Stonehenge Tour is VERY early!
The alarm goes off at 4:30 AM. It’s what’s required to get to Stonehenge early. Half asleep, we stagger out of bed, hoping this tour is worth it! Exiting our hotel room a few minutes later, we walk quickly to a neighboring hotel. This is our 5:15 AM pick up point for our private viewing of the inner circle of Stonehenge at sunrise. Well, it’s not entirely “private.” A tour bus of like-minded travelers are our companions. However, we are going in before Stonehenge opens to the general public.
With only a few days to explore the London area, we know Stonehenge has to be on the list. The opportunity to actually walk inside the silent monoliths on a private Stonehenge tour is one we cannot pass up.
First view of Stonehenge.
The sun is already up as we near Stonehenge. (The time of year determines if arrival is actually before sunrise or not.) Silently, we enjoy the fact that someone else is driving beside us. Views of the countryside with cows, barns, fields of corn and such pass by when suddenly – there it is! Stonehenge!
Surprisingly, it is not behind a great wall or announced with some huge entrance sign or billboard. It is just the circle of Stonehenge out in a field with a small barrier around it. It is AWESOME! Who would think something so great and majestic can also be so unassuming at the same time!
At the Stonehenge Entrance.
Once inside the small barrier, our tour splits in two. Half the group remains outside the boundary while the other half goes into the Inner Circle. We are given a brief history, then wait 20-25 minutes to experience Stonehenge ourselves.
Inside Stonehenge Inner Circle.
The Pre-historic Stonehenge Circle was built in several stages, sometime between 3000 to 1500 BC which is determined by radiocarbon dating. The purpose is unknown although numerous theories abound. Some believe it is a healing temple or a place of ritual and sacrifice.
It’s hard to describe the feeling and emotion elicited by being among these huge stones. Feelings of awe at the size, amazement at the engineering coupled with curiosity as to its purpose are overwhelming!
How did these huge stones get moved in the first place, let alone lifted up into place? We walk quietly throughout the inner circle, lost in thought.
Being up close and personal with Stonehenge and photographing the stones to our heart’s content is definitely worth the price of admission. The early morning wake up is well worth it.
The Rest of the Stonehenge tour.
The remainder of our Stonehenge Inner Circle tour consists of a walking tour of Oxford and an insider’s view of Windsor Castle. We are a bit concerned that an 11-hour bus tour would be uncomfortable and too long. However, it is nicely broken up by the three points of interest.
Stonehenge Inner Circle Tours
There are several different tour companies that offer Sunrise or Sunset Stonehenge Inner Circle tours, along with a walking tour of Oxford and Windsor Castle. We opt for Evan Evans, and are lucky to get a reservation as these tours are very popular. For this reason, it is wise to book well in advance for these tours. As of April 2020, it is £129 for either the sunrise or sunset tour. Do we recommend a Stonehenge sunrise tour? Absolutely! We loved it!
Exploration after Stonehenge.
Stonehenge was our first stop upon arriving in the UK. Afterward, we have a great time exploring several delightful historical cities and villages. Wells, with the amazing Wells Cathedral, Glastonbury which is famous for much more than the Glastonbury festival and Goring are just a few. We also go punting. Not sure what it is? This post tells all. Have fun!
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