How to Visit Stonehenge – 5,000 year old Sun Tracker
5,000 years ago, our Neolithic ancestors dragged 28 tons of stone for several miles. They placed them in a circle to track the sun’s movement; including the Summer and Winter Solstice. Then they buried their dead for miles around the circle. The purpose of the Stone Circle remains a mystery. It may have been a place of worship.
More than one million people visit Stonehenge every year, making it the world’s most famous prehistoric monument. Read on for tips on how to visit this special place!
Timed Reservation
Stonehenge is Open Daily from 9:30am-5:00pm.
Like most major historic sites, you need to purchase tickets in advance to avoid long ticket lines. Note that you have to make a reservation for your estimated arrival time. (A crowd control measure used at most European historical sites).
You are not allowed to enter before your assigned reservation time. And if you arrive late and the site is past capacity, you will have to wait until the next available entrance time.
Travel Tip: Purchase your tickets far in advance so your desired entry time is not sold out!
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Getting to Stonehenge
Stonehenge is 2 hours west of London. Unfortunately, all of the day tours from London to Stonehenge only spend 2-2.5 hours at Stonehenge, which is not enough time to see everything.
Another option is to take the train. There is a 90-minute train from London to Salisbury, which is 10 miles from Stonehenge. However, there are no public buses from the train station to Stonehenge. A taxi will cost around £25.
There is a Stonehenge Tour Bus that picks up at both the Salisbury Rail Station and Salisbury Bus Station. It is hop on/hop off style, so you can depart and return whenever you want. There is an option to stop at both the Salisbury Cathedral and Old Sarum, which is an Iron Age fort and Norman castle.
The most convenient option – if possible – is to rent a car so you can spend as much time as you want at Stonehenge. (I realize that Americans such as myself will be intimidated to drive on the left side of the road!)
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Stonehenge History
During the Neolithic or Late Stone Age (10,000-4,500 BC), most of England was covered in tree filled forests.
The grassy plains around Stonehenge were unique, so locals thought that the area was sacred. They built the Stone Circle there, and brought their dead for miles to bury them in the many cemeteries surrounding it.
We don’t know the exact purpose of the Stone Circle. But archaeologists think it might have been a temple where religious services were held.
The area around the Stone Circle contains over 300 monuments built between 3,700-1,600 B.C (See below slideshow). You will be able to view them if you spend the entire day at Stonehenge and are a good walker.
Visiting Stonehenge
There is a Stonehenge Audio Guide available in 12 languages. You can download it in advance or onsite. They no longer offer handsets, but they sell headphones in the Gift Shop.
To be honest, the Audio Guide is not that great. Most people – including myself – stop listening to it after about 2 minutes.
After you enter the site with your ticket, you have the option to walk or take a shuttle (included with admission) to the Stone Circle. The shuttle stop is next to the entrance. Shuttles come frequently.
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Viewing the Stone Circle
If you choose to walk, it is a 2.6 mile loop along the ancient processional route. There are some ruins (officially called monuments) to see along the way. There isn’t much to look at, so don’t feel bad if you are pressed for time and opt to take the shuttle.
You can stay at the Stone Circle as long as you want, reveling in the awe of an entity that was built 5,000 years ago. It’s a great backdrop for pictures and selfies.
Unlike at most famous historic sites, you can take pictures and selfies in front of the Stone Circle without other people in the background. (Because the stones are spread out, people take turns, etc.) Thank God because I hate having strangers ruin my pictures!!!
Check out the video I took of the Stone Circle!
Building Stonehenge
Stonehenge was built in stages. First, around 5,000 years ago a large circular enclosure called a “henge” was built.
A henge is a prehistoric earthwork monument from the Neolithic period. It usually has a circular or oval shaped bank with an internal ditch. There are over 3,000 henges in England and Scotland.
Then 500 years later, gigantic Sarsen Stones were placed in both a horseshoe and circle. Smaller Bluestones were placed in between them, and were later rearranged.
Construction at Stonehenge ceased in the early Bronze Age. Some of the stones were removed and many fell. Only 52 of the 80 Sarsen Stones remain. Between 1919-1964 some of the stones were re-erected.
Dragging the Stones
The wheel was invented in 3,500 B.C. However, it had not yet made its way to the Salisbury Plains when the Stone Circle was built. So hundreds of people had to pull the stones on rollers for up to 20 miles from their original location.
We don’t know how many people it took to drag the stones. But a 2016 University College London experiment concluded that it took 10 people to pull a 1 ton stone 10 feet. That is half the size of the smallest stone in the Stone Circle.
(If it took 10 people to pull a 1 ton stone, does that mean it took 250 people to pull a 25 ton stone? And how many stones could they pull in one day?)
Sarsen Stones
The Stone Circle is made out of 2 different types of stone.
The larger stones are Sarsen Stones, which are a silicified sandstone boulder found in southern England. They are 30 feet tall and weigh around 25 tons. (The Heel Stone weighs 30 tons. It is comprised of 4 stones that share the same roof, and is located in the top left of the picture below).
