summer solstice

sheffield had its biggest free party in memory this weekend in grenoside woods 4 miles north of the city-centre ..big thanks to all the ravers and the 4 sound-systems who turned up...reports say up to a 1000 people.....who says we cant do it up north ?...love from the t.r.a/trollyd collective.......

Dear Sir,

With reference to your article "Village Draws Lines at Solstice Party Crowd"
(Maev Kennedy, Friday 20 June). We were two of the revellers who visited
this ancient site, on Midsummer's evening, in the spirit of curiosity. There
is an epilogue to this story that we believe your readership would be
interested in, since it highlights wider issues of repression and
restriction of free expression.

As Maev Kennedy stated, the roadside of the entire village of Avebury was
covered in double yellow lines. The car parks and side roads were cordoned
off and blockaded by Police officers. There was therefore nowhere available
to park within the village, itself.

The Police were directing traffic away from the village and suggesting that
they parked on the road a half-mile away, on the main road to Swindon. There
was a long and clearly visible collection of Vans, Cars, and converted
ambulances representing a wide cross-section of society. There was a brand
new Rover 25 in front of us, and a Mercedes Van behind us was carrying a
group of young German tourists. There were no signs or any other indication
that we were parking illegally: nor was there warning that cars would be
towed away, if left after dark.

At the event there were people who had come to walk around the stones, hug
them, play musical instruments (dijareedos, bongos and fiddles), drink, sing
and socialise. We were taken by the fact that people from all walks of life
were represented at the event. The use of alcohol and cannabis was
widespread but there were no signs of stronger drugs. People were friendly
and good humoured and remained so despite the events that I am about to
relate to you.

Having watched the sunset we returned to our car to see a group of tow
vehicles removing every vehicle that remained. Our car had already been
removed but the Police were unable to provide us with the address of the
garage it had been taken to. We walked back to the village to join a growing
band of people who were confused, tired and left without the means of
returning home.

We believe that many people had heard the rumour of cars being towed away
and had moved their vehicles under the influence of alcohol or soft drugs
against their choice, in order to avoid paying the release fee. We also
heard that one tow-truck driver had been struck in the face by a desperate
young man who had attempted to move his vehicle but had been breathalysed
and charged by a Police officer. Although we sympathise for this driver we
believe that this incident was provoked by the high- handed attitude taken
by the Police.

While the Police officers there expressed sympathy for our plight they were
resolute that there was nothing they could do to help us. We waited with a
group of Students, travellers, tourists and pagans, in this remote part of
Wiltshire, for four hours, until a senior Police officer authorised the use
of Police vehicles to take those drivers that they believed to be
respectable to Swindon. The Police officers expressed surprise at the
good-humoured attitude taken by all concerned.

In order to recover our car we were charged a towing fee based on the size
of the vehicle; in our case this was £105. We were shocked to see that we
had also been charged a statutory fine of £30. We understand that the garage
employees had been told not to tow away vehicles until a Police officer had
written a ticket for each one. To our knowledge at least 30 vehicles had
been removed in this manner. The garage staff informed us that they had
impounded cars from similar events at Stonehenge and Beckhampton.

We believe that we witnessed a new and subtle approach taken by the Police
aimed at restricting peoples' rights of self-expression, assembly and
worship. It is a credit to the people concerned that there were no crowd
disturbances, although clearly the Police were prepared for this. We wonder
whether the high-handed and unnecessarily punitive approach taken by the
Police was aimed at provoking a riot so that events of this kind can be
banned. To quote a senior Police officer we spoke to "it has been a hard
lesson but I hope you [we] have learned it". We certainly have, and we feel
morally obliged to return to Avebury every year with as many people as we
can muster.

Regards

John Northam BA, Barrister
Rachel Phelan BSc.

For more reports, discussion pix etc.  stonehengepeace@yahoogroups.com

My first solstice visit and I think my last - i could not hack that
traffic chaos again. fortunately for us I thought the car park
opened at 11 and we were in the queue at the roundabout by that
time. we didnt get on car park site till 1am. we left next day
about 11 and by the time we reached Salisbury several hours later I
was nearly dead due to heat stroke and car fumes NEVER AGAIN. We
had a hellof a long drive home to northern Lincs and I spent most of
Sunday in a daze recovering.

