clark_monson
Enigma
Everyone that goes to the UK has to visit Stonehenge, or so it seems. I thought it would be overhyped, but I was actually pleasantly surprised. There are a lot of people there, but the grounds are so large it's easy to keep your distance from others. The audioguide is pretty good, and frankly it's hard to overstate how awe-inspiring these ancient stone pillars are in person.
What motivated the Neolithic people to build such a monumental structure? What did they use it for? How did they build it given the tools available in 2500 BC? These and other questions have vexed researchers for a couple hundred years. To be honest, I think it adds to the air of mystery surrounding Stonehenge and the other Neolithic sites.
One of the things I liked the most about this area was its similarity to the Barrow Downs in Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring: barrows, megalithic monuments, burial hordes of treasure, etc. Given that Tolkien taught at nearby Oxford, it shouldn't be too surprising.
This is a bit of a different perspective from the standard view, but the light was best from this spot.
Enigma
Everyone that goes to the UK has to visit Stonehenge, or so it seems. I thought it would be overhyped, but I was actually pleasantly surprised. There are a lot of people there, but the grounds are so large it's easy to keep your distance from others. The audioguide is pretty good, and frankly it's hard to overstate how awe-inspiring these ancient stone pillars are in person.
What motivated the Neolithic people to build such a monumental structure? What did they use it for? How did they build it given the tools available in 2500 BC? These and other questions have vexed researchers for a couple hundred years. To be honest, I think it adds to the air of mystery surrounding Stonehenge and the other Neolithic sites.
One of the things I liked the most about this area was its similarity to the Barrow Downs in Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring: barrows, megalithic monuments, burial hordes of treasure, etc. Given that Tolkien taught at nearby Oxford, it shouldn't be too surprising.
This is a bit of a different perspective from the standard view, but the light was best from this spot.