Roaming with Red

England is filled with history. One of the beautiful things about currently living in this country, is the opportunity to experience this history and visit some of these significant spots. For this day trip, we hired a car so that we could explore Stonehenge and its surrounds. While I love travelling by train, it was really nice to day trip with the car. We meandered around some incredibly beautiful country towns, filled with thatched roofs and tiny, one car alleyways. The British countryside really is a beautiful thing to experience, especially when you give yourself enough time to enjoy the sites, take in the scenery and breathe in the fresh air.

Marlborough

Our first stop on the trip was Marlborough. About an hour and a half/ two hours by car outside of London, this was a lovely mid morning stop. The market town sits on the old London to Bath Road and boasts a massive major high street. Take a walk up and down the main street, peering into the many shops and cafes on offer. We stopped in at Springs of Marlborough for a mid morning coffee. Sitting by the window on the second floor, it was the perfect place to enjoy a hot drink and people watch.

Salisbury

After driving through the rolling English hills, we hit Salisbury, a Cathedral city near Stonehenge. We unfortunately didn’t have time to walk through the city, but what we saw from the car window was enough to make me want to come back. The first thing you notice in the city is the towering Cathedral. Dominating the skyline, the Cathedral stands as if observing the entire city. Showing signs of early settlement, the old city walls still circle the Old Sarum area. What we saw from the outside was beautiful so I can only imagine what the inside was like.

Stonehenge

Stonehenge was the focal point of this trip and it was really nice to tick this off the list. Dating back to prehistoric times, the Stones are regarded as a British Cultural Icon and are a Unesco World Heritage site. While the exact reason and use of Stonehenge is debated, it’s widely believed to have been used as a place of worship and potentially burial. While a shuttle service can take you from Salisbury to Stonehenge, it’s much easier to reach via car. The entrance to the site has a small museum explaining the elements of the Stones as well as a recreation of what a Neolithic village may have looked like. There is a small cafe on site however, I would suggest you bring some lunch with you or have something to eat beforehand as the line for food gets pretty long!

As for the Stones themselves, I would highly recommend you walk to the stones rather than take the bus. The walk is about 20/30 minutes and allows you to skip the crowds trying to get on the bus to the Stones. It also allows you to see the burial mounds that dot the countryside and enjoy the full wonder of the Stones as they appear on the horizon. A ticket to Stonehenge allows you to circle the site completely with information points explaining elements to the structure itself such as the placement to catch the Winter Solstice sun. While I may not feel the need to come back, I would definitely recommend you find time to visit Stonehenge. It’s hard to fully appreciate their wonder and size without seeing them in real life.

Castle Combe

I must admit, I think this was the highlight of the trip for me. Castle Combe is a tiny village off the beaten track and is a genuine gem. No new houses have been built in the historic centre since 1600 and it shows. Visiting Castle Combe is like stepping into a fairytale. As you drive into the city, you are greeted with these beautiful, old stone buildings. A river intersects the city with a stone bridge providing the only crossing. Visit the St Andrew’s Church and enjoy the surrounding graveyard to get a look into the history of this country town. Grab a beer or an ice-cream and simply sit in the centre and spend a lazy afternoon enjoying the atmosphere. It is genuinely such a peaceful place that is stuck in the past in the best way possible.

Unfortunately no food and recommendations for this blog! We packed lunch to eat at Stonehenge for once!