Hygge & The Henge
“Have you ever heard the voices of your ancestors breathing from the stones?”
Amanda and I both set a goal to spend more time in nature during our UK adventure. As lifelong city slickers living busy lives, we rarely slow down and appreciate the natural world around us. We’ve been reading Mary Oliver and her writing has been helping set our minds right.
To that end, Amanda and I embarked on a long walk through the English countryside on Tuesday, following various old bridleways over hill and dale. Our current home is inside the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB). AONBs are lands protected by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act). It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon together, so then we can truly enjoy hygge.
We had planned to walk to the Compasses Inn pub and back, but the paths we followed were a loose association of not-so-interconnected footpaths and, after some shoddy navigating on my part, the sun was getting low on the horizon before we had the pub in our sights. Knowing our return trip would undoubtedly be by moonlight, we decided to call Will instead and have him drive to the pub and meet us there.
We were equal parts proud to see Will had successfully navigated to the pub in one piece and pleased we didn't have to walk home. The real kick in the pants was the pub was closed for refurbishment! 😩 Go figure!
Stonehenge
Yesterday was mere child’s play. Today we set out to solve one of the world’s greatest mysteries—what’s the meaning of Stonehenge. Sing along: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbyzgeee2mg&t=1s
At the visitor center, a model sarsen stone block and the likely method used to move the massive stones nearly 50 miles from Wales to the Salisbury Plain.
A home typical for people living at the time the Henge was built.
There was a cold, stiff wind blowing as we made it to Stonehenge, but the sight never disappoints!
Will standing before the incomparable Stonehenge!
“What’s the purpose of Stonehenge?
A giant granite birthday cake?
Or a prison far too easy to escape?”
The Three Amigos and the Henge.
The old man and his hot young wife on February 1, 2023.
Eight years ago, the sun breaks the horizon on the 2015 summer solstice at Stonehenge (Photo courtesy of Dan Brockett, all rights reserved).
A much younger couple 14 years ago in April 2009! (Will was only 9 years old at the time.)
Surveying Stonehenge and the Salisbury Plains.
The winds were unpleasant, but the sun and clouds were gorgeous.
Believed to be the intended entrance, the path is still just visible to the right of this Heel Stone.
The sun behind the Heel Stone.
Perhaps we didn't solve the mystery, but at least Will can say he’s seen one of the 7 Wonders of the World.
Woodhenge
Woodhenge—the red-headed step-child of Stonehenge.
Just 2 miles away as the crow flies, Woodhenge would be more impressive if it still looked like this illustration. However, the wood pillars are long gone and the concrete stubs you saw in the photo above are the only reminders of the henge that once stood on the site. If you’ve got the time like we did, check it out. Otherwise, you’re not missing much.
If you’ve got even more free time (as we did), you can walk out into the nearby field and see the Cuckoo Stone.
“Take time to see the wonders of the world
To see the things you’ve only ever heard of
Dream life the way you think it ought to be
See things you thought you’d never ever see.”
