Stone Henge and Salisbury Catherdral

'On this adventure we hired a car and driver instead of trying and figuring out the public transportation issues.This proved to be an excellent idea as a car is a lot easier to reach the venues and you can do more than one. One a bus it would take all day to see one and come home.  Renting a car would be out of the question as we would have to drive and that would create too much stress for all of us.

The frost had taken all the trees hostage and as the sun rose over the gently rolling Salisbury Plane we were surrounded by beautiful sparkling  trees. Salisbury plane is a high area that the wind blows over the landscape non stop. This area has a war installation for the English military and a lot of it is restricted.

As we drove through the rolling country side high on the plane not 100 yards to the right of the freeway are the standing stones. They popped up as we rolled over the hill and they were right there alongside the road. It really takes you by surprise. You drive on by and come to the visitor center. You do all the obligatory lines, fees and listening devices and then you are allowed on the bus.  The bus takes you up over the hill and you walk the rest of the way and over the crest to see the stones.  The wind can be pretty brisk at times. The horizon is dotted with people walking around the stones more or less depending on the number of buses that have arrived with you.

As you approach the stones the actual size continues to amaze you. The are so immense it takes your breath away. Sort of like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time, you just can not believe the beauty of them.

As you stroll around the stones the path takes you closer and closer to the stones, where you end up about 10 feet from the closet one. The sound of the freeway is incongruent with what you are seeing and seems to bring you back and forth from awe to ...dam cars.

After circling the henge we got pretty hungry. So I tried a tasty morsel....

Very hard biscuits!

Next stop was the Salisbury Cathedral, pretty breath taking structure.

We viewed the Magna Carta and had lunch in the atrium.  Kirk doing what Kirk does best wanted to finish Haleys coleslaw, now she had fish and chips for lunch, nope was not coleslaw it was tartar sauce.  

Absolutely beautiful. 

Now if that was not enough for one day we went to Avebury on the way home. It has the largest henge which encircles the town. We were about to  walk up close to these stones and touch them.  I was hoping that maybe this could be a chance to meet the Outlanders,  then Whosh! I was taken out of the US and deposited in the middle of somewhere where they talk funny, drive on the wrong side of the road and I am working with three Pauls and a John, nice guys but not quite the Jamie I was looking for. 

What a grand day! Headed home to go to the pub for New Years and turn in early.

Finished the year off at The Cherry Tree Pub in Steventon,  Cheers!