Hubby will be at a conference for several days in London. So I will be at large - and there is only so many museums and so much shopping <BR>I'd like the forum's considered advice about whether Winchester or Salisbury is more interesting- not just the cathedrals but the town. <BR>Also is there a SIMPLE way to get to Stonehenge from either place? [other than a taxi?] <BR>Thanks in advance!

SF: Salisbury can be reached by train from London (Waterloo station, about 90 minutes), and the town/cathedral is an easy walk away. <BR>At the railway station is a booth with info about the bus trips to Stonehenge. I've done this a couple of times, just getting off the train and taking the next bus tour to Stonehenge (the guide always gives a lot of info about the area while driving to the stones). It's been about 7 years since the last trip, so I don't know if anything has changed re the bus trips.

Yes, there is a very simple way to get to Stonehenge from Salisbury. There is a bus (you can catch it right outside the Salisbury train station) that goes right to Stonehenge. (I beleive it is the Wilts & Dorset bus, and I want to say #10, but I have to check. At any rate, anyone at the station could tell you which bus). I forget the exact bus fare, but it was somewhere in the $5 range, maybe a few dollars more. I took the train from London, spent the morning at Stonehenge and then continued on to Bath for the afternoon. I loved Bath and would suggest that you might want to check it out if you're going to Stonehenge. No doubt you could spend much more than an afternnon in Bath, but even a few hours there is an enjoyable experience and certainly worth the train ride. <BR>But just a thought: I'm not sure how many days you have London, but there really is so much to do there, you may not feel the need to take a day trip. London has so many different neighborhoods to explore and things to see and do (other than museums and shopping), you might find that you just want to stay put! KK

This is just a thought--not everyone enjoys guided tours. But, Evans Evans tours has a daytrip tour that leaves from Victoria Bus Station and goes to Salisbury, Stonehenge, and Bath. We took that tour a few years back and enjoyed the day alot.

Thanks for the quick and very helpful replies The reason I'm looking out-of-town is that I have been to London many times for as long as two weeks, and apart from a few errands, a couple of museums and seeing some theatre I want out I hadn't thought of bath, but I will now Anyone have the web addy for the Evans Evan folks? <BR>Thanks agin for such quick helpful responses. You guys are da BEST!

Website for Evan Evans is: <BR>http://www.evanevans.co.uk/ <BR> <BR>When I visited London in Nov '98, I took their day tour to Salisbury/Stonehenge/Bath. <BR>I did enjoy being trekked around and being the 'guided tourist' for the day. However, you do spend alot of time on the bus going to/from. In my circumstance, it was day 4 in London & my feet were very glad to be resting and leaving the transport to someone else. I would have liked to spend more time in Bath - seems like a great town & we did have to rush thru the Roman Bathhouse; all in all, I'd say it was worthwhile.

Evan Evans no longer does Salisbury/Stonehenge/Bath. Also if you are planning on taking the bus from Salisbury to Stonehenge it depends on the time of year you are going. We got to Salisbury at 8:00 thinking we could get to Stonehenge by 9:00 only to find out that the first bus didn't leave until 11:00. We went on to Bath afterwards but did not have very much time there as we had been stuck in Salisbury. If you decide to do this don't get roundtrip tickets - get a direct ticket from Bath to London as you will waste quite a bit more time & time is precious when it's your vacation.

Found the Evan Evans site. They still do Stonehenge/Bath. So I have to decide .... see a nifty cathedral and get to Stonehenge on my own or sit back and let EE worry I'm leaning towards the later as I've never been to Stonehenge or Bath and I've seen many British cathedrals up close and personal. And I just printed this post out for my trip files. Thanks again fodorites

To the top.

Are you totally opposed to driving? I drove to all those places a couple of years ago and loved it. Driving on the left is not nearly as odd as it seems like it should be-- you instinctively do what everyone else is doing! And the roads are pretty lightly traveled and easy to follow in those areas. Getting out of London is the big hassle-- I would suggest locating a rental agency in a suburb, take the tube there and go for it! Just a thought...

We're thinking of visiting London in mid-March. Does anyone know if that's too "low-season" for the buses to be running from Salisbury to Stonehenge, if we take a train from London to Salisbury? Or, in the alternative, do any Stonehenge tours run out of London in March?

