SUMMER SOLSTICE 2014
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY AND INFORMATION
Stonehenge is an ancient pre-historic site. It has been a place of worship
and celebration at the time of Summer Solstice
since time immemorial.
English Heritage is pleased to be providing Managed
Open Access
to Stonehenge for the Summer
Solstice. Please
help us to create a peaceful
occasion by taking personal
responsibility and following the Conditions of Entry and guidelines set out below.
We have a duty of care to ensure public
safety and are responsible for the protection of Stonehenge and its surrounding Monuments. If we are to ensure that future access
is sustainable, it is
essential that everyone observes and abides by these Conditions of Entry.
During the
Summer Solstice access
to Stonehenge, we support all individuals and groups conducting their own forms of ceremony
and celebration providing that they are mutually
respectful and tolerant of one another. It is a place seen by many as a sacred
site – therefore please respect it and those attending.
English
Heritage continues to work closely with the many
agencies and people from
all sectors of the community and would like to thank them for their help and support.
Parking and entry to the Monument will be
free, subject to the Conditions of Entry. Please
do
not arrive at the Solstice
Car Park or Stonehenge
in advance of the opening
times listed below:
SOLSTICE CAR PARK OPENS
|
1900 hours (7pm) Friday 20th June
|
ACCESS TO STONEHENGE
|
1900 hours (7pm) Friday 20th June
|
LAST ADMISSION TO SOLSTICE CAR PARK
|
0600 hours (6am) Saturday 21st June
|
STONEHENGE CLOSES
|
0800 hours (8am) Saturday 21st June
|
SOLSTICE CAR PARK TO BE VACATED
|
1200 hours (12 Noon) Saturday 21st June
|
Sunset on Friday 20th June
2014 is at 2126 hrs (9.26pm)
Sunrise on Saturday 21st June
2014 is at 0452 hrs (4.52am)
INDEX
SECTION
I – PLANNING YOUR VISIT:
· What
(and what not!) to bring with you
· Travelling to Stonehenge
· Parking Facilities
· Disabled Access
SECTION
2 – ONCE YOU ARE AT STONEHENGE:
· Conditions of Entry
· Admission to Stonehenge
· Facilities
· Welfare
· Rubbish Disposal
· For your Safety
· In case of emergency
SECTION
3 – OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION:
· Visit Wiltshire Website
· Local Camping
Facilities
· Tourist
Information Centres
· Stonehenge Summer Solstice Website
· Stonehenge Summer Solstice Information Hotline
· Map
SECTION 1 – PLANNING YOUR VISIT
In this section:
· What (and what not!) to bring with you
· Travelling to Stonehenge
· Parking facilities
· Disabled access
What
(and what not!) to bring
with you
· When thinking
about what to bring with you, remember
your personal
possessions are your
responsibility and you will
have to carry
them
with you at all
times. Therefore, travel
as light as you can.
Large
bags or large rucksacks
will not be allowed
at the Monument although small bags and rucksacks (similar
size to hand luggage on airlines) will be permitted.
· Think carefully
about what valuables you normally carry and leave all non-essential items at home. Whilst
there is a lost property
system, the
nature of the access
means that if you drop/mislay something in the Solstice
Car Park or at Stonehenge it might not be easily found or handed
in. If you are bringing your mobile phone with you,
please keep it safe.
Think of the hassle you would have if you lost it, or it was
stolen.
· Glass is not allowed
at the Monument as many people walk barefoot and, in addition,
livestock and wildlife also graze in the area. If you bring any glass items with you,
they will be confiscated. This
also includes any other
objects
that
could cause damage to the Monument
or people there. No plastic bottles will
be available for decanting purposes.
· Please do
not
bring dogs, pets
or
other
creatures
– they are
not
permitted
into Stonehenge, with the exception
of assistance dogs for deaf and disabled people. Apart from potentially upsetting wildlife and stock in the area, animal faeces
present a health risk to
children and also to people walking barefoot.
· Due to the large number of people
in
attendance,
naked flame
is extremely
dangerous and it also infringes local bylaws/regulations and constitutes
a potential
fire hazard, so please do not
light any fires – this includes
BBQs, flaming torches, candles, night-lights, Chinese lanterns or fireworks.
· The Solstice
Car Park
and Stonehenge are fields. Therefore sensible footwear is essential.