It was worth it though - my pilgrimage if you like. I had a great
view over the hele stone and apart from the morons climbing over and
dissing the stones I saw people having a great time and behaving
well. Did somebody fall off - I saw an ambulance coming up with the
lights flashing?

I thought the organisation was shambolic - just why were the police
there? They did sod all to help the traffic chaos; they knew where
nothing was on the site - told us there were no loos and to go in
the hedges and then teh next day started pulling guys up for doing
just that on the main field when all they were doing was helping to
keep the queues down for us girls who couldnt in daylight, if you
see what I mean! They were being discreet about it so I could see no
harm

Were the people who got bother in the car park trying to stay on
after the 2pm deadline or something?

BIG RASPBERRY to wilts police - you were USELESS, A WASTE OF SPACE
and rap on the knuckles for EH too. That car park should have been
opened hours before. The road should NEVER have been allowed to
block like that

I'm no expert in organising festies but I would have though common
sense would have told them to have loos spaced throughout the length
of the car park and preferably with lighting nearby. for those near
the back it was one hell of a hike - didnt rate the map at all. And
what was the ban on garden chairs about? We got ours in after
lugging them to the stones because we saw no sign of the transport
for the disabled. I was just waiting for a steward to have a go
because by that time I was ready for a fight

Was camping allowed on the car park then or were people just
chancing their luck. We didnt bring a tent because it said not to (
I might not have been so ill if I'd been able to rest under cover)
although I noticed all sorts of "not allowed " things that night
like dogs at the stones.

I think full marks should go the the Radhna Krisha Temple who were
serving up excellent free food - thanks guys, it was appreciated.
And I suppose we should be grateful to EH for opening up the stones
free of charge to let us on at all- it clearly cost them a lot of
money to do it.

All in all I had a truly memorable experience, for the right
reasons, and I think one of my lasting memories(apart from sunrise)
was the sight of all those cars coming over the hill on the 303 with
their lights on. It reminded me of the final scene from Field of
Dreams, one of my fave films - "if you build it, they will come"

I'm going to shut up now!

The traffic chaos had already started when we arrived on Thursday with the coned off lanes from before the Countess roundabout to the Stonehenge turnoff. Presumably that was to upset the locals. They were all removed rapidly Saturday evening.

One lesson everyone has learned is that next year they should arrive as early as possible. There are plenty of places to park up in the area.

My favorite part of the Solstice was spending Friday parked on the verge by the car park entrance sunbathing and chatting. It was great to see a café appear as if by magic from the back of a van, tarp, full size cooker and all. Horsedrawn at the front, horses forced to stand in the shafts in the blazing heat, traffic weaving in and out of people walking in the road, dogs, bicycles, people on horseback, children. Thankfully the police eventually closed the road as verges in all direction began to fill up. We even had one geezer traditionally driving through the roadblock and disappearing into the crowd!.

Because of the pressure of numbers in the Stones field most fun was to be had in the carp park. High points being Hattie's performance at the Rinky Dink (Thanx Dan) The bus people who provided the trampoline, fuckin' fantastic..........we need more kids entertainment. And to all the independent traders Thanx to.

Why is English Heritage trying to turn the event into a queue into the car park, a rush to the overcrowded stones and back into traffic chaos? People are missing the Solstice Celebration going on around them. The focus must move away from the center of the stones with more attractions in the surrounding landscape. You know it makes sense.

Mark

There was a wonderful gathering of folk on the meadow,

fire wood was plenty full
as was music
drums
guitars
saxaphones
the violin
fire dancers
songs
harmonicas
merry making
night gazing
poem reading
the squeeze box
the hokey cokey
the sunrize

it was beautiful as were the people.
a day well marked, a new dawn

Hiya I would like to know more about your gathering in greno woods, if possible please email me
D++