# Avebury



## Voley (Aug 20, 2008)

Anyone been? 

Staying there for a couple of days next week. Bit of walking, seeing the standing stones and what-have-you.

Any nice pubs?


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## felixthecat (Aug 20, 2008)

A lovely pub right next to the stones.

I love Avebury. When you going to be there? I might pop over for a pint


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## El Jefe (Aug 20, 2008)

It's ace. and there's a decent pub, forget the name. Far superior to Stonehenge IMO. You're also near Old Sarum and that weird hill / mound I forget the name of. I'd watch Children of the Stones before you go. 

It's the only place I've ever watched and enjoyed morris dancing


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## Voley (Aug 20, 2008)

felixthecat said:


> A lovely pub right next to the stones.
> 
> I love Avebury. When you going to be there? I might pop over for a pint



Next Monday and Tuesday. I'm staying here.

I wanted to stay in that pub right by the stones but it doesn't do B&B, sadly. The couple of other places right in the village were about £150 a night! My place is fifty quid and has real ale.


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## Voley (Aug 20, 2008)

El Jefe said:


> that weird hill / mound I forget the name of.









Silbury Hill? That's what made me want to go. I saw it on that 'Britain From Above' programme a few days ago.

<goes off to google Children Of The Stones>


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## Idaho (Aug 20, 2008)

Just over the road from Silbury Hill there is a burial chamber that's worth a look. Was there last year and am off camping nearby next week.

I like Avebury. It has a feeling about it that you only get in Wiltshire.


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## El Jefe (Aug 20, 2008)

And by the burial chamber you mention I saw two big ole crop circles last time I was down there.


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## Thora (Aug 20, 2008)

The Barge at Honey Street is a nice pub, good for nutty croppies and ufologists and the like.  Lots of pubs in Devizes too, and a little museum.


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## El Jefe (Aug 20, 2008)

Thora said:


> The Barge at Honey Street is a nice pub, good for nutty croppies and ufologists and the like.  Lots of pubs in Devizes too, and a little museum.



The Barge is indeed ace. I love the fact that one bar is given over to crop circle investigations, while the kids who actually MAKE the crop circles sit in the bar next door giggling 

Nice little campsite out the back too


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## Voley (Aug 20, 2008)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_the_Stones

That rings bells. 

I hope I get a bit of decent weather while I'm there. Quite fancy walking a bit of The Ridgeway if it's not chucking it down.


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## El Jefe (Aug 20, 2008)

I'd lend you the DVD but it wouldn't get there in time.


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## Voley (Aug 20, 2008)

Pity. I think I can vaguely remember that series. Lots of kids shat themselves over it, iirc. 

I'm liking the sound of Avebury now. Crop circle nutters, standing stones,nice scenery, pubs. Sounds right up my street.


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## skyscraper101 (Aug 20, 2008)

The pub in Avebury is called The Red Lion. Its ok. You get a lot of weekend bikers in there mind. But still worth a pint or two.

I prefer The Barge in Honey Street though as its by the canal and you can have some really nice walks - especially if the weather is good. Might see some corn circles too around the Alton Barnes area. I've been told there's one or two.


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## coccinelle (Aug 20, 2008)

Someone told me there's a crop circle just by West Kennet long barrow which is just across the road from Silbury Hill


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## El Jefe (Aug 20, 2008)

Well there was definitely one last summer, a really great one, and I think it's a regular target


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## DJWrongspeed (Aug 20, 2008)

Was there last month and like the fact that all the signs to Avebury village had been taken down.  Not a mention anywhere as we drove from the M4.  Luckily I kinda new the turning to take but otherwise you'd be looking at map for a longtime.

Big up the Barge Inn, the view from the top of that down is ace too.  Also worth a visit to the nearbyCaen Hill and extraordinary lock system


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## Voley (Aug 20, 2008)

They had this one a few years back:






Must've taken the aliens ages.


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## Idaho (Aug 20, 2008)

I've never seen a crop circle!

The *only* conclusion I can draw is that the aliens are scared of me.


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## Voley (Aug 20, 2008)

Idaho said:


> I've never seen a crop circle!



But *they've seen you*.


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## Belushi (Aug 20, 2008)

Avebury is ace, must put it on my list of places to revisit.


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## Gavin Bl (Aug 20, 2008)

I'll have to check out Avebury. I'm normally the type of person who make a point of enjoying visiting stuff, but Stonehenge one of the few places I've come away from being disappointed....


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## quimcunx (Aug 20, 2008)

this thread is too Aveburycentric.


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## Voley (Aug 20, 2008)

I've been to Stonehenge before and felt a bit let down, too. 

I went when you were still allowed to get up close to it and I enjoyed it then, mind. I might go and have another look when I'm in Avebury - it's only about 20 miles away, iirc.


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## Gavin Bl (Aug 21, 2008)

quimcunx said:


> this thread is too Aveburycentric.



don't deny the ley lines and the crystals, maaan.


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## Idaho (Aug 21, 2008)

I'm converging! I'm converging!...







I'm done.


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## Voley (Aug 21, 2008)

Heh!


