Four and a half thousand years ago (give or take a century or two) pre-historic Britons dragged a whole lot of very big stones to a pleasant spot on the Salisbury Plain and built a circle. It is hard to know why they did it, although archaeologists generally believe it had something to do with burials. The stones weighed up to 40 tons so this was a bit more than a casual morning's mucking about. Today the circle is called Stonehenge. It attracts more than one million visitors a year and it charges a hefty £30 (depending on when you visit) for every single one of them EXCEPT for those who know how to visit for free.
I am not going to keep you in suspense. There is a public walking pathright next to Stonehenge. It is perfectly legal and completely free to walk along. You just have to know it is there.
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| Stonehenge |
Directions to the free public footpath.
- Park near the intersection of Fargo Road and Willoughby Rd, Larkhill. Turn onto the B3086 from the A303, drive past the Stonehenge parking, turn right at The Packway then right again at Fargo Rd and follow it until you come to Willoughby Rd. You might have to go a short way past the intersection to park.
- From therewalk due south down Willoughby Rd. The pathway from the end of Willoughby Rd goes all the way through to the A303 passing Stonehenge in less than a mile. It is maddeningly difficult to get the path to show up on Google Maps but you can do it by using '3 Stonehenge Rd, Amesbury, Salisbury' as the address of Stonehenge. If you just type in Stonehenge you get directions to the Visitor Centre. The red marker on my map is the intersection of Fargo and Willoughby Rds. The path on the map shows you veering off to the left a bit before the gate leading to the free public path. Keep going until you see the sign described in the next bullet point.
- Look for the bus drop off circle for tourists coming from the Stonehenge Visitor Centre. You can't miss it, there will be lots of people around. Before the gate which leads to the paid pathway there is a gate with a sign saying 'Permissive path for pedestrians and cyclists'. Walk through and enjoy seeing Stonehenge for free.
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| The free public footpath is on the left. |
Is the free view as good as the view you pay for?
Yes - and no. Paid ticket holders can walk a circular path round the stones seeing them from every direction. The free path runs next to the paid path along one side of the stones. The view of Stonehenge is more or less the same from every direction. In the photo below, the paid path is on the left and the free path is on the right. The stones are on the left outside the photo. The path is at its furthest distance from the stones where the free path runs next to it. It is close enough to get a great view but if getting as close to the stones as you can is a priority then the best way to see Stonehenge is to take the paid path.
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| The paid path is on the left and the free public footpath is on the right. |
Where can you park?
- Park in Larkhill, as close as you can to the southern end of Willoughby Road. Fargo Rd is the best place.
- The same road/path which leads from Willoughy Road past Stonehenge goes all the way through to the A303. It would be a quicker walk from the A303 end however it is usually blocked off to cars leaving you nowhere to park.
- The day we visited there were lots of cars parked on the dirt road right next to Stonehenge. I don't know how they got there but I guess the entrance from the A303 had been left open. I was told that the parking isn't legal and you run the risk of getting a ticket.
Can you see Stonehenge from the road?
You can see Stonehenge in the middle distance from the A303 driving in both directions. Don't expect a great view. There is nowhere to stop, let alone park.
Paid tickets and tours
For a great selection of tickets and tours head over to Viator or GetYourGuide. Most have free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance but make sure you check the actual tour you decide upon. You will find the 'Free cancellation' promise clearly stated in the tour description. I don't know about you, but I love free cancellations. I hardly ever use them but it is comforting to know you can change your mind if you want.
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Other ways to see Stonehenge for free.
Walk from Woodhenge
Woodhenge is a Neolithic site which was probably a burial ground. It once consisted of concentric rings of wooden posts which may have supported a circular building. It looks impressive in reconstructed photos. Google 'Woodhenge reconstruction' and you will see what I mean. Sadly, some bright spark thought it would be a good idea to place concrete markers where the poles once were. The concrete is just ugly! It is still worth a visit, if only to know you are standing on a site where people once stood thousands of years ago.
There is a walking trail from Woodhenge all the way to Stonehenge, a distance of about 2.5 miles (4 kms). The walk is described on the National Trust Stonehenge website. You will find a map at the same link.Woodhengeis free to visit and there is plenty of parking beside the road.
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| Woodhenge -with David in the blue jacket. |
Join English Heritage
Stonehenge is managed by English Heritage. Members have free access to Stonehenge, along with other historic buildings, monuments and sites throughout England. A year's membership costs £60. Just a word of caution, while Stonehenge is pricey, many English Heritage sites are either free or relatively inexpensive. It is worth checking which sites you want to visit before you join.
Buy an English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass
English Heritage Overseas Visitor Passes are valid for either 9 or 16 consecutive days. The 9 day pass costs £35 and the 16 day pass costs £42. They are valid at Stonehenge.
Join The United Kingdom National Trust
Like English Heritage members, UK National Trust members can visit Stonehenge for free. A year's adult membership costs £72.
DO NOT join an affiliate organisation such as an Australian National Trust or theScottish National Trust. Reciprocal rights (except free parking) are honoured at other National Trust sites but NOT at Stonehenge.
Go during the Summer Solstice
Stonehenge, including access to the inner circle of stones, is free during the Summer Solstice.
Interesting facts about Stonehenge
- Geoffrey Monmouth the 12th Century author of the tale of King Arthur wrote that Stonehenge was the work of Merlin the Magician. Monmouth's work was treated as fact well into the Middle Ages. Source
- During the 17th Century a popular theory was that Stonehenge was built by the Druids. As it turned out, the Druids arrived in Britain more than 1,000 years after Stonehenge was built.
- In 1620 the 1st Duke of Buckingham dug a large hole at Stonehenge looking for buried treasure.
- You don't need to travel to Britain to see Stonehenge. It has inspired many Stonehenge replicas around the world. My favourite is Stonehenge at Esperance, Western Australia, a full sized granite replica of Stonehenge as it was originally built, complete with cows grazing amongst the stones.
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| Stonehenge in Western Australia |
Note: All the photos in this blog post were taken from the paid pathway.
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Read my other posts on Britain
- Turbopass London City Pass: Your passport to London attractions
- The View from the Shard
- The Best Free things to do in London
- Avebury Henge: A stone circle to rival Stonehenge
- Is the London Eye worth it?
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