There are two main attractions to see in this area, Stonehenge and the 750 year old Salisbury Cathedral.  The best Indian food we have ever had at the Shah Jahan and the friendly owners at the Old Ale House were added bonuses.  It surprised me that Stonehenge is a site that is totally visible from the main road.   Other visitors at Stonehenge told of how they were able to simply drive up in recent years and walk in.  No more.  Now there is an admission fee, buses which take you to the site and the obligatory gift shop.

The main circle of stones is roped off, but one can go on a special tour to get inside the circle.  I was not convinced simply being closer to the stones would result in better photographs with the very cloudy weather we were experiencing, so we went with the regular crowd.  This is one of those sites you visit as a requirement of an initial visit to a region.  The next visit to England and other spots may be more relaxed with these icons already checked off our to-do list.

A tour of the Salisbury Cathedral tower is a must.  A very knowledgeable guide will take you through narrow stairwells and passages.  She will also warn you that if anyone in the group does not wish to tackle the heights and narrow staircases, nobody in the group will be able to proceed and everyone will be mad at you.  So the pressure is on for all to navigate the winding staircases to the next higher level.  It is a worthwhile tour to remote areas of the church I am surprised they let us visit.

We stayed in a hotel which dated back to 1250 and may have had two remodels in that time, but neither was all that apparent….  However, the included breakfasts were good.  You could get a traditional English breakfast which consists of every kind of greasy undercooked breakfast meat you can think of, plus blood sausage.  The morning following that experience I opted for the granola and fruit.  The granola had chocolate in it…..