Page 245 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

(%01225-333895; www.
museumof batharchitecture.org. SITES AROUND STONEHENGE
uk; The Vineyards, The Paragon;
adult/child £5.50/2.50; h2- As you drive the roads around Stonehenge it’s worth
5pm Tue-Fri, 10.30am-5pm Sat & registering that the site forms part of a huge complex
Sun mid-Feb–Nov). The Bath of ancient monuments. North of Stonehenge
Assembly Rooms (www. and running roughly east–west is the Cursus,
nationaltrust.org.uk; 19 Bennett an elongated embanked oval; the smaller Lesser
St; h10.30am-5pm Mar-Oct, Cursus is nearby. Two clusters of burial mounds, the
to 4pm Nov-Feb), where Old Barrow and the New Kings Barrow, sit beside
socialites once gathered, the ceremonial pathway The Avenue. This routeway
gives an insight into the originally linked the site with the River Avon, 2 miles
Georgian world. Discover away. Theories abound as to what these sites were
the city’s culinary heritage used for, ranging from ancient sporting arenas to
at Sally Lunn’s (%01225- processional avenues for the dead.
461634; www.sallylunns.co.uk; 4
North Pde Passage; mains £6-17; 0680; www.ssgreatbritain. Feb-Oct, to 4pm Nov-Jan), GREAT BRITAIN 17 THE HISTORIC SOUTH
h10am-9.30pm Sun-Thu, to org; Great Western Dock, Gas meanwhile, features a
10pm Fri & Sat), which bakes Ferry Rd; adult/child £14/8; rare camera obscura
the famous Bath Bun h10am-5.30pm Apr-Oct, to which offers incredible
(a brioche-meets-bread 4.30pm Nov-Mar) sits on views of the deep fissure
treat). For a free glass the city’s waterfront. that is the Avon Gorge.
of the spring water that Designed in 1843 by engi-
made the city rich, stop neering genius Isambard 5 p245
by the Pump Room (www. Kingdom Brunel, its inte- The Drive » Travelling partly
romanbaths.co.uk; Stall St; rior has been impeccably on motorways and partly on
h10am-5pm). Then perhaps refurbished, including A-roads, the next 80-mile leg
soak in it: at Thermae the galley, the surgeon’s sees you skirting Oxford (for
Bath Spa (%01225-331234; quarters and a working now) and arriving at the tree-
www.thermaebathspa.com; model of the original lined avenue that leads to one of
Hot Bath St; Mon-Fri £34, Sat & steam engine. The whole Britain’s finest stately homes.
Sun £37; h9am-9.30pm, last vessel is contained in
entry 7pm), steam rooms, an air-tight dry dock, TRIP HIGHLIGHT
waterfall showers and a dubbed a ‘glass sea’. At e Blenheim Palace
choice of swimming pools the Bristol Museum & Art
(including a gorgeous Gallery (%0117-922 3571; A monumental baroque
rooftop one) will help you www.bristolmuseums.org.uk; fantasy designed by
relax. Queen’s Rd; h10am-5pm Mon- Sir John Vanbrugh
and Nicholas Hawks-
4 p245 Fri, to 6pm Sat & Sun) take moor, Blenheim Palace
in the Paint-Pot Angel
The Drive » It’s a 13-mile blast by world-famous street (%01993-810530; www.blen
from Bath to Bristol along the artist Banksy. In the heimpalace.com; Woodstock;
A36/A4. adult/child £24.90/13.90, park
suburb of Clifton explore & gardens only £14.90/6.90;
Georgian architecture, hpalace 10.30am-5.30pm,
d Bristol especially in Cornwallis park & gardens 9am-6pm;
and Royal York Cres-
In Bristol a fascinating cents. The Clifton Obser- p) was built between
seafaring heritage meets vatory (%0117-974 1242; 1705 and 1722. The house
an edgy, contemporary www.cliftonobservatory.com; is stuffed with statues,
vibe. The mighty SS Litfield Rd, Clifton Down; adult/ tapestries, ostentatious
Great Britain (%0117-926 child £2.50/1.50; h10am-5pm furniture, priceless china
and giant oil paintings.
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