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Stonehenge - An Essential Guide 2026

  • Writer: Russ Hewer
    Russ Hewer
  • Jul 28
  • 17 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

Four smiling people pose at Stonehenge on a grassy field beneath a cloudy sky.

What do you get out of this guide


  • ·       Ten minute guide to get the best out of your day

  • ·       Mix and match your day out at Stonehenge

  • ·       What other things to do on the day and where to eat

  • ·       Look at the rational and metaphysical explanation



Introduction

I’ve been touring foreign visitors to Stonehenge for over 26 years and have been awarded the TripAdvisor Travelers Choice award 2025 given to the top 10% of tour businesses in the UK. I’ve compiled this guide to give you an insight into the history of Stonehenge including the most recent discoveries not included by English Heritage self-guiding handsets. I have included my own metaphysical experience too, great places to eat nearby and other places of interest to make a great day out from London or Oxford. You can mix and match your day out with me or just use the information to guide yourself so that you can get the best out of your day.


Free guide book titled Stonehenge 2026 stands before Stonehenge under a blue sky.


An Essential Guide for Stonehenge

Download my free guide by clicking the photo

Whatsapp: +44 7967 053 089



What people say

When I hear people say, I’ve been there and it’s just a pile of stones, I can’t see what all the fuss is about or it didn’t meet my expectations, I realize that they haven’t really bothered to find out more beforehand and this guide is aimed at those people so they come away in wonderment. It’s really having the same status as the Great Pyramid of Giza, The Parthenon or the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

Stonehenge was awarded the first World Heritage Site (WHS) along with Avebury in the UK and designated by UNESCO in 1986. It was privately owned since the 12th century and the last owner, Cecil and Mary Chubb gifted the site in 1918 to the nation under the Ancient Monument Protection Act of 1882. The monument is now looked after by English Heritage, a governmental body on behalf of the nation and the Crown. Before this period, many people would have lit fires in the stone circle, carved their names in the stone and chipped off a piece as a memento of their visit.

 

Where is Stonehenge

Stonehenge is near the village of Amesbury in Wiltshire, about a two-hour drive from London and a one-and-half-hour drive from Oxford and I recommend taking the first time slot to see the stones before the buses arrive in their droves and the whole place becomes swamped with people. I recommend a 7am start from London and 7.30am start from Oxford to get the first slot at 9.30am. You can book the slot online and add the ticket to your phone wallet. There are concessions for families and seniors, with kids going free for under 5’s. If you are an English Heritage or National Trust member, you have free access to the venue, which includes free parking. You must present your English Heritage or National Trust card at the booking office in exchange for an admission wrist band and provide your car registration number at the same time. The booking office may ask for a credit card or driving license to show proof of ID as some people try to use a friend’s National Trust card. You will need to make a booking beforehand online with a special code shown on my admission prices section to gain entrance free of charge. Don’t forget to give your car registration number at this point as they will make a record here in the booking office.

 

How to get there

Use Google maps to give you the quickest route from where you are to Stonehenge. You can also use public transport to get there and see this option, which will take a minimum of 3 hours from Oxford and between 3 and 4 hours from central London. Put SP4 7DE in your Sat Nav to get to the Welcome Centre at Stonehenge if you driving yourself.



Plan your visit

It’s best to prebook your tickets online but walk-ins are also available. The booking office has two lines. The left line is for walk-in, and the right line is for pre-bookings. They now open about 5 minutes before the published opening times around 9.25am. I recommend that you queue up from 9.15am to get the first bus out. The café opens at 9am so you can get a coffee, but you can’t take food or drink on the bus. There’s plenty of waste bins nearby to dispose of your coffee cup en-route to the bus stop from the booking office.

The tickets are exchanged for coloured wristbands which are checked before you get on the bus by an attendant so make sure you have them on before you get there.


The following are the admission charges:


Adults from £27.20 for 18-64 years

Child from £17.20 from 5-17 years

Family 1 Adult from £44.40 for 1 adult and up to 3 children

Family 2 Adults from £71.60 for 2 adults and up to 3 children

Under 5s free for 0-4 years

Senior for over 65’s from £23.60 and need to show ID

Student from £23.60 and need to show ID

Essential Companion free with paid guest

 

There is a gift aid available for UK tax paying nationals only who can make English Heritage eligible to reclaim 25p in every £1 spent on admission. You need to check the gift aid box when you make your online payment. The extra funds are used for conservation projects.


