Stonehenge flying visit

[popegregory]

Evening hive mind. I’m taking our year 12 on a three day residential to Dorset next week and early in the morning on the drive down we pass by Stonehenge. I don’t care enough to book something as it’s not part of the trip and we’re zooming down to do coastal fieldwork and it’s not even related but basically it’s there and it’s cool and I believe in eking out every bit of value we can from educational opportunities; basically is it possible for us to get the minibus very close, jump out, quick photo, zoom off again?

[Slow.Patrol]

Yes.

Although I would recommend getting a ticket in advance.

It's not cheap, unless you are a member of English Heritage or National Trust. It was about £25 for an adult last time.

[Bill]

Slow.Patrol said:

Yes.

Although I would recommend getting a ticket in advance.

It's not cheap, unless you are a member of English Heritage or National Trust. It was about £25 for an adult last time.

This. It's pricey.

There's a byeway that crosses the A303 here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pzBzgwP4zLepB2wt9 that gets you quite close, but parking would be an issue.

[Hoofy]

There is a public road that goes close to it and you can park there (how you get to it I have no idea) but you're not really that close. If you want to be within spitting distance of the main stones, you'll have to pay EH to get in. The visitor centre does have a lot of info about the place. It probably makes more sense to join EH for a year and visit other places as well.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/VArazqjCAMgbvJky9 See where it says Public Byway. You can park on that but you won't get in as the EH people check for wristbands.

This is probably the closest you'll get without paying: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CbgMyrJZHawHUiWA6

[Slow.Patrol]

Also the mini bus runs from the visitor centre and cannot be accessed unless you buy a ticket.

[ATG]

Bill said:

Slow.Patrol said:

Yes.

Although I would recommend getting a ticket in advance.

It's not cheap, unless you are a member of English Heritage or National Trust. It was about £25 for an adult last time.

This. It's pricey.

There's a byeway that crosses the A303 here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pzBzgwP4zLepB2wt9 that gets you quite close, but parking would be an issue.

I doubt they charge school trips anything like the amount they charge regular punters.

[popegregory]

Bill said:

Slow.Patrol said:

Yes.

Although I would recommend getting a ticket in advance.

It's not cheap, unless you are a member of English Heritage or National Trust. It was about £25 for an adult last time.

This. It's pricey.

There's a byeway that crosses the A303 here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pzBzgwP4zLepB2wt9 that gets you quite close, but parking would be an issue.

Yes, this looks hopeful. I think they open at half nine and well actually be going past about nine so I may look out for that turning. Internet sleuthing suggested attacking it from the other side interestingly

[Bill]

Suspect they get stty about parking on the A303.

[popegregory]

Bill said:

Suspect they get stty about parking on the A303.

Not nearly as much as the risk assessment would

[Bill]

Just take some hi-vis!

[tog]

popegregory said:

Yes, this looks hopeful. I think they open at half nine and well actually be going past about nine so I may look out for that turning. Internet sleuthing suggested attacking it from the other side interestingly

The field to the north of the monument field (in fact most the landscape around the stones) is owned by the NT and is free to access. That gets you closest to the stones without paying or being an EH or NT member (both get in free).

If heading west along the A303 you cannot turn right (north) onto the byway, you'd have to go on to the roundabout and come back. You can drive south down the byway from Larkhill also. Byway is passable to campervans / hippy wagons /etc, so a school minibus should be fine. It will be closed soon for the winter solstice but I think you will still be fine next week. If closed, the nearest parking not on the A303 is in Larkhill, and it's a 20 minute walk down the byway to the monument.

The better option is see if they'll just let you in. Their self led school visits are free, I think they only charge if you want their experts to run a visit for you. It might be too short notice however. Schools page here: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/s...

[popegregory]

Right cheers all. We’ll try and get on to that byway you’ve all mentioned and just see how close we can get to it. I’ll let you know

[nvubu]

If you can get access to the OS map for Stonehenge you can see the extent of the public access land around Stonehenge, mentioned by tog above, along with the rights of way. Unfortunately Bing Maps removed the OS layer during October, so the only way I've found to access them is with a subscription with the osmaps website - which is annoying. There is a free trial.

[tog]

Wiltshire Council have rights of way mapping here:

https://wiltscouncil.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappvi...

It's a bit fiddly to use, but that byway is marked as a BOAT, but with temporary traffic restrictions around the solstices. There are no footpaths or other ROW across the area, but apart from the actual monument field (managed by EH) the land generally is open access managed by the NT.

[popegregory]

Yep, we’ll go for the byway. As explained, I don’t want a trip there, I just want to park as close as possible, jump out the bus, two minute look and nice photo, and carry on.

[scot_aln]

It's much easier in summer or school hols as you get stuck in the traffic staring at it in the distance. Might be the link posted above but did see some cars parked in a green lane on the opposite side when we passed again last month.

[The Mad Monk]

popegregory said:

Evening hive mind. I m taking our year 12 on a three day residential to Dorset next week and early in the morning on the drive down we pass by Stonehenge. I don t care enough to book something as it s not part of the trip and we re zooming down to do coastal fieldwork and it s not even related but basically it s there and it s cool and I believe in eking out every bit of value we can from educational opportunities; basically is it possible for us to get the minibus very close, jump out, quick photo, zoom off again?

I never think Stonehenge is good value.

If you can, visit Avebury. Bit further away, but ten times better - from every viewpoint. You can walk among the stones.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avebury

[//j17]

The Mad Monk said:

I never think Stonehenge is good value.

If you can, visit Avebury. Bit further away, but ten times better - from every viewpoint. You can walk among the stones.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avebury

Yep, I'd second this. Stonehenge is...well pretty underwhelming in reality. Even if you pay to go in it's very much just a few stones about a field away. Stop at Avebury and not only will you have the place to yourself but while the individual stones are smaller there are hundreads of them - and far from looking at them from behind a rope 100m away you can walk right up to them, touch them, clumb them, hell even lick them if you want and nobody will care (though please don't chip bits off or let the children smuggle a whole one into the back ot the minibus ).

It's also a very open area so potentially easier to child wrangle.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

If it were me I'd press on the extra 40 minutes & go to the Haynes Motor Museum.

Much more interesting than a few random stones.

[Slow.Patrol]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

If it were me I'd press on the extra 40 minutes & go to the Haynes Motor Museum.

Much more interesting than a few random stones.

Indeed

But if you have never seen the stones, it is one that needs to be tucked off.

When we moved to Wiltshire, our American friends came to stay and top of the things they wanted to do were The Stones. (And "Stones" has to be said in the voice of Zorg - Gary Oldman in Fifth Element).