· Make sure you wear,
and bring with you, warm clothing
as despite the time of the year the weather at Stonehenge can be very cold and damp. If rain is likely, then bring a small umbrella for personal use. Please do not wear a hi-viz jacket as this can cause
confusion with the officials undertaking a safety role.
· In the
interests
of
safety, sleeping
bags or duvets
will not
be
allowed on site.
Sleeping on the ground can create
a trip hazard especially as much of the access is during
the hours of darkness. Also,
people asleep on the ground
could interfere with the work
of the emergency services and
hinder their ability to attend an incident. Small ground sheets
and blankets will be permitted
for people to sit on. Please do not bring chairs etc (unless
used as a recognised disability aid). Shooting- sticks are not
permitted. If you do want to
sleep during the
access period,
it is strongly recommended that you either
return to your
vehicle in the
Solstice Car Park or go to
one of the public gathering areas outside the Monument.
· Camping (including erecting any tented
structures), fires
or BBQs are NOT permitted
at Stonehenge, in the Solstice
Car Park, or anywhere in the surrounding
National Trust land.
· Stonehenge
is a world renowned historic Monument
and it is seen by many who attend the access as a sacred site.
Amplified Music is inappropriate and will not be permitted at the Monument, in the surrounding landscape or Solstice Car Park, so please do not bring any sound
systems or portable amplifiers. Acoustic
instruments will be permitted.
· Drunken, disorderly, and anti-social behaviour
will not be tolerated.
Ejection, by
Security staff and/or Police, without return,
will
be the outcome.
· Illegal drugs are still illegal at Stonehenge as they are anywhere else. The police will
be on site during the access period and will take immediate action
against anyone flouting the law. Summer Solstice
is not a good time to experiment with drugs - the crowd, the noise and the sheer
size of the place are likely to make any bad reaction much, much worse. As much of the access is at night,
if you had a bad reaction it may
be difficult to
locate you to administer treatment.
· Only small amounts of alcohol for personal use will be permitted on to site. Alcohol is limited to no more than the equivalent of four 500ml cans of beer/cider or 75cl of wine. No
further
alcohol will be permitted on subsequent re-entry. Be warned, drug/alcohol cocktails can be lethal, so please
be fully of aware
of what you are doing.
As mentioned previously, no glass bottles are allowed on site at any time.
Travelling to Stonehenge
· Stonehenge is located approximately 2½ miles (4 kms) from the town of Amesbury.
The nearest bus and railway stations are
in Salisbury, which is 12 miles (19 kms)
away from Stonehenge.
· A high volume of traffic is anticipated in the Stonehenge area on the evening of Friday 20th June. The Summer Solstice parking facilities close
to
Stonehenge,
although fairly extensive, are also finite.
Although traffic, as you approach
Stonehenge, maybe slow, please do not
be tempted to abandon your vehicle and park
it either on the
A303 or other
neighbouring roads
and public rights of way. Cars
parked illegally or causing an
obstruction will be towed away.
· As the roads around Stonehenge will be very busy, it is recommended that you leave your car at home and travel to Stonehenge using public transport. Trains
run regularly to Salisbury from London, Bristol/Bath and Southampton and the local bus
company, Salisbury Reds, will be
running a special service,
from
Salisbury railway station and Stand U in New Canal to a drop-off
point near Stonehenge. The buses will also stop at any recognised bus stop along the line of the route,
which is via Amesbury.
· This Salisbury Reds bus service is wheelchair accessible and will commence at 1830
hours (6.30pm) on Friday 20th June and run regularly
until 0115 hours (1.15am) on Saturday 21st June. A service taking
people back to Salisbury will start again at 0400 hours
(4.00am) and run frequently until
0945 hours (9.45am).
The collection point for the return service
is in the same location as the drop-off
point.
· The walk to
Stonehenge from the
bus
drop-off/collection point is 1½ miles
(approximately 2½ kms) - about a 25-30 minute walk and is through the Solstice Car Park
and
across
National
Trust
down-land.
Sensible footwear might not be fashionable but is definitely advisable as
the land is agricultural and the route includes some sloping ground. Although the route
is
lit, you may wish to bring a small torch to assist
you on this walk (not naked flame though!).
· To help
you plan your journey
to
Stonehenge, further details on train and bus
timetables and fares are available from the following links:
For bus service information:
Salisbury Reds Bus Company http://www.salisburyreds.co.uk talk2us@salisburyreds.co.uk.
