Page 244 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

most famous stone circle will
soon pop into view. The entry to
TRIP HIGHLIGHT the site is just beyond. b Avebury
9 Salisbury A two-minute stroll from
the car park (£7 per day)
Salisbury’s skyline is dom- a Stonehenge leads to a ring of stones
inated by the tallest spire that’s so big an entire vil-
in England, which soars Welcome to Britain’s most lage sits inside. Fringed
from its central, majestic iconic archaeological site: by a massive bank and
13th-century cathedral Stonehenge (EH; %0370 ditch and with a diame-
(%01722-555120; www.salis 333 1181; www.english-heritage. ter of 348m, Avebury (NT;
burycathedral.org.uk; Cathedral org.uk; adult/child on-the-day %01672-539250; www.nation-
Close; requested donation adult/ tickets £18/11, advance booking altrust.org.uk; h24hr; p) is
child £7.50/none; h9am-5pm £15.50/9.30; h9am-8pm the largest stone circle in
Mon-Sat, noon-4pm Sun). This Jun-Aug, 9.30am-7pm Apr, May the world. Dating from
early English Gothic–style & Sep, 9.30am-5pm Oct-Mar; 2500 to 2200 BC, more
structure’s elaborate p), a compelling ring of than 30 stones are still in
exterior is decorated monolithic stones that place and you can wan-
dates, in parts, back to
with pointed arches and der between them and
flying buttresses, while its 3000 BC. Head into the clusters of other stones at
statuary and tombs are Visitor Centre to see 300 will. On the fringes, 16th-
finds from the site and
outstanding. Don’t miss century Avebury Manor
the daily tower tours and experience an impressive (NT; %01672-539250; www.
360-degree projection of
the cathedral’s original, the stone circle through nationaltrust.org.uk; adult/
GREAT BRITAIN 17 THE HISTORIC SOUTH
13th-century copy of the the ages and seasons. Next child £6.75/3.35; h11am-5pm
Magna Carta (h9.30am- hop on a trolley bus (or Apr-Oct, to 4pm mid-Feb–Mar,
4.30pm Mon-Sat, noon-3.45pm walk; it’s 1.5 miles) to the 11am-4pm Thu-Sun Nov & Dec)
Sun). The surrounding monument. There, as you is home to interiors span-
Cathedral Close has a stroll around it, play ‘spot- ning five periods, rang-
hushed, other-worldly feel. the-stone’: look out for the ing from Tudor, through
Nearby, the hugely im- bluestone horseshoe (an Georgian, to the 1930s.
portant finds at Salisbury inner semi-circle), the tri-
Museum (%01722-332151; lithon horseshoe (sets of 4 p219
www.salisburymuseum.org.uk; two vertical stones topped The Drive » Next a cruise due
65 Cathedral Close; adult/child by a horizontal one) and west; as the A4 winds for 30
£8/4; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat the Slaughter Stone and miles past fields and through
year-round, plus noon-5pm Sun Heel Stone (set apart, on villages to the city of Bath.
Jun-Sep) include Iron Age the northeast side). Then
gold coins, a Bronze Age try to work out what on
gold necklace and the earth it all means. Note c Bath
Stonehenge Archer, the that entrance is by timed Sophisticated, stately and
bones of a man found in ticket; secure yours well in ever-so-slightly snooty,
the ditch surrounding the advance. Bath is graced with some
stone circle. of Britain’s finest Geor-
The Drive » Now for a 24-mile, gian architecture. Wan-
4 p73, p151 A-road meander through rural dering around the streets
England. After dodging through
The Drive » Next: a 10-mile Devizes, it’s not long before (p294) is a real joy. For an
drive taking you back 5000 signs point left to Avebury’s insight into how the city
years. The A345 heads north. main car park. came to have the shape it
Soon after joining the A303, does, head to the Museum
detail a passenger to watch the of Bath Architecture
right windows – the world’s

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