Stonehenge has reopened, and there's never been a better time to visit

This summer is a golden opportunity to visit Stonehenge without the crowds.

The monument has reopened to the public with visitor number capacity reduced to a fifth of what it is normally. Mid-morning on the day of opening I counted under 100 people up by the stones – and all tickets available for that morning had been sold.

Apart from the underlying hum of traffic on the nearby A303, it was peaceful, and the atmosphere thoroughly conducive for contemplating the awesome prehistoric site. As a Blue Badge tour guide who regularly visits Stonehenge, I can assure you that is rarely the case on a peak summer's day, when a mass of coaches can be parked up by the visitor centre. 

Another big and positive difference this summer is getting from the visitor centre to the stone circle. Usually the vast majority of visitors take the shuttle bus. This summer, as the buses can't cope with large numbers and social distancing, you are strongly encouraged to walk.

You pass by wheat fields, go through Fargo Plantation woodland and – the best bit – cross flower-speckled meadows, with the stones magnificently set in the distance above sheep-grazed grassland. The National Trust-owned landscape around Stonehenge is a prehistoric wonderland, and you can make out burial mounds and outlines of other ancient earthworks.

The walk, which is almost a mile and a half and takes around half an hour, depending on your pace, really enhances the whole experience of visiting Stonehenge, though I found the signage could have been better (I told staff and they were on it immediately).

On the way back from the stones to the visitor centre staff encourage you to walk along the side of the tarmacked road taken by the bus, which isn't nearly as appealing. But you're at liberty to head off back through the meadows, or you can just hop on a shuttle bus. That's what I did, in the company of several families with young children.

While English Heritage says on its website "We’ll be prioritising the visitor shuttle bus for those who really need it", the site manager told me: "We are not forcing anyone to walk, and if you're a bit tired that's a good enough reason to get the bus back."

Other key things to know this summer:

• Pre-booking, with a timed arrival slot, is compulsory. With the walking, visits will take longer than usual, so last entry is 2.30pm.

• To be able to use the shuttle bus you need to bring your own face mask and wear it.

• Stonehenge's audio guide handsets aren't available. Instead, download the free app, which has similar (good) information, and take headphones.

• Stonehenge's permanent exhibition in the visitor centre (worth visiting for an overview) is operating at a capacity of just 20, so there can be a bit of a queue to get in.

• An unexpected bonus of social distancing measures: you're not funnelled out through the gift shop.

More information: english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge