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Part 5- Avebury

We appear to have the taste for it now! To avoid the problems we had at Arbor Low (see Part 4), on the 7th January 2010 we opted for a circle you will definitely be able to see above the snow... Avebury it is then. We kidnap Little Danny and head south on another glorious sunny winters day. Only one wrong turn and there we are!

I've only passed through here once before and Little Danny has no idea where we are taking him (we do this to him a lot) so the SIZE of these things is quite staggering! How the hell do you circumambulate something this size? We have a policy of walking around everything (clockwise of course) before entering the circle/ quoit/ cairn/ etc, but you have actually entered Avebury circle before parking the car! I wasn't happy. Its against my policies. I havn't paid it the respect it deserves! Martin and LD calm me down enough for me to circumambulate the main bit behind the pub and start heading off to West Kennet Avenue. I was in a bit of a strop, but still enjoying the knee deep snow and the fact that LD was lacking a coat and suitable footwear.

West Kennet Avenue has the best "feel" to any place I have visited. The blue skies and snowy ground made it seem magical. We all felt very connected somehow, and the experience was made better by the complete absence of any other visitors. Some of the stones in this area are simply huge and I felt privileged to have these wonderful monuments so close to home. Completing the walk along WKA and then the clockwise tour around Avebury, we all felt warm dispite the January chill. Just enough time to get to West Kennet Long Barrow and have a good view of Silsbury Hill before the sun sets.

By now poor LD is freezing to death and we are all pretty hungry, so the walk up the hill to WKLB is more of a run up the hill. Well worth it for the setting sun snapshots and the pink hue that blessed Silsbury Hill. Wonderful. Another damn good day out, just a bit gutted I didnt make it to the Devils Den.

Maybe next time... :)

West Kennett Avenue — Images

21.02.10ce
<b>West Kennett Avenue</b>Posted by faerygirl

West Kennett — Images

21.02.10ce
<b>West Kennett</b>Posted by faerygirl
faerygirl Posted by faerygirl
3rd May 2010ce
Edited 5th May 2010ce


Comments (4)

Always nice to hear of people's first visit experiences to places! :) Funny though - I nearly ALWAYS find myself going round Avebury anti-clockwise - dunno why - it just seems to be the way I'm facing when I start off!

Devil's Den is well worth a diversion, as is WKLB, as far as the biggies go. There's tons of hidden gems in teh area. That's why I love it. Always find something new whenever you visit.

G x
goffik Posted by goffik
5th May 2010ce
oooooo its bad to circumambulate anticlockwise!!!! Although, Im mostly going by Hindu/ Buddhist teachings. I think Islam circumambulates anti-clockwise, but then, Muslim beliefs are just a spin-off of Christianity and Im not a fan of all these new religions so what do they know??!!! faerygirl Posted by faerygirl
5th May 2010ce
Oh and I have planned to go to Devils Den twice but always end up running out of time. I will make it the first on my trip next time :) faerygirl Posted by faerygirl
5th May 2010ce
I saw Devil's Den close up for the first time last August - and would you believe it was unplanned. I had decided on the spur of the moment to go out with a walking group; the walk leader led us into a meadow full of poppies and other wild flowers - and there it was. The sunshine (after a rainy day) the flowers, the butterflies ... and Devil's Den. It was pretty much a perfect moment in time.
Don't forget to tell us about it when you eventually go.
tjj Posted by tjj
5th May 2010ce
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