Thought I’d finish my Avebury area tour by checking out East Kennett Longbarrow, Little Avebury and Harestone Down SC.
Parked near the church, and headed up towards the circle in gale force winds and a temperature of just below zero. It was a battle between sunshine and snow flurries, with both trying to break from the clouds.
Harestone Down initially appeared underwhelming, but the longer I spent looking around the more I could get a sense of place. As I passed the seemingly randomly placed collected stones beneath the platform of the circle, and headed off in the direction of Little Avebury I found the way fenced off. Whilst walking down towards East Kennett Longbarrow, I looked back up at the circle, and that was when it really revealed itself, up on the ridge above.
Coupled with the massive EKLB, I glad I braved the cold.
Your comment about 'sense of place' is spot on. When I visited, stood looking towards WKLB with Silbury in apparent alignment and with EKLB also in view the whole landscape took on a different perspective. Hard to believe this spot was not once very significant.
A few days now since returning from my Avebury trip, and this is the part which I keep thinking about - how I had initially thought the circle and the longbarrow would be disappointingly vague, and how I'd go just for the sake of 'completing' the available sites.
I agree, that this place feels significant - It still feels like I am walking around up there, and it is vivid. Maybe that atmosphere of being alone; away from people (the site, as much as me).
I wished I'd spent longer there now.