Windsor and Stonehenge from Southampton

[handfordr]

We also would like to do tour after our cruise. We do not fly out until the next morning after cruise.

We were considering renting a car in Southampton, traveling to Stonehenge, maybe visiting a few villages along the way for lunch and sites and then going to Heathrow to check into hotel. Before returning rental car go to Winsdor for dinner. Does this sound like it would work? Maybe we should go to Winsdor before checking into hotel? And last, which towns or villages would you stop at?

I have not heard of Avebury. Would you do both Stonehenge and Avebury or just one and which one?

 

Thank you for any information anyone can give.

 

Jean

 

Sounds an excellent itinerary if you are confident with the car.

Most people get off their cruises at around 08:00, so lets assume you have your car and maps be heading off about 09:00.

If Stonehenge is a must see I'd suggest.

Head for Salisbury getting there after about 30 minutes. If you want to stop here and look around the Cathedral with Magna Carta but its a medieval street plan and car parking is about 10 minutes walk away from Cathedral.

Drive up to Old Sarum on outskirts towards Amesbury (A345) and pop into the Iron Age Hill Fort here for a quick glimpse. Immediately after Old sarum turn left down into the Woodford Valley just before you get to roundabout with Park n Ride scheme on corner. At bottom of hill , turn right up the Woodford Valley - the English Countryside and villages at its best. At T junction just before Amesbury turn keft and Stonehenge is at top of hill.

Most people spend no longer than an hour at Stonehenge.

Then go along the A360 towards Devizes going through more villages with Norman Churches / thatched cottages. At Devizes go along the A342 optionally stopping off at Caen Hill Locks to the village of Sandy Lane (this is about as chocalte box English village as it gets). At Sandy Lane turn left down to Lacock. Spend lunch in the George Inn here for a memorable experience with good food and a memorable village too.

In the afrenoon either make for Castle Coombe about 20 minutes away (for an unspolit Cotswold village without the tourist coach crowds) or Avebury for things Neolthic. (Most people find this more satisfying than Stonehenge).

From either Castle Coombe or Lacock its about 75 minutes to Windsor/ Heathrow along the motorway.

 

The Castle at Windsor shuts at 17:00 and opens fairly late at 09:45 and you need 2 hours really,. Windsor and Eton is choc a block with restaurants for all budgets so its a great place during the evening by the river. If you stay at somewhere like the Marriott Windsor, Sheraton Park Heathrow or Quality Hotel Heathrow you have public buses to Windsor on your doorstep as well as Terminal transfer buses.

[sjpelvis]

Sounds an excellent itinerary if you are confident with the car.

Most people get off their cruises at around 08:00, so lets assume you have your car and maps be heading off about 09:00.

If Stonehenge is a must see I'd suggest.

Head for Salisbury getting there after about 30 minutes. If you want to stop here and look around the Cathedral with Magna Carta but its a medieval street plan and car parking is about 10 minutes walk away from Cathedral.

Drive up to Old Sarum on outskirts towards Amesbury (A345) and pop into the Iron Age Hill Fort here for a quick glimpse. Immediately after Old sarum turn left down into the Woodford Valley just before you get to roundabout with Park n Ride scheme on corner. At bottom of hill , turn right up the Woodford Valley - the English Countryside and villages at its best. At T junction just before Amesbury turn keft and Stonehenge is at top of hill.

Most people spend no longer than an hour at Stonehenge.

Then go along the A360 towards Devizes going through more villages with Norman Churches / thatched cottages. At Devizes go along the A342 optionally stopping off at Caen Hill Locks to the village of Sandy Lane (this is about as chocalte box English village as it gets). At Sandy Lane turn left down to Lacock. Spend lunch in the George Inn here for a memorable experience with good food and a memorable village too.

In the afrenoon either make for Castle Coombe about 20 minutes away (for an unspolit Cotswold village without the tourist coach crowds) or Avebury for things Neolthic. (Most people find this more satisfying than Stonehenge).

From either Castle Coombe or Lacock its about 75 minutes to Windsor/ Heathrow along the motorway.

 

The Castle at Windsor shuts at 17:00 and opens fairly late at 09:45 and you need 2 hours really,. Windsor and Eton is choc a block with restaurants for all budgets so its a great place during the evening by the river. If you stay at somewhere like the Marriott Windsor, Sheraton Park Heathrow or Quality Hotel Heathrow you have public buses to Windsor on your doorstep as well as Terminal transfer buses.

 

Thank you for the great advice. Will try and follow your instructions. Driving on the wrong side of the road, at least for us Amreicans, is not a problem. Only problem we would have is going into London or a big city and you would have to be nuts to do that.

 

We have been to the castle in Windsor, so we will not be planning another visit. Is our plans for dinner in Windsor good or would you suggest somewhere else? We can keep the car into the evening.

 

Thank you very much,

Jean

[handfordr]

Thank you for the great advice. Will try and follow your instructions. Driving on the wrong side of the road, at least for us Amreicans, is not a problem. Only problem we would have is going into London or a big city and you would have to be nuts to do that.

 

We have been to the castle in Windsor, so we will not be planning another visit. Is our plans for dinner in Windsor good or would you suggest somewhere else? We can keep the car into the evening.

 

Thank you very much,

Jean

 

As you say, you'll soon pick up driving the proper side of the road over here. One thing you may overlook picking up a hire car outside the main airports is that probably you'll get a manual gear car rather than automatic - unless you specify otherwise. Very few people in the UK want automatic cars and prefer manual stick cars.

 

Windsor is an excellent place for the evening, its just knowing what will give you most pleasure. Options include:

- expensive candelight dinner overlooking Thames by Windsor Bridge.

- alfesco evening picnic in the park on the waterfront feeding the ducks etc

- book an evening theatre performance at the Windsor theatre and have dinner before or after, the theatre is sourounded by restaurants

- go over to Old Windsor and have dinner at the Bells of Ouzely pub, a chain steak and chicken restaurant next to the Thames. Walk it off in Runnymede meadow adjacent and walk over the monuments like the Magna Carta and JFK memorials.

- Mc Donalds, Pizza Hut ....

[Globaliser]

Is our plans for dinner in Windsor good or would you suggest somewhere else?

If "expensive dinner by the river" is what you are thinking of, also have a look at the Waterside Inn in Bray, which should be about 20 minutes' drive away. It's well worth the effort, even if your credit card might not thank you for the exercise.

[sjpelvis]

Once more thank you. Great information. Have already printed and put in my travel file.

It is funny that you mention evening dinner in the park. When in London we stop at Harrods, got sandwich and went to Hyde park for lunch. When we were there, we were luck and saw a parade in honor of the cavalry units. There was at lest 20 groups with each having their own band.

The car is not a problem. Both myself and husband can drive manual gear car. One of our cars is a sport car.

Jean