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The forever sustainable Stonehenge? An issue for the 21st Century

The Avenue

21 June 2009

Woodhenge

Stonehenge

Sustainable tourism development and preservation has many facets and in the case of Stonehenge and its surrounding monuments this necessitates achieving a sensitive and ethical way to preserve and protect the extraordinary natural and built environment of our ancestors for future generations.  New Scientist, is the most prolific publisher of the latest theories as to why Stonehenge was built and its uses.  To me it does not matter that we do not know the reason why, or that we will probably never know, this is part of the magic of the site. The natural stateliness and beauty of the landscape in the region is enough to appreciate and understand why the whole area needs preserving.

When I was about 8 years of age my father took me to visit Stonehenge.  We walked up to the stones, touched them, and sat upon them and wondered for a very long time, who built this, why and for what purposes? We had fun speculating and the Stones made me feel immortal and part of the English landscape.   I seem to remember that there were only a very few visitors that morning, no fence, no protection, it was not needed back in the 1960’s when visitor numbers recorded in 1961 were 337,000 (English Heritage, 2008).   The largest stone weighs 45 tons.   The Bluestones weighing 4 tons were astonishingly brought some 240 Km’s from the Preseli Hill in Wales.  For this and many other reasons I have returned every 10 years or so to gaze and appreciate the majesty of Salisbury Plain and those who built upon it using surprisingly sustainable building methods.   

It turned out to be a blessing that I arrived this morning a couple of Km’s away from Stonehenge only to find a solid police cordon with the roads leading to Stonehenge closed off, as was the notorious visitors centre.  Around me were the last of the hangers-on from the estimated 30,000 party goers who had attended the annual summer solstice festival the night before, the reason for the site being closed on the longest day of the year. 

I pulled over to check my laptop for the route to nearby Woodhenge, a few Km’s away, because I knew this would not be closed off, being the site of far fewer visitors.   My map showed a footpath running between the 2 henges that I could easily walk.  This turned out to be the best experience I could have had in my quest to visit the Stones today.   The route led me to walk across the middle of the 3 Km processional ancient Avenue and to experience a wonderful, peaceful land, away from the crowds.   The areas around Stonehenge are home to many rare and protect species including birds, plants and butterflies.   Also, the region is the site of many preserved and protected Neolithic and Bronze age burial mounds.

However, Woodhenge looked very uninspiring to me with ugly concrete stumpy pillars that are meant to represent the once wooden posts.  This left me to question who thought up this method of heritage interpretation.  I was left querying, why concrete? Why a metre high?  Where is the wood?   I may be wrong, but I am sure when I visited the site 20 years ago round wooden disks were discreetly consigned to mark the location of each post? I left with a feeling that the site had been vandalised by the authorities responsible with their unimaginative use of concrete posts over the original wooden post holes. 

So on to find my footpath to walk to Stonehenge.   An undemanding and very pleasant 2 Km walk along a well maintained bridle way gave me a true sense of the natural beauty of the Plain.  As I walk up from a dip in the centre of the Avenue I was able, all alone, to marvel at the ancient Stones gracing the horizon above the brow of the hill. I could not help but think that this might, just might, have been how people any thousands of years before me may perhaps have viewed the Stones too.   The alignment of the Avenue, a processional route, and the Stonehenge stone circle axis with the mid summer sunrise and the mid winter sunset, being both ceremonial and astronomical in its function is the little we know.   This is the phenomenon of Stonehenge today as we find it.  I pass across The Avenue after reading discreetly placed and useful signage information, courtesy of English Heritage.  This was all that is needed for interpretation at this point.

Photographs:

Stonehenge and the surrounding countryside, visitor management policy and interpretation methods have been extremely controversial, to say the least, for many years.  Managed jointly by English Heritage, The National Trust, The Ministry of Defence, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, farmers and the local householders.

I did enquire if there was a entry discount on offer for those arriving on foot, bicycle or bus but naturally there is not.  Although local residents in the region can enter for free

 because they are perceived as the most likely to arrive on foot or bike apparently.  This hardly sounds like a serious concession to keeping down the nations environmental carbon footprint to me.

If you pay to see the Stonehenge you pass safely under the road to enable you to walk around the stone circle.  As I did not pay I was forced to take my life in my hands and cross the busy main road as many others were doing.  Why is this not a 20mph zone????? And where is the pedestrian crossing?????

Stonehenge was designated a World Heritage site in 1968 and when acquiring the esteemed status the British Government promised UNESCO the closure of the A303 road that passes the Stones and also to upgrade the poor visitor centre.  According to English Heritage Stonehenge received 887,000 paying visitors during 2007/2008 of which 50% came from overseas.  This figure does not include the visitors for the summer solstice or unpaid visitors like me.  Most visitors come simply to see the Stone Circle and not the surrounding monuments.  The government is now committed to building a new visitors centre, apparently in haste, to be ready for higher expected tourist numbers for the 2012 Olympics.