For train information:
South West Trains
www.southwesttrains.co.uk
Tel: 0845 6000 650
First Great Western www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk
Tel: 0345 7000 125
National
Rail Enquiries
www.nationalrail.co.uk
Tel: 08457 48 49 50
· Generally, it is not advisable to bring bicycles to Stonehenge as they cannot be easily accommodated at the Solstice
Car-Park or at the monument.
If you do cycle,
please bring your own locking
device and park your cycle in the designated areas. Ask a steward
at the Solstice Car Park entrance, or at Stonehenge itself, for assistance.
· Please also be aware that a number of road closures will be in operation
to ensure safe pedestrian passage
to Stonehenge and to allow unimpeded access in the event of
an emergency. As you approach Stonehenge, signage will be in place to direct you to the Solstice Car Park.
Parking Facilities
· The Solstice Car Park is located
close to Airman’s Corner Roundabout just off the A303, (adjacent
the A344/A360 junction) and will be clearly sign-posted. People will be
able to walk to Stonehenge along a designated route which
is a little over ½ a
mile (approximately 1 km)
– a 15-20 min walk. This route
is through
National Trust down-land, so please wear sensible footwear.
· The Stonehenge visitor centre car park will be closed
to the public for the Solstice
access, as will the adjacent road (A344).
· In order to ensure that there is sufficient space available for everyone in the Solstice car park, please park sensibly and only where directed by a steward or police officer.
This will help us make full use
of the Solstice Car Park.
· There will
be a designated area within the Solstice Car Park for motorbikes
and a limited
space for bicycles.
Do not chain or padlock your motorbike or bicycle to any of the gates – the gates are for use
by the emergency
services
and
any
motorbikes or bicycles causing an
obstruction will be
removed.
· For information on disabled parking
and access, please
see the Disabled Access section.
· Please note that absolutely NO camping or fires/BBQs are permitted in the Solstice Car Park as these activities can create a major safety risk.
The stewards
and security teams will be taking
positive action to prevent
them happening.
· If you
do
decide
to
travel
by car to Stonehenge, please ensure
you
nominate someone who will take responsibility for driving home.
Drink driving
is illegal and tiredness can kill.
Disabled Access
· There is dedicated
parking for disabled people and their carers. Should you have a
requirement for one of these
spaces,
please
ask
the
stewards
on
arriving at Stonehenge and they will direct you to the parking area.
There will also be a free bus
service
operating
between
this
designated
parking area and Stonehenge
for people
who are wheelchair-bound, have mobility difficulties or
who are infirm.
The bus will be available from 1900 hours (7.00pm)
on Friday 20th June to 0830 hours (8.30am)
on Saturday 21st June.
The collection point for this service
will
be adjacent to the parking area.
If you wish to make use
of this service, please
speak to a
steward on entering the car park.
· Accessible toilets will be available in the monument field.
· Wheelchairs will not be provided by English Heritage.
· Assistance dogs for deaf and disabled
people are permitted into the monument field.
· Salisbury Red public transport buses travelling from Salisbury station via Amesbury are wheelchair accessible.
· Disability aids are permitted for those arriving at the monument field via the disabled
transport, with
the exception of shooting sticks.
SECTION 2 – ONCE YOU ARE AT
STONEHENGE In this section:
· Conditions of Entry
· Admission to Stonehenge
· Facilities
· Welfare
· Rubbish disposal
· For your safety
· In case of emergency
Conditions of Entry
· These Conditions of Entry are written to ensure enjoyment and public safety for everyone. Contravention of any of these conditions may result in entry
being
refused or your removal from Stonehenge. English Heritage reserves the right to refuse
entry.
· Stonehenge is seen by many as a sacred site – please respect
it and please respect each other.
· Stonehenge is a world renowned historic
Monument and it is seen by many who attend the access as a sacred site. Amplified
Music is inappropriate and will not be permitted.
· Drunken, disorderly, and anti-social behaviour
will not be tolerated;
ejection, by
Security staff and/or Police, without return,
will
be the outcome.
· Illegal drugs are still illegal at Stonehenge as they are anywhere else. The police will
be on site during the access period and will take immediate action
against anyone breaking the law.
