The trip to Stonehenge last October was the fulfillment of a childhood dream. I'd watched the monolith as part of my desktop wallpaper for most of my childhood.
What is Stonehenge and Why Should You Consider Taking a Day Trip from London?
If you are in London, Stonehenge is one of the top tourist attractions you must see. There is a sense of mystery and a sense of curiosity around the attraction owing to its historical significance. It is quite common for first-time visitors to make a day trip from London to Stonehenge since it is easily accessible from both the city by train and bus. Many tours were available from London, including visits to nearby attractions such as Baths and Windsor Castle. For those interested in seeing the inner Stone Circle, there are private guided tours available. We did a total DIY approach from London with the available public transports without tours and guides.
How Much Time is Needed for a Day Tour from London To Visit The Monoliths?
The best thing about visiting Stonehenge DIY is that you can decide the duration of your stay to explore and admire the monoliths at your own pace. The tour took half a day, and we spent the remaining time exploring the tranquil town of Salisbury.
We departed from Waterloo Station, London, at 8.30am via South Western Railway and the ride to Salisbury Station took us close to 2 hours. Once arrived at the Salisbury station, look for the Stonehenge Tour board on the left side of the station entrance.
You can pre-purchase the tickets online via TheStonehongeTour or purchase from the driver on the bus cashless. I strongly suggest purchasing the Adult - Bus, Old Sarum, & Stonehenge £34.00. If you get bus only tickets, you will eventually need to queue at the Stonehenge on arrival to purchase the entrance tickets (we were so glad we decided to purchase it beforehand- the queue was extremely long when we got there).
Making the best out of the trip!
The bus ride took close to 45 minutes, and it came with an audio package that you can listen to throughout the ride. Stonehenge was a visual treat: the blue sky and green fields were a delight to the eye on the way from Salisbury to Stonehenge. Our trip was at the end of October during Halloween, we had great weather with bright sunny days (lucky us but it was extremely windy so jackets and scarves a must!)
Upon arrival, the bus driver explained the duration we can choose to spend, the buses were available every hour and the last bus was 5pm (take note the bus timetable is different for winter and summer - check latest information from the driver or during the ticket purchase). We took another bus from the ticketing counter to the monolith itself - included in the ticket pricing. They were many who preferred to walk all the way to the stone circle as well - completely up to you!
There was something magical about the stone circle itself! Seeing it makes you wonder how it came to be and the stories behind it. You will be lucky to get an individual shot near the circle due to the crowd. I had to walk a bit further in front of the circle to get the below clear shot of the stone circle.
You can spend however long you want or wait long enough to get good photographs. We spent 2 hours and headed back to the parking area for the return bus. You have the option to visit the Old Sarum and Cathedral together with the tour as well, we opted out as we wanted to spend the remaining time exploring Salisbury town. The bus stops at a few more stations and you can choose to depart or board at any of these stations when you have the ticket. We got down at the Salisbury New Canal Stand station and walked around the town.
The town of Salisbury is DEFINITELY worth a visit. It had various cafes, restaurants, and shopping places. We had our lunch at Stones Kitchen, great coffee and sandwiches. We spent almost an hour here before walking back to Salisbury station to board our return train to London – the trains are available every hour, but subject to the particular’s day schedule.
Stonehenge is a MUST visit place - the experience itself is breathtaking! This place definitely worth to slot in your itinerary if you are in London!