My co-author and frequent collaborator, Cameron Hewitt, is well-traveled, smart, and insightful. And, while he and I are in perfect sync in our travel styles and priorities, he gives voice to the next generation of "Rick Steves travelers. Docents show off Stone Age tools — made exclusively of wood, flint, and antler. And lying nearby is one of those massive sarsen stones, lying sideways on a log-wheeled cart — likely the way these were transported 20 miles, up and down undulating hills, to this location.
Another big change has been to keep the tourist hubbub far away from the stone circle itself. Now you have to ride a shuttle bus from the visitors center a few minutes to Stonehenge itself. Or you can walk about 20 minutes through the fields. I hopped on a nearly empty bus to the stones — saving the museum exhibits for later.
By the time I rode back to the visitors center, there was a long line waiting for the shuttle bus. Yet another tip: You can avoid ticket-buying lines if you prebook at www. Keep in mind that, even once you have a ticket, you may still face a line for the bus…that alone is a good reason to aim for a quieter time. The decision to build it, and the know-how and hard work to make it happen, are staggering….
This really is amazing. Stonehenge has been at two pyramids for years. But with all of these improvements, the new consensus around the office including Rick, who filmed here recently is to promote Stonehenge to coveted three-pyramid status. One of our designers made a special plea for me to get some better photos. So I enjoyed getting as many good angles as the barriers would allow, taking advantage of a nice sunny day with big puffy clouds to add texture. Yes, you can still manage to be cynical about Stonehenge.
A stony, gurgling brook. A few surefooted sheep, nibbling their way through an ankle-twisting terrain of rock and slate. The road twists onward, through a gobsmacking landscape. I drive past the hotel where Sir Edmund Hillary stayed while he was training for his historic first ascent of Mount Everest.
