Explore the archaeological remains of Old Sarum, a castle and cathedral from the Dark Ages situated near the historic city of Salisbury, followed by a guided tour of the magnificent Stonehenge on this private day trip from Bath.
On your private day trip, you will:
- Spend time in Old Sarum, which uniquely combines a royal castle and cathedral with an Iron Age fortification which was a major centre of both secular and ecclesiastical government for 150 years;
- Ride through picturesque villages full of thatched cottages, and see the homes of William Pitt, and the singer/songwriter, Sting;
- Drive by the Durrington Walls and Woodhenge as your guide gives you all the known history of this archaeology-rich area of England;
- View the Long Barrows and burial mounds dotted around the countryside of Salisbury Plain, now the largest military training ground in England;
- Visit Stonehenge, and enjoy a new exhibition at the Stonehenge Visitor Centre, a stunning and interactive experience where you’ll see how the henge was created over a period of 2500 years;
- Learn about their capabilities outside of the Neolithic ‘village’, feel the 'touching stone' and attempt to pull the mighty sarsen!
- Stop and admire the mystical stones – the giant sarsen stones from 30 miles away, the bluestones from the Petrocelli mountains in Wales that travelled over 250 miles, and the placement of the ‘bloodstone’;
- Learn about its alignment and its importance at the summer and winter solstices;
- Return to Bath with a scenic drive, in time for drinks and supper!
Enjoy a scenic drive through the southern English countryside from Bath to Old Sarum just outside the cathedral city of Salisbury. Old Sarum is a fascinating and beautiful archaeological site spanning over 2000 years of history! It was the ‘original’ Salisbury – a once-thriving town, a castle, a cathedral.
Stand in the footprints of the original Salisbury Cathedral, climb over the ramparts and the old castle to see the views of the countryside, learn about the motte and bailey method of building in the early Middle Ages, and discover the astounding Iron Age hill fort on which it was all built. Learn about the peoples that lived here including the Celts, the Romans, the Saxons and the Normans all of whom helped to forge this impressive landscape.
Visit the mighty and mystical Stonehenge beginning at the new interactive exhibition at the Stonehenge Visitor Centre. A fascinating and immersive experience – with surround screens that make you feel as though Stonehenge is being built around you at hyper speed. (The monument took around 2500 years to complete. Think about that for a moment!) Explore the Neolithic village with its huts and a replica of one of the giant sarsen stones. See if you can get it to budge!
Then take the free and very regular shuttle bus up to the stone circle, where your guide will walk you around this mighty edifice that has inspired the imagination of millions of people over 4 millennia. See how the stone circles were constructed, and how they miraculously align with the solstices. Sacred to pagans, mystics and atheists alike, you will be forever humbled by your visit to this magical place.
Tour duration8 hours
Type of tourDay Trip: including a private vehicle throughout the tour
Tickets included- English-Speaking driver guide
- Entrance tickets to Stonehenge and Old Sarum
Other inclusions- Hotel pick-up & drop-off from centrally located hotels
- Food, drinks, and gratuities are not included
Suitable forAdventurous, Couples, Family, History Buffs
Attractions along this route:
Old SarumOld Sarum is one of the most important sites in the history of southern England, and for 150 years was a major centre of both secular and ecclesiastical government. It combines a royal castle and a cathedral within an Iron Age fortification.
Durrington WallsLocated in the Stonehenge World Heritage Site in England, the Durrington Walls is the site of a large Neolithic settlement and later henge enclosure. It's made of sarsen, a kind of sandstone, the same as the largest stones in the Stonehenge stone circle.
WoodhengeProbably built about 2500 BC, Woodhenge is an atmospheric Neolithic site originally believed to be the remains of a burial mound. It consists of six concentric oval rings of postholes, the outermost being about 43 by 40 metres (141 by 131 ft) wide.
Salisbury PlainSalisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in the southwestern part of England, famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best-known landmarks.
StonehengeStonehenge is a prehistoric monument made of stone located in Salisbury Plain
