Stonehenge is an easy day trip from London, and one Bank Holiday weekend, we all decided to drive down and see these magnificent ancient stone structures.
The official ticket cost is approximately £ 25 pp, and I thought it was quite expensive just to see some stone circles. So, I did a little googling, and it turns out there is a path close by that allows you to view the stones for free. You just need to walk it up instead of taking the tour bus, and you don’t get to see the stones from all angles.
So, I immediately jumped on the free option, and honestly, I think it was quite a decent experience.
The people in the photo above paid for the tour, and they got to go around the circle and see it from all angles. However, they could not wander within the circle itself. It looks like they are close from this angle, but they were really just a little in front of us, and I was quite happy with the view we got.
I zoomed in a little to see the stone circle up close.
And of course, had Piglet and K pose with the stones in the background ୨ৎ.
Even if you choose the free option, you will have access to the café, leaflets, and huts. So, I think it’s not worth paying for the ticket unless you have mobility issues or if you need transport to Stonehenge itself. Since we were driving down, we didn’t need transport, and the walk to Stonehenge (~ 2km each way) is quite beautiful and scenic.
After spending the morning at Stonehenge, we drove down to nearby Salisbury to explore its famous cathedral (home to the Magna Carta).
We paid to enter the cathedral, as mum and K were really pumped to see the Magna Carta. Piglet and I would have been happy enough lounging in the grounds surrounding the place, as the outside is so pretty.
But I am glad that we decided to book tickets because the interior is glorious!
It’s a working cathedral where services are still held. The church choir was practicing at the time we visited, and it was so lovely to hear their singing and the organ music echoing throughout this vast space.
We took our time wandering through the cathedral admiring the painted glass windows.
I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the main cathedral. I did take a picture of the Magna Carta, but it’s more for the memory than anything else. It’s really just a scroll.
The real beauty is the cathedral; they really don’t have to hype up the Magna Carta to get visitors.
The town of Salisbury also is really nice. The high street next to the cathedral is really nice and buzzing with activity. We wandered around a bit, but couldn’t linger too long because of a 2-hour parking limit.
Seriously, one of the real bummers of traveling around the UK is the difficulty of finding parking. So many times, we find ourselves wanting to linger a bit but are forced to rush back because we can’t find suitable parking.
Anyway, we did our round of the place and were reasonably satisfied; we returned home. Yet another wonderful day trip easily accessible from the city!
