Avebury, Wiltshire, England

Avebury Stones , Neolithic, Wiltshire, standing stones

We had no intention of visiting Avebury during our fairly recent trip down to the south west of England, but when we saw a roadsign which indicated we were staying just seven miles from Avebury we obvioulsy had to go there. You don’t have to pay to get into the fields but if you are parking a car then you pay for parking, I think it was £7, however – if you are a member of the National Trust or Scottish National Trust parking is free. Below is a photo of Jack beside one of the standing stones so you can see how enormous some are.

Avebury, standing Stones,Wiltshire+ J

We’ve been to visit a fair few standing stones but none as massive as these ones.  They’re also very rough  and don’t seem to have been worn down by the weather. I was also struck by the difference in the situations in the landscape. In Orkney you can stand in one of the neolithic stone sites and see two others in the distance, but in Avebury it seems that they wanted things to be hidden. Massive ditches have been dug out around the fields, it looks like that might have been done to keep people in those fields, escape wouldn’t have been easy, probably impossible. You don’t really get the idea of how deep this ditch/rampart is from the photo below.

Avebury Rampart , standing stones, Neolithic, Wiltshire

Avebury Rampart ,Neolithic, Wiltshire

For me that added to an atmosphere of unease and danger. This could of course be my imagination running rampant!

But I must admit that when I saw a few women leaning against the stones with both hands – for ages, emulating Claire  from Outlander, obviously hoping for a similar experience, I found it really funny.

Avebury, standing Stones , Neolithic, Wiltshire

 

Avebury, standing Stones, Neolithic, Wiltshire

Otherwise, Avebury is a lovely wee village with a few shops, pub and church.

Avebury, Thatched Cottage

And some very quaint houses.

Avebury,Thatched Cottage 3

 

Avebury house

 

 

Kennet and Avon Canal at Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire

On our recent trip down south we stayed for three nights at The Barge Inn at Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire. It’s a scenic small town and is well placed for exploring the area. As you would expect we were right by the canal which turned out to be interesting, although I am now absolutely sure that I never want to go on a canal holiday!

Barge Inn ,Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire

 

Canal + Barge Inn, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshiree

 

Kennet and Avon Canal , Bradford on Avon

It’s far too much like hard work and it seems that it’s the women who have all the heavy stuff to do, such as getting the lock gates open – while the men just pose about on the back of the barge with their hand on the rudder, watching. It’s the Kennet and Avon canal.

I was surprised that these two barges could get through the canal lock at the same time, below.

Kennet and Avon Canal, Bradford on Avon

We went for a bit of a walk along the canal and saw this lovely family of swans, it’s amazes me that they can stay so white when the water is so mucky (the adults).

Swans, Kennet and Avon canal, Bradford on Avon

I was surprised to see the remains of a World War 2 pill box by the side of the canal, I don’t know why because they still have them by railway lines in Fife. No doubt during the war the Home Guard would have been in them, ready to defend the area if any Nazis managed to reach the place. Luckily there was no invasion but everyone at that time was terrified that there would be, but determined literally to fight them on the beaches.

WW2 Pill box , Kennet and Avon canal, Bradford on Avon

WW2 Pill Box , Kennet and Avon canal, Bradford on Avon