I’ve written before about how the British army trains on the fields around our house, flying big C-130s overhead and operates two fake villages (one “German” and one “Iraqi”) for further training. Well, the troops have been busy. Flights keep going over head during the day and night, very low and very exciting. Last night, I grabbed my oldest son (since he can stay up late, you know), and we jumped into the Mini to chase down one of the planes landing nearby, plus so I could finally grab some pics of those villages. Below, some videos and still shots.

The video above shows one of the planes flying overhead. I’ve posted still pictures of these before, but it’s another thing to see them in flight. I was pretty lame finding where it was at first, so hang in there — it will show up. New camera, really tiny, I’m still getting used to it.

Here’s one of the approaches to the two villages. It’s about two miles from the house, and you turn off one of our tiny but paved country roads onto a dirt road used by tanks and other army vehicles. Our Mini did just fine, thank you very much.

Watch the video above, and you’ll see one of those C-130s fly to the parachute drop zone near the villages.

Driving in, here’s the entrance to the Iraqi village:

Closer up:

And some video:

This is a drive into the village. Note the burned out cars. At the end, you’ll see where the road ends at the German village.

Driving out of the village.

At the outskirts of the village, this shows railroad cars and even a broken helicopter used for more training.

Below, a shot from afar of the German villages:

And a closer shot:

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I’ve long wanted to do a post about the “German village” that’s about a mile from our home in Wiltshire. The British Army uses this as an urban training ground (and a few years ago, an “Iraqi village” sprung up next to it.

Living in the middle of the Salisbury Plain training grounds, you get used to things like giant airplanes flying just above the house or tanks firing loudly only a mile away. But imagine my surprise to read on Techmeme that we’re about to be invaded by robotic scouts!

Well, the German village that is. News.com and New Scientist have more about the competition that’s being held. And doesn’t it figure — we’ll be gone by the time in August when it happens!

Well, I’ll get out to the village as I’ve been meaning to for ages to shoot some photos before it happens. Above, a close-up of the village (very out of date, not showing the Iraqi village). Below, our house in relation to the village.

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If I’m sluggish this morning, it’s because my day started early — taking my
oldest son out for a sunrise ceremony at Stonehenge to mark the 100th
anniversary of the Scouting movement.
One hundred years ago today, Robert Baden-Powell held an experimental camp for
boys that led to Scouts being formed. The World Jamboree is now taking place a
few hours from us in Essex, but Scouts all over the world
are marking the
anniversary in various ways. For us, it meant a trip to Stonehenge.

Scouts from our local

Salisbury Plain District gathered at around 7:15 in the parking lot outside
Stonehenge:

As you can see, the sun was already up for our sunrise ceremony — but it was
still early!

We stormed the Stonehenge entrance:

Marched on the monument:

Where parents were diverted on to the grass in front of the stones. As the
grass was wet, I figured I’d stand on one of the fallen stones:

Yeah, I can hear some of you now — horrors! How can you stand on the
precious Stonehenge stones. Easy. I walked right on it. It’s a big rock. It’s
been there for 6,000 years. During the solstice, the entire place is opened up
to thousands, and they pretty much give up on trying to police the stones (see
my Stonehenge category for past
posts about the solstice and visiting Stonehenge). Standing on that stone (it
has a name — I can’t remember it right now — was no big deal).

Well, it was to the Stonehenge security guard. He moved me and several others
off it. Small children not part of the Scouts later tried to walk on it, causing
parents to shoo them off. Meanwhile, the Scouts themselves couldn’t go inside
the circle because the ground was too damp to bear their weight. Heh. English
Heritage is notorious for being way to overprotective of the stones. I think
they’d have survived.

No matter — the Scouts came around:

Got assembled:

Then after a countdown to 8am, a kudu horn was sounded as Baden-Powell did
all those years before. You can hear it in the video below, which is about all
you can hear of the ceremony!

We got a Scout salute at the end:

Then it was marching back time:

One of them is mine. If you know my taste for Californian footwear, look
close for the Old Skools to spot him:

He’s a Cub now, but two years ago, I went with him when he was a Beaver to
historic
Brownsea Island, where that
first camp was held. Here’s the group at
the camp marker:

Here’s a closer look at the marker. Sorry about those two Beavers in the way!

