Stonehenge, Bath and Avebury from London by rental car
Jan 27th, 2013, 04:56 PM
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Stonehenge, Bath and Avebury from London by rental car
Hello! After deciding the dates and the amount of time in each place, I'm now working on the specifics of my family trip in next September-October.
We'll have six full days in London (first time!) and I want to see Stonehenge. I've read several topics about this day trip and, without a doubt, the most simple way to do it is to go with a tour by some company. This was my choice until I read that you can only go inside the stone circle at specific times (before and after the general public times) and, although some co. can arrange that, the cost seems a *little* expensive - from £35 in the normal tour (outside the circle) to £79+ with the inner circle access, even tough the entrance fee to the "park" is the same (£7.80)!
That said, I'm thinking that for a lesser amount of money than we would pay in the special tour (that is, £79x3 (me, my wife and our daughter), we could dump the tour, rent a car and make a little road trip, including some other cities in our way. These would be Bath and Avebury (to see some more stones!). I'm aware that to do this without a tour co., I must book directly with English Heritage, months in advance etc, but I think I'll try.
So, I have the following questions:
1. Do you recommend a busy day-trip like this?
2. From reading previous topics, it seems that the best place to get (and return) the car is Heathrow. Is this still the best option?
3. I want to book Stonehenge to the afternoon slot (18:30 hrs). So, I'm thinking in leave Heathrow very early, see Avebury in the morning, lunch in Bath and sightseeing trough the evening, and Stonehenge at 18:30 hrs. From there, directly to Heathrow. Is this the best route? Am I missing something great in the way?
Thank you for any input!
We'll have six full days in London (first time!) and I want to see Stonehenge. I've read several topics about this day trip and, without a doubt, the most simple way to do it is to go with a tour by some company. This was my choice until I read that you can only go inside the stone circle at specific times (before and after the general public times) and, although some co. can arrange that, the cost seems a *little* expensive - from £35 in the normal tour (outside the circle) to £79+ with the inner circle access, even tough the entrance fee to the "park" is the same (£7.80)!
That said, I'm thinking that for a lesser amount of money than we would pay in the special tour (that is, £79x3 (me, my wife and our daughter), we could dump the tour, rent a car and make a little road trip, including some other cities in our way. These would be Bath and Avebury (to see some more stones!). I'm aware that to do this without a tour co., I must book directly with English Heritage, months in advance etc, but I think I'll try.
So, I have the following questions:
1. Do you recommend a busy day-trip like this?
2. From reading previous topics, it seems that the best place to get (and return) the car is Heathrow. Is this still the best option?
3. I want to book Stonehenge to the afternoon slot (18:30 hrs). So, I'm thinking in leave Heathrow very early, see Avebury in the morning, lunch in Bath and sightseeing trough the evening, and Stonehenge at 18:30 hrs. From there, directly to Heathrow. Is this the best route? Am I missing something great in the way?
Thank you for any input!
Jan 27th, 2013, 05:38 PM
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Answers to many of these questions are really personal choice. I should say my comments are a little dated as the last time I was there was in the late 90's when I lived there.
To the questions
1. busy day-trips are really a matter of personal preference. You will miss the commentary from the tour guild. These type of day trips are the things I often do on holiday. If you drive automatic transmission cars, I would recommend that you reserve one well in advance. The typical rental is a manual transmission.
2. When I was there that would have been my choice if I was heading to the west country. nb that I was usually doing the opposite. That is driving in an parking at Heathrow and taking the tube.
3. When I was in England you did not really have to book Stonehenge in advance. However, be careful about opening hours. Mid October last year the site closed at 16:00. In mid-March that will extend to 18:00. I would check in advance as to the opening hours of StoneHenge.
As to the route, the thing to remember that the M roads are the quickest, followed by A roads in general. While you can still go 60mph on the smaller roads outside of towns, they can be more challenging to navigate.
