Night access around Stonehenge

alan72

alan72

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As we get out of lockdown in a few weeks I’m planning my bucket list for the summer. One of these is Stonehenge, inspired by milky way and moon set images I have seen. I’d like to try milky way and morning moon images.

How easy is it to access the fields and landscape around the henge. Clearly you can’t access the henge itself but can you get into the adjacent field?

Any insights appreciated.
Thanks
 
You'd be better off going to Avebury IMO, you can walk amongst the stones there. Once the pub is shut and everyone's gone home it's very quiet. (y)
 
I don't know if the alarms have been changed, but quite a while ago now there were alarms buried in the ground around the henge itself which were vibration sensors. They were so sensitive, a fox running over the ground was enough to set them off. This, as well as night time firing of the heavy artillery on Salisbury Plain also sometimes would do the same.

The A303 running alongside is a busy road even at night, so if you are looking for a 'dark' sky with myriads of stars sky I feel you may be disappointed. If I remember correctly fields to the north drop away quite significantly and the ones to the north are over the A303 and will be partially obscured. The only clear view will be from the east looking west, that may work depending on the position of the moon during the night/early morning
 
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Sky said:
You'd be better off going to Avebury IMO, you can walk amongst the stones there. Once the pub is shut and everyone's gone home it's very quiet. (y)
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Thanks, I wasn’t aware of Avebury, looks interesting, I guess Stonehenge is iconic but this could be worth a look. It’s a bit further from here in west London, but when you add in the hassle of parking somewhere and getting to a spot at Stonehenge it may actually be easier!
 
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It's easier to get to and much better to visit IME. I've not been there for about fifteen years, but it's well worth a look. :)
 
darkroom12 said:
I don't know if the alarms have been changed, but quite a while ago now there were alarms buried in the ground around the henge itself which were vibration sensors. They were so sensitive, a fox running over the ground was enough to set them off. This, as well as night time firing of the heavy artillery on Salisbury Plain also sometimes would do the same.

The A303 running alongside is a busy road even at night, so if you are looking for a 'dark' sky with myriads of stars sky I feel you may be disappointed. If I remember correctly fields to the north drop away quite significantly and the ones to the north are over the A303 and will be partially obscured. The only clear view will be from the east looking west, that may work depending on the position of the moon during the night/early morning
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Thanks, I appreciate the road, and Salisbury is not far to the south, it makes me wonder if the images I see of milky way over stone henge are actually real or composites.

The moon generally sets north west to south west depending on the month. So you have to be on the east side of the monument, NE to SE depending.

Might need to make a recce visit once we are unlocked!
 
alan72 said:
Thanks, I appreciate the road, and Salisbury is not far to the south, it makes me wonder if the images I see of milky way over stone henge are actually real or composites.

The moon generally sets north west to south west depending on the month. So you have to be on the east side of the monument, NE to SE depending.

Might need to make a recce visit once we are unlocked!
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Milky Way over Stonehenge images are more than possible. I'm not too sure about shooting east towards moonrise though.
 
There is a road you can turn off the A303 and park down normally seen with all the campers down it, as you get near there is a public footpath noticed by a gate that literally runs side by side with it I go on the regular as its in walking distnace. This shot linked below was taken from it. they had people patrolling around last few times I've been but they dont bother you. Any Q's drop me a message :)

https://flic.kr/p/2kWM7zF
View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/184284271@N05/51159364097/in/dateposted-public/
 
The byways off the A303 were shut when I went past last week. They seem to have a rather random opening schedule. The council want them shut completely but aren’t having much luck with legal challenges.
 
TCR4x4 said:
The byways off the A303 were shut when I went past last week. They seem to have a rather random opening schedule. The council want them shut completely but aren’t having much luck with legal challenges.
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Solstice
 
An alternative is to park on Fargo Road, off of The Packway in Larkhill. It's a very quiet, wide road so parking legally is no problem at all, there is an obvious footpath (which is actually the other end of the track used by campervans on the map link above) directly over to Stonehenge from there, 15 minute walk which brings you right to the gated public footpath mentioned earlier in this thread. Ref: 51.19260141177461, -1.82312442816959

Personally speaking, parking there is preferable to the gravel track directly off of the A303.
 
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Thanks for the backup option Chris. Always useful to have a backup, really helped me out recently.
I can see some cars parked on street view to the road I liked to on google maps. I believe that's the gravel track to park on if possible?
 
nandbytes said:
Thanks for the backup option Chris. Always useful to have a backup, really helped me out recently.
I can see some cars parked on street view to the road I liked to on google maps. I believe that's the gravel track to park on if possible?
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Yes that's the one, white estate car and a motorcycle on street view, you can't miss it once you get to Stonehenge on the 303. Keep walking along there, shortly after the official entrance (next to the road for the bus drop-offs) is a gate to the public footpath.
 