By the way, I was a Cub Scout very briefly — a Webelos Cub Scout, for about
half of fourth grade. I tried to find a nice page at the
Boy Scouts Of America site to explain the
various type of scout levels like
this one from the UK
association (being the first association, they’re simply called The Scouts
Association). Sadly, no such simply guide was easily found.

All in all, a nice morning — ended by a trip to
Reeves The Baker. My son went
for a pasty for breakfast. Mmm — good choice!

On Monday, big decision. Should I take the day off and go out to the World
Jamboree with him? Maybe — how cool to see some of the 20th gathering. Plus, a
semi-Orange County connection. Jamboree Blvd, which runs down to Newport? Named
after the Boy Scouts Of America’s third jamboree held where Fashion Island now
sits, back in
1953. There’s even a historical marker at Fashion Island commemorating it. A
little more low-key than the one on Brownsea Island. Less a stone monument and
more a small brass plaque.

Saturday is Reeve’s day for us here in Wiltshire. That is, our weekly visit to Reeve The Baker. While I sorely miss not being able to swing by a Taco Bell for a seven layer burrito, finding Reeve’s was an unexpected treasure when we moved here eight years ago. If you’re heading by to see Stonehenge (don’t forget to see my Stonehenge tour tips), my favorite Reeve’s is only about a mile away. Make the short detour. You won’t be sorry.

About two years ago, Salisbury decided it needed to have its own specialty food dish, giving birth to the “Salisbury Sausage.” It doesn’t appear to have caught on, as far as I can see. Good. That’s because if Salisbury wanted to get behind any particular local food dish, it should have been the Wiltshire Pasty (say it pahh-sty, not pay-sty as my mind always wants to) that Reeve’s makes.

If you’re struggling among the many great things Reeve’s sells, go for the Wiltshire Pasty. It’s a great blend of potatoes and meat and carrots all baked within a bread crust. Served warm, it also stays warm if you take it to go for a picnic elsewhere. Hands-down, it’s the best thing Reeve’s has, in my view.

Other favorites. They make great sandwiches. You’ll find a number of prepackaged sandwiches made fresh, and those are all fine if you want to grab and go. Got a few minutes to spare? Many of the Reeve’s (Amesbury, Warmister, Devizes) will make up a custom sandwich, if you want. I’m a turkey, bacon, lettuce and tomato fan, myself.

Remember North Americans — unless you say no, you’re likely to end up with butter as your dressing. Mayo’s an option, if you want an alternative. I usually get mine dry and add some French’s mustard at home. If you like American-style mustard like French’s, don’t ask for mustard at Reeve’s. They either won’t have it or you’ll end up with British mustard, a completely different creature.

The pizza slices are nice, especially the pepperoni and most especially when they’ve come out of the oven. My youngest son likes sausage rolls, which I find kind of bland. But if you find yourself in Salisbury and want a safe alternative to the Happy Meal, sausage rolls are the way to go. I’ve yet to see a small child not like them.

There are a variety of other baked meat products, so go nuts if you see something that looks good. It almost certainly will be.

How about dessert? Heaven. The kids like the gingerbread men, so that’s a nice, safe choice. These are usually available in the glass display cases. I love the carrot cake, though the double-chocolate cake is wonderful, too. Big sugar rush from that! Cakes are often in plastic containers in refrigerated cases. My wife goes for the Belgian buns and custard slices.

Donuts? Yep, I love donuts. And Reeve’s used to have great chocolate ones. I’m not talking Tim Horton or Dunkin Donuts quality, but definitely above average. Then they changed to cappuccino flavored ones and lost me, as I don’t like the taste of coffee. I wish they’d bring back good old plain chocolate. The rainbow ring donuts are a hit with my kids, and the ordinary glazed — when availalbe — are a nice alternative. There’s also a number of filled ones, a bit too heavy for me, but others might like.

If available, try the glazed cinnamon rolls. These are more flat than thick, and they won’t knock your socks off compared to the type of cinnamon rolls you might get in a place like Bend, Oregon. But they’re still pretty tasty.