Are you missing something great? There are many other sites worth seeing in that end of the country. One instance, Salisbury Cathedral. This is not far from Stonehenge. Another is Longleat park at Avebury [be careful with a car at Longleat]. However, on busy day-trips one does have to choose what to see and what not to see.
dooble
To the questions
1. busy day-trips are really a matter of personal preference. You will miss the commentary from the tour guild. These type of day trips are the things I often do on holiday. If you drive automatic transmission cars, I would recommend that you reserve one well in advance. The typical rental is a manual transmission.
2. When I was there that would have been my choice if I was heading to the west country. nb that I was usually doing the opposite. That is driving in an parking at Heathrow and taking the tube.
3. When I was in England you did not really have to book Stonehenge in advance. However, be careful about opening hours. Mid October last year the site closed at 16:00. In mid-March that will extend to 18:00. I would check in advance as to the opening hours of StoneHenge.
As to the route, the thing to remember that the M roads are the quickest, followed by A roads in general. While you can still go 60mph on the smaller roads outside of towns, they can be more challenging to navigate.
Are you missing something great? There are many other sites worth seeing in that end of the country. One instance, Salisbury Cathedral. This is not far from Stonehenge. Another is Longleat park at Avebury [be careful with a car at Longleat]. However, on busy day-trips one does have to choose what to see and what not to see.
dooble
Jan 27th, 2013, 06:16 PM
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Only MHO, but I would not bother going to Bath just for lunch. One of the best things in Bath are the fabulous Roman baths and they take at least an hour or two to see. A historical tour of Bath is extremely interesting and that takes a couple of hours. The beautiful Abby is also worth while. Bath needs a day.
Jan 27th, 2013, 06:43 PM
#4
Some of the above is a little out of date or misleading.
"<i>When I was in England you did not really have to book Stonehenge in advance.</i>"
One still doesn't need to book Stonehenge in advance but what phpacha is asking about is '<u>Inner Access</u>', which must be booked well ahead.
"<i>While you can still go 60mph on the smaller roads outside of towns,</i>"
Be very careful w/ that. There are speed cameras everywhere.
phpacha: Your plan is certainly doable - mainly because you wouldn't be visiting the stones until after closing time. Otherwise it would be too much in too little time. Avebury is a great first stop. Then on to Bath.
Your main problem is driving in Bath can be very difficult. Even many locals don't bother - they use the park&ride lots on the outskirts. Parking there and taking a bus into the city center.
From Bath to Stonehenge takes 60 minutes on a good day. And you'll have to build in time to get from the center to the park&ride. Unfortunately can't be late to Stonehenge and you won't know if it is a 'good day' until you have arrived at the stones.
So if you do this be sure to leave Bath by 4PM. You may end up w/ time to kill at Stonehenge -but better that than being late.
Avebury to Bath takes about an hour so you'll have maybe 4.5-ish hours free in Bath.
"<i>When I was in England you did not really have to book Stonehenge in advance.</i>"
One still doesn't need to book Stonehenge in advance but what phpacha is asking about is '<u>Inner Access</u>', which must be booked well ahead.
"<i>While you can still go 60mph on the smaller roads outside of towns,</i>"
Be very careful w/ that. There are speed cameras everywhere.
phpacha: Your plan is certainly doable - mainly because you wouldn't be visiting the stones until after closing time. Otherwise it would be too much in too little time. Avebury is a great first stop. Then on to Bath.
Your main problem is driving in Bath can be very difficult. Even many locals don't bother - they use the park&ride lots on the outskirts. Parking there and taking a bus into the city center.
From Bath to Stonehenge takes 60 minutes on a good day. And you'll have to build in time to get from the center to the park&ride. Unfortunately can't be late to Stonehenge and you won't know if it is a 'good day' until you have arrived at the stones.
So if you do this be sure to leave Bath by 4PM. You may end up w/ time to kill at Stonehenge -but better that than being late.
Avebury to Bath takes about an hour so you'll have maybe 4.5-ish hours free in Bath.