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## marty21 (Aug 21, 2008)

avebury is lovely, when i drive down to bath, usually take the A4 from hungerford as it's a lovely drive, sometimes stop in Avebury, or at silbury hill, the kennet long burrows across from silbury hill, there's also the white horse nearby as well, looks good walking country


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## boskysquelch (Aug 21, 2008)

marty21 said:


> avebury is lovely, when i drive down to bath, usually take the A4 from hungerford as it's a lovely drive, sometimes stop in Avebury, or at silbury hill, the kennet long burrows across from silbury hill, there's also the white horse nearby as well, looks good walking country


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## fizzerbird (Aug 21, 2008)

I love avebury


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## big eejit (Aug 21, 2008)

I've never really done Wiltshire - always tended to go south or west. But we had a quick visit on the way back from Dorset recently - went to this pub which is not far from Avebury and sold good beer and good value food:

http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/86/8621/Barge_Inn/Seend_Cleeve

Would like to vist Avebury having read this thread.


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## wiskey (Aug 22, 2008)

Oddly enough we're planning to go to avebury tomorrow if its nice weather. 

Went to stanton drew stone circle on wednesday.


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## Voley (Aug 26, 2008)

Hmmm ... 

I'm a bit disappointed, tbh. 

Avebury's become a real tourist attraction and I'm not sure it's helped the place much. I've had this with National Trust places before - I know they do loads of good conservation stuff and what-have-you but the facilities they usually put in (car parks, gift shops etc) attract a lot more people to the place. Can't argue too much - I was one of these people, after all, but there were literally hundreds of people all over the stone circle, people climbing on the stones etc. Didn't do much for the atmosphere. Same goes for the fucking great road that goes right through the centre of the stone circle - what bright spark had that idea? Maybe I'm a spoiled, really. When I go to a stone circle in Cornwall, I quite often have the place to myself.

Strange organisation, the National Trust. I can't quite work out whether they're a good thing or a bad thing.

Anyhow, the pub I stayed in was nice; friendly people, decent beer. And the countryside around Avebury was really beautiful.


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## wiskey (Aug 26, 2008)

We realised it was bank holiday saturday and it would be packed so we didn't go, we went for a walk up white horse hill instead and watched the hangliders below us! and for dinner at the lock inn in BoA. 

I think you have to choose your moment with avebury now. 5am is probably ok.


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## felixthecat (Aug 26, 2008)

NVP said:


> Hmmm ...
> 
> I'm a bit disappointed, tbh.
> 
> ...



Did you see the new crop circles? And the crop tractor and trailer? Well, it wasn't a circle - it was most definitely a tractor and trailer. Towards the Calne side of Avebury - went past it yesterday.


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## felixthecat (Aug 26, 2008)

wiskey said:


> We realised it was bank holiday saturday and it would be packed so we didn't go, we went for a walk up white horse hill instead and watched the hangliders below us! and for dinner at the lock inn in BoA.
> 
> I think you have to choose your moment with avebury now. 5am is probably ok.



Missed you by a few hours - we had lunch at the Lock Inn


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## Voley (Aug 26, 2008)

@ wiskey: I think that's right.

I went there early this morning and it was a lot quieter and nicer. Weather was shite, though, so I cut me trip short and came home. 

Landlady of the pub reckoned it's still nice and quiet in November. She wasn't overly enamoured with the National Trust, either, interestingly. 'All a bit too formal', she reckoned. I can see where she's coming from.


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## marty21 (Aug 26, 2008)

boskysquelch said:


> :




 it is a lovely drive!!!


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## Voley (Aug 26, 2008)

felixthecat said:


> Well, it wasn't a circle - it was most definitely a tractor and trailer.



Those aliens are just taking the piss now, aren't they?


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## wiskey (Aug 26, 2008)

felixthecat said:


> Missed you by a few hours - we had lunch at the Lock Inn



Hehe, we got there about 5, I did wonder if we'd bump into you  

I like it, its fun watching everyone crash their rented canal boats into the side


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## scooter (Aug 28, 2008)

> Same goes for the fucking great road that goes right through the centre of the stone circle - what bright spark had that idea?



Back in the 17th century they used to break up the stones and use them to build houses. The houses in the village are all made from stones taken from the circle and around.

It's amazing but, before about 100 years ago, people had no respect at all for ancient monuments. In the victorian era they started putting ladders up at stonehenge and people sat on top having a picnic. But at least that was the start of people being interested in ancient monuments - after a while even the victorians realised "hang on, we need to protect these monuments or they'll be gone".

But it's true worldwide - the sphinx and the pyramids were in a state of disrepair too.

Avebury is quite amazing when you think about it. The ditch that goes around the outside of the big circle - just the ditch, never mind the erecting of the stones - would have taken a large group of men, working several hours a day every day, 100 years to dig.

And it's not like these neolithic people had much leisure time really considering the amount of work they had to do to find and grow food and stay alive.


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## Geri (Aug 28, 2008)

NVP said:


> Strange organisation, the National Trust. I can't quite work out whether they're a good thing or a bad thing.



I think they're a good thing. Don't they own most of the land around the south west coast path? I can't imagine what it would be like if they didn't.


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