Ollie
CF Legend
I know this won't interest you. The summer Solstice doesn't really interest me either. But it was a chance to actually go inside Stonehenge and touch the stones. Usually when you visit you pay stupid amounts of money to get in to walk round a path in a circle around the stones. You can't go anywhere near them and there's nothing else (not even a small museum) apart from walking in a circle really far from them.
So that was my main reason for wanting to go as well as to take photos. Don't really follow what all the druids/wiccans or whatever they are do and think most of them a pretty crazy. But I was willing to put up with it for this rare opportunity to see Stonehenge up close.
For the solstice they just stand around all night and wait for the sunrise where they do some ritual thing. But there's lots of music (well, drumming at least) and stuff.
Anyway. We (me and my mums fiancée and his son) were due to be picked up at 6pm so we stood outside the house. Our lift was nowhere to be seen and we couldn't get hold of them. We were just about to get my older brother to give use a lift when he finally turned up almost 90 minutes late. Have no idea what took him so long as he only lives 10 minutes drive away.
We got in the car and headed to someone elses house. The driver (can't remember his name) wanted to pop to his house to get his waterproofs (he lives opposite the house we were going to) so he dropped us off at the shops to get some booze and went off. We walked to the house and waited there over an hour (how does he take so long). The house we went to was one of my mums partners friends houses. We've visited before for a BBQ and it's always been disgusting. The house is a mess, they're unhygienic, don't wash wear stained clothes and when we used to go most of us were ill the next day. For this reason we always avoided going there and now they have a new cat so there's cat litter all over the floor and there's even poo that hasn't been cleaned up that's been trodden into the floor. Proper disgusting.
Anyway we all had some wine and spoke to the people there while we waited for the snail man to get his stuff. To get to the stones we were taking a car and a massive camper/hippie van. The people in the van left while we still waited for the snail. Eventually he arrived back and we headed off with 5 adults tightly packed in the small car.
By the time we got to there sunset had already happened. The car park is 30 mins walk from the actual stones in a MASSIVE field. There were thousands and thousands of cars there. It's surprising to see how popular the event is. I'm can start adding pictures now so you don't have to read the boring text (like you do anyway).
As soon as we arrived it began to rain so everyone gathered around the camper van.
Within seconds the weed and booze was out and I was being shown a steampunk hat someone had made.
The guy on the right here is Mr Snail. He was really depressed because he had just split with his girlfriend and wouldn't stop talking about her which was slightly annoying but then we were hoping him going out for the night would cheer him up.
The guy in the hat and green sweater here (cba to type or spell names) was literally having spliffs non stop. As soon as one ended the next was lit which stank the whole van and you could see the smoke coming out the door lol.
We spent most the time in the car park as the walk to the stones is long and muddy and we only wanted to go down there for a few hours and see the sun come up. Lost count the number of people who came up to ask offering or asking for drugs.
Although a couple of girls came round asking if anyone wanted MDMA but as they passed they dropped a note on the floor which I picked up and pocketed.
Soon my older brother and his friend arrived to join us while we waited to head down to the stones. It then absolutely pissed down with rain for a couple of hours making the ground even muddier. By the time the rain eased slightly we decided to leave the guy in the hat could barely walk or speak and a couple of others were acting mental. Crazy hippies.
It was quite a walk to the top of the car park where we then went through the first line of security.
Then we had the long walk through the thick wet mud to the stones. One of the high members of the group decided to go mud diving so dived head first into the ground.
We then continued walking through the mud.
The illegal substance bin just became a normal bin.
More mud.
Before we reached the second security stop where everyone got searched and had sniffer dogs trying to detect drugs.
Shame they didn't have any 'proper' food.
People were doing all sorts of things to stay out the rain. People had nicked table umbrellas and even bin lids (although they were cardboard ones with holes in the top).
To the right as you got in was this big statue thing. Apparently it's going to be at the Olympics next.
We headed towards the stones in the middle.
In the middle there were so many people you just couldn't move at all.
We decided to try and edge our way back out and see if it was easier to get in the other side.
