Thursday 20 April 2017

Major improvements for group visitors at Stonehenge

English Heritage has opened a newly-designed permanent coach park at Stonehenge.

It marks the completion of the first phase of a major improvement project aimed at giving tour groups arriving by coach a better and more streamlined welcome to the World Heritage Site and at easing pressure points for all visitors at the popular site at peak times.

The re-designed coach park provides spaces for 52 60-seater coaches in an upgraded layout which makes coach arrivals and departures more efficient and enhances pedestrian safety.

A new Visitor Transit Shuttle pick up point now allows groups to go directly from the coach park to the Stone Circle, where an enlarged drop off/pick up layout has also been created.

The new system makes the shuttle service more fluid and flexible so that it can provide more visitor journeys at times of peak pressure if required.

Phase two of the improvement project is scheduled for completion by late summer.

It will see the opening of a new group reception building, complete with extensive WC facilities, located conveniently close to the coach parking bays and next to the shuttle pick up point.

The improvements are already making arrivals, parking and departures easier and the movement of pedestrians safer within the coach park.

The addition of the Group Reception Building in the summer will simplify and speed up ticketing and audio guide collection and provide double the number of WCs currently on site.

Jennifer Davies, Stonehenge general manager said: “We are delighted to have opened the first phase with minimal impact to group arrivals while the work was underway.

“The improvement project was implemented following an extensive review of our operation at Stonehenge and feedback from tourism professionals to find the best way to meet demand and ease congestion at this significant and busy attraction.

“Once complete, the improvements will help us deliver a world class experience for the 1.3 million visitors we welcome each year from across the globe, so that they can more fully appreciate this ancient wonder of human endeavour.”    
Article source: Travel News

The Stonehenge Tourist Blog

Friday 10 March 2017

Stonehenge Summer Solstice Pilgrimage

A pilgrimage is a journey or search of moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith.

Stonehenge, Wiltshire is the most popular place for Pagans and Druids to celebrate the longest day because it famously aligns to the solstices. The rising sun only reaches the middle of the stones one day of the year when it shines on the central altar. Journeying to Stonehenge at the Summer Solstice is a pilgrimage spiritual significance as a tourist or reveler.


It's an ad hoc celebration that brings together England's New Age Tribes (neo-druids, neo-pagans, Wiccans) with ordinary families, tourists, travelers and party people - 1000's of them!
For many the impulse to arrive at Stonehenge in time for the Solstice is a little like all those people drawn to the strange rock in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It's akin to a spiritual experience.

Cross it off your bucket list this year.  Join an organised Solstice tour and take the hassle out of trying doing it yourself

The Stonehenge Tourist Blog

Thursday 26 January 2017

Visit Stonehenge and step back to the prehistoric era

While London is one of the top tourism destinations in the world, there are some excellent day trips available close to the capital that should not be missed. 

One of the best options is the historic Stonehenge, which is around two hours away and stands as a truly unforgettable monument.

Originally built around 5,000 years ago, the area has been wonderfully well preserved and is now a World Heritage Site alongside a selection of other historic landmarks. The complex features an enclosure at Robin Hood’s Ball, two cursus movements and rectangular earthworks.

The stone settings at Stonehenge were built at a time of significant change when the new styles of Beaker pottery and the knowledge of metalworking were becoming more popular on the continent.

From the middle Bronze Age, less effort went into the construction of ceremonial monuments and more time was spent on agricultural activities.

Thankfully, the area has been well preserved by the National Trust since 1927 when it acquired the land around the structure to restore it to grassland. Now, large areas of the local landscape are now owned by them and improvements have been made to modernise the facilities for visitors.

Work on the area is continuing, too, with the government announcing plans for a 1.8-mile tunnel past the World Heritage Site. Officials believe this move would transform the A303 by reducing congestion and improving journey times.

The Council for British Archaeology (CBA) has supported the idea, though it believes extending it would help to stop damage to popular views of the area.

Thanks to excellent work from conservationists, Stonehenge continues to be one of the most popular landmarks in the world, giving visitors a great insight into the UK’s history.

How can I get to Stonehenge?

Stonehenge is around 88 miles away from London, with the nearest train station to the landmark being Salisbury. While public buses do run from the station to the site, visitors will be tied to the travel schedule and, in the event of a train delay or cancellation, may not be able to spend as long at the site as they wanted.

While driving down is another option, there is often a lot of traffic in the area due to the large volumes of tourists. Plus, if you’re travelling from London, you may have to handle heavy congestion as you leave the city centre.

A better alternative could be to use a coach tour service. You can choose a time that suits you and benefit from reserved seating, ample luggage space and Wi-Fi, taking away all the stress of driving.

The Stonehenge News Blog