Friday 16th May 2025
This was our last real day of our UK holiday. We got up and left our accommodation at 5 am to get to our Stonehenge Sunrise Tour. If you know me, you will know that I don’t get out of bed at that hour unless it’s for something very special and this was that. By doing one of the sunrise or sunset tours, you are able to walk into the circle and all around the stones. Normally you have to stay back behind the chain barrier which you can just see behind the stones in the photo above. The morning we went was stunning, but pretty cold. Our group had two tour guides who told us about the stones and the surrounding landscape. The visit lasted about an hour.
Once back at Finch cottage, we had breakfast, then went for a nap. I slept for 1.5 hours which made up for the early morning. Late morning we drove to Salisbury. Our hosts were really helpful, directing us where to park for a reasonable price. We had tickets for the cathedral at 1:30 pm so we wandered around the Cathedral Close and into Arundells, the home of the late Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath. The home remains as it was in 2005 when he died, and has a magnificent collection of objects and artwork. Each room had a volunteer who talked about the various pieces and the life of Sir Edward Heath. G is not that into museums and galleries but he really enjoyed this visit. The gardens are beautiful and worth a stroll through.
After visiting the house we had a little bit of time to pick up something light for lunch. The floral show was on in the Cathedral, the week we were which meant there normal tours weren’t running but they had a big marquis set up with food, so we picked up some sandwiches and found a seat to sit on in the shade. While in Salisbury we also visited the museum, which presented artifacts from the area back to prehistoric times. It was a good small museum and even had some artifacts associated with Stonehenge and the many other archeological sites in the area.
For our final dinner in the UK we went to The Red Lion, for a restaurant quality pub meal. I really enjoyed my meal featuring lots of in season local produce. Then it was bed before getting up and driving to Heathrow for our midday flight.
Total Steps: 10,735
Comments
6 responses to “Stonehenge and Salisbury”
What an incredible way to finish your trip!
I’ve never been to Stonehenge and I had no idea you can only go inside the circle during the sunrise or sunset tours – is there anyone who actually keeps people from going in at other times?
It sounds like the early start was totally worth it though – your photos are incredible!
I love how you balanced it out with a cathedral visit and a proper pub dinner – the perfect British finale!
There is a chain going round the whole site, well back from the stones and security to keep people out.
I am in love with the last photo. Such great lighting.
I was not aware that you can’t walk through the stones in Stonehedge but it makes sense. Good to know if I ever make it. I wonder was the tour busy? I assume sunset tours are busier than sunrise but still wondering.
A lot of the tours get sold out, but our tour only had about 10 people. You can only walk through on a tour.
All of the pictures are so wonderful. The light, the colors, the composition. And that wall paper!!
My fave is probably the sunrise at the Stonehenge and the water fountain.
You mentioned the Finch cottage- is that were you stayed? Please tell me more 🙂
Yes, we stayed at a little BnB (an actual bed and breakfast attached to the owner’s house) called Finch Cottage. It was lovely.