Bill Bryson in Avebury | Forum — The Modern Antiquarian

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Sanctuary Oct 17, 2015 12:56:30

Replying to moss

moss wrote:

Kicking up a fuss;) Well founded criticism, or is Bryson highlighting his new book? And a small niggle, he must have seen stones if he parked in the car park, all he had to do was open a few gates.... think I'm on the side of the National Trust....

"Within minutes of arriving, I had paid out £7 for parking, £10 for a ticket to the manor house and garden and £4.90 for the small museum, and I still couldn't find my way around the stones, so I went into the gift shop and bought a big handsome map for £9.99, which meant that I had spent £31.89 at Avebury without even having had a cup of tea. So I went and had a cup of tea (£2.50) and studied my map. Then, feeling ever so slightly grumpy, I went and wandered among the stones and everything was suddenly fine, for Avebury is both awesome and entrancing," he added.

Read more: http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/National-Trust-fleece-visitors-cheesiest-Avebury/story-27998831-detail/story.html#ixzz3opCFkByL
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I agreed with this bit if you are a complete newbie to Avebury...

The directional signs pointed only to places where you could spend money – the shop, the museum, the café. It would be a kindness if they gave you a map of the site when you paid for parking and admission, but that is not the National Trust way.

T

tjj Oct 17, 2015 19:08:14

Replying to moss

Yes, I read the excerpt yesterday ....

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/destinations/book-excerpt-the-road-to-little-dribbling/article26821033/

I enjoyed Bill Bryson's 'Notes From a Small Island' and will probably get hold of 'The Road to Little Dribbling' in due course (when it comes out in paper-back). What he has written about Avebury is ironical really as, unlike Stonehenge, it is actually free. For just a few more ££s he could have joined the National Trust and only had to pay for his cup of tea. He talked a lot about Keiller (see above link) lingering rather long on Keiller's sexual proclivities.
His visit ends with him on West Kennet Long Barrow - looking towards Silbury presumably. This he liked.

Quote:
I was so glad that I had traipsed up here. I went and stood on the roof of the barrow again and surveyed the view, feeling like a conqueror, pleased to have it all to myself.
“And this part of the day didn’t cost me a penny,” I said proudly, hands on hips.

T

tjj Oct 18, 2015 23:11:31

Replying to moss

http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/National-Trust-fleece-visitors-cheesiest-Avebury/story-27998831-detail/story.html

Quote:
Smarting from the criticism from such an illustrious travel writer, the National Trust hit back, and pointed out Mr Bryson was wrong about fleecing visitors. "It's a shame that he missed out on what many tens of thousands of visitors enjoy," said a spokesman, who said the Trust hands out free maps from its information trailer in the car park, manned by staff and volunteers. "If this is occasionally closed, the free map is available at many places across the site......"

"Bill Bryson says he felt the stone circle was 'awesome and entrancing' and we've made sure that the stones at this ancient site are allowed to speak for themselves, without signage or interpretation coming between the person and the place. Visitors can walk up to and touch each stone, and this is at the heart of any visit to Avebury. Indeed, people often tell us how special this is to them," she added.

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GLADMAN Oct 25, 2015 22:53:45

Replying to moss

I have to say I don't like Bill Bryson's prose... I am not a fan... but I agree with him regarding the NT. I think they are a disgrace.... twisting access to the countryside toward the affluent upper middle class with their £4.00 a pop parking fees.... acquiring land that was previously available to anyone. Then engineering steps into mountainsides so little Tarquin doesn't slip but consequently making them lethal to any outdoorsman. I speak from experience from negotiating what the NT have done with Aberglaslyn (Beddgelert) yesterday - and avoid great areas of Cumbria because of them.

S

Sanctuary Oct 28, 2015 07:52:31

Replying to moss

moss wrote:

Kicking up a fuss;) Well founded criticism, or is Bryson highlighting his new book? And a small niggle, he must have seen stones if he parked in the car park, all he had to do was open a few gates.... think I'm on the side of the National Trust....

"Within minutes of arriving, I had paid out £7 for parking, £10 for a ticket to the manor house and garden and £4.90 for the small museum, and I still couldn't find my way around the stones, so I went into the gift shop and bought a big handsome map for £9.99, which meant that I had spent £31.89 at Avebury without even having had a cup of tea. So I went and had a cup of tea (£2.50) and studied my map. Then, feeling ever so slightly grumpy, I went and wandered among the stones and everything was suddenly fine, for Avebury is both awesome and entrancing," he added.

Read more: http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/National-Trust-fleece-visitors-cheesiest-Avebury/story-27998831-detail/story.html#ixzz3opCFkByL
Follow us: @WesternDaily on Twitter | WesternDaily on Facebook

Can't say I've ever met anybody that went to the Manor house and garden, Museum, Gift shop and had a cuppa before visiting the stones, let alone even seeing one. What an idiot if he thinks anyone is going to believe that claptrap!
Attention seeking for sure.