Please please please for your own sake don't ignore Salisbury Cathedral. I've seen a zillion cathedrals/churches/etc too, but this one is at the very top of the list -- it is above Notre Dame in Paris, the main Duomo (someone help with the name) in Milano, etc. Salisbury itself is also a really pretty quaint medieval town, and there are some really interesting museums there. <BR> <BR>Not to slight Bath, Bath is truly lovely too. But in my book, Salisbury is undeservingly slighted by all the folks who rush through on their way to Stonehenge (also an amazing place), and never bother to look at the town (or Old Sarum, up on the hill north of town, where the town and original cathedral resided until early medieval times). Only my opinion of course. <BR> <BR>Cat <BR>

So, s.fowler, you and your husband are back to England again. I know I'm getting to be an old hand here when I get familiar with people's PAST travel schedules. Good grief. <BR>Salisbury is wonderful. The cathedral of course and the close is special, too. Also, outside of the town, on the west side, not too far out is Wilton House, which is a wonderful country estate with great art, grounds, etc. All that plus Stonehenge, it will be a treat. I couldn't fit in Winchester in my trip to England last fall, but I did love Salisbury. The chapter house within the cathedral is exceptional, and also has one of the better copies (if not the best) of the original Magna Cartas.

Since no one has really piped up for Winchester, allow me the honor... <BR>Winchester is a small and incredibly lovely town. It's about 1 hour from Waterloo Station (London), and completely worth the trip. If you're looking for a bit of nature, take the walk to St. Cross through the Water Meadows. Winchester Catherdral is my favorite of those I've seen (yes, even over St. Peter's in Rome). The people are charming and very helpful. The only trouble is that, like me, you may want to stay more than a day.

I'd rate Salisbury as one of the least interesting places I visited.

Salisbury (how do I know this?) has more pubs than any other town of comparable size in England. Many are centuries old and interesting in their own right. It also has loads of tea shops, a beautiful Cathedral, pretty good market, lovely Close to saunter around, nice picnic places (if the sun ever comes out), water meadows and some good (not over-the-top) antique shops - including those of the junky kind. It's also the place I had one of the best laughs I remember when big sister fell down a 300 year old grave and came out looking like something from of a horror movie (it had rained forever and the ground gave in - don't worry she was OK - so was the grave!). Nearby you have Sarum, Stonehenge (bus tours in the summer), Woodhenge and all those utterly glorious military badges cut into the Plain. Bournemouth (should you care to see how Brits enjoy the seaside) is easily accessible by bus and once there, there's a lovely (but long) promenade all the way to Poole (opportunity there to visit Brownsea Island which I think is NT). Wiltshire also boasts (!) "The Rude Man" who has to be over a mile tall and is very well endowed (I was teased horribly when I took binoculars with me - I truly hadn't realized how gigantic he was). Salisbury is NOT the most exciting place in England, but it's OK. However, if you have spare days why not travel by train to different places from London. Cambridge and Oxford are on direct lines from London and you only have one quick change for Chester. All are worth seeing and do-able in a day. Chester is lovely. When you walk in the Cathedral cloisters on a dark and dull winter's afternoon you truly could be in just about any century. Gloriously tranquil, even better if the choir are practicing.

Have you done it yet? If so what did you decide and how was it? If not just to say Salisbury and the surrounding Wiltshire areas are one of my favourite parts of our country. Stonehenge is a MUST - it's just a shame you can't get to walk around the stones like we did when I was young - the size of them is amazing, how did they get there? Why did they get there? (Possibly heading for the coast but the workers said "No, enough is enough, we can't lug these things another step further. C'mon lads time for a break!") The Giant carved into the hillside is also quite a sight to see and the tea-shops down in the villages offer a superb Dorset Apple Cake - warm with ice-cream, mmmmm. <BR> <BR>Have fun - Esme

I am planning 2 days in the Salisbury/New Forest area(Can you tell I have read Sarem,etc?) Any suggestions for a quaint, out of the way hotel/manor house or B&B that would serve as a base and not be to terribly expensive?

Hi all, just wanted to let you know we took the tour from London(I'm not sure which tour, however)to Bath, Salisbury&Stonehengein late March, and it was superb! we had the most wonderful guide and I would definitly add it to my intinerary! And I don't ordinarily enjoy guided tours,but we were tired and wanted someone to ferry us around outside the city,,the roads kind of scare me, sorry lovely British Fodorites,,,I digress,,,,Salisbury was awesome(Cat-my favorite cathedral also) and Stonehenge was a mystical experience....Bath historic and Regency inspired...weather was rainy and cool but it added? to the experience...so take the plunge and tour!

Jess, I hope your etc. included Rutherfurd's new book, The Forest. I really liked it.