990. It does keep getting better.
And it also keeps getting harder to explain to friends & family why I keep going!