Stonehenge - Been there...

I decided to make the expensive trek out to Stonehenge since I was so close in Bath. I booked a half day tour for £17.50 which also included a drive through some villages on the edge of the Cotwolds area. I didn’t have time for a full day tour but it would have been really good. So, it was about an hour’s drive to Stonehenge and the guide got us fast entry through the gates, but I was quite surprised that the guide wasn’t allowed to come in with us – everyone just gets an audio tour handset and wanders around the path by themselves. Also, it costs £8 to get into Stonehenge, which is not included in the tour price. It only takes about ½ an hour to slowly wander around the little path. 

It was quite impressive to think about the sheer effort involved in getting the stones here and of getting them standing up; and it was quite pretty I guess. Apart from that though I just enjoyed being one of the sheep tourists; standing stupidly and silently listening to the audio tour every few steps; in the middle of nowhere but 30 seconds from a highway; and at least 20-50 metres away from the actual circle.

Sheep...

Ancient artefact: meet highway

The drive through the little villages on the edge of the Cotswolds on the way back was pretty good; we stopped at one called Lacock village (somehow didn’t realise how funny this was until later on…) which is quite famous for its use in film s and TV productions. It’s been used in the Harry Potter films, BBC’c Pride & Predjudce and a bunch of other BBC period dramas. All the signs of modern life like satellite dishes, aerials, power and phone lines have all been hidden out of sight – paid for by the production companies – so that with a bit of set dressing (like covering the road in dirt), camera crews can pretty much just turn up and start filming in an authentically old village. It’s been kept so well that it really is like stepping back in time when you go there – so pretty!

Part of Hogwarts Village in Harry Potter

Used as Harry Potters' parents' house

Overall, the tour was pretty decent, a good way to see lots. The villages and the Cotswolds area were very nice and I’ll definitely try to come back to this area to explore a bit more. Stonehenge though, a bit meh. Purely just a been there, done that, checked that off the list kind of thing. Maybe I should buy a T-shirt?