Stones-Avebury Stone Circle-Wiltshire.
I have always wanted to visit Avebury. I was told it was magical. I had watched Children of the Stones and was convinced that if I touched one of them I would be placed into a time shift. It is late April, spring was arriving and I was greeted by a chorus of Crows as I got out of the car.
The trip there in itself had been hairy but Marlborough looked nice out of the window. Passing Silbury Hill before arrival, it looked like a rather large green jelly. I was getting hungry at this point after two hours of driving so maybe everything was looking food based. Vowing to return on the way back, the brown sign of Avebury was finally seen.
On arrival, I heard raised mutterings about car park fees. Yes, I do think it is excessive and a liberty, but if you are already out all day on tour and you drive a lot to see things, I would guess at some point in the day you would have to pay to park.
Walking into the village I was excited, I was followed by chirping Robins and I was taking this whole day trip extremely seriously.
First stop, the toilets which are very nice except for the rudeness of a lady who decided to stare me out. I was going to shout ‘Oh happy day” but I was so hungry it would have turned into something else. Then to the café, where the cake was so vastly overpriced I made do with my cheese bap and crisps that had popped in my bag. I did buy some ginger biscuits for strength.
Walking up to see the first stones I closed my eyes and went though the gate. I however felt nothing, I became immediately disappointed.
I became encased in a funk. I wished I would become possessed by a beam of light.
I took control of myself and reset my day. I walked up to the stones and touched one. I felt nothing. Further up the two big stones were being returfed so you couldn’t get near them. One lady and her dog walked on this new turf and was told off. I felt floaty and sad. I didn’t want this as my Avebury experience.
I had brought everything to this place, soggy baps, crushed crisps and a promise of magic.
Trying to find answers I came across this;
‘According to accounts on The Megalithic Portal, some visitors have reported intense feelings of great dread when entering a stone circle, or a strange microclimate of heat or cold between the stones. Others have reportedly experienced feelings of flying through the air or electric shocks when making contact with ancient stones,’
Had the Avebury stones sucked the life from me? Was I the Barber Surgeon?
Walking up along the ridged track it was very windy which helped reset my chi. Rooks and Crows were crying out ‘Emma! leave!’ I am sure of it.
The high track gave me some peace and excellent views across the Wiltshire countryside. The landscape is beautiful and in bright April sunshine it is ethereal but I was still waiting for the almighty ‘Oh I’m at Avebury!’ feeling.
I felt better when I came to the ancient wishing trees. I very much liked the roots on the ground. It has been said that they were inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien’s, Ents. I liked seeing its bare bones and offered a small piece of ginger biscuit which I promptly ate.
I then saw a dead rabbit on the road and said sorry to his Owsla. Maybe the ginger biscuit should have been left to the tree.
After being chased through a gate by more runners who were filming on a very large camera, I decided it was time to go. I saw a dirty, once was white slouch sock attached to the fence. I felt I had become that sock.
I just don’t know, maybe I was too focused on the Avebury thing, that I would be cascaded into the past and feel what everyone else had said about it. I have read so much about it and yet it just.. wasn’t.
The Robins met me again on the way out and they filled me with more joy than the stones. I hoped going back to Silbury Hill would help. Would it? Will it make up for being possessed by Hendrick? Was I just hungry?