The smaller stones are Bluestones. They are grey, but have a bluish tinge when broken or wet. They weigh between 2 and 5 tons.
Check out this official Stonehenge virtual video that shows all of the stones and lists their names.
Stonehenge Solstice
As amazing as it sounds, the Stonehenge Circle of Stone tracks the sun’s movement.
Every morning when the sun rises it shines between 2 stones on the left side of the circle. And every night when the sun sets it shines between 2 stones on the right side of the circle.
It amazes me to think that people who lived so long ago knew how to build something like this.
Summer Solstice
The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year. Amazingly, when the sun rises on the Summer Solstice it shines between 4 stones on the left side of the Stone Circle.
Conversely, the Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year. When the sun sets on the Winter Solstice it shines on the main stone on the right side of the Stone Circle. Then the people held a huge celebration, because it meant that the harsh winter was over and spring was coming.
A Visitor Center employee told me the Neolithic people already knew which day the Summer and Winter Solstice were. The Stone Circle was just a reminder.
Hundreds of people celebrate the Summer and Winter Solstice every year at Stonehenge.
Stonehenge Visitor Center
A new £27 million Visitor Center was built at Stonehenge in 2013.
When you walk into the center, you are immersed in a 360-degree Stand in the Stones experience. State-of-the-art laser scans are projected life size on the walls, allowing visitors to experience both the Summer and Winter Solstice.
(As a reminder, the sun rises on the left side of the Stone Circle and sets on the right side. And on the Summer Solstice the sun rises between the 4 stones on the left side. And on the Winter Solstice it sets on the stones on the right side).
Check out this amazing video I took of the Visitor Center film!
5,000 Year Old Man
The second room of the Visitor Center houses a small museum. There are 250 prehistoric objects on display, including a cup, arrowhead, and axe.
The highlight is the skeleton of a 5,000 year old man and a model of what he looked like. The man’s face was reconstructed by a forensic sculptor based on his skull.
The skeleton was found 1.5 miles from Stonehenge. Forensic evidence tells us that the man was 25-40 years old, slender, and was born around 5,500 years ago. (500 years before the circular ditch and banks at Stonehenge were built).
While we don’t know exactly what the man looked like, we know that he had good teeth and handsome features. I think he looks just like a modern man.
Neolithic Houses
Outside of the Gift Shop are replicas of houses from the Neolithic Age (10,000-4,500 BC) . They are made out of white stone and have thatched roofs. They are a living re-creations of how Neolithic people lived and worked, and include tools, stone axes, and burial treasure.
Stonehenge Gift Shop
The Stonehenge Gift Shop has the Stone Circle on every possible item you can imagine including T-shirts, hats, sweaters, playing cards, small replicas, necklace pendants, and aprons. They even have a Stonehenge Monopoly game!
Fortunately, they have several lines and a lot of cashiers so there is never a long line.
The first time I went to Stonehenge, I bought a silver pendant of my favorite Stonehenge stone. The next time I went, I told myself I was not going to waste time in the Gift Shop. I couldn’t help myself! I accidentally bought the same exact small Circle of Stones replica that I had bought the previous year. Serves me right!
Café & Picnic Area
The Stonehenge Café sells locally sourced hot and cold items in takeaway packaging. This includes juices, beer, wine, soup, hotpots, sandwiches, salads, ice cream, and traditional pasties. They have vegan and gluten-free items.
There are picnic areas around the Visitor Center and landscape. And there is a dedicated picnic area at Monument Field with a view of Stone Circle.
Both times I went to Stonehenge I didn’t have time to stop at the cafe.
If You Have 2 Hours at Stonehenge
Tour companies only stop at Stonehenge for 2-2.5 hours, which is not enough time to see everything. If you only have 2 hours at Stonehenge, follow the below Itinerary:
1. Rush to the shuttle shop and take the shuttle to the Stone Circle. Take pictures, selfies, and video.
2 Take the shuttle to the Visitor Center and quickly walk through the Gift Shop.
(There is no way around it – you have to walk through the Gift Shop to get to the Visitors Center or Exit. If you want to make a purchase, there are several cashiers and the lines go fast. If you don’t want to waste time, shop in advance online).
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Sample Itinerary Cont’d
3 Decide if you want to go the Visitor Center or the Neolithic Houses – you might not have time to do both.
4 Walk into the Visitor’s Center and film the Summer and Winter Solstices projected on the wall. Proceed to the second room to see the bones and replica of a 5,000 year old man.
5 Run over to the Neolithic living structure replicas and quickly take pictures.
6 Times up! Run like hell to your tour bus which unfortunately is kind of far.
My Personal Experience at Stonehenge
I have been to Stonehenge twice. When I was planning my first trip, all of the tours I saw on Trip Advisor only spent 2 hours there. Even the shuttle bus (with no tour guide) only spends 2 hours! I knew it was not going to be long enough and I was right.
