robynstudio

i'm traveling to london with a 17 year old girl for 5 days. we are debating about a day trip to see stonehenge. if you can make a strong argument either way about whether it's worth taking time away from london to do so (first trip to london for us), please respond. thank you.

janis

Only you can decide if Stonehenge is that important to you. You sound sort of ambivalent, so I'd guess it is a bit down the list of "musts".

It would take most of a full day out of your already very short time in London. With only 5 days you would probably do better to stick to central London unless one of you had a huge desire to see Stonehenge.

ira

Hi robyn,

You can't touch the stones anymore.

Lets_Go13

Actually, you can still touch the stones (but no sitting or walking on them!) if you go on a special access tour. I did this two years ago and loved it!

http://www.astraltravels.co.uk/

Here is some info from their website:

Stonehenge at Sunset Tour 2004 / 2005

'A Once In A Lifetime Experience'

We take the old London - Bath coaching road deep into the heart of ancient Britain. Enjoy our unique walking tour of Avebury stone circle, the largest stone circle in the world. Try your hand at the ancient art of dowsing and prepare to be amazed ! Explore the picturesque village of Avebury with its thatched cottages and maybe enjoy a pint of ale in a haunted pub - the only pub in the world in the middle of a prehistoric stone circle.

Experience the history, mystery and magic of the greatest stone circles in the world

Afterwards, a leisurely walk to the West Kennet Long Barrow, one of the largest Neolithic burial tombs in Britain and over 5000 years old. Your guide will take you into the burial chambers and bring its fascinating history alive. See mysterious Silbury Hill - the largest man made mound in ancient Europe - even after centuries of research archaeologists have still not discovered its original purpose.

We then take a scenic drive over the Marlborough Downs and through the beautiful Pewsey valley. See Neolithic stone avenues and ceremonial monuments, pretty villages of thatched cottages and country inns, famous White Horses carved into chalk hillsides and Celtic burial mounds. The area is famous for its spectacular crop circles (mysterious and beautiful patterns in crop fields). Hear about the many theories associated with their formation and we will make photo stops for any crop circles en route.
And finally to Stonehenge, standing in lonely majesty over Salisbury Plain. There is a chance to visit the souvenir shop before we go inside the inner circle for special access after the site has closed to the general public. We spend an hour inside the ancient temple complex before we head back into London.

elaine

What thrills one person bores another, and vice versa. I went to Stonehenge years ago, not sorry I saw it,have no plans to ever go back, but I've been lucky enough to go to the UK a number of times. I"m not sure I'd recommend taking one out of only 5 days to go there.

On the other hand if one of you has always dreamed of going there, then do it so you have no regrets.

travelbunny

..Iwould only go to Stonehedge (with limited time)if I considered it as a stop on my way to Salisbury.

Lets_Go13

Oops, I didn't notice the 5 day limit on your trip. I was there for 10 days, so it was worth it to me - I'd always wanted to see Stonehenge. I agree that unless it in on you list of most important things to see, skip it this trip.

Robespierre

Since you're clearly thinking about it, you'll be sorry if you don't go. It doesn't take anywhere near a day - we went last June on the 2:03 from Waterloo, and were back at 9:19.

artsfan

We considered this and decided on the London Walks Oxford/Cotswolds day instead. Does this make sense?

Kayb95

I'm with Elaine on this one. Saw it once, glad I saw it, but wouldn't plan to see it again. Unless you both really want to see it, I would save it for some other time. Even if you follow Robespierre's timetable, it still will pretty much take up a whole day of your trip.

Travelermebe

When I was young, my parents took me to Stonehenge. While they thought it was amazing, I thought it was boring. As an adult, I was excited to go again and to have my teenagers see it. Unfortunately, my teenagers thought it was boring. Maybe someday when they take their own kids, they'll enjoy it. In other words, I wouldn't go unless you and the young lady really want to see it.

Robespierre

We did the Tower in the morning, and Stonehenge in the afternoon (with lunch from Marks & Spencer on the train). What "whole day?"

rockhopper7

Robes, "What whole day?" Hey, with all your spare time, perhaps next visit you can cram in a visit to Madame Tussaud's and an afternoon snack at TGI Fridays.

Keith

It depemds on the teenager. When I was 17, I would have loved it. Most of my friends would have been bored.

Keith

henneth

With the Astral Travels tour you really get alot. To me Stonehenge has to be a component in a whole day of discovery. Don't make the trip out there just for that one place as you will be disappointed. Combine it, as Astral Travels and other tour companies do, with Salisbury, Avebury stone circle and Old Sarum Castle.
I also feel that if you have just five days in London then please give one up to see England's countryside. I would hate to think that your only view was from the window seat of the plane as you came in.

KidsToLondon

With only 5 days in London, I would not include Stonehenge as a day trip...it takes too long to get there vrs the time you would spend at the site. I'd pick either Windsor, Hampton Court, or Greenwich as a closer-in daytrip, if you have time.

However, my teenagers did enjoy seeing Stonehenge...it served as a "get out of the car and stretch" stop during a longer trip through that part of England. We wished we could have gotten closer to the stones...so, in that regard, the Astral tours are a good idea.

Dave White
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