You know how it is—you live twenty minutes away from one of the most famous monuments in the world, but you never actually get around to visiting it. Well, as part of our staycation, we finally made the trip! There’s something special about seeing those massive, ancient stones in person, especially when you know the wild folklore behind them.

The history is steeped in magic, with the most famous story coming from Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain. The legend says the stones were called the "Giants' Dance" and originally stood in Ireland. After a great battle, the British king, Aurelius Ambrosius, wanted to build a monument to honour 460 nobles who had been killed. His wizard, Merlin, suggested bringing the Giants' Dance over because the stones were believed to have magical healing powers. When the nobles, including the future King Uther Pendragon, laughed at him, Merlin explained the stones were set up by giants who had brought them from Africa. An army was sent, but they couldn't budge the stones, so Merlin had to use his magic to transport them to the Salisbury Plain himself!

Speaking of stone circles and their incredible stories, you might remember our chat with storyteller Dawn Nelson back in Episode 18 of the podcast. It’s a topic that’s always fascinated us, and seeing Stonehenge in person really brings all those myths to life.

And for a bit of a cheeky fact, a study last year named Stonehenge one of the most "overrated" tourist attractions in the world! Apparently, the high ticket prices and not being able to get too close to the stones can leave some people feeling a bit underwhelmed. But for me, standing there, knowing all the wyrd history and legends, was anything but overrated.

Have you visited Stonehenge? Do you think it's worth the hype? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!