Summer Solstice
is not a good time to experiment
with drugs -
the crowd,
the
noise and the
sheer
size of the
place are likely
to make
any bad reaction much, much worse.
As much of the access is at night, if you had a bad
reaction it may be difficult to locate you to administer treatment.
· Glass is not allowed
at the Monument as many people walk barefoot and, in addition,
livestock and wildlife also graze in the area. If you bring any glass items with you,
they will be confiscated.
· Only small amounts of alcohol for personal use will be permitted on to site. Alcohol is limited to no more than the equivalent of four 500ml cans of beer/cider or 75cl of
wine.
No further alcohol will be permitted on subsequent re-entry. Be warned, drug/alcohol cocktails can be lethal,
so please
be fully of aware
of what you are doing.
· Do not climb or
stand on any of the
stones
– this includes the
stones that have
fallen. This is in the interest of personal safety,
the protection of this special
site and respect for those
attending.
As well as putting
the stones themselves at risk, climbing on
them can damage the delicate
lichens.
· In order
to
ensure
personal safety, random searching may be undertaken,
but we hope that self-policing and personal
responsibility will prevail.
Any items that might be
used in an illegal or
offensive manner will be confiscated.
· Camping,
fires, Chinese lanterns, Fireworks, Candles, Tea-Lights
or BBQs are NOT permitted at Stonehenge, in the Solstice Car Park, or anywhere
in the surrounding National Trust land.
· In the
interests
of
safety, sleeping
bags or duvets
will not
be
allowed on site.
Sleeping on the ground can create
a trip hazard especially as much of the access is during
the hours of darkness. Also,
people asleep on the ground
could interfere with the work
of the emergency services and hinder
their
ability to attend an incident. Small ground sheets
and blankets will be permitted
for people to sit on. Please do not bring chairs etc (unless
used as a recognised disability aid). Shooting- sticks are not
permitted. If you do want to
sleep during the
access period,
it is strongly recommended that you either
return to your
vehicle in the
Solstice Car Park or go to
one of the public gathering areas outside the Monument.
Admission to Stonehenge
· Admission to
the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge is free of charge.
· Children under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
· Please remember that you will not be allowed access
to the Monument with the following items:
- Large
quantities of alcohol
- Drugs
- Large
bags or rucksacks (or similar items)
- Sleeping bags or duvets
- Flaming torches, Chinese lanterns, Fireworks or candles etc.
- Dogs (with the exception of registered assistance dogs),
pets or other creatures
- Camping equipment, including foldaway
chairs, garden furniture, shooting-sticks.
- BBQs
or gas cylinders
- Glass/bottles or other glass objects
- Trolleys, wheel barrows
or any other form of porterage
- Pushchairs or buggies that are not exclusively used for a child
- Large
“golf-style” umbrellas, gazebos
Facilities
· Close to the Monument, there will be several areas for people to gather,
two of which will have braziers
provided. Please
use the areas for your own enjoyment, such as poetry readings,
meditation or playing of
acoustic instruments.
· There are porta-loos,
including accessible toilets, in both the Monument
Field and Solstice Car Park
–
please
use
them! Do
not desecrate the
Monument or surrounding land. It’s bad for the wildlife and makes the site dirtier for everyone, including you.
· Authorised catering points selling hot and cold refreshments, will be available throughout the access period and these
will be clearly indicated. Please do not purchase refreshments from any unauthorised outlets.
· There is a tap
for
drinking water close
to
the
Monument which will be clearly marked. However, there
is no similar supply of drinking water available in the Solstice Car Park.
The authorised catering units will be selling bottled drinking water
as well as other hot and cold drinks.
Welfare
· Parents/Guardians are requested to ensure
that children are not left unattended at any time. Children under 16 will be
refused entry unless accompanied by an adult.
· There will
be a clearly marked information / meeting / welfare point,
close to the entrance
to the Monument. It will provide experienced, caring and confidential help for all kinds of practical and personal problems.
Rubbish Disposal
· Visitors are requested to dispose of their rubbish carefully at the designated recycling and rubbish
points located in the Solstice Car Park
and at Stonehenge. Every effort is being made to
create a more sustainable, environmentally friendly Solstice. To help with the recycling process, clear bags will be
handed out on arrival
and after sunrise. Do
not
drop
litter. Please bag and bin your rubbish so
the recycling team can collect it. You are visiting a
very sensitive landscape which is still in
agricultural use – please respect the local farmers’
crops and livestock.
