Day trip to Stonehenge/Salisbury/Old Sarum

Trains run from London's Wateroo Station to Salisbury. Trains run every half hour and the trip takes approximately 1.5 hours, direct. Start early, it will be a full day.

Salisbury is a short train ride from London and is the train station there is the starting and ending point for all three destinations. Salisbury is a nice little town with cobblestoned streets and small shops. Some very nice resturants can be found there. Note: Tuesday is Market Day.

Stonehenge is wonderful, mysterious and usually crowded. Take your time viewing it from all angles. If you are visiting during the colder months, dress with a warm coat since the winds across the Salisbury Plain can be biting. The bus leaves about a half hour after arrival, then every hour thereafter so plan accordingly.

Wilts & Dorset Bus service to Stonhenge leaves every hour from just outside the Salisbury rail station. Schedules are available in pdf format (Line 3). The return journey leaves from the Stonehenge Car Park every hour.

On your way back from Stonehenge, ask the driver to stop at Old Sarum. This wonderful piece of history dates back to a 3000BC Neolithic Community Prehistoric settlement. You can literally walk amoung history. Allow 1.5 hours for your visit and check the bus schedules to return to Salisbury.

Back in Salisbury, stop for a pub lunch before exploring.

The Norman Cathedral was built at Old Sarum between 1075 and 1092. The cathedral was relocated to Salisbury to its present location starting in 1220. The cathedral was finished in a reletively short time, by 1330 with allows for its uniform apperance. Note: The Magna Carta can be viewed here.