Spires and stones

Next stop was Salisbury with a detour via Stonehenge. We took a chance and swung by Stonehenge as we had tickets for the next day. Success! We were allowed to change the day and time and through we went. Bit of a grumble … tickets are not cheap and you still have to pay for carparking! Anyway, we wandered around the site, listening to the very informative audio guide. English Heritage has put a lot of thought into how they manage the flow of tourists. As the photos show, you get to experience the stones (in places) without too many people cluttering the view. The weather was overcast and threatening, which may account for the reduced numbers. The carpark was not very full and has been built to cater for a huge number of visitors.

We took the long walk back, via some barrows and earthworks and headed into Salisbury. Alistair had another fanboy moment as he drove through a narrow medieval gateway into the cathedral close. Our accommodation was inside the walls of the cathedral grounds (at the Royal School of Church Music, Sarum College). At check in, we were reminded that we had to be back inside the close before the gates were locked at 11pm. Our visit to the cathedral was fantastic, with an additional benefit of being shown around by a knowledgeable guide. Our chat with another guide in the Chapter House was equally interesting as she told us about the carvings, stained glass windows and the Magna Carta displayed in the room. They even have a resident pair of breeding peregrine falcons, live streamed via webcam into the nave, and she hatch her chicks while we were there. A walk through the town, exploring lanes, alleys, market squares and riverside paths was equally enjoyable. A delicious Thai dinner overlooking the market square, a glass of wine in a pub by the river and evening stroll, took us back through the gate with time to spare before lock in.

A drone flyover of Old Sarum, an iron-age hill fort, Roman villa ruin and first Salisbury Cathedral site was a fitting farewell to this beautiful part of England.