Some of you may be aware that English Heritage is yet again trying to monopolise access to the surrounding area of Stonehenge by slapping an Experimental Trafic Regulation Order on surrounding Byways.
This is after having failed twice previously, most recently at a public inquiry in 2011 where the TRF (alongside the Druids amongst others) saw common sense prevail. English Heritage have tried a different approach this time and the TRF are mounting a challenge to them by taking them to the High Court and as a result, have started a Crowdjustice fundraising campaign to help fund this campaign that you can find here.
If you check the link above you'll see that the target has been comfortably met and extended to £20K It's interesting to read the comments as to why & how strongly people feel about EH's monopolising Stonehenge as their own cash cow by preventing long-held rights to be in the surrounding area.
There is also a case update that gives the court hearing date for the 21st & 22nd of November 2018.
I think that a lot of people are interested when the crowd funding target was reached the equivalent of 10% of the TRF membership had donated, I have spoken to national about these ETRO's as has John and Rob Drake is very much on the case
I recall getting a little carried away when exploring one day, and on stopping by the side of a byway to look at the map seeing that I was next to the stones of Stonehenge and looking up from the map to see the stones themselves which came as somewhat of a surprise. I had not been there since the last free festivals were held and it brought back many memories. The byway is the line running left to right which crosses the main road now closed to the public by English Heritage, the stones are at the bottom of the picture and the 30,000 stoned hippies are in the fields above the byway.
I then realized that what with it being February and six o'clock in the evening it was about to get dark and I had over 150 miles to ride home, in the dark, and it was chilly. Daft really but fond memories and it would be a terrible shame if future generations were deprived of the opportunity to see the stones as they pass on by, unless they pay to pass through the turnstiles. Grrr.