· All visitors are encouraged to ‘think
green’ and improve on the already successful waste management programme. We aim to further
reduce the amount of rubbish
that goes to land fill and to increase the recycling
rates. So please help us to make this year a cleaner Summer
Solstice.
For your safety
· If weather conditions leading
up to 20th June are particularly hot and dry, it may be necessary
to ask people
not
to
smoke.
This
will be subject to advice
from the Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service.
· The Solstice Car Park will be
lit and there will be ambient
lighting at the Monument
throughout the night. These lights
will be systematically turned off as dawn approaches but only when it is operationally safe to do so. Please
do not tamper with any of the lighting towers – it can be dangerous.
· There will be stewards on duty to assist with the smooth and successful running of the Solstice access.
They are also there
to answer
your questions so please do not hesitate to approach them,
they
are there to help. If you notice
anything that
concerns you please report it,
so that appropriate action can be taken.
· No unlicensed, non-invited traders will be permitted
access. This
applies to the
Monument area, the surrounding landscape and Solstice Car Park.
In case of emergency
· The South
Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust, St John
Ambulance Service and Wiltshire Police will be
in attendance. If you, or someone
you are with,
needs medical attention, please seek help from one of the security
or stewards on duty.
· If you get lost, or lose
track of your
friends or
children, don’t panic. Locate
a member of the security or stewarding team. Alternatively go to the information / meeting / welfare
point and report the
situation to the welfare team.
· In the unlikely event of an incident that requires
the evacuation of Stonehenge or the Solstice Car Park,
we would ask that
members
of the public
respond quickly to instructions given
by stewarding staff, the Police
or other
Emergency Service personnel. PA announcements
for your safety and information may be necessary
during the access period.
Disclaimer
English Heritage will do
everything it can
to make your visit a safe and enjoyable
experience.
However, English Heritage accepts no liability for
any injury to persons or loss of, or
damage to, property arising in
any way whatsoever whilst
at Stonehenge or the Solstice Car Park, and entry is at people's own risk.
Although stewards and security
will be present at both Stonehenge and the Solstice Car Park, please note that any people entering
these areas do so at their own risk.
SECTION 3 – OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
In this section:
· Visit Wiltshire Tourism Website
· Local Camping Facilities
· Tourist
Information Centres
· Stonehenge Summer Solstice
Website
· Stonehenge Summer Solstice Information Hotline
· Map
Visit Wiltshire Tourism Website
For information on accommodation providers in the county of Wiltshire and other attractions/services in the area, please visit the
Visit
Wiltshire website:
Local Camping Facilities
· Please remember
camping is NOT permitted at Stonehenge, in the Solstice Car Park,
or anywhere in the surrounding National Trust land.
· There are several
caravan and/or camp sites within
a 10 miles of Stonehenge. Please check availability and entry conditions in advance.
Stonehenge Touring
Park
|
Orcheston, Nr Shrewton, Salisbury
SP3 4SH
|
01980 620304
|
Salisbury Camping &
Caravanning Club
Site
|
Hudson’s Field,
Castle Road, Salisbury,
SP1 3RR
|
01722 320713
|
Coombe Caravan
Park
|
Coombe Nurseries, The
Race
Plain,
Netherhampton, Salisbury, SP2 8PN
|
01722 328451
|
Stonehenge Campsite
|
Berwick Road,
Berwick St James, Salisbury,
SP3 4TQ
|
07786 734732
|
Brades Acre Camp Site
|
High Street, Tilshead, Salisbury, SP3 4RX
|
01980 620402
|
Honeysuckle Homestead
Camping
|
Catherine Ford Road, Dinton,
Salisbury
SP3 5HA
|
01722 717887
|
Tourist Information Centres
Tourist Information Centres for local area are:
Salisbury Tel:
01722 342860 www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/salisbury
Andover Tel:
01264 324320 http://www.visit-hampshire.co.uk/places-to-visit/andover
Romsey Tel:
01794 512 987 www.visit-testvalley.org.uk/tourism
Stonehenge Summer Solstice Information Hotline
For further information about the Summer
Solstice at Stonehenge, please telephone English
Heritage Customer Services Solstice Information Hotline on 0870 333 1186.
Map
A map will be posted on the website before
Solstice.