Thursday 19 November 2009

Interactive 360° panoramic of Stonehenge

Superb interactive 'full screen' panoramic image of Stonehenge.

Take a spin from within the famous stone circle. This stunning panoramic was created on a beautiful crisp morning, just days before the Timewatch dig. Best viewed full-screen, link below.

Drag the picture with the mouse or use the cursor keys to rotate the view - use Shift and Control to zoom in and out.

Can you spot the magical bluestones, transported 250km from Wales by our Neolithic ancestors? Professors Darvill and Wainwright believe they hold the key to unlocking one of archaeology's biggest mysteries - the purpose of Stonehenge.

Click here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/stonehenge/panorama.shtml

Tuesday 17 November 2009

Stonehenge Tour



Just completed a great tour of Stonehenge with a fantastic group of travellers (see image) We did a special access tour - beyond the fences after the crowds have gone home (the best way by far) Today we did my classic itinerary, see below.
Anyone eklse want to join me ? sightseeing@o2.co.uk

Visit the beautiful medieval city of Salisbury and explore the magnificent Cathedral crowned with the tallest spire in Britain and built by medieval craftsmen over 750 years ago. See one of the few surviving original texts of the Magna Carta and wander around the picturesque streets of this ancient market town.

Afterwards,we visit Old Sarum Castle (Old Salisbury), one of Britain's earliest settlements. First occupied over 5000 years ago, its been occupied and defended in turn by the Romans, Saxons and Normans and it was the site of the original city and cathedral. Explore the ruins of this once thriving city in their ancient and beautiful setting, and enjoy spectacular views over the sweeping landscape of Salisbury Plain.
A highlight of the day is a hearty lunch in a cosy country pub nestling in the beautiful Woodford Valley. Maybe sample the local ales before continuing our scenic drive to the awe - inspiring prehistoric monument of Stonehenge - Click here for /2009 Special Access Dates. Hear about the many myths, legends and mysteries of this World Heritage Site, built over 5000 years ago, and take time to reflect upon its powerful, mysterious presence. As we meander through the the countryside to Avebury, we pass famous white horses carved into the chalk hillsides and picturesque, tucked away villages. We explore the mysterious phenomena of crop circles and take a closer look at any which may be in the area (seasonal). Avebury, the largest stone circle in Britain and the product of over 500 years of effort by Neolithic man. Enjoy a walking tour of this ancient site and try your hand at the ancient art of dowsing. Prepare to be amazed !There's also time to explore the
charming village of Avebury with its thatched cottages, antiques and village church - and maybe enjoy a cream tea.We also see Silbury Hill, Europe's largest prehistoric man-made monument yet forever a mystery, before returning back to the present - London.



A truly legendary day out in the ancient Kingdom of Wessex !

I operate private tours all year round - please contact me if you want a 'proper' tour of Stonehenge.

New Druid Book Published: The Druids: A Comparative Study of Indo-European Pagan Practice


This is not an advert! (search online to buy a copy - Lulu.com or Amazon will sell it. I have just finished this book and can highly recommend it.
Even though the ancient Druids would seem as much an enigma today as they have ever been, this book very much sets the record straight. By firmly placing the Druids within the ancient Celtic socio-religious framework to which they so evidently belonged and, further, by comparing the pagan practices of the Celts with the other inhabitants of ancient Indo-Europe, much light is shed on the curious practices of this ancient priesthood.
This is very much a book of comparisons. By studying the pagan practices found elsewhere in ancient Europe, such as those of ancient Greece and Rome, ancient Persia and Germany, we find that in many respects the Druids were not that original but shared a common heritage, that of their Indo-European forebears. This book therefore is just as much about the ancient Indo-Europeans, formerly known as the Aryans, as it is about the Druids and the other inhabitants of pagan Europe.
The approach taken in this book reveals to us the true significance of the mighty oak of the Druids, the meaning of the elaborate ceremony of the cutting of the mistletoe detailed by Pliny, and even the original meaning of the Eleusinian Mysteries of ancient Greece.
Also revealed in this book are the mythological origins of the custom of the contention to become Rex Nemorensis at Aricia in ancient Italy, the original meaning of the swastika, and the identity of the legendary Soma plant of the Vedas.