kp12267

Hi, i am going to be taking a trip to england, and I am comming into hethrow airport on March 12th 2011 and was planning on spending the day at Stonehenge on March 13th, but being back in London by 6 on the night of the 13th. Are there any good tour groups that anyone would recommend for strictly seeing Stonehenge around the morning time. Possibly any tours that would let you go right up to the actual stones? Thanks!

janisj

There is no reason to spend a day at Stonehenge. Just the Stones themselves take about an hour. If you want to walk across the countryside maybe another hour or 2.

There are a few tour companies that do Stonehenge as a tour w/ Windsor or Bath or both - but they won't get you back to your hotel by 6PM.

The only way to get right up to the stones is to get the pre-opening or after closing inner access. Commercial tours w/ inner access from London do the late version, so again no way to get back to London by 6:00

Your best bet is to take an early morning train from London to Salisbury and then the local tour bus or a taxi to Stonehenge. Then take mid afternoon train back to London

kp12267

Thanks for your quick reply! Do you know the names of the tour companies that offer inner access to the stones? Thanks

weborguk

Private inner access tours can be arranged directly with English Heritage (the custodians of the monument). Details here:

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/d...circle-access/

and the times and fares for the tour buses from Salisbury Station to Stonehenge (and back) can be found here:

http://www.thestonehengetour.info/times.shtml

PalenQ

Your best bet is to take an early morning train from London to Salisbury and then the local tour bus or a taxi to Stonehenge. Then take mid afternoon train back to London>

Well that would be neglecting at least a quick glancer at one of England's most gorgeous and interesting cities - be sure at least to ogle the monumnetal Salisbury Cathedral and its close as these are not far from the train station.

And Salisbury is a thriving market town - great pedestrianized shops streets and you can do a lovely stroll along a river going south and from the removed vantage point see the cathedral's saoring spires right from where some iconic English painters one put to canvas from here - ultra-famous works of art that grace walls of major museums.

Salisbury may be more fun even than Stonehenge, which with crowds and tacky lay-out of Visitors Center near it and being roped off now, does indeed deeply disappoint many it seems

janisj

The commercial tour operators don't do the morning inner access so there is no way to get back to London before nightfall. (if they still do inner access at all. I know of one tour company that dropped that tour. And it won't be an every day option so may not run the day you need to go.)

If you want to be back in London by early evening, the only way to really do inner Access is independently and to stay the night before in Salisbury. But you would have to book well ahead w/ English Heritage.

This company does inner access but only from Salisbury and in the evening so it won't work w/ your posted requirements

http://www.salisburyguidedtours.com/...ial-access.htm

historytraveler

You should also note that audio guides are available for rental at Stonehenge, and they are, IMO, as good as a guided tour. Less personal, of course, but the general information is the same.

kp12267

Thanks again for responding so fast, I will be sure to look more into your suggestions! I would love to hear of any more suggestions of things to see around Stonehenge?