I will be extending this article on my web site where I will examine the on going controversial problems concerning a long over due new visitors centre at       www.sustainabletourism.org.uk

For more information please visit    http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/373

And  http://www.savestonehenge.org.uk/stonec.html

The Old School Hostel, Trefin, Pembrokeshire, Wales

The Old School, TREFIN.

http://www.theoldschoolhostel.co.uk/  (They have an excellent web site).

What a find! This eco hostel was originally owned by the YHA who wanted to close it down the fools.  Luckily for all of us who enjoy natural beauty the wonderful stone building that was once the village school house and now eco hostel has been taken over by Chris and Sue.  They are totally devoted to greener management strategies of small hostels that I feel many small B&Bs and hotels should adhere as well in this day and age.   An issue that I believe needs seriously addressing in the UK.  It is no longer enough just to declare towel use and to have low energy light bulbs in our hotels, there is so much more that could be done by our hotels, large and small, to save water, electricity and improve working conditions.

The day I visited the hostel I found Sue busy in the court yard garden hanging out the washing to dry naturally in the sunshine.  Herbs grow in stone toughs and the character of the building fits warmly and naturally into the landscape of the village.  There is plenty of car parking available, but those that arrive on foot or bike receive a discount. 

As the hostel is located a long the costal path route this offer is keenly taken up. Inside the hostel is scrupulously clean, brightly but tastefully decorated, and warm with plenty of space to relax in. Sue and Chris have made many improvements since taking it over, to make the building eco friendly.   Their personalities are stamped all over the building too and can be seen in the cheerful décor and artworks that adorn the walls.   There are rooms for families, groups, couples and singles too.   Some rooms have there own bathrooms and some share room.  The kitchen is one the cleanest I have ever seen and very well laid out.   Next to the kitchen is the comfortable relaxing area and library.

The hostel is set in a truly glorious location near to the picturesque harbour side village of Abercastle (see photo) and Porthgain.    Both walkable from the hostel and a stunning walk it is too! See my photos of my walk on the blog.   In the village is a nice welcoming pub, called The Ship Inn.   It is just a few minutes walk from the hostel and I very much enjoyed a classic country style meal from there varied menu. 

I would thoroughly recommend this hostel, not just for location but also for their sound environmental policies that are not just lip service.  Sue told me that they are continually researching and seeking ways to reduce the hostels environment impact and have many links with environmental organisations in order to exchange ideas.

The Old School Hostel,
Ffordd – yr -Afon,
Trefin,
Haverfordwest,
Pembrokeshire,
SA62 5AU                             Telephone: 01348 831 800

Rosemary Caldicott’s Sustainable Tourism Blog

Hello,

I hope you enjoy reading my blog.  I will be writing about issues that relate and are topical to the development of sustainable tourism issues.

Where are the eco tourism sites in the U.K.? MY CF IS TOO HIGH

Yosemite 2008

Where are the eco tourism sites in the UK?  For those of us who wish to have a great time relaxing, walking laying around on beaches or exploring culture whilst on holiday and not adding to global warming it should not be necessary to travel aboard.

 

 

Our economy is  feeling the affects of recession.  According to recent press reports bookings to the south west of the UK are up by over 55% on last year.  This is a mixture of Brits choosing to holiday in the UK and others coming in from abroad due to the lower pound.

I too am thinking of having my summer holiday in the UK as my carbon foot has been too high over recent years.  A quick search on google does not really come up with many destinations in the UK with verified eco tourism sites, and I do not want to go camping.  I want to stay in a building, built out for sustainably sourced materials.  I want wonderful views and good food and to have water saving showers, a site that may even produce some of their own electricity for heating and lighting.  However, the truth is if you are lucky enough to be enjoying a traditional eco-tourism site you will probably be in a warm tropical exotic location. 

If I were to travel to Cuba, and to Hotel Moka, situated in Las Tarrazza’s Biosphere Park, I could have all of the above including plenty of hot water from solar power.  My food would be cooked by gas produced by the local pig farm.  Also, I could return to the Orinoco Delta, Venezuela and many other exotic places in the world where I have enjoyed eco-lodges.  However, I now wonder if this type of long distance travel defeats the whole reasoning behind eco tourism.   

I am concerned when I stay in UK hotels.  I am continually looking around to see where they are conserving energy and treating their staff, long hours and low pay being the norn.  Other than the usual ‘leave the towel’ notice to cut back on their laundry bills I see little evidence of any commitment towards energy saving by the UK hotel business, or indeed their guests demanding any changes.   

But I want to stay in an establishment that is working to protect the environment.  I will come back to this issue in future blogs as I research what and who is doing anything to encourage the establishments of eco-hotels in the UK.  I may even be able to review some of the hotels/lodges I find and stay in.  What fun!

I am also going to add links to such hotels/lodges in the U.K. as I come across them and confirm that they have an official eco-verification, which I will explain as I come across the various schemes.

Welcome to my new blog.

Welcome to my new blog. 

Let’s see what developments. 

 

I welcome comments.  Please feel free to contribute.

My web site is www.sustainabletourism.org.uk