What else? What else! The lemon cake, if available. The cranberry apple cake, if available. American chocolate brownies or chocolate brownie cake, if you’ve got serious munchies. Hot-cross buns, definitely, when offered. Buy several packs. By the way, I keep saying “if available” because they run out of some things quickly and other things are seasonal, not offered year-round.

Ordinary sultana scones are also another favorite. Eat them fast, because they only stay soft for about a day. They’re a bit heavier than an American-style biscuit — but they taste great with some butter, or butter and strawberry jam is even better.

Reeve’s also sells a variety of breads — and if you need a loaf but want it sliced, just ask. It only takes a second for them to do.

Reeve’s has several stores as listed on its web site. Amesbury is the closest to us, and my favorite. Around lunchtime, don’t be afraid of the line that comes out the door a bit. It moves pretty fast. I like Amesbury because the staff’s nice and friendly and they have the best selection of any of the Reeve’s.

Two caveats to the above. First, I struggle with always wanting to get everything when I go in. So I end up having a big, giant order. And this being Britain, the staff won’t be saying to you “what else would you like” in a chirpy manner, as might happen in an American store where you learn perky suggestive selling from birth. Instead, you’ll likely hear “anything else” or “will that be all” with a tone that might make you feel like you should stop. Don’t be put off. The staff really is friendly and will get all you want. That leads to the second caveat. As the day progresses, Reeve’s starts to run out of things. Show up around 11:45am to 1:00pm for the best selection.

In Salisbury, there’s a big shop on Butcher Row, right next to the visitors center. There’s a big queue to actually eat in the shop, plus there will likely be two different lines to order food at either end of the store. My advice is to eye up both lines and use the shortest one — that’s usually the one coming in from the market square. Next, get your food and drinks as take away and walk over to Salisbury Cathedral. The warm food will stay warm for the 10 minute walk, and the view and setting is much better than eating in the grotty market square.

I’m not overly fond of the Warminster store — selection tends to be less than the others. Devizes, on the other hand, is great. Not quite as plentiful as with Amesbury, but you’ll find plenty to choose from. Then you can take you meal and walk along the canal. It’s about 20 minutes to Caen Hill Locks by foot, one of my favorite places in Wiltshire, so the warm food will have cooled a bit. But you can stop earlier at any grassy place along the locks, on the way. Here’s a route map.

That’s it. In any of these towns, you’ll see places appealing to tourists, from fish & chips shops to McDonald’s. Reeve’s is where locals go — and you’ll do right by doing the same.

The first time I saw Stonehenge, I figured it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Now I live five miles from it and see it on a regular basis, out the window of my car whenever I drive into town. I’ve also taken plenty of visitors to see the stones, plus watched others arrive for viewings. I’ll go through some of the options below, mainly to highlight the best one — private access, if you can make the time.

Visit During Regular Opening Hours

Most people go to Stonehenge during its regular opening hours, which you’ll find here. Do this, and you’ll walk along with maybe hundreds of other people about 100 to 500 feet around the outside of the stones. There’s a small rope to keep you back. Here’s a pretty typical example of what your viewing experience will be like:

Mystical! Exhilarating! Well, better than nothing, I suppose.

As a side note, you’ll be given a little audio wand to listen to as you walk. I always joke that it’s like seeing people from Star Trek who can never look at things directly. They always look with their tricorders instead.

At Stonehenge, it’s like that. People listen to these incredibly boring audio wands, trying to get them to work at the right points and always giving up about 1/3rd the way around. My advice? Read a nice book about Stonehenge before you arrive and skip the wands.

Visit After Regular Opening Hours

Missed the regular opening hours, because perhaps you’re driving by on the way to somewhere else? Sure, you can see Stonehenge, if it’s still light. Drive off the main road (the A303) onto the road that goes past Stonehenge (the A360) and go past the stones, toward Shrewton/Devizes. Just past the stones, you’ll see a small dirt road that goes to the left and right of the highway. Park on either side, doesn’t matter which. Then walk the very short distance back along the path in front of the chain link fence. You’ll get a glimpse, but that’s better than nothing. However, if it’s dark, don’t bother. You’ll see nothing. The stones are not lit. It will be pitch black, and shining a flashlight out toward them won’t help.