English Heritage offer a Stonehenge Stone Circle Experience where you can gain access inside the henge during the early mornings and evenings. It’s only available during certain times of the year at a maximum group of 52 people split into two groups of 26 people. Stonehenge is roped off during the main part of the day. The times are 5.30am, 6.45am, 8am, 5.45pm & 7pm and the admission charge is around £70. They get booked up in advance, so I recommend booking early to avoid disappointment. I remember seeing the sunrise at 5.30am when doing a Buddhist practise inside the stones and the view was both, breathtaking and sacred. Please click her for further details for the Stonehenge Circle Experience


For general admission during the day, please click on the following English Heritage logo to purchase your tickets



Book free admission with National Trust and English Heritage.


Use Code G03ANZ for National Trust just before checking out to reduce the price from the standard to free at the discount box on the last page which is not intuitive in its placement and can take time to locate.


If you an American with a Royal Oak Foundation which allows free admission to National Trust attractions, you are not entitled to free admission to Stonehenge. If you are not a member of the Royal Oak Foundation, try clicking the following link which allows you to visit free to Avebury and Stourhead which are nearby by joining with a National Trust Explorer Pass available as a temporary membership for 4, 8 or 14 days, The pass is available for all foreign nationals.



Did you know that Royal Oak is a popular pub name but it got it name from the restoration of the Monarchy with Charles II. In 1651, after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester, future King Charles II hid in an English oak tree for 14 hours to evade Parliamentarian soldiers. The historic "Royal Oak" grew in the grounds of Boscobel House in Shropshire, and its descendant still stands there today



Car Parking

Car parking is £3 all day, which is payable by a phone app only called PayByPhone, just click the button below


PayByPhone logo

Use the link above to download the app and use location number 810288 in the app to get straight through to the Stonehenge payment page.

For concessional memberships, don’t forget to give your car registration number for free parking at the booking office. They manually take down your registration number when exchanging your wristband for the online booking confirmation. Just give them your surname. They may ask for proof of ID as some people borrow the membership card from friends. A driving license or a credit card will suffice.



History

Looking at the above video, you can see that Stonehenge comprises of two concentric circles, one of the smaller bluestones and the larger sarsen stones. Inside the circle of the bluestones, there are five very large trilithon sarsen stones formed in the shape of a horseshoe.

 

At the close end of the horseshoe lies an altar stone. Looking in the direction of the altar stone within the trilithon stones, a heel stone resides to the rear of the horseshoe and outside the bank and ditch. A slaughter stone is located between these two points and the heel stone finishes at the entry point to the henge via a break in the bank and ditch which is called The Avenue. The Avenue extends to another stone circle, 10 miles away at Avebury and beyond to the River Avon and in the direction of the original location of the bluestones at the Preseli Hills in south-west Wales.

 

There is a large bank and ditch encircling the complete stone henge structure and 56 chalk pits called the Aubrey holes, formed in a perfect circle on the inside edge of the bank and ditch. You can see the position of the chalk pits by recent located stone markers. It’s likely that the chalk pits were use for cremation but may have had once held wooden posts or stones. The original bluestones were erected about 5000 years ago and over the next 500 years, the sarsen stones were erected. See my Essential Guide for Stonehenge for more information.

 

Construction

The scale and magnitude of this feat has to be admired because the typical tools 5000 years ago were deer antlers for digging.

 

The bluestones at Stonehenge are the smaller stones that formed the monument's inner ring. Unlike the massive local sarsen stones, these "exotic" rocks were transported approximately 140 miles (225 km) from the Preseli Hills in south-west Wales. They get their name from the distinct bluish tinge they exhibit when freshly broken or wet.

 

The sarsen stone were quarried sometime in the next 500 years and from near the local town of Marlborough which is about 20 miles away. They weigh around 25-30 tons and about one-third of the stones are buried below the ground, the height of these stones are up to 9m (30 feet) high.

 

The stones come out of the ground in irregular shapes, so the stones are “dressed” by hitting stone on stone. It would have taken many people over many years just to get the stones to be rectangular.

 

The green furry appearance on some parts of the stone is lichen which comes to nearly 80 different variations including maritime species which rarely exists inland.

 

The stones are likely transported by trees used as rollers with ropes pulled by many hundreds of people and across rivers by boat. There is no anthropological evidence to substantiated this, this is the rational consensus.

 

New Developments 

In late 2021, research has shown that the bluestones were originally erected in Waun Mawn in Wales and taken down and relocated to its present site. It is thought that the large community originally came from that part of Wales.

