Stonehenge by Starlight 2005 - picture kindly donated by Micky Thompson
  
I am very pleased to offer an amazing magikal day of mystery and history to a small group of 24 people. Not only will we spend a magikal day exploring the ancient monuments of beautiful Wiltshire we will also visit the inner circle of Stonehenge, all to ourselves, twice (yes, twice !) in one day: once at Sunset, and then, after the Moon has set with the Sun, once more for one final hour: Stonehenge by Starlight.
David Rowan MA Msc has the pleasure of inviting you to a once in a lifetime experience; a whole day tour of the Sacred Landscape of Avebury and Stonehenge, followed by an evening in which we go right inside the inner circle of Stonehenge … twice. It is breathtaking, being inside the inner circle of Stonehenge at Sunset and then once more by Starlight …
Experiencing the inner circle of Stonehenge twice on the same evening is a unique and, for many, a magical and moving experience (please click the testimonial link below if you'd like to know about the tour in other's words). This memorable experience follows an in-depth history and astronomy tour of the sacred landscape of both Stonehenge and Avebury. This tour is a 14 hour mobile lecture tour of Avebury, Stonehenge and the sacred landscape, culture and astronomy of the area; if you are considering experiencing this incredible day and you'd like to take a look at the landscape and terrain, not to mention see how Stonehenge looks from within the very middle when the Sun is setting, please click on the galleries link below and follow the directions to the Henge Tours.
This is more than just a walk around a landscape. This is a walking lecture tour by one of the first people to be awarded a masters degree in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology. Please click here to discover more about David Rowan
   
- "The whole evening was completely enjoyable, David's talks are very educational but also highly entertaining, and I learned new facts about the area that I hadn't come across before." Z, Wales
- "David Rowan's tours are an exceptional blend of knowledge, insight and humour. His mastery of setting the scene allows you to go back with him through the ages and experience a greater empathy and understanding of what went before. He can turn the rainiest of days into a journey of fascination." R, Wiltshire
- "I thought we knew the area reasonably well: I was mistaken. As we climbed up to the ridge, where the chalk is visible beneath the grass, David pointed out aspects of the landscape that had eluded us before" S.W., Surrey
- Who designed and shaped this ancient landscape; what can we know of their culture ?
- How did our ancestors measure eclipses and the cycles of the Sun and Moon
- Could Stonehenge be used to predict the seasons and weather patterns ?
- Was Stonehenge used to elect auspicious moments: times to plan, times to harvest, times to conduct ceremonies and magik ?
This special tour will give us a chance to explore these questions in a very real hands-on way. In addition, we will have a wonderful chance to take pictures in good light without crowds of people in the way - today will definitely be one for the album !
Whenever we hold the tour, no matter what the weather, people are often struck by a sense of wonder and awe. There is a magik here, an enchantment that seems to come to life after the Sun has set and world has begun sleeping. To have the privilege and good fortune to visit the inner circle of Stonehenge on a night when both the Sun and Moon were below the horizon is truly amazing. With neither of the luminaries in the sky the entire star canopy becomes visible. Looking at the stars in such an ancient place is incredible, truly full of wonder ...
To make the day even more evocative and special a whole day has been planned for you to leave the 21st century far behind and absorb the mystery and magik of Stonehenge and its sacred landscape.
An outline of the day:
A detailed description of the tour is featured among the links below. However, to give you an outline here …
Briefly, we start the day at Avebury at 10.00am, and explore the Neolithic landscape surrounding both Avebury and Stonehenge; its cultural history, archeology and astronomy. Before we reach Stonehenge, on the tour during the day, you'll also go inside the largest Long Barrow in the country and look around inside the Neolithic chambers and visit other ancient monuments before we have a fine pub lunch near one of the sites for the great Sarsen Stones, used to build Avebury and the outer rind and great trilithons of Stonehenge., culminating with the first visit inside Stonehenge in the early evening.
We will go right inside the very middle of the temple. To wander among the stones in the serenity of a small private party with enough lighting to look around, take fantastic pictures, look at the maps and the technical sides of the astronomy here is pretty incredible. To be able to do this as the light changes and feel the stones grow in stature as the sunlight fades is brilliant; the site really does change from being a load of rocks in a field by daylight to an enigmatic temple by night.
We then refresh and relax, with a fine evening meal either before the first Stonehenge visit, (or in between the two visits, depending on sunset times for the season). We retreat to a wonderful manor house restaurant, hidden away on Salisbury Plain far from any disruptive villages, for two hours. The break between the two visits not only gives us another chance to reflect on your experience before we return to Stonehenge for the second hour beneath the Stars; it is also timed for the Sun to set sufficiently. Stonehenge at Sunset and by Starlight tours are always held on a New Moon, because when the Sun sets, the Moon is also below the horizon, and when you return to Stonehenge, the only lights in the sky are the stars …
To see the night sky illuminated like a planetarium in that place, with the great trilithons in your vision, is simply breathtaking ...
It is an experience you will always remember ...
To join us and enjoy this unique and makgikal experience please click the booking link at the bottom of this page (see links, just below) . To secure your booking, you will need to obtain a booking reference, which you can get on request by email - Stonehenge@davidrowan.co.uk - or by calling 07919 555 275 during office hours, weekdays only.
for tour information, please scroll further down the page, or, go straight to the section of interest by clicking on these links:
Stonehenge at Sunset and by Starlight - itinerary and approximate schedule
Stonehenge tours with David Rowan: testimonies and comments in other's words ...
Dates for 2012
Astrological weather forecasts for Stonehenge tours
Fee and booking
links to other Stonehenge and Sacred Landscape tours with David Rowan
Photo Galleries: for stunning photos of all Stonehenge and Sacred Landscape tours and the David Rowan Stonehenge and Avebury collections, please click here
Henge tours with David Rowan: in other's words …
A number of people have kindly written a few words about their experiences on the Henge tours: the full tours of Stonehenge at Sunset and by Starlight, the evening tour of Stonehenge by Moonlight and the Sacred Landscape Ley Line walk. Here's how they found things (names are confidential) ... to read the testimonials, please click here
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Dates for 2012:
19th July 2012 - a special tour for a couple who wish to expereince Stonehenge twice; virtually to themselves (I'll be there too ... :) )
15th September 2012
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Astrological Weather Forecasts for Stonehenge tours:
to follow shortly ...
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Fee: The fee for this incredible tour and opportunity to experience the enigma of Stonehenge twice; at Sunset and again by Starlight is £175.00 per person (includes both lunch and dinner with one drink at each meal, two special access visits inside the monument and a 14 hour mobile lecture tour with David Rowan).
Booking:
Booking procedure: in special arrangement with English heritage, places on the tour are limited in number and must be booked in advance with David Rowan. For details, please click here
Please note: because numbers are limited is it always advisable to book as early as possible to avoid disappointment and ensure your place is secured.
To book your place, please have your booking reference to hand (obtained from contacting David Rowan) and click here
Please note: bookings are non-refundable and non-transferable
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Links to other Stonehenge and Sacred Landscape tours with David Rowan:
Stonehenge at Beltane: a Sunset and Starlight tour with an additional 11 hour lecture on the Pagan Wheel of the Year, held on the astronomical date for Beltane at no extra cost
Stonehenge by Moonlight: an evening featuring a lecture and tour of Avebury and a single special access visit with Stonehenge by the light of the Full Moon: no flash or mobile phone photography on this tour
the Sacred Landscape: an annual tour of the Sacred Landscape of Avebury and Stonehenge which is completely free of charge (please note; this tour does not feature special access visits within Stonehenge itself)
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