Visit Stonehenge for free

Stonehenge (English Heritage / National Trust) costs about £30 / person to visit. It has off site parking with a visitor centre, cafe, and shuttle bus to the stones.

But you can see it (almost as close) for free, and much more easily - you don't have to queue up for tickets and then queue up again for the shuttle bus.

The 'paid' access lets you walk around the stones, so you see them from about 5m away. The public footpath is on one side of the stones only, and is next to the paid footpath on the other side of a fence. That's where the above photo was taken from.

A) Park on the A303 Byway

SP4 7DD (nearby, the byway doesn't have a postcode)

The A303 road goes right past the stones, drivers slowing to take a look causes tailbacks as its the main road from London to Devon and Cornwall.

Even closer, just off this road is a BOAT ("Byway open to all traffic"). However you can only access it with a 'left hand turn'.

• Coming from London, pass the stones on the A303, turn around at the next roundabout, and head back towards them.
• Coming from the west country, you're already heading in the right direction.
• The unmarked turning is about about 1 mile past the "Longbarrow / Stonehenge Visitor Centre" exit roundabout, just after the crest of the hill. See below for a photo.
• Slow down, consider hazard lights as other drivers aren't expecting this, and turn left on to the byway.
• Park up on the verge, and follow the byway for 500m. The stones are visible to your right.
• Pass the shuttle bus passenger entrance to the stones.
• Go past them about 25m, then take a footpath (a "public right of way") to your right. Follow the fence back to the stones.

B) Park at the far end of the Byway

Fargo Road, SP4 8NS

Park at the junction of Fargo Road and Willoughby Road. This is north of the stones, about 5 mins drive from the A303 Amesbury exit.

• Walk south on the Byway for 1.1 km (about 15 mins walk).
• Just before the stones, turn left onto the footpath that goes past them. If you get to the 'shuttle bus passenger entrance', you've gone a little too far.

C) Park by Woodhenge

Woodhenge, SP4 7AR

The name sounds cool, but there's not much left of it. Its a longer (2 mile / 3 km) pleasant walk over an open grass landscape to the stones. Recommended

• Park up (free) and head off in a SW direction - see OS map below.

D) Come for the Summer or Winter Solstice sun rise

Stonehenge Visitor Centre, SP4 7DE

This is by far the coolest option, but you have to get up very early (summer) or quite early and dress up very warm (winter).

Access to the stones (including the pay area) is free on these dates. You can even walk up to them (but not touch them) which you can't usually do, and its totally free

• Check the English Heritage Website (only!) for details about 1 month beforehand for details and opening times. It happens on the night of 22/23 December and 22/23 June each year.
• Arrive early at the Stones Visitor Centre
• Take the (free) shuttle bus to the stones along with about 5,000 other hippies/druids/tourists.
• Salute the rising sun.

E) Train friendly Walk from Salisbury

We have a long walk via Old Sarum, another neolithic site, from Salisbury station to Stonehenge, returning by (public) bus. Its a great walk, but quite long.

The Future

Just after the Roman's left, the planning began to bury the A303 in a tunnel. As of March 2024, it is still held up in the courts. When/if it finally happens, option (A) will no longer be easily possible, however Option B, C and D will still be fine.

Avebury

If you are in the area, I strongly recommend you visit Avebury, its much better than Stonehenge. Its a small quaint village in the middle of 3 concentric stone circles, you can walk around them and even touch them. The outer circle is on a mound and surrounds the village - a nice walk. Way more stones than Stonehenge. Its got a nice pub, full of tourists, kids dressed as Harry Potter or Hermione, bikers, and around the solstice, druids. And a lovely church as well. No entry fee, parking is £7 (£4 after 3pm) or free at the pub.

The A303 Byway turn

Its the lane by the green van, pan left for the 'no right hand turn sign'. You have to come from the other direction.