Exploring England: Day 3 at Stonehenge

After a horrible night’s sleep and realizing I was getting a cold, I had to get up and get ready for the day. I had arranged a trip to Stonehenge, and the tour bus was scheduled to leave at 9:30 am. I got dressed, ate breakfast, and went in search of a pharmacy to buy some medication. It was an interesting experience since none of the brands I was familiar with existed in England. After reading a dozen packages, made a couple of selections and hope for the best.

The tour bus was from Scarpers Tours and it was a very nice bus that actually came with seat belts. The bus was bright purple so it was easy to spot. The driver provided some information about the surrounding area as we started our hour-long trek to the stone circle. He informed us that the whole city of Bath is a World Heritage Site which means that if they build any new houses it has to be done in the Georgian style. The trip went by surprisingly fast though it was a little nerve-wracking. As a Canadian, I am used to highways and roads having a wide shoulder before plant life begins, but in England, the trees and hedges grow right up against the road making it feel slightly claustrophobic. Our tour bus driver informed us that because of COVID there are usually fewer crowds at the monument. We had two hours to enjoy the views before we had to head back to Bath.

The stone circle was magnificent and there aren’t really any words to describe the feeling of standing in their presence. So much history and mystery are held within those stones and we can only guess what their purpose had been. I was happy that the crowds were thin. I was able to sit on the grass and enjoy the silence of the area and bask in the fact that I was sitting amongst stones that have been standing in their arrangement for thousands of years and will probably be around long after I have passed. Being in England has made me realize just how young Canada is.

After my time at the stones, I headed back down to the visitor centre where they had the gift shop, an exhibition, and a cafe. I decided to enjoy some lunch before heading into the exhibition area. I had my first cheese and onion pasty which was rather delicious and I had a cup of soup hoping to get some much-needed vegetable matter. By the end of my time at Stonehenge I was well informed and humbled, I was also looking forward to a nap.

Since I wasn’t feeling well I took it easy for the remainder of the afternoon. I did buy some tea but I took it easy in my hotel room since the next day I was going to be taking the train to London to meet up with my friend Vince.

WanderlustFamily

Exploring England: Day 3 at Stonehenge

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