This caught my eye super quickly when he walked past.
It was too crowded inside and we still had a while till sunrise so I decided to go outside the circle to take some photos.
You can't see them that clearly in these photos but the guy is called Arthur Pendragon who apparently thinks he's King Arthur or the reincarnation of him and king of the druids or something.
Him and the woman (whoever she is) walked down to the heelstone to do a ritual right before sunrise.
A crowd soon gathered but I left as it sounded boring and you couldn't make out what they were saying.
It was now starting to get brighter.
Throughout the night people kept climbing on the rocks which meant the security/'safety team' had to push their way through the crowd to get them down.
Now a ritual was being done in the middle of the circle. It's more of a speech but then I may be wrong as it was so quiet you couldn't hear a word that was being said.
The media then began walking round getting interviews and stuff. Although most people there were off their heads on drugs and/or alcohol.
After I realised that there would be no sun as it was behind all the clouds I decided to head back. Was slightly annoying as I spend ages stood there hoping to get a shot of the sunrise and maybe even a silhouette of Stonehenge.
On the walk back I saw a couple having a domestic with the woman getting in a grump and walking off.
I took a few more shots of the statue and then started the muddy walk back to the car park.
Back at the car park they were handing out free breakfast. Although I've never heard of having Curry and Cake for breakfast. Let alone plopping the cake on top of the curry.
I like curry but it looked disgusting and I think most people thought it tasted the same as well as they were all over the floor of the car park.
I worked my way back to the car which was a bit disorientating as there were so many cars and all the rows looked the same.
Once back at the vehicles most people had a quick nap before we set off home. I was exhausted and covered in mud and my legs were aching. So as soon as I got home I put my clothes in the wash and went straight to bed at 8am. Didn't wake up till 3pm which messed my body clock up slightly but shouldn't take long to stop thinking I need to have breakfast when it's dinner time.
Anyway that's it. Sorry if it was a bit boring and I couldn't provide much information. Like I said I just went to get the opportunity to actually go inside the circle. But to do that you have to do an all nighter in the cold and wet and put up with loads of crazy people off their heads.
There's loads more photos here if anyone wants to see any more.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 5e239f8253
So that was my main reason for wanting to go as well as to take photos. Don't really follow what all the druids/wiccans or whatever they are do and think most of them a pretty crazy. But I was willing to put up with it for this rare opportunity to see Stonehenge up close.
For the solstice they just stand around all night and wait for the sunrise where they do some ritual thing. But there's lots of music (well, drumming at least) and stuff.
Anyway. We (me and my mums fiancée and his son) were due to be picked up at 6pm so we stood outside the house. Our lift was nowhere to be seen and we couldn't get hold of them. We were just about to get my older brother to give use a lift when he finally turned up almost 90 minutes late. Have no idea what took him so long as he only lives 10 minutes drive away.
We got in the car and headed to someone elses house. The driver (can't remember his name) wanted to pop to his house to get his waterproofs (he lives opposite the house we were going to) so he dropped us off at the shops to get some booze and went off. We walked to the house and waited there over an hour (how does he take so long). The house we went to was one of my mums partners friends houses. We've visited before for a BBQ and it's always been disgusting. The house is a mess, they're unhygienic, don't wash wear stained clothes and when we used to go most of us were ill the next day. For this reason we always avoided going there and now they have a new cat so there's cat litter all over the floor and there's even poo that hasn't been cleaned up that's been trodden into the floor. Proper disgusting.
Anyway we all had some wine and spoke to the people there while we waited for the snail man to get his stuff. To get to the stones we were taking a car and a massive camper/hippie van. The people in the van left while we still waited for the snail. Eventually he arrived back and we headed off with 5 adults tightly packed in the small car.
By the time we got to there sunset had already happened. The car park is 30 mins walk from the actual stones in a MASSIVE field. There were thousands and thousands of cars there. It's surprising to see how popular the event is. I'm can start adding pictures now so you don't have to read the boring text (like you do anyway).
