Last Updated: July 12, 2022
Looking to visit Stonehenge in a campervan with the family? Want somewhere to stay with the opportunity to see the stones from the comfort of your vehicle? Then you will want to head to ‘The Drove’.
‘The Drove’ is a small side track that runs alongside the stones, where you can pull up, settle down and admire Stonehenge in all it’s glory. Then, you can wonder around and check out the stones from various viewpoints at a time that suits you. And really absorb this prehistoric monument.
What is Stonehenge?
Stonehenge is one of the most iconic and mysterious attractions in England. Comprised of dozens of stones laid out in circular rings, some of the vertical stones connected at the top by lintel stones. The stones are HUGE, with some being over 20 tonnes in weight!
At around 5,000 years old, Stonehenge has been baffling historians for years about the how and why they were constructed. And even now there is still intense debate as to the origin of the stones.
Some believe it was created by the Merlin the Wizard, magically teleporting the stones after creation by Giants in Ireland. Other’s believe it wasn’t even the English who created them, with theories of Danish and Roman heritage. And some even believe it was created by Aliens!
Whatever you believe it’s fair to say that most of us agree on one thing in that the stones are a magnificent site to behold.
Where is Stonehenge and ‘The Drove’?
Stonehenge is located on the Salisbury Plain in the English county of Wiltshire. It’s located in a field just by the A303 road. And you can actually see Stonehenge from the A303 as you drive past.
‘The Drove’ (or ‘Byway 12’ as it’s also called on some maps) is just off the A303. It’s easily missed if you are not looking for it, as it is quite a small side track.
You can only turn left onto the track from the A303. Right turns are not permitted as it is deemed too dangerous to cross the busy carriageway. It may sometimes also be possible to enter from the other end of The Drove at the Fargo Road end of the track.
If you are coming down the A303, it can get quite congested, as so many people tend to slow down to look at the stones. So with this in mind, you will want to plan your route so you come in from the west of the A303 rather than the east. You don’t want to have to head all the way down the A303 and then turn round at the roundabout to come back up so you can turn left, as it could take a while during busy times.
Once you are coming down the A303 in the correct direction you will quickly see the lane on the left. It can usually be spotted due to the campervans parked their. So once you spot it, slow down and pull in.
Can you park at Stonehenge in a Campervan overnight?
Yes, and not just that, it’s free!
Once you’ve pulled onto The Drove you can basically amble along the track and park wherever you fancy. You can see the stones from pretty much anywhere along the track, but some views are better than others.
It’s also possible to park here if you’re not in a campervan. People often park here in cars for the day in order to head down to the public footpath for a gander at the stones.
Although The Drove is an unofficial camping spot, it’s commonplace for people to stay over here (in some cases for quite a while, some people looked like they were living there!). So you shouldn’t get any problems staying here overnight in your campervan.
The exception to this is around the summer and winter solstices. Because Stonehenge is so popular during this time The Drove is sometimes closed off. So check the dates of when the solstices are and check if the road is open if you are planning on going around those dates.
There are no facilities, so you will need to be in a self-contained vehicle if you intend to stay here. And will need to ensure you have enough supplies for the duration of your stay (take a look at our Family Campervan Packing List for tips on what to pack). But you do sometimes get some venders on the track. We had an ice cream van and fresh fruit stall whilst we stayed.
The Drove is pretty well looked after and there wasn’t any litter or other waist that we spotted. So it’s good to see most people are respecting the area so it can stay open to the public this way for as long as possible.
A lot is often said about the potholes here and they seem to be almost as famous as the stones!
But to be honest I was a little underwhelmed by them. Ok, so there’s a few pot holes, but I was expecting craters the way people online were talking, but they’re really nothing major and are easily navigated. Shredder (our campervan) barely noticed them!
The track is also a little uneven so it can be a challenge to get level, even with levelling blocks. It’s not a particularly dramatic incline and there are some flatter spots, it’s just awkward to get completely flat. So just try to find a spot that is as level as you are comfortable with.
There is loads of room along the track and you will just pull up onto the grass verges either side. Obviously it’s more ideal to be on the side nearest the stones so you can see them. There is a chance someone might pull up and spoil your view if you go for the other side, so keep his in mind when choosing your spot.
It does get busier in holidays and weekends, but as the track is quite long there is a lot of room to get a spot. The earlier you are, the better the spot you can grab.
