Saturday 21 April 2012

What to Bring and what's allowed Summer Solstice Stonehenge

BAGGAGE

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.

VALUABLES

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

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.

ALCOHOL

Drunken, disorderly, and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated; ejection, possibly by the Police without return, will be the outcome.
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.

DRUGS

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.

FIRE

Due to the large number of people in attendance, naked flame is extremely dangerous and it 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.

CAMPING

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. Please see Useful information for further details on local campsites and accommodation.
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. 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.

MUSIC

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.

CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR

The Solstice Car Park and Stonehenge are 'fields' so 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. Please do not wear a hi-viz jacket as this can cause confusion with the officials undertaking a safety role.

ANIMALS

Please do not bring dogs, pets or other creatures - they are not permitted into Stonehenge, with the exception of registered assistance dogs. Apart from potentially upsetting wildlife and stock in the area, animal faeces present a health risk to children and also to people walking barefoot.