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ukaskew said:
Yes that's the one, white estate car and a motorcycle on street view, you can't miss it once you get to Stonehenge on the 303. Keep walking along there, shortly after the official entrance (next to the road for the bus drop-offs) is a gate to the public footpath.
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how far down the track can you drive down to park?
On the satellite view on google maps I see a number of cars way down that gravel track.
 
nandbytes said:
how far down the track can you drive down to park?
On the satellite view on google maps I see a number of cars way down that gravel track.
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In theory all the way down to the footpath gate, it's pretty bumpy in places though which is why most people just pull in and park asap.
 
ukaskew said:
In theory all the way down to the footpath gate, it's pretty bumpy in places though which is why most people just pull in and park asap.
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got it thanks!
I am planning a trip down soon but the weather is terrible. I hope it passes by new moon day.
 
nandbytes said:
what kind of shot are you planning for?
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The Milky Way is getting quite vertical, so probably something unoriginal with the core over the stones, not original I know but a first for me. I have a 14mm and 24-70 f2.8 so might try some slightly longer focal lengths around the stones and just the core. Maybe something much wider as a panorama. TBH for me this time it's about visiting an iconic location and trying it out, I tend to take a couple of visits to a spot to try and figure out what might work best. I have recently got a tracker but I am still learning the process of setting up and alignment, if I had that functional i might try something at the longer end close in on the core and stones.
 
The gravel lane is fine. I'm on small tyres and - 50mm of suspension and got along there no issues. You can drive right down. Parking at Larkhill as back up though definitely.
 
alan72 said:
The Milky Way is getting quite vertical, so probably something unoriginal with the core over the stones, not original I know but a first for me. I have a 14mm and 24-70 f2.8 so might try some slightly longer focal lengths around the stones and just the core. Maybe something much wider as a panorama. TBH for me this time it's about visiting an iconic location and trying it out, I tend to take a couple of visits to a spot to try and figure out what might work best. I have recently got a tracker but I am still learning the process of setting up and alignment, if I had that functional i might try something at the longer end close in on the core and stones.
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nice, which tracker did you get out of interest?
been looking at getting one myself.

The information I have tells me no core or what you'd refer to as the actual core till August (over stonehenge anyway). You'll still be able to see bits of the milkyway I believe.

alan72 said:
Earlier this week the forecast was looking promising for tomorrow night, but it looks less so now. Might just break out the tracker in the garden for more practice on set up and alignment!
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currently since we are close to the full moon cycle still its probably not great for milkyway shots. but you can of course still practice etc :)
 
ukaskew said:
An alternative is to park on Fargo Road, off of The Packway in Larkhill. It's a very quiet, wide road so parking legally is no problem at all, there is an obvious footpath (which is actually the other end of the track used by campervans on the map link above) directly over to Stonehenge from there, 15 minute walk which brings you right to the gated public footpath mentioned earlier in this thread. Ref: 51.19260141177461, -1.82312442816959

Personally speaking, parking there is preferable to the gravel track directly off of the A303.
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Is this the path that starts here:

51.19049005511652, -1.8237788613773864

I could see the gravel road but on streetview it looked like the North end was private access and no entry.
 
nandbytes said:
nice, which tracker did you get out of interest?
been looking at getting one myself.

The information I have tells me no core or what you'd refer to as the actual core till August (over stonehenge anyway). You'll still be able to see bits of the milkyway I believe.



currently since we are close to the full moon cycle still its probably not great for milkyway shots. but you can of course still practice etc :)
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I got the star adventurer 2i, they were not available for a long time. Agree, it's not perfect conditions but it gets you out and it's good to practice and check out the location :) The moon rises at 0114, still in nautical twilight but midnight to 1am will still be able to shoot ok. I took some shots a couple of weeks ago in the south downs which came out fine at 1am.
 
I used to work around that area back in the early 1970s and the older generation weren't always happy with the attention it brings.

One of the customers I dealt with back then was part of a family that had lived and worked there for generations. We were sharing a cup of tea once when he told me: "I just wish Granddad and his pals had done what they threatened and sold them bluidy stones for hard core, back in the 'twenties. Life round here just isn't worth living when them tourists and worse come gawping!"
 
alan72 said:
I got the star adventurer 2i, they were not available for a long time. Agree, it's not perfect conditions but it gets you out and it's good to practice and check out the location :) The moon rises at 0114, still in nautical twilight but midnight to 1am will still be able to shoot ok. I took some shots a couple of weeks ago in the south downs which came out fine at 1am.
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indeed great to be able to practice which is almost impossible where I live.
which part of south down did you go to? (would love to see some pictures if you have any you don't mind sharing :) )
south downs is possibly the closest area to me (i.e. south London) with some darkness or less light pollution. but its a large area and looking online I have picked a couple areas to try like harting down or iping common. But not sure where to start from, may be I should start by getting out there first :ROFLMAO:
 
alan72 said:
Is this the path that starts here:

51.19049005511652, -1.8237788613773864

I could see the gravel road but on streetview it looked like the North end was private access and no entry.
Click to expand...


Yes it's a well used public footpath and appears on the latest OS maps, so no problem there, it's been a while but I don't recall it crossing the property itself as some footpaths do.

Interestingly the actual permissive footpath adjacent to the stones where you'd be taking photos (that follows the A344 that was dug up a while back) isn't on OS maps so may not be obvious if you're planning a trip using maps, but it's nice and clear once you're there. It was subject to a lot of back and forth between the council and English Heritage once the road had closed and took years to open.
 
nandbytes said:
indeed great to be able to practice which is almost impossible where I live.
which part of south down did you go to? (would love to see some pictures if you have any you don't mind sharing :) )
south downs is possibly the closest area to me (i.e. south London) with some darkness or less light pollution. but its a large area and looking online I have picked a couple areas to try like harting down or iping common. But not sure where to start from, may be I should start by getting out there first :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...
I'm in the outskirts of west london, i practiced with the tracker last week in the garden, aligned on polaris in twilight and then set up and took some test shots just to see, it worked well.

South downs locations I have enjoyed are around Beachy head, the views over the light houses, the cost guard cottages, High and Over near the white horse looking down the river cuckmere. It gets tricky in the second half of the year as the milky way swings more to the west in the night and you start to get the lights of brighton coming into shot. I intend to head to the Thomas a Becket Church in the next few months, that's not too far from you in south london.

Some shots here in this thread.
www.talkphotography.co.uk

Milky way at beachy head

My favourites from 2 clear nights out over the last couple of weeks. Loved getting out again to shoot the stars after lockdown. Well known locations along the cliff tops at beach head and cuckmere haven. I didn't enjoy creeping up to the cliff for the lighthouse shot with all my torches...
www.talkphotography.co.uk www.talkphotography.co.uk

And recent shots here
www.talkphotography.co.uk

More Milky Way in the South Downs

I took another trip down into the south downs a few weeks ago. A nice cool clear night, tried a new location at Ashcombe MIll, horrendous light pollution in the background!!! And some nice shots over the river Cuckmere from High and Over. Got very lucky with some mist building over the river...
www.talkphotography.co.uk www.talkphotography.co.uk
 
alan72 said:
I'm in the outskirts of west london, i practiced with the tracker last week in the garden, aligned on polaris in twilight and then set up and took some test shots just to see, it worked well.

South downs locations I have enjoyed are around Beachy head, the views over the light houses, the cost guard cottages, High and Over near the white horse looking down the river cuckmere. It gets tricky in the second half of the year as the milky way swings more to the west in the night and you start to get the lights of brighton coming into shot. I intend to head to the Thomas a Becket Church in the next few months, that's not too far from you in south london.

Some shots here in this thread.
www.talkphotography.co.uk

Milky way at beachy head

My favourites from 2 clear nights out over the last couple of weeks. Loved getting out again to shoot the stars after lockdown. Well known locations along the cliff tops at beach head and cuckmere haven. I didn't enjoy creeping up to the cliff for the lighthouse shot with all my torches...
www.talkphotography.co.uk www.talkphotography.co.uk

And recent shots here
www.talkphotography.co.uk

More Milky Way in the South Downs

I took another trip down into the south downs a few weeks ago. A nice cool clear night, tried a new location at Ashcombe MIll, horrendous light pollution in the background!!! And some nice shots over the river Cuckmere from High and Over. Got very lucky with some mist building over the river...
www.talkphotography.co.uk www.talkphotography.co.uk
Click to expand...

very nice especially love the panos. Getting a milkyway arch is definitely on the list.
While Stonehenge isn't very original its one of those shots that I'd like to have like the one at Durdle door. pretty iconic places in the UK.

Looks like South Downs is definitely worth a visit. (y)
 
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