Visiting Stonehenge from London a Day Trip

The English Heritage and UNESCO have recognized Stonehenge as a World Heritage Site. It is situated in England’s Wiltshire county, near Salisbury, a religious town.

Around 800,000 travelers choose to explore Stonehenge annually, and it’s a top item on many British travelers’ (and English residents’) bucket lists.

The building as it stands now was originally built almost 5,000 years ago, and several people think the bigger stones, known as sarsens, were brought from as far away as 20 miles away, while the smaller stones, known as bluestones, were carried from as far away as 140 miles in Wales. No one has ever found out for sure how the stones may have been moved to their present location, though there are theories.

The purpose of this circular monument is not entirely clear, though.

There have been many theories (such as those involving aliens), however, the BBC just published an article based on the most recent research. They found that what was seen could have been a small portion of a much bigger network of buildings that extended for miles. In actuality, despite Stonehenge’s approximate 5,000-year age, the region has been inhabited for 9,000 years!

Exploring Stonehenge

I once wanted to travel to the Southwest of England to see an ancient rock monument from prehistory. Maybe you’ve heard of them. I’m glad I did since it led to a memorable adventure on my day trip to Stonehenge.

Here are the steps I took to put it together and some suggestions to help you do the same.

How to Reach Stonehenge?

It needs around 2 1/2 hours to travel by train from London to Stonehenge, making it a simple day excursion. Actually, as I did, you may first take a train to Salisbury. You may then board the Tour bus at the rail station. Voilà! Before you know it, you are at this mysterious location known as Stonehenge. It’s beneficial to occasionally move away from the busy metropolis and adopt a rural mindset.

If you’d rather take a tour or are limited in time, you’ll discover many tour companies frequently combine trips to Stonehenge with excursions to places like Bath, Windsor, and the Cotswolds.

Look at Some History of Stonehenge

The most well-known historic landmark in Europe is Stonehenge. Human ancestors set the stones as an old temple 4500 years ago.

2018 marked the 100th anniversary of local attorney Cecil Chubb and his wife Mary giving Stonehenge to the country as a gift. Before this, some of the stones were being supported by wooden poles as they fell into ruin. English Heritage has been taking care of the stones since 1918 for the benefit of the country.

Although the individual stones that make up Stonehenge were placed there circa 2500 BC, the monument complex itself dates from between 8500 and 7000 BC. Since most of England was clothed in plants and woods, it is considered that the region around Stonehenge was selected because it’s an open environment.

Visitor’s Center

You will first arrive at the visitor center while you are viewing Stonehenge. The tourist center is situated at Airman’s Corner, 2.1 kilometers (1.5 miles) from Stone Circle. As soon as you arrive just at the tourist center, your entrance tickets will be checked. At the visitor center, you may buy an entry ticket if you didn’t have one.

In addition to an outdoor gallery where the replica Neolithic homes are located, the Stonehenge visitor center also includes an exhibition, a café, and a gift store. We read extensively to understand further about Stonehenge as well as the surroundings because the display is so amazing.

Reconstructed Neolithic homes can be seen outside the center. You may walk inside the homes to learn more about life in those prehistoric times.

First Glimpse of Stonehenge

Since the stones were crowded when I arrived, I must say that my heart slightly sunk. I was concerned that we wouldn’t have time to really admire the stones. Yet, what we discovered was a well-constructed, broad concrete path that encircled the stones and had a grassy space where people could relax and have a picnic.

You can see all the stones and the circular ditch, which is a remnant of the original low earthworks because they are all roped off at knee height. Additionally, boxes with numbers placed at regular intervals indicate which part of the audio tour should be listened to.

The area is covered in barrows or Third Era tomb mounds. Furthermore, from where you are looking at Stonehenge, we can clearly imagine how it appeared in the ancient era. On the spring solstice, the sunlight comes over the horseshoe rock and shines directly into Stonehenge’s center.
Little bluestones & bigger sarsens build up the rocks utilized in Stonehenge. The bluestones are positioned across the sarsens to create a dual arc, whereas the sarsens create an internal wedge plus an outside circular.

The tiny bluestones, which are discovered near the Preseli Mountains in southwest Wales, are formed using a variety of rocks, whereas the bigger sarsen rocks are formed from hard silicified sandstone.

The heel stone is the enormous upright stone that may be viewed from the edge of the Burial Mound. Its worth becomes clear around the summer solstice when it denotes the place of the sunrise.

A Walk Around the Stones

Being here and taking in the vibe I sensed around me was quite amazing. It’s obvious. I discovered myself stopping to just marvel and appreciate the enigmatic stones.

It’s easy to grasp this site’s significance and grasp its history. I strolled around the stones on the foot trail, looking at them from various perspectives.

You could witness a wedding happening (I saw it); it’s such a great spot for a marriage and a beautiful tale to tell people. Everyone else will attend the solstices in order to experience what they characterize as a mystical event.

Final Thoughts on My Day Trip to Stonehenge

I eventually made my way back to the tourist center after a few hours, feeling satisfied with my time there. I had such a great time seeing Stonehenge. One that you and I both won’t soon forget, I can assure you.

After viewing the cathedral, I spent the remainder of the afternoon in Salisbury getting a meal to eat and a beer. You may visit Salisbury and its stunning Gothic cathedral when you have the time. You can find out interesting stuff, including the reason this wasn’t destroyed in World War II, and even witness the Magna Carta. an ancient text that serves as the cornerstone of the law of the land and dates all the way back to 1215.