Visiting Stonehenge
So now you’ve got your spot and you can see the stones from a very respectable distance. You can wake up in the morning and simply pop your head out of your window from your comfortable campervan bed and watch the sunrise over the stones.
Ours wasn’t the best sunrise with a cloudy start to the day, but a fun novelty for the kids none-the-less.
If this isn’t enough though and you do want to get closer, there are a few options.
The first option is also free. You can take a walk down the public footpath that runs down the stones. This is slightly further back than the ticketed path that we’ll come to in a minute, but for free it’s a very descent view. The entrance is about halfway down The Drove. It’s next to the ticketed entrance, but just head behind and through the public footpath gate.
The beauty of doing it this way is you can stroll down in the early morning or late evening. This is a great way to do it as it means you can avoid the crowds that you will meet if you go for the standard ticketed route. As with the ticketed option, you can only go during the visitor centre opening hours and it can get very busy.
Which brings us to the second option. You can visit via the ticketed path by purchasing some general admission tickets at the visitor centre or online at the English Heritage website.
The visitor centre is about a 5 minute drive from The Drove, just off the A360, with parking available on site. If you decide to head to the visitors centre, once there you can enjoy some additional exhibits with your ticket and then either take a 5 minute shuttle bus to the stones, which drops you off at the ticket entrance, which is just in front of the public footpath. Or you can take a 25 minute walk from the visitor centre. With the same options for returning.
The general admission ticket gets you closer to the stones than the public footpath. If you are an English Heritage or National Trust Member, the general admission tickets for members are free. So it’s probably worth getting tickets and then you can get a bit closer to the stones at no extra cost. If you’re not a member you will need to pay for these tickets.
It’s important to note with both options above you cannot actually get in amongst the stones. To do this you need to purchase one of the special VIP Stone Circle Experience tickets from English Heritage.
The Stone Circle Experience can be pricey though and can rack up for a family. Even English Heritage and National Trust members need to pay for these ones, although there are discounts for members. The tickets are also only available during the morning and evening with limited numbers. The English Heritage website has all the details.
So the choice is yours for which route you take. Each option has it’s pros. The ticketed options get you the bonus of the visitor centre exhibits. And whilst the ticketed option does also get you closer, the free public footpath is close enough in our opinion, if you want to just have a butchers at the stones. And with the ‘out of hours’ option for seeing them it’s much more peaceful and rewarding if you go in the late evening or early morning like we did. If you want to get in amongst the stones, the Stone Circle Experience is the way to go.
Visiting Woodhenge
Whilst you are staying on The Drove you can also easily visit Woodhenge by taking a pleasant hour long walk.
You’ll walk down the track towards the opposite end from the A303. As you get towards the end of the track, you’ll see a stile on the right. Head through it and then it’s a fairly straight walk through a few fields and past some woods. At the end of the woods you’ll then take a slight left going diagonal across the next field. Then you’ll arrive.
If you want more detailed walking direction then we recommend Maps.me as a good app to give you trails, not just for this route, but other walking routes as well.
Woodhenge is far less visited, but is wrapped in almost as much mystery as Stonehenge, being built around 2300BC.
Originally it would have had tall wooden pillars in various circles, which are now represented by the many concrete pillars you see to mark out where the original wooden ones were situated.
It has slightly dark past with some believing it was a sacrificial site for children, due to a child’s skeleton being found here with it’s skull split in two!
It had a much lighter feel to it when we visited, and our kids enjoyed the additional site. So if you have the time and energy the walk over and back is a nice way to see it. If you don’t fancy the walk, you can also drive around and park for free.
Visiting the Avebury Stones
If you still haven’t had your fill of ancient henges then there is also another one near by. You can’t walk to this one (or certainly not quickly) but the Avebury Stones are about a 40 minute drive north of Stonehenge.
The Avebury Stones are also less well visited than Stonehenge. And the best bit about this one is you can walk in amongst the stones for absolutely nothing! This site is free to enter and you can wonder around at your leisure.
There is National Trust car park, with a fee for the car parking of around £7 all day. Make sure you have change as the machine does not accept card. Parking is free for National Trust or English Heritage members.
It’s a lovely place to wonder around on a sunny day. With the stones also being built around 4,000 to 5,000 years ago and as impressive as Stonehenge. With a couple of additional sites nearby like West Kennet Avenue (for more stones!) and Silbury Hill. This is a great area to visit on your ‘Henge Tour’ if you have the time.