Explore the awe-inspiring Neolithic site of Stonehenge, walk around the ancient stones and learn all we know about this mysterious monument and the surrounding landscape. Later, visit the historic city of Salisbury and enjoy a guided tour of the magnificent Gothic cathedral, home to the tallest spire in England and the Magna Carta.
On your private tour, you will:
- Begin your day with a hotel pick-up in Bath in a private vehicle that you will use throughout the day;
- Enjoy a scenic drive through Southern England, stopping off at places of historic interest;
- Admire the historic landscape surrounding Stonehenge with its many burial mounds and Long Barrows;
- Arrive at Stonehenge and enjoy a stunning and interactive experience where you’ll see how the henge was created over 2500 years;
- Learn about the different stones and their origins between 30 and 250 miles away! Discuss these important questions: How did Stone Age people transport these giant stones? How did they then erect them into the greatest stone circle in the world, and perfectly aligned with the cosmos?
- Learn what we know of Stone-age people: the clothing, diet and way of life 4000 years ago;
- Take the shuttle bus to Stonehenge and wander around this awe-inspiring ancient monument as your guide tells you all we know of its fascinating history, the many theories about how it was built and what it meant to the people who constructed it – some realistic theories, some rather far-fetched!
- Stop and admire the stones – the giant sarsen stones from 30 miles away, the bluestones from the Petrocelli mountains in Wales travelled over 250 miles;
- See the placement of the ‘bloodstone’ and learn about its alignment with and its importance at the summer and winter solstices;
- Depart Stonehenge for the charming and historic city of Salisbury where your guide will orient you towards a traditional pub for a delicious lunch;
- Visit the magnificent Salisbury Cathedral, and enjoy a guided tour of this stunning church;
- See the Magna Carta housed inside the cathedral and admire the Gothic architecture, stained glass windows and especially the miraculously tall spire;
- Enjoy an easy return to Bath, arriving back in plenty of time to rest before supper.
Southern England holds much beauty and mystery for the intrepid traveller. Salisbury, with its fascinating history full of ghost stories, card cheats and beheadings, will enthral. Stonehenge is enticingly mystical, and on this tour, you will get to know the areas surrounding it and its purpose and place in history.
You’ll get a wonderful introduction to Stonehenge by first stopping off at West Amesbury (Blue Henge), the Durrington Walls. Learn all about life for Stone Age people over 4000 years ago; admire the stunning vistas over Salisbury Plain – spotting the many barrows and burial mounds that are strewn throughout the landscape. Discover the latest archaeological evidence and theories as to the importance of this place for Stone-age man.
Begin at the new interactive exhibition at the Stonehenge Visitor Centre. A fascinating and immersive experience – with surround screens that make you feel as though Stonehenge is being built around you at hyper speed. (The monument took around 2500 years to complete. Think about that for a moment!) Explore the Neolithic village with its huts and a replica of one of the giant sarsen stones. See if you can get it to budge!
Then take the free and very regular shuttle bus up to the stone circle, where your guide will walk you around this mighty edifice that has inspired the imagination of millions of people over 4 millennia. See how the stone circles were constructed, and how they miraculously align with the solstices. Sacred to pagans, mystics and atheists alike, you will be forever humbled by your visit to this magical place.
Leaving the stones, you’ll next drive over Salisbury Plain. A giant military training area, you’ll spy its famous crop circles, featuring Alton Barnes White Horse & the West Kennet Longbarrow, and the largest man-made mound from Neolithic times, Silbury Hill.
Visit the magnificent Salisbury Cathedral, a gorgeous Gothic relic with the tallest spire in the country, and one of the oldest clocks in existence. The main body of the church was built between 1220 to 1258 and the astonishing spire was in 1320. It is also home to the best surviving example of the Magna Carta considered the first move from feudalism toward early democracy: taking sole power away from the king and giving more power to the barons. (There are only four left in existence) It was signed at Runnymede near Windsor by King John of England (brother of Richard the Lionheart and the baddy in Robin Hood) and his ‘rebel barons’ in 1215.
Enjoy an easy, restful and scenic drive back to Bath in good time for supper.