 

In August 2024, geological forensic test showed that the altar stone was quarried over 700km (400 miles) away in north-east Scotland which is extraordinary and many would consider an unbelievable feat especially as it weighs 6 tons. No one really knows how the stone was carried over this distance but probably by boat.

 

In November 2025, the Durrington Shafts were found which are 20 massive shafts at 10m across and 5m deep holes formed in a circle at a diameter of 1.2 miles (2km). The remains of these massive holes underground still show on innovative audio sonic tests. Archaeologists believe these pits served as a sacred boundary and are about 2 miles north-east of Stonehenge.

 

 

Self-Guiding

English Heritage offer a self-guiding tour using your smartphone so bring some earbuds or earphones with you especially as it can be a little windy and hard to hear from your speakerphone. You can download the guide for your phone from the following link from free internet at the Welcome Centre.



My recommendation is to download the app for your phone before you arrive and choose The Stone Circle Tour:


For iPhone:


For Android:


I normally give an appraisal of Stonehenge in the car en-route and go with my clients on the bus to Stonehenge from the Welcome Centre. The Self-Guide reaffirms my presentation in the car and gives everyone an opportunity to see this amazing attraction in its full glory. I take photos which become a life memory when there are no people nearby as it’s normally the first bus out.

Remember to bring windproof clothes because even on sunny days it can be windy as it’s located on flat level ground as far as the eye can see. See my Essential Guide for Stonehenge for more information.



Strawberries and Cherries

 

Strawberries

Some of the best strawberries and cherries I have tasted are sold in the laybys near Stonehenge on the A303 during June and July where you can stop safely and purchase a punnet at your leisure. There is a PYO (Pick Your Own) farm about 50 minutes away at Ansty PYO and Farm Shop.



Ansty PYO & Farm Shop, Ansty, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 5PX

Tel: 01747 829072


 

My Metaphysical Experience

30 years ago, I tried to offer mindfulness in the workplace, but it was considered too radical for those times. At the same time, I was allowed to have my first experience inside Stonehenge with my Buddhist group and my Tibetan Lama (teacher) who had special dispensation for a sunrise meditation. It was a very cold day and slightly windy and the sky was clear and very blue.


On that day, the sunrise was very beautiful, and you could feel free and isolated as there was nobody around for miles except one security guard. There were about 30 of us performing spiritual practice at sunrise and we all felt a special energy.


My Tibetan Lama had a lucid dream of a man on horseback welcoming him back from a past life and I realised it must have been a portal or stargate. Whilst on a personal retreat, high up in a remote Himalayan cave, I had a similar experience.


I read Professor Stephen Hawkins penultimate book, The Grand Design and was fascinated by M-Theory and Parallel Universes. From a Buddhist perspective, one has to come from experiential understanding that life is illusory in nature and doesn’t have inherent existence. The experience in the centre of Stonehenge, the Himalayan cave and Hawkins idea on parallel universe reaffirm this belief.


I was also interested in dowsing and ley lines. What are ley lines? They are energy lines around the world that when intersect show a high energy level. At Stonehenge, six energy lines intersect which is more than any other landmark in the UK. Many people, including myself sense this energy level and you can dowse for it using a simple metal coat hanger to locate them. It is said that extra-terrestrial activities increase at these locations. See my Essential Guide for Stonehenge for more information.



Trinity House in London located the lighthouses in the UK for over 400 years and their location was set up at lease where two ley lines intersect.



I have seen some extra-terrestrial activity at West Usk Lighthouse near Newport in Devon

 

Where do I pick up

I pick up in all areas of London including the West End and normally need a mobile/cell so I can connect with you beforehand. The drive time from London to Stonehenge is 2 hours so I would recommend a pickup time of 7am for the first slot of 9.30am

I also picked up in Oxford and would recommend a pickup time of 7.30am to make the first slot

I have also picked up at Heathrow directly from your flight, loaded the bags in the car and done the tour with a drop-off at your London or Oxford hotel for your check-in.

Some people come off a cruise from Southampton docks and want a tour to Stonehenge before going to Heathrow to fly back home.


Salisbury Cathedral



Salisbury Cathedral has one of the 4 existing Magna Carta available to see on display and also has the tallest spire in the UK. It’s 20 minutes drivetime from Stonehenge


T: 01722 656555

A: Salisbury SP1 2EJ



Avebury


Avebury is one of my favourite places to visit because you can touch the stones and connect with the village and local area in an informal way. Walking around the area gives you an insight into why this place is loved by people from all walks of life and you can easily sense it’s sacredness. There is an exhibition centre run by National Trust called which is free for everyone. Avebury is 40 minutes way from Stonehenge.



I had my Reiki 1 initiation at Avebury at the Stone shown in my about me page and did a Buddhist retreat with my Tibetan Lama there at Avebury.


Smiling couple standing on a grassy hill under a large bare tree called The Tree of Life hung with colorful ribbons

There is an amazing tree which I call the tree of life which shows the roots protruding out from the ground. Ribbons are placed on their branches, and many people pray or make a wish. Some people leave messages. It’s located on the southeast side of the chalk ditch. The tree inspired Tolkien to write about the Ent (Walking Trees) in Lord of the Rings.



The Red Lion in Avebury roof was rethatched in 2015 and I caught the master Thatchers in action when touring Avebury. I have a fascination with medieval architecture as I refurbished a 600-year-old wychert cottage in Buckinghamshire and a 450-year-old cob cottage in Devon.

Wychert and cob are the same in technique using local clay, straw and water to provide a very thick wall (2 to 3 foot) which is long lasting. In the Cotswolds, I show how the stone tiles are made using a technique called winter weathering.

Wherever I am on tour, I give an indication of preserving our heritage and what constitutes a grade 1 and grade 2 listed buildings and show examples of inglenook fireplaces. Many foreign nationals appreciate the architectural aspects of our culture which we, UK nationals, take for granted.


Tel: 01672 539250

Address: Avebury, Marlborough SN8 1RF



The Crop Circle Visitors Centre


Crop circle in wheat field above a page reading Hackpen Hill, nr Broad Hinton, Wilts

I went to this exhibition when it was located outside the Barge Inn on Honeystreet but now has a permanent location near the Old Mill, a couple of minutes away in the car. Most of my tours have a spontaneity about them if I find a passion or life interest unfold in our conversation in the car.

We can change the itinerary on the fly to accommodate this and that is where the magic lies. Last time I was there is a great example of this way of touring when we arrived at the exhibition as an extra stop from a conversation in the car. The exhibition is very interesting, but it was not until we spoke to the Monique at reception that we found out a new crop circle had appeared overnight.


It was the third crop circle that year at Hackpen Hill near the famous white horse landmark. I’ve included an aerial photo of it together with some photos I took on the day. When you see it in real time for the first time, it’s really a special experience and makes you want to know more and how it got there. The exhibition has a short video about their theory with supporting evidence.


We went straight to the location and could see intricate patterns made in the wheat field. We spoke to a man who said that most of the crop circles are man-made, but this was a real one and we could see the intricate patterns and vastness of the area which could never have been done overnight in a few hours. You would need a lot of people with wooden boards and string in military night glasses with a geo locator patting down the wheat in 7 hours of darkness.


Crop Circle is manned only 01 June -01 September during 11am – 5pm


Address: Honeystreet Mill, Honey Street, Pewsey SN9 5PS



Stourhead


Sunlit park with a stone bridge over a stream, lush trees, and a few people sitting on the grass under a cloudy sky.

Stourhead is a world-famous 2,650-acre estate located on the Wiltshire-Somerset border in England, celebrated for its groundbreaking 18th-century English landscape garden and Neo-Palladian mansion. I have a real passion about follies and landscape photography and took the above photo myself.


  • The Landscape Garden: Designed by Henry Hoare II as a "living work of art", featuring an artificial lake wrapped in classical vistas.

  • Neo-Classical Temples: Dotted along the lakeside walk, including the Pantheon (inspired by Rome) and the hilltop Temple of Apollo.

  • The Grotto: An atmospheric, circular stone chamber built to resemble a subterranean cave.

  • Palladian Mansion: Built in the 1720s by architect Colen Campbell, showcasing Chippendale furniture and a vast Regency library.

  • King Alfred's Tower: A striking 160-foot triangular brick folly located two miles from the main garden



T: 01747 841152


Free guide book titled Stonehenge 2026 stands before Stonehenge under a blue sky.


An Essential Guide for Stonehenge

Download my free guide by clicking the photo

Whatsapp: +44 7967 053 089




Where To Eat


The Barge Inn at Honeystreet


Stone inn entrance with sign THE BARGE INN, white steps and picket fence, framed by blooming pink and white flowers.

I’ve been coming to The Barge Inn for over 20 years and see it change over the years. Its always had a creative and earthy edge to it as it was the original meeting centre for crop circle people from all over the world. You will still see some of the crop circle photos and people in one of the rooms. I love coming here because of this creative edge and the close proximity to the Kennet and Avon Canal.


