Stonehenge 2004

Earlier in the year, we (The Astrological Lodge of London) had the bright idea to visit Stonehenge for the summer solstice. After several administrative adventures, we decided to get the train and then pick up the bus from Salisbury to the stones.

The journey was generally uneventful, apart from the usual misinformation coming out of the ticket office. I was told one price, the others various different permutations. It's a one and a half hour journey and the bus was running every ten minutes or so. The bus timetable was a bit creative. I think the chaps running it didn't have much sympathy with people who were catching a bus into the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night.

The walk from the bus drop of to the stones itself was quite long and over very uneven ground. I was very thankful that I'd bought a new torch. As it had been raining all day it was very wet underfoot but thankfully had stopped raining. We soon discovered that trainers were not the best choice of footwear and trousers which dragged on the floor were also less than practical.

When we reached the stones themselves the next, and most annoying, obstacle arose. "Large Bags" were not allowed on the site. No one seemed to have a definition of large. After various shenanigans, we managed to get in. The lesson from this is to put stuff in your pockets and have a bag which folds down. They were fine if we decanted the contents of the bag, but the "large bag" had to be checked into the security station.

Once we were through the gates it was rather cool. None of us had been before so didn't know what to expect. I knew there would be piles of people but it was much more mellow and chilled than I expected. It was like a nice day in the park rather than the middle of a festival, which is what I was dreading. We sat quite near the stones but on the other side of the concrete path so we weren't part of the major party which was taking place within the circle. We went into the circle, just so we could say we'd been and for a few seconds it was a totally magical experience but then it was just like fighting through a nite club.

The stones themselves looked awesome but there was a slightly surreal quality about the whole thing, as if we'd wandered onto the set of Spinal Tap. It was very cold and as the night went on, you could see mist lying in the area around the stones giving the impression of being marooned in a sea of mist.

The Sun entered Cancer at 1.53; I set the alarm on my mobile so we would know and I wasn't the only one as a ripple of cheers and beeps went round the crowd. It started getting light just after three, which was really misleading as sunrise wasn't until 4.53. Seeing the light come up was really useful. Astrologically, the first house is very powerful but the Sun is still bellow the horizon; seeing it, you can "see" the presence of the Sun even though it hasn't risen.

Sun rise came and went and the clouds hadn't cleared on the horizon although the rest of the sky was beautifully blue. Finally showing he face about half an hour after the Sun cleared the horizon, the crowd cheered, although that may have been to keep warm. Someone pointed out that drumming and dancing may have had a strictly practical purpose.

Walking back to the bus the Sunshine was getting brighter but the mist hadn't cleared. We presented the bizarre sight of people dressed in big jackets, hats, gloves and sunglasses... But it was very beautiful and the mist leant an otherworldly quality to the walk back across the fields to the main road.

From the bus you could see the rolling valleys with mist still lying in the depths. It was quite an experience and we didn't feel nearly as tired as we thought we would. By the time we got back to London, I was very glad I didn't have to go to the office.

Would I do it again? Yes, but maybe not Stonehenge next year.

English Heritage Site

Pictures from Stonehenge

My pictures aren't back from the chemist yet but if they come out will be shown here.

Claire