The wind whistles among the trees on the henge and past sun-warmed stones. They stand steadfast as they have done since the time the great Pyramids of Giza were built, evoking the same feelings of wonder as they did in a time thousands of years ago. Near the heart of Wiltshire, England, in a tiny town called Avebury, lies the largest stone circle in Britain. Combined with Stonehenge, the Avebury Henge and Stone Circles make up the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site. They’re both incredible in their own ways, but honestly? I think Avebury is better. No, seriously. Better than Stonehenge. Stonehenge & Avebury: Which is better for you?Avebury is the largest prehistoric stone circle in the world, and unlike at Stonehenge, you can wander through the massive circle itself and even touch the stones. Stonehenge hasn’t been as well preserved, so access to the standing stones is prohibited to the general public unless you’re willing to pay... and even then, you can’t actually touch the stones. Meanwhile, you can spend hours meandering through the hills, fields and valleys that make up Avebury, completely free of Stonehenge’s restrictions. Avebury is huge--it encompasses most of the nearby village of the same name, and is roughly four times the size of Stonehenge--so you'll have plenty to keep you busy! "It does as much exceed in greatness the so renowned Stonehenge as a cathedral doeth a parish church" Despite being part of the same park, Avebury is far less well-known, which means fewer tourists. Although you won’t be seeing any of Stonehenge’s iconic dolmens (standing stones with a flat rock on top of them) at Avebury, you also won’t be fighting with hundreds of other people for that perfect shot. Finally, although Stonehenge is beautiful, it is also (understandably) rather commercialized. Along with being cheaper than a ticket to Stonehenge, at Avebury, you feel like you’ve stepped back in time to when this monument was built, helped along by the stellar museums and well-preserved historic buildings (not to mention the village by the same name). Avebury OverviewAvebury is located in Wiltshire, near Marlborough, and as stated is the largest stone circle in the world. It's also the only stone circle that surrounds part of a village. The site is about 340 meters (over 3/4 of a mile, or 1114 ft) across, surrounded by an earthwork henge that reaches as tall as 5 meters (15 feet). The largest stone circle contains two smaller stone circles, and a recently discovered square monument. Avebury is estimated to have been built around 2500 BC. Alongside Stonehenge, Avebury was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Stone Circles has a wonderful history of the Avebury site with several maps of the area. Logistics: The stone circle itself is free to visit, though parking is £7 per day, or £4 after 3pm. Guided tours and entrance to the Alexander Keiller Museum or Avebury Manor Garden are £5 per adult, or £2.50 per child; a tour of both the Avebury Manor and Garden is £11 per adult, or £5.50 per child. The car park is open from 10am-5pm, though the last entry is 4pm. All facilities are closed from December 24-26. Toilets are in the Old Farmyard and the High Street, accessible from 10am - 5.30pm. Dogs are allowed nearly everywhere in Avebury Stone Circle, so long as they stay on the leash and you remember to pick up after them. Guide dogs are of course allowed everywhere on site. Accessibility: Accessibility information can be found at Visitor Reception at the Barn. There is separate parking for Blue Badge/Disabled Parking Pass holders in the High Street car park, as well as a drop-off point in High Street. Avebury has a mobility scooter for hire, in addition to free wheelchairs at the Visitor Reception. Accessible toilets are behind the barn in the Old Farmyard. The stone circle is largely not accessible by paved paths. A majority of it requires you to cross uneven farmland or steps to reach it. The Old Farmyard also has some cobbles and bumps. Although I had no difficulty walking around the site using my cane, the sheer size of Avebury makes it a little difficult to fully access for those of us with mobility difficulties. Here is a link to a PDF with additional accessibility information. What to do in AveburyTake a tour! Avebury's guided tours will take you to the Neolithic period when Avebury was built to better understand this incredible monument. These volunteer-led programs will deepen your understanding of the site, its builders, and how they built it in the first place! Each tour is 45 minute to an hour, and begin at 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. Tours are £5 for adults, and can be reserved at the Visitor Reception. Visit Avebury Village Avebury is a darling village, and the only one in the world located inside a stone circle! While it has since grown to expand halfway outside of the circle, it's still very unique. The town has had, at times, a fraught relationship with the stones. Several were removed in the medieval period, and their places are now marked by stone obelisks. Later, archaeologist Alexander Keiller attempted to remove the houses inside the henge, but was stopped by the outbreak of World War I. Today, several buildings and private homes still exist within the henge itself, including the Red Lion Inn & Pub, and several souvenir and art shops. Visit the Alexander Keiller Museum This museum shares artifacts from Avebury and the surrounding areas dating to the Neolithic and Bronze Age. It also provides information on Avebury's stone circles, massive henge, and other features. It's named after the archaeologist who worked to excavate the Avebury site in the 1930s. The Keiller Museum is the only on-site museum I've visited, though nearby is the Avebury Manor, which showcases each room furnished according to a different time period, from the Tudors to the 1930s. Museum entry is £5 for adults, though National Trust or English Heritage members enter for free. Take a walk amongst the stones! One of the highlights of Avebury is, of course, being able to walk among the stones and henges. To that end, the National Trust recommends several wonderful hikes around the monument to explore! Silbury Hill (3 mi) - 1.25-2 hours - Directions Silbury Hill is the largest prehistoric human-built mound in Europe, standing 30 meters tall - nearly 100 ft! Researchers estimate it was completed in 2400 BC. This route will take you from the heart of Avebury to Silbury Hill and back again, to the Old Farmyard. Alternatively, you can also drive to Silbury Hill, with a parking fee of £2. Avebury Ridgeway Walk (5 mi) - 3 hours - Directions Hike through the stone circle and along ancient roadways down through chalk downlands on this hike. Here, you can walk along the ceremonial path of West Kennet Avenue, lined by stones. You may even catch a glimpse of nearby Silbury Hill. West Kennet Round & Long Barrow (6.5 mi) - 3.5 hours - Directions West Kennet Long Barrow is one of England's oldest structures - in fact, this 4,500 year old marvel had already been standing over 1,000 years before the Great Pyramid of Giza was built! This hike will take you to West Kennet Long Barrow, the Sanctuary, Silbury Hill and Avebury Henge and Stone Circles. Wander through the stones! Avebury is a wonder of human engineering, with stones weighing as much as 100 tonnes. The henge was built by chipping away at its chalk using only deer antlers, and was once twice as deep (9 m/30 feet). Take some time to wander the stone circles, and tread along the circular henge which makes up the heart of this monument. You'll often find hidden gems as you wander along these ancient paths. One of my favorite is a small grove of trees on a hill among the stones, which are used as wishing trees. People who travel here tie strips of ribbon to their branches and even their tangled roots and make a wish! It's both a pretty sight and an interesting cultural tradition. If you want to check out Avebury for yourself, there are two sites I would recommend visiting first:
I’m glad I visited both Stonehenge and Avebury. They were very different, but both wonderful experiences, and I highly recommend seeing both at least once. In the end, however, Avebury is the only site that I actually want to return to. Like this post? Why not share it?If you enjoyed this article, please leave me a comment telling me what you think! Or, if you found it useful, share it with your friends! You'll be helping me turn my passion for travel into a business, and more importantly, you'll be helping your friends out with any travel questions they might have, too. See more adventures!If you liked this post, you may also like:
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Hi, there! Call me Kris. I’m a world traveler, author and artist working to showcase the world's beauty and inspire you to find your confidence to see the world!
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