On warm, sunny days, I get my clients to sit outside the front of the pub which is adjacent to the canal and we would have lunch here.

I then show them the narrowboats and explain how they were used prior to the industrial revolution and built by hand. There is a whole lifestyle living on a narrowboat which is embraced by many people in all areas of the UK in their communities.


The canal networks stretches all over the UK and is maintained by the Canal and River Trust. Most have to move their moorings within three weeks unless they have permanent moorings at a marina.


Telephone: 01672 851222





I had the pleasure to do a Clarkson Farm tour recently that included James May’s (Captain Slow) pub of Top Gear and The Grand Tour. The Royal Oak in Swallowcliffe is not that far from Salisbury and is in a small village with a chocolate box thatch roof and inglenook fireplace. Great gastro food with a good ambience and can get busy. If you are lucky you might meet James May behind the bar. Its about 30 minutes away from Stonehenge and is a traditional pub. It has a google rating of 4.7 so its in line with my experience here.


Telephone: 01747 870211

Address: The Royal Oak, Swallowfield, Salisbury SP3 5PA




Cozy rustic cafe with wooden tables, chairs, wood stove, framed photos, and sunlit windows with plants.

Pythouse Kitchen Garden is an acclaimed, highly sustainable restaurant and events venue set inside an 18th-century Victorian walled garden in the South Wiltshire countryside. Located near the village of Tisbury, it made culinary history by becoming the first venue in Great Britain and Ireland to be simultaneously awarded both a Green Michelin Star and a Bib Gourmand in the same year. The venue operates on a strict "plot-to-plate" philosophy where homegrown fruits and vegetables heavily dictate the daily menu


A: West Hatch, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6PA

T: 01747870444




Honeystreet Mill Cafe

I love this cafe as it does great organic food and traditional cream teas. The cakes are amazing and the staff are personable.


Address: Honey Street, Village SN9 5PS

Tel: 01672 851853


 



Fisherton Mill Cafe

Fisherton Mill Cafe is a multi-award-winning eatery located inside a beautifully converted 1880s Victorian grain mill in Salisbury. Officially recognised as a "Local Gem" in the Good Food Guide 2025, it stands out as the only city centre establishment in Salisbury to hold this accolade. The site operates on a strict first-come, first-served basis and does not accept any table reservations


A: Fisherton Mill, 108 Fisherton Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire. SP2 7QY

T: 01722 500200




The Bell Inn, Wylye, Warminster



  • The Menu: Offers generous portions of traditional pub classics like fish and chips, roasts, and lamb shank alongside more modern dishes.

  • Dietary Choices: Renowned for being exceptionally accommodating, featuring dedicated, imaginative vegetarian, vegan, and full gluten-free menus.

  • On-Site Nano Brewery: Serves local cask ales crafted right on-site by the The Little Wylye Brewery, alongside regional English wines.

  • Pub Shop: Features a convenient little village shop operating right out of the premises


A: High Street, Wylye, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 0QP

T: 01985248893

‍


The Shears Inn


The Shears Inn is a highly rated, 18th-century thatched country pub, restaurant, and bed & breakfast located on Cadley Road in Collingbourne Ducis, near Marlborough


  • Food & Drink: The inn serves a seasonal menu of English dishes and pub classics made from fresh, local ingredients. Notable highlights include their popular Sunday roast and real ales.

  • Accommodation: It operates as a 3-star hotel with 6 comfortable, en-suite double bedrooms starting at around £120 per night.

  • Atmosphere: It features a cozy interior with roaring log fires in the winter, a spacious dining room, and an outdoor terrace/beer garden with countryside views


Rural road junction with signposts for Collingbourne Salisbury and Ludge, beside the thatched Shears Inn pub under a clear blue sky.

A: The Shears Inn, Cadley Road, Collingbourne Ducis, Marlborough SN8 3ED



The Water Gypsy – Canal Boat Cafe


Black canal boat cafe The Water Gypsy with potted plants and a carved face, beside an Open sign for The Water Gypsy Cafe on a gravel dock.

 

Polly provides a foodie experience on board her Dutch barge boat which is wider than a normal narrowboat and is comfortable and spacious to eat and socialize. Whilst I haven’t been on her boat, I’ve heard for many years how good the food is and been following her success. Polly come to Pewsey near the Honeystreet Mill for a couple of times in the year on 02-04 and 16-18 October.




Free guide book titled Stonehenge 2026 stands before Stonehenge under a blue sky.


An Essential Guide for Stonehenge

Download my free guide by clicking the photo

Whatsapp: +44 7967 053 089





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