Visiting Stonehenge/Avebury/G lastonbury

We have been to Royston’s Cave and it was very interesting but it only takes an hour. You can do Stonehenge and Avebury in a day if you have a car. You need a day for Bath and a day for Glastonbury if you are going to climb the Tor as well. As for getting to Suffolk I think you would have to go via London if travelling by train, otherwise drive.

You would definitely need to go via London. Round the M25 if you are driving yourself. If you're worried about driving on the other side of the road or think that the cost of hiring a car is prohibitive maybe you could look into coach tours.

I imagine that there will be plenty leaving from Victoria but ask your family to look around the local travel agents and coach companies to see if they have anything which can take you from Ipswich. They could then book it for you.

I always hired a car when I went to the UK, but the last couple of times I didn't bother with that and just took a taxi for the few little journeys I needed to do once there. Visiting family is different from doing a sightseeing holiday where you have to get yourself from A to B. You don't want to be gadding about every day or you will go on outings with your relatives in their car so the hire car is just sitting there, costing you money.

If you are flying from Heathrow, which is nearer to Glastonbury etc, you could incorporate a couple of days at the beginning or end of your holiday, staying in a hotel and doing the sightseeing from there.

Be prepared to be very underwhelmed by Stonehenge.

This sort of thing.

www.goldentours.com/stonehenge-tours-and-tickets?gclid=CjwKCAjwoIqhBhAGEiwArXT7K2Kaf_gGPGg82riD2rA9ASu4BPXV4zBnNqGA28DZ6LRxB-cbGtmI3hoCthAQAvD_BwE

The bus from Ipswich into London takes about 2 1/2 hours. Train would be quicker. You would need to get from Liverpool Street to wherever the coach leaves from (probably Victoria) So I would consider including an overnight stay in London, if you can afford it, otherwise it's a long day sitting mainly in a coach.

As you would be going from one side of the country to the other, I’d do as previous poster suggested and after landing head for Bath first. Heathrow or Gatwick to Bath is a pretty straightforward journey of about 100 miles. If you hire a car it will have a Sat Nav to assist you.
If you base yourself in or around Bath you can get to the ancient sites quite easily, allow 3/4 days, depending on what you want to do in Bath.
Bath to Ipswich is around 200 miles and involves negotiating the M25 around London, but again a Sat Nav will assist you.
Without a car you would have to plan jour journey by rail starting in London.

Definitely agree, basing yourself in Bath gives fairly easy access to all the places you would like to see. We actually much prefer Avebury to Stonehenge. Personal preference of course. It would make sense to do it at the beginning or end of your time in the U.K.

If you feel able to hire a car the M25 isn’t an essential route as long as you don’t mind taking a little longer. About the same mileage, just slower roads. Bath, Swindon, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford Cambridge then across to Ipswich. We’ve used that route many times from Swindon to Suffolk or Norfolk and much prefer it to a motorway drive.

No matter how you choose to travel do enjoy your visit. Each place on your list has its own character.

I would make a road trip of it staying in one or two other places of interest along the way. Cambridge, Oxford and Windsor spring to mind immediately.
Agree that Bath is a great place to stay to explore the other areas if you don’t stop at any of them on the trip down.

If you want to get up close and personal with Stonehenge you can book a VIP experience. It’s not cheap, but my DD did this and she said it was amazing. I hope you enjoy your visit. Suffolk is lovely.

notagran That is your opinion. It is not generally held.

You can not walk in the stones now, only around them. The best view is actually from the A303, the road that drives past the stones. As it is usually solid with traffic as the dual carriageway ends at Amesbury, you get a spectacular view of them while you are stuck in the traffic jam, and, when moving, watch the different views you get of the stones as you crawl down the A303 between Stonehenge and the next roundabout, the Long Barrow roundabout. Right on the roundabout, as you turn right towards the Stonehenge Visitor Centre is a large barrow cememtery; a long barrow and a range of round barrows. This is worth a brief visit.

Better give Stonehenge a just a drive past and then visit other sites like Silbury Hill and Kennet Long Barrow on the route between Stonehenge and Avebury, which is superb.

Thank you, everyone, for your responses. I really appreciate your suggestions and look forward to my visit this summer!!

Avebury is wonderful. The Church is fascinating.

Stonehenge was a lovely trip before the stones were fenced off (maybe 40 years ago?) no longer worth the effort.

RIAT is in that area in July. Fantastic.

The Cotswolds are lovely, particularly Upper and Lower Slaughter, Bibury, and Burford. Bath underground is also lovely.

We love poking round Castle Combe near Chippenham.

Cambridge is best Uni to look round, to my taste. Oxford being boring.

Castle Combe

Salisbury Cathedral

In Suffolk, be sure to have a look to Ely Cathedral, the fens system, and Greene King Brewery.

Many years ago I visited Stonehenge when one could walk amongst the stones, look at them up close and touch them. An experience reflecting that of the ancient people who used it. Now it's viewing from a distance. Not so good.

Grantanow

Many years ago I visited Stonehenge when one could walk amongst the stones, look at them up close and touch them. An experience reflecting that of the ancient people who used it. Now it's viewing from a distance. Not so good.

We used to walk amongt the stones with our young children. Viewing from a long distance is not worth the effort.

notgran

Be prepared to be very underwhelmed by Stonehenge.

When we were passing by many years ago we were able to wander right round the stones and touch them. It also happened to be the 21st June which was the Summer Solstice.
I still think it's impressive but perhaps not the same gazing from a distance.

When you go to Glastonbury, SophiaCharm, try to visit Chalice Well too, which is nearby. It's a lovely, very peaceful place.

Wells is worth a visit too, impressive cathedral and the palace grounds with their ‘wells’ are lovely.
So many beautiful places to choose from.

Ongar - oldest wooden Church

"Greensted Church, in the small village of Greensted, near Chipping Ongar in Essex, England, has been claimed to be the oldest wooden church in the world,[1] and probably the oldest wooden building in Europe still standing, albeit only in part, since few sections of its original wooden structure remain. The oak walls are often classified as remnants of a palisade church or, more loosely, as a kind of early stave church, dated either to the mid-9th[2] or mid-11th century.

The Grade I listed building lies about a mile west of Chipping Ongar town centre. Its full title is The Church of St Andrew, Greensted-juxta-Ongar. It is, however, commonly known simply as Greensted Church. Greensted is still a functioning church and holds services every week." (quote)

I’ve never been up close to Stonehenge but we were travelling round that part of the country a few years ago. My geography and navigation skills leave a lot to be desired and one memorable afternoon, after seeing Red Kites flying overhead we then drove a few miles further and totally and unexpectedly saw Stonehenge appear the the distance. I was totally blown away and felt quite emotional. A recent In Our Time discussed megaliths. I went to one near to us Duddo Stones and felt this wonderful link to our prehistory. I think they’re magical places. I love the scene in the Gemma Arterton version of Tess of the d’Urbevilles ( my favourite adaptation) where she and Angel are at Stonehenge. In the In Our Time programme it says that megaliths are still being built in some parts of the world. I love them.

Norah

In Suffolk, be sure to have a look to Ely Cathedral, the fens system, and Greene King Brewery.

Wicken Fen near to Ely, is magical, too. Ely Cathedral always makes me think of my favourite children’s book ( even though I read it as an adult) Tom’s Midnight Garden.

RIAT - in Fairford - is Fri, Jul 14, 2023 through Sun, Jul 16, 2023