Both times I took a Stonehenge and Bath Day Tour from London. My main interest was Stonehenge. I had never heard of Bath, but I thought it would be better than going straight back to my hotel.
Turns out there is a lot to see in Bath. The tour stopped for 2 hours at Bath, which I didn’t think was long enough. I do not recommend the day tour from London to Windsor, Stonehenge, and Bath because you would not spend enough time in each place.
My First Trip to Stonehenge in 2018
In 2018 I went to London for the first time. I signed up for a Stonehenge and Bath Day Tour from London. We departed at 9:00am. The tour guide lectured us on Stonehenge during the bus ride.
On the way we stopped at a gas station rest stop to use the bathrooms and buy snacks. I was irritated because I had packed drinks and snacks the day before and thought it was time I could have been spending at the stones.
As soon as the tour bus stopped, I ran to get in line for the shuttle to the Stone Circle. As I looked out the shuttle window at all of the people who were walking and stopping at the Neolithic monuments, I felt bad that I was missing them.
I took several really good pictures, selfies, and video at the Stone Circle. However, when I got back to the U.S. I realized that I had not taken any pictures from the other side of the circle! Turns out the path does not go entirely around the circle, but somehow I did not notice.
Gift Shop and Stone Age Dwellings
When I was done looking at the Stone Circle, I ran back to the shuttle. It stopped at the Visitor Center. As I’ve already mentioned, there is no other option but to walk through the Gift Shop.
It is an amazing gift shop and I ended up spending a lot of time in there and bought several items.
Then I walked outside to see the life size replicas of the Neolithic (Late Stone) Age dwellings. I am fascinated with prehistoric man and wish I could go back in time to see how they lived. I took pictures both inside and outside the houses.
Back to the Bus
By the time I walked into the Visitor Center I was almost out of time. I was fascinated by the amazing film they were displaying on the walls of the sun rising and setting on the Stone Circle. There is a museum employee standing there narrating and answering questions.
I pulled out my iPhone and started to film. People kept walking in front of me and I kept having to start at the beginning.
I was so mesmerized by the film I could have watched it all day. Since it was time to get back to my bus, I did not have time to enter the second room of the museum.
I ran really fast back to the parking lot huffing and puffing in my winter coat and scarf. Unfortunately, I got to the bus a few minutes late and received a few dirty looks from my fellow tour bus passengers.
My Second Trip to Stonehenge in 2019
In 2019 I spent Christmas and New Years in London and Paris. As I had the previous year, I signed up for a Stonehenge and Bath Day Tour from London.
Since I had not been able to see everything the first time, I decided to go back to Stonehenge. I thought about renting a car, but I am an American and was too nervous about driving on the left side of the road. (In retrospect, I wish I had!)
The tour bus left at 7:45am far from my hotel. When my alarm went off I was so tired I thought about canceling and sleeping in.
Unlike the tour I had booked the year before, we drove straight to Stonehenge. My tour bus was the first one to pull into the parking lot, so we got to park right next to the bathrooms.
Rain, rain go away!
As soon as we pulled up, it started raining. I pulled out my umbrella and rain poncho. I walked a few feet and got in line for the shuttle. It came right away.
As soon as I got to the Stone Circle it stopped raining!!! I took a bunch of pictures in front of the stones. I tried to walk to the other side but the path was blocked. Possibly because it was raining?
I took the shuttle back to the Visitor’s Center. I had told myself I was not going to waste time at the Gift Shop but I gave in.
Unlike the previous year, I bypassed the Neolithic Houses. And did not spend much time in the first room of the museum watching the film since I had videoed it the year before.
Made it to the Museum!
This time I made it to the second room of the museum. To my surprise, there was not much to see. It is as small as my bedroom. The only thing they had on display were the bones of a 5,000 year old man and a replica of what he probably looked like. They now have Neolithic artifacts on display.
This trip I made it back to the bus on time.
I found out later that most people on my bus did not even realize that there was a museum. The tour guide kept referring to it as the “Visitor Center” and said there is a Gift Shop and cafe. She did not use the word museum.
Not me!!! Before I go on a trip I study the place I’m going to. I go on Wikipedia, watch documentaries, and read the reviews on TripAdvisor.
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Stonehenge Esperance Australia
As incredible as it sounds, there is a life size recreation of the Stonehenge Stone Circle in Esperance, Australia!!! It is the only full size replica of the original Stonehenge.
Just like the original, the large stones weigh 28-50 tons. And the sun shines through the stones on the Summer and Winter Solstice.
Final Thoughts
Stonehenge is a must-see ancient monument. With over a million visitors each year, plan your visit by reserving tickets in advance and arriving on time.
The Visitor Center offers engaging exhibits and a unique experience. Take your time exploring the stone circle and Neolithic houses, and don’t miss the café.
Enjoy the history and mystery of this incredible site!
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