Grounding walks and magic  

As one of the most ancient and spiritual sites in the world the history and origin of this incredible place is shrouded in mystery. Having been interested in ancient civilisations, mysticism and astrology since I was child, Stonehenge has always been a fascinating and intriguing subject for me. 

I’ve visited Stonehenge several times in my life. I went with my parents as a child, on a school trip and more recently, having been somewhat spellbound by the magic of the stone circle, I try and visit this sacred area around summer solstice and Glastonbury festival time. This is when the pagans and druids come to congregate at their spiritual site of worship. 

A bit of history 

Stonehenge is a pre-historic monument situated on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, southwest England. It consists of a series of standing stones in a circular formation with lintel stones linking the tops. Each stone is around 4m high, 2.1m wide and weighs around 25 tonnes. The stones are positioned in a way which align to the sunrise on summer solstice (midsummer) as well as other astrological dates in the solar calendar. 

Radio-carbon dating shows us that the vast construction was erected between 2000 and 3000 BC. And took around 800 years to complete. It’s surrounded by several hundred burial mounds and is one of the most sacred sites in the British Isles. 

Its original purpose remains vague, but many theories believe it to be a pagan or druid temple of worship, a place they performed rituals and possibly even a sacrificial site. There is no physical written history, but historical images depict pagan worshippers chanting, dancing and entering states of trance around the stones. Fires ablaze, many wear flowers in their hair, high on natures magic mushrooms and other natural hallucinatory concoctions. Sounds a bit like modern day Glastonbury festival if you ask me! 

One of the most interesting facts about it is, that it was constructed to align precisely with solar movements and astrological dates, in a time when humanity had no access to modern day engineering. Which is why there are some interesting myths around who built Stonehenge, candidates have included giants, wizards, Merlin and even aliens! But we’ve disproved such myths now, mores the pity! 

The igneous blue stone used in the monoliths originate from Pembrokeshire, west Wales approx. 200 km away, so it uncertain how prehistoric man managed to transport the extremely heavy stones such a long distance. Especially before the invention of the wheel, machinery, or vehicles. And finally, the fact that the ancient stone structure has endured thousands of years and remained intact is incredible. 

Today the site is very well preserved and looked after by English Heritage. The site itself is cordoned off so that visitors can’t touch and erode the rocks. If you’re visiting, try and book tickets online if you can and avoid busy periods like bank holidays and weekends. I last visited on a Monday morning in June and the site was virtually empty apart from a couple of small groups. If you can catch it when it’s quiet, the whole experience is so much more magical, and you can spend more time soaking in the atmosphere. 

The visitors centre and entrance is positioned discreetly about a kilometre up the road. You can visit a recreated prehistoric village and dwellings, which simulate how the people who built Stonehenge would have lived. There’s a small museum, cute interactive facts about the history of the area, plenty of car parking space, toilets and a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. 

I chose to walk the 15-minute path from the visitor centre to the monument, it’s a beautiful way to view its magnificence as you get closer. There’s also a free bus service for those with disabilities or if you’re short on time or simply don’t fancy walking.

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Grounding walk 

A rather lovely tradition I’ve started doing when I visit sacred sites around the world is grounding. It’s very easy and completely free to do. Grounding is basically bare foot walking on the soil or grass, in order to feel closer to nature or feel more ‘at one’ with the earth.  

On my latest visit this year I had a very magical day. The Sun was out, the ravens were flying around the site and the air felt eerie and atmospheric. I love grounding and walking barefoot on spiritual sites, there’s something very healing and wholesome about the experience. Feeling the earth’s natural energy can be very humbling. So, I took my shoes off and went on a meditative walk, not just around Stonehenge, but in the surrounding areas which are filled with mounds and ancient burial sites too. The practice of grounding is said to boost the bodies physical and mental wellbeing, so where better to try it than one of the world’s most loved prehistoric sites. 

Have you been to Stonehenge? Have you tried barefoot grounding? Why not write about your experience and send it to tripr? 

Entrance fee costs £24 for adults including a small donation to English Heritage. 

Opening hours are 9.30-7pm in summer and I suggest visiting during weekday mornings or the end of the day when it’s less crowded and you’ll have more space. 

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