Stonehenge and Bath

Stonehenge was one of those places I’d always wanted to see. I’d been warned that it was smaller than I would expect and that it would be crawling with tourists. Even so, I was still dying to see it in person, and d’you know what? I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. The rocks are huge and transported many miles and so perfectly carved into rectangles, and all of this was done with stone and bone tools and without the wheel. How could I possibly be disappointed?

Bath, on the other hand, was a place I really couldn’t have cared less to see. Lord knows that we’d already seen heaps of Roman stuff and many many beautiful historic cities. Well, y’know what I was wowed in Bath too. 

We started out the day with one of Sally Luna’s famous buns with scrumptious cinnamon butter in her original tea house dating back to 1680. Next we tackled the Bath History Hunt and learned heaps about the history of the town and some of its famous inhabitants (including Jane Austen).

After lunch, a play in Victoria Park, and a walk along the river, we decided to check out the famous Roman Baths, which with their amazing museum was a fascinating glimpse into Roman life. Who knew that the baths were as important to the Romans for their business meetings and social gatherings as they were to seek out revenge on those who had wronged them (by sending messages to Minerva by writing the accused‘ name on a sheet of lead and casting it into the spiritual waters).

On our way up to Chester the next day, we made two fun stops. First we visited the white horse of Bratton high on a hill above our BnB. The horse was made for. The chalk hillside nearly 300 years ago. The hill itself as a much longer history serving as a burial ground and then a burial ground for many many centuries.

The second stop was at Avebury home of a stone circle many times larger than Stonehenge, but not as well preserved. In fact, a village was built right on top of part of it. As sad as it was the sight wasn’t looked after over the centuries, it was very cool to be able to wander amidst the massive rocks like they were no big thing.