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This is
the single excursion that might justify a bus tour or car
rental although it’s possible to train to Salisbury
and bus to Bath with a stop at Stonehenge before
a train home you need to pay close attention to connections to
minimize waits. Bus tours subject you to the dubious jokes of
guides and, unless you know how to escape to pub grub or high
tea in Bath, overpriced hotel food.
Tip: Given the
choice, Bath deserves your “same day return” attention. On
a longer stay consider one of the interesting barge rides on
the river below town.
SALISBURY
Salisbury Cathedral is
splendidly isolated on open lawns, rather than crammed into a
city. It’s amazing that this Gothic masterpiece went up
between 1220 and 1258About 20 trains make the 90-minute trip
out from Waterloo Station, and you can walk to the Cathedral
through some very nice old buildings.
The views from the Spire offer a look at the old town,
and the cloisters and the Magna Carta copy in the Chapter
House is but one of many old documents.
Better than average brass rubbings – you need paper
and such that are sold on the premises – complete the
cathedral package.
There’s a lot of
good Stonehenge information in the nearby Salisbury and South
Wiltshire Museum and much else about the area’s history.
TIP:
This is a great Sunday trip if you arrive early as the Church
of England services here leave an indelible impression.
STONEHENGE
You can get a Wilts & Dorset Bus from Salisbury in a half
an hour ride away, but there’s a rather unattractive barrier
so you can’t get to Stonehenge; This can be a
disappointment. The best time to see Stonehenge is at
either dawn or dusk when the slanting shadows of the dolmens
race across the grass. Failing
that, pick the worst weather day possible to cut crowds.
It’s worth driving out at night
arrive at dawn before the buses. If you do happen to
visit on the summer or winter equinox you might even find some
Druids here.
BATH
Named for the Roman baths
-- the DIY audio-tour lets you
go at your own pace -- Bath’s a great spot to arrive in the
afternoon as high tea (2:30 to 4:30)
in the Pump Room is a fine end to a tour of the Roman
Baths Museum and the hot baths. Jane Austin fans will find the
Jane Austin Center on Gay Street and there’s a Dickens
exhibit as well.
TIP: Don’t
sample the water in the baths, it tastes used!
During summer there’s always
a wait for tea here, so sign up for lunch and consider an hour
walk or then head across the square to the Bath Abbey, a
wonderful old church with a spectacular fan ceiling and odd
architectural detailing.
TIP: lie down on a
pew and you can examine church ceilings like the spectacular
Bath Abby’s, rose windows and such without neck strain.
With more time, walk the Royal
Crescent and, to a slightly lesser extent, The Circus --
two amazingly elegant rows of
Georgian homes north
of the plaza. Astronomer William Herschel discovered Uranus
from #19. Royal Crescent.
If architecture isn’t your cup of tea, wander down to
the river and check out the barges.
Don’t forget to buy a Bach bun to munch on the way.
Trains from
Paddington Station run about every hour and the trip takes
about 90 minutes.
TIP: if you don’t
have time to walk around town for the hour to four hours a
tour takes, rent a bike from the Avon Valley Cyclery in the
rear of the Bath Spa Station.
Roman Bath Tour
Phone: 40 0 1225 477785
URL: www.romanbaths.co.uk
. www.bath.co.uk
Admission: £17.50 ($25) family of two adults to four
children, £6.90 ($ ) adult,
£6.00 ($10) seniors, £4 ($7) child.
Hours: 9:30 to 17:00 winters, 9:00 to 18:00 summers,
9:30 to 21:30 August
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