The Ancients Wouldn't Have Done It Like This, says guest blogger Dave

The mysteries of Wiltshire's Avebury neolithic stone circle date back some 6,000 years, according to the many prominent National Trust signs dotted around the grassy site. 

One newer mystery struck me as pre-eminent: how did anyone allow the A4361/361 Swindon to Devizes trunk road to be routed right through the middle of this ancient monument?

 Perhaps it was once part of a pre-historic transport network; maybe the lichen-encrusted stones themselves were the precursors of the trucks, vans, cars, and tourist coaches which today make their way to and through this beautiful, spiritual place. No one knows where the stones came from, nor their purpose; and no matter. 

Despite the contemporary intrusions, the ring itself retains much of its pagan mystique. The immense earthworks alone are enough to have inspired sundry astrological conspiracy theories, but for the average visitor, it's enough to wander, wonder and marvel.

There's free access to the Avebury monument itself, thought to be the largest stone circle in the world. Both for the two-legged visitors who flock (sorry!) from around the world, and the sheep who graze the site.

Other onsite attractions include the adjoining Avebury Manor, recently restored in the BBC project To The Manor Reborn, reprising Penelope Keith's famous TV role. The stately home's unique selling point: you can sit on the chairs and bounce on the beds.

It's a shame about the main road running through this wonderful place. But it does also remain a real functioning village complete with authentic rural pub. For me, Avebury is a much better day out than its rather better known near-neighbour Stonehenge. That is getting a brand new visitor centre which means you'll need to be bussed to the stones there. But despite decades of in-fighting, there's currently no hope of re-routing the much busier A303 dual-carriageway which blights one of Britain's greatest attractions to a much greater extent than the road through Avebury.