When you’ve got limited time but want to capture as much quintessential Britishness as possible, one of the most popular day trips is Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stonehenge.
In a single day, it’s a both sprint and a marathon at once, but absolutely doable.
Perhaps I’m biased, but I appreciated the order my tour took me in. We started at Windsor Castle. Well, actually we started very early in the morning with a long bus ride to Eton (try the deliciously scrambled Eton Mess). Our guide explained this was to put us first in line for the gate drop. Or should I say ‘portcullis drop’? Heh, heh, castle humor.
I hadn’t planned it, but I happened to time my visit with Queen Elizabeth II’s 89th birthday! Apparently she likes to spend her birthdays at Windsor Castle. Technically, I was in residence with the Queen! It’s quite a large residence, so no, I didn’t see her. The only reason we even knew she was there, is because the Royal Standard was flying instead of the Union flag.
You are allowed to film and photograph the grounds and some of the interiors, but not all. Do be careful, because they will take your devices and wipe their memory of all your existing pictures. Don’t endanger all your hard-earned photos. It’s not worth the risk.
Unlike the other two locations, Bath is somewhere I could easily see myself spending a full day in. The Roman Baths is the most popular attraction. Obviously, since they did name the town after it.
They tell you (multiple times in multiple ways) to not drink the water. If you are really curious how it tastes, they literally hand out free cups of the stuff near the exit.
It tastes kinda sulfury. If you want a tasty local delicacy, try a bath bun.
With only an hour before needing to be back on the bus, I didn’t have time to see The Bath Abbey or the Jane Austen Centre.
Always set your alarm for at least 10 minutes earlier than whenever they say the bus will leave. Longer if you aren’t exactly sure how to get back.
Our final stop of the day was Stonehenge. The plan was to hit it at sunset. By the time the sun was actively setting, I had given up any hope of capturing the event on film, and was instead happily watching it live while munching a corned beef pasty and sipping elderflower bubbly.
Stonehenge in movies does not match reality. Those are mostly built sets anyway. Constructed with the purpose of enabling actors (and film equipment) to get up close and personal to the ancient site.
The wide open plain doesn’t protect much from whatever weather the day holds. In the rain, you will be wet. In the snow, you will be cold and wet. And in the sun and wind, good luck trying to pose for the camera.
Do not try to touch the stones. If you really want to, there’s a big rock hanging out by the Visitor’s Center for just that purpose. The ropes reminding the crowds to keep their distance still let people get fairly close. However, this does have the downside of affecting the more potentially epic shots.
If you’re patient, lucky, and have fast reflexes, there always the possibility of capturing that ideal photo. The crowd moves slowly, but it does move.
Lots of companies do the Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stonehenge tour. Do your research and pick one that works for you, or ask your hotel/hostel desk for their recommendation. Chances are good they know somebody who knows somebody who can plan as excellent an adventure as I had!
Kaitlin’s Adventure in London was from April 14-28, 2015