Private Access

This is the way to go, if you can swing it. Stonehenge is available for private bookings in the mornings and evenings. Do this, and you’ll have the stones along with maybe 20 other people. In reality, I’ve never found myself sharing them with more than 10 people, and usually it’s just the people in my actual party there.

Private access — “Stone Circle Access” — is explained more here. The hours and times are all listed. Pick the ones you want the most, then CALL (that’s right, use the phone) to see if the times you want are free. The number is here, but if you’re calling from the US, here’s the exact way to dial: 011-44-1722-34-38-34. The office is only open from 9:15am to 1pm UK time, so use something like the World Clock Meeting Planner I describe here to find the right time to call from your end. If you’re in the UK, the number is (01722) 34-38-34.

Bookings are sometimes hard to get, so try to make them well ahead of when you plan to go. However, I’ve had plenty of luck getting bookings at the last minute. I just arranged one last week for a trip I’ll be doing with a friend in two weeks — so three weeks out, I could still get space.

When you call, give your preferred dates, and you’ll be told if those will work. If not, ask for what good alternatives are available.

After you’re given a time, you need to send a form. GET THE TIME FIRST, THEN SEND THE FORM. It’s totally fine to do this. You’ll find the form via this page. Once you’ve got it, fill it in, then post, fax or email it back. There’s an email address on the form — and you might be able to use this rather than call to arrange times as described above. But I’d still call. That’s the fastest way.

The form has a few scary sounding parts. They want you to list all the cameras you’ll be bringing, whether you’ll be doing commercial stuff, publicizing your visit and all that. Use common sense and keep things to a minimum. If you’re going to blog your trip and there’s AdSense on your blog, I wouldn’t consider that a commercial thing to worry about. Just say no, that’s my advice.

Why’s private access the best? I’ll let some pictures answer that question:

You’re in the stones, basically. You walk around them, can sit on them, touch them, commune with them, if that’s your style. Sure, you can do the same at Avebury any time. Tim Bray just posted some nice examples of this not too long ago here. And yes, I highly recommend Avebury if you want something better than the standard Stonehenge experience. But it doesn’t compare with private access to Stonehenge, not at all.

Indeed, Stonehenge is pretty boring with regular access. Honestly, it’s a bunch of rocks that you’ll walk around for 30 to 45 minutes and probably not look back on. But private access is a great experience. It’s also the experience people used to get up until the 1970s or so, until the stones were roped off to protect them.

The Solstice

A rival to private access is going to Stonehenge during the summer solstice. I’ve never been to Burning Man, but it sounds somewhat akin to the solstice. About four years ago, they started allowing celebrations at Stonehenge during this time again. You and 5,000 or so other people will be wandering around. Yes, you can get into the stones during this (and the Druids are somewhere deep in the middle). See Photos & Video From 2008 Stonehenge Summer Solstice for some pictures and video of what that’s like.

You won’t be able to drive near the stones to park. Instead, you’ll have to park in some fields set aside and walk a half-mile or so. Bring something warm. It’s cold on the Salisbury Plain. Bring an umbrella in case of rain, but a good raincoat would be better. If it rains, with so many people, that umbrella won’t help much.

Postscript: After your visit, you might be hungry. If so, then I’ve got food recommendations for you. See my Visiting Stonehenge? Eat At Reeve The Baker! post.

We live in the middle of the Salisbury Plain, where the British Army does tons of training. Tanks, artillery firing, you name it — it all goes on literally all around us. Today was a real treat. A C-130 Hercules flew low over the house doing parachute drops. The picture above shows one coming across right outside my office door.

That’s the plane passing right above. Pretty low!

This is again outside my office door, when it made another pass.

Another shot of it going right over head.

This is it heading past the house and over to the drop zone. Look close below the tail — see how the rear hatch is open?

See the small dot below the plane? Pretty sure that’s one of the parachute jumpers!

Before departing, the plane made two more passes, these ones very sharply over our front garden.

By the way, I don’t mind the planes going overhead. I grew up in the shadow of the Marine Corps Air Station Tustin in Orange County, which always sent CH-53 and CH-47 helicopters over us. Adds a little excitement to the day.