As soon as we arrived it began to rain so everyone gathered around the camper van.
Within seconds the weed and booze was out and I was being shown a steampunk hat someone had made.
The guy on the right here is Mr Snail. He was really depressed because he had just split with his girlfriend and wouldn't stop talking about her which was slightly annoying but then we were hoping him going out for the night would cheer him up.
The guy in the hat and green sweater here (cba to type or spell names) was literally having spliffs non stop. As soon as one ended the next was lit which stank the whole van and you could see the smoke coming out the door lol.
We spent most the time in the car park as the walk to the stones is long and muddy and we only wanted to go down there for a few hours and see the sun come up. Lost count the number of people who came up to ask offering or asking for drugs.
Although a couple of girls came round asking if anyone wanted MDMA but as they passed they dropped a note on the floor which I picked up and pocketed.
Soon my older brother and his friend arrived to join us while we waited to head down to the stones. It then absolutely pissed down with rain for a couple of hours making the ground even muddier. By the time the rain eased slightly we decided to leave the guy in the hat could barely walk or speak and a couple of others were acting mental. Crazy hippies.
It was quite a walk to the top of the car park where we then went through the first line of security.
Then we had the long walk through the thick wet mud to the stones. One of the high members of the group decided to go mud diving so dived head first into the ground.
We then continued walking through the mud.
The illegal substance bin just became a normal bin.
More mud.
Before we reached the second security stop where everyone got searched and had sniffer dogs trying to detect drugs.
Shame they didn't have any 'proper' food.
People were doing all sorts of things to stay out the rain. People had nicked table umbrellas and even bin lids (although they were cardboard ones with holes in the top).
To the right as you got in was this big statue thing. Apparently it's going to be at the Olympics next.
We headed towards the stones in the middle.
In the middle there were so many people you just couldn't move at all.
We decided to try and edge our way back out and see if it was easier to get in the other side.
This caught my eye super quickly when he walked past.
It was too crowded inside and we still had a while till sunrise so I decided to go outside the circle to take some photos.
You can't see them that clearly in these photos but the guy is called Arthur Pendragon who apparently thinks he's King Arthur or the reincarnation of him and king of the druids or something.
Him and the woman (whoever she is) walked down to the heelstone to do a ritual right before sunrise.
A crowd soon gathered but I left as it sounded boring and you couldn't make out what they were saying.
It was now starting to get brighter.
Throughout the night people kept climbing on the rocks which meant the security/'safety team' had to push their way through the crowd to get them down.
Now a ritual was being done in the middle of the circle. It's more of a speech but then I may be wrong as it was so quiet you couldn't hear a word that was being said.
The media then began walking round getting interviews and stuff. Although most people there were off their heads on drugs and/or alcohol.
After I realised that there would be no sun as it was behind all the clouds I decided to head back. Was slightly annoying as I spend ages stood there hoping to get a shot of the sunrise and maybe even a silhouette of Stonehenge.
On the walk back I saw a couple having a domestic with the woman getting in a grump and walking off.
I took a few more shots of the statue and then started the muddy walk back to the car park.
Back at the car park they were handing out free breakfast. Although I've never heard of having Curry and Cake for breakfast. Let alone plopping the cake on top of the curry.
I like curry but it looked disgusting and I think most people thought it tasted the same as well as they were all over the floor of the car park.
I worked my way back to the car which was a bit disorientating as there were so many cars and all the rows looked the same.
Once back at the vehicles most people had a quick nap before we set off home. I was exhausted and covered in mud and my legs were aching. So as soon as I got home I put my clothes in the wash and went straight to bed at 8am. Didn't wake up till 3pm which messed my body clock up slightly but shouldn't take long to stop thinking I need to have breakfast when it's dinner time.
Anyway that's it. Sorry if it was a bit boring and I couldn't provide much information. Like I said I just went to get the opportunity to actually go inside the circle. But to do that you have to do an all nighter in the cold and wet and put up with loads of crazy people off their heads.
There's loads more photos here if anyone wants to see any more.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 5e239f8253
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