Jan 27th, 2013, 06:48 PM
#5
didn't see Sassafrass' post - and he is certainly correct that Bath really needs a full day. But IF you understand you will have enough time to visit the Baths and have lunch and nothing much else - then your plan is doable
Jan 27th, 2013, 09:34 PM
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If you want Stone Circle Access, book it now. We are going in late September and there was only very early morning (6:45am) availability on a few days. I was also told there is no inner access in October. We did the evening access in summer 2006 and it was a very special way to see Stonehenge.
Jan 28th, 2013, 05:04 PM
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janisj
I agree with you that they have speed cameras everywhere. A single carriageway has a speed limit of 60mph for a normal car. This does reduce greatly in towns where the limit much lower and where most of the cameras are.
I misunderstood the OP in that I thought they were giving up on the "inside the circle". I would agree that would need to book for this.
Bath could take a day .. or two for some. Or you can pick a couple things to see. Doing a busy day quick trips really makes you decide what you actually want to see and what you want to skip.
and I would agree with janisj on the variability of travel times based on traffic or weather. On single carriageways you can get backups for a number of reasons.
I agree with you that they have speed cameras everywhere. A single carriageway has a speed limit of 60mph for a normal car. This does reduce greatly in towns where the limit much lower and where most of the cameras are.
I misunderstood the OP in that I thought they were giving up on the "inside the circle". I would agree that would need to book for this.
Bath could take a day .. or two for some. Or you can pick a couple things to see. Doing a busy day quick trips really makes you decide what you actually want to see and what you want to skip.
and I would agree with janisj on the variability of travel times based on traffic or weather. On single carriageways you can get backups for a number of reasons.
Jan 31st, 2013, 05:27 PM
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Great info here! Thank you all.
We're prepared to see Bath in a superficial way, as our main goal is Stonehenge, but I think this way is better than don't see it at all.
I think the only problem now is that we may not be able to get the inner circle access in the evening (as castlevisitor mentioned), which is available in fewer dates and times. In that case, this itinerary is doable in reverse? That is to say, leave London real early, go directly to Stonehenge (to be there by 8:00 or 06:45 AM) and then Bath and Avebury? I know it would be challenging get in the road so early, but is it doable?
We're prepared to see Bath in a superficial way, as our main goal is Stonehenge, but I think this way is better than don't see it at all.
I think the only problem now is that we may not be able to get the inner circle access in the evening (as castlevisitor mentioned), which is available in fewer dates and times. In that case, this itinerary is doable in reverse? That is to say, leave London real early, go directly to Stonehenge (to be there by 8:00 or 06:45 AM) and then Bath and Avebury? I know it would be challenging get in the road so early, but is it doable?
Jan 31st, 2013, 10:14 PM
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If you just want a nice place for lunch consider skipping bath (as you said the visit would be superficial anyways) and heading to Salisbury. This is a lovely Market town with a great cathedral with a copy of the magna carta. There are some good pubs for lunch as well. It's also very close to Stonehenge so you wouldn't have the traffic concerns.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Feb 1st, 2013, 07:13 AM
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Bath is lovely, but I prefer Salisbury. The cathedral is magnificent with a symmetry not found in other English cathedrals due to it being completed in less than 40 years.
The medieval Cathedral Close is a wonderful place to wander around and a a light lunch is available in the gardens of Mompesson House the location for the filming of <I>Sense and Sensibility</I> and certainly worth a visit if time allows.
The medieval Cathedral Close is a wonderful place to wander around and a a light lunch is available in the gardens of Mompesson House the location for the filming of <I>Sense and Sensibility</I> and certainly worth a visit if time allows.
Jul 15th, 2013, 05:29 PM
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We chose to leave London the night before and stay in Salisbury so we could be close to Stonehenge for the 6:45am visit that morning. That just seemed more manageable to us. We are headed south afterwards because we want to see Arundel and Petworth. Good thing hubby likes to drive!
