Henge one ...........

 Today was the last rainy day, according to the weather forecast. Thank the lord. We still had to negotiate Avebury as we had booked to visit the manor garden. It was raining as we woke but after breakfast the sun started to come through. The Mill is so pretty.

Poor old Einar has to work most of the week so we all piled into Ian’s car, including Misty, for the short trip to Avebury. The sat nav immediately took us right instead of left and along chopping knife lane. Not the way I would have gone as it’s the narrowest road with a strip of grass down the middle and no passing places. A conversation ensued bringing up all the other times sat nav shave lead us astray, every single one of which I hated also.

It was raining all the way, but as we arrived in Avebury it stopped and the sun came out! We left Misty in the car while we visited the gardens. ‘You are the biggest group today’ the gatekeeper gleefully told us. ‘And watch out for the great crested newts.” We were, indeed, the biggest, and almost the only, group, and the walk around the gardens was peaceful. Unfortunately the Manor Itself is closed on Mondays so we had to content ourselves with peering in the windows. Newts you ask? Kathy, nature spotter extraordinare, picked a couple out amongst the weeds in the pond.

A very newty pond

Peering in a window

The manor

The gangs (nearly) all here

The sun was still shining when we began our walk around the stones. Misty was more interested in the myriad sheep around them. It is great to be able to go over and touch the stones at this henge.

We finished up back at the National Trust cafe where it would have been rude not to have something to eat. We purchased a cornucopia of food and drink and took a seat outside in the sun. 

Just in time, we finished up and ran for the car. We drove through the lashing rain to Silbury Hill. As we arrived the rain stopped and the sun emerged once again. We walked past the hill, Vicky regaling us with a tale of being made to climb a grassy bank in mud and rain with only Einar and his cane prepared to help, and on to the Long Barrow. It is not really visible and at the top of a hill but it’s well worth the climb. Misty thought so too. 

Silbury Hill from the Barrow

Silbury Hill from the road

Taking in the view

On top of the Barrow

Inside the Barrow

In front of the Barrow

Tired and hungry, we retired to the Mill for pizza, from our good friends at Pinos. We had to collect but the man carried seven pizzas and three garlic breads to the car for me through the torrential rain.

 

Afterwards, a game of five tribes ensued. Having learned my lesson I came last

Thinking ahead