In between our sojourns we stayed in the ambulance and entertained around our stove. Great to meet so many lovely people! We're sorry to have forgotten the names! There was talk of the Summer 2003 Festival and it's something which we, at Real Festival Music fully support and look forward to getting involved with.

Unlike last year where we walked through a gate in the upper track, across the field to the stones, this year we were directed to the EH underground tunnel. There was a couple of 'clusters' of yellow coated security & police officers to be negotiated. Funny how even when you are old enough not to have any 'Class Three as Recommended by Queen Victoria smokeables' about your person a wave of fear developed over almost twenty years washes over you!!!!!

There is a lot of distrust between those who attend Stone Henge on our religious days and the police/security. Many still bear painful memories, but there needs to be consistency too. Last winter we were not allowed to use the EH car park. This year it was coned off when some arrived but admittance was allowed later. Confusing to say the least.

Later one senior police officer was so worried about the safety of people parked along the A303, because cars speed along that stretch of road, he invited people in to the EH car park so that they would be safe. He was disappointed that many were reluctant in case it was a trap to search them. However, with previous years ban on the use of the 'Official' car park I can understand their reluctance & suspicion.

The distrust of police at these events, especially when they are collected into groups through which we have to walk causes 'stress' for another reason than our past Henge experiences. Many of us who pilgrimage to Stone Henge believe (from my experience) that cannabis should be at least decriminalised. For many it is an every day part of their lives and is used not only for relaxation, but also to raise the energy vibrations onto a higher plain so that we are better in tune with the spiritual significance of the place and the time.

Many of these people are otherwise law abiding, often middle aged, widely & roundly educated to a high level and frequently in jobs which would be put in jeopardy if they were involved in any drug offence even for something which is 'God's Herb'.

Possibly one way forward would be to declare the same sort of amnesty for those toking as happened at the Cannabis Coalition Festival in Brixton this year.

It was a cheery bunch of travellers who walked the EH tunnel and emerged by the stones. Many of us said "Good Morning" to the security who wished it us back in return.

The video footage shows some of the events of the Winter Solstice. Sadly the cloudy sky meant that we didn't get a sun rise as such but a gradual lightening of the sky. But then these years make the ones when there is a clear sky and a perfect sun rise all the more miraculous!

People who were sitting on the fallen stones were frequently asked to move and at the end the druid who conducted the ceremony said he'd been told by EH to remind us to "Get off our stones"! Needless to say there were some shouts of "They're not their stones! They are our stones". This brought back magical childhood memories of climbing on the stones as I watched sadly this generation of children being ushered off them. These stones which have stood the test of time. Which have stood the test of thousands of winter frosts, of biting abrasive winds. Of countless people leaning and sitting on the fallen stones.

As the sky lightened the yellow jackets of security closed in and as the magic faded and having hugged by favourite blue stone once again we drifted quietly back to the 'Bulance.

As we entered EH land we were issued with an A4 one sided leaflet of 'Terms and Conditions of entry to Stone Henge'. The 'Terms and Conditions of entry to Stone Henge' included the section "Please do not climb on or lean against the stones; this includes the stones which have fallen." If 'hugging' classes as 'leaning on' then I was in breech of the EH 'Terms and Conditions of entry to Stone Henge'.

I question the part of this 'Terms and Conditions of entry to Stone Henge' which, in relation to climbing on/leaning against the stones, states that "As well as putting the stones themselves at risk, climbing can harm the delicate lichens that cover them." As the founder of TAG which holds the lease on the land and is responsible for the 'The Bolan Tree', I sympathise with EH. 'The Bolan Tree Site' where Marc Bolan died in his Mini in 1977 attracts visitors 12 months of the year. We have to compromise between the wishes of his family, the visitors, the needs of the Tree itself and the site around it. OK, not on the same visitor volume as Stone Henge, but as we cannot be there most of the time we have to educate and inform and trust in other visitors and the Spirits that people learn. For the most part it is working! It was heart warming to hear one visitor chastise another, not because he wished to 'curry favour' but out of sincere concern. As an Environmental Biologist, Ecologist & Mycologist I have to say that EH are wrong in protecting the lichens! As an Environmental Biologist, Ecologist & Mycologist I feel it is important that people understand what these lichens are:

Lichens are composite, symbiotic organisms made up from members of as many as three kingdoms. The dominant partner is a fungus.
Fungi are incapable of making their own food. They usually provide for themselves as parasites or decomposers. The lichen fungi (kingdom Fungi) cultivate partners that manufacture food by photosynthesis. Sometimes the partners are algae (kingdom Protista), other times cyanobacteria (kingdom Monera), formerly called blue-green algae. Some enterprising fungi exploit both at once.

Although lichens can be useful where they grow on soil, reducing the rate of soil loss due to erosion it is essential to understand where they get their nutrients. Water, Oxygen, and Carbon Dioxide, needed for respiration & photosynthesis only provide molecules of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen. ALL other nutrients cannot be gained from the air/moisture. They are obtained to allow the lichen to grow from the fungal mycelia (similar to roots in plants). These grow into their substrate (in this case the stones of Stone Henge). The mycelium are capable of invading a crack in the rock only a couple of micrometres wide. Once the mycelium has invaded the stone enzymes are secreted which dissolve the stone so that the nutrients can be absorbed and carried to any part of the lichen. This also leaves the original fissure wider and the mycelium continues to grow, digest, grow, digest. As the mycelium gets wider and older it hardens and toughens. Lichen growth is slow, but examination of the stones shows that many of the lichens on the upper reaches of the stones is extensive and has grown to a depth of at least couple of inches (at least 50 mm in 'modern speak'). This is worrying.