Beyond Bath: From Stone Circles to Cotswold Villages

The English countryside is a mystical place waiting to be explored. From its picturesque villages to its famous landmarks, including Stonehenge, there was a lot for me to discover in this rural area. After wandering through the city of Bath and admiring its architectural beauty, I decided to venture further and explore the alluring region around it.

Most of the sites I wanted to visit are sparsely served by public transportation. In order to maximize my sightseeing time and save on train costs, I opted for a day tour of the area through Mad Max Tours. This Bath-based tour operator offers small group tours to several side destinations in South West England. I signed up for Tour 1, which includes stops at Stonehenge, Avebury, Lacock, and Castle Combe!

I woke up early and headed over to the Abbey Hotel, where a large van was waiting. My tour group consisted of around 15 other travelers, mostly young adults and middle-aged people. The group represented a diverse mix of sightseers from all over the world.

After a quick check-in, we departed Bath and set off into the countryside. The scenery quickly changed from tan-colored buildings to rolling hills. Our driver, Barry, introduced himself and gave us an overview of everything we would be seeing on this tour. I sat back and enjoyed the scenic ride through the green landscape.

Stonehenge

It was about an hour’s drive to our first stop at Stonehenge. About five minutes before we arrived at the visitor center, Barry played a commentary from the tour company’s owner, Maddy. She gave us a brief history of the stones, which date back to 3000 B.C.

Our van arrived at a small parking lot designated for group tours. One of the advantages of booking this tour is that the entrance tickets are purchased in advance. All we had to do was pay our guide in cash, which allowed everyone to skip the ticket queues. We also arrived early to beat the crowds. The monument itself is located a mile away from the visitor center. After everyone in the group had their tickets, we boarded shuttle buses to the stones.

The shuttle dropped us off at the historic site. As I walked over, I could see the mysterious stones come into view, which stood tall in the middle of an empty field. I couldn’t believe I was visiting a place that has existed for as long as the pyramids. Despite their age, the stones have passed the test of time, with many of them still retaining their trilithon forms. The stones come in all shapes and sizes, and no two are exactly alike. It is easily one of the most mysterious sites I have ever visited during my entire years of travel.

The purpose of this monument remains unknown. Historians know it functioned as a celestial calendar, with the sun setting in just the right place on the longest and shortest days of the year. During the Stone Age, people knew when to harvest crops and when to party based on where the sun rose and set. In the end, the true meaning of Stonehenge is left to the interpretation of those who journey there.

We hopped back on the shuttle bus to the visitor center, which was newly built in 2013 by the Australian architecture firm Denton Corker Marshall. The modern building consists of a thin, perforated steel canopy held up by slender columns. The canopy floats above three masses: a glass café, a wooden museum, and a small metal ticketing booth. The architect aimed to create a timeless design that would fit well within the surrounding environment.

Inside the museum, I explored exhibits that detailed Stonehenge’s history, construction, and the theories behind its existence. I also toured some reconstructed Neolithic huts just outside the visitor center, which depict the living conditions of the locals at the time of the stones’ creation.

After a rewarding visit to both the stone circle and the museum, Barry picked us up and we got back on the road. Our next stop was about 45 minutes north of Stonehenge. On the way over, we passed some more fields and even stopped at a small horse farm.

Avebury

Although Stonehenge is the most famous of Britain’s stone circles, there are plenty more scattered across the countryside. We arrived at a lesser-known but equally fascinating group of stones called Avebury! This circle is a personal favorite of Rick Steves. The stones here are about the same age as those at Stonehenge but are spread out across a much larger area.

Unlike Stonehenge, there is no admission fee and visitors are allowed to wander freely around the stones. I got up close to touch the boulders, feeling a sense of excitement knowing I was in contact with something that was almost 5000 years old! The stones are also a popular grazing spot for local sheep.

Avebury is so large that it actually contains a village within the prehistoric monument. The neolithic stones and 16^th-century buildings flow seamlessly together, with stones often in the backyard of the village’s houses. Our group waited at the local pub for Barry to pick us up.

On the way over to our next destination, we took some photos at two more mysterious sites. The first was Silbury Hill, a man-made chalk mound that stands tall above the surrounding natural landscape. Much like the stone circles, the purpose of this prehistoric hill is simply unknown. Since the ground composition in this region consists of chalk, locals have carved figures into the hills. Our second photo stop was at one of these carvings: Cherhill White Horse.

Lacock

We arrived in Lacock, a small national trust village, for a quick lunch stop. While not directly in the Cotswolds, this village is still a quintessential example of rural England. The village is also a great stop for Harry Potter fans, as it contains several filming locations from the series. Barry offered to give a special Harry Potter tour to those of us who were interested.

I stopped at a local pub for some fish and chips and a refreshing pint. After lunch, I walked around the village, which is literally the size of a block. The 18^th-century homes are traditional to English design, with a mix of stone, half-timber, and brick façades. All of the houses have stone shingled roofs. While walking around, it began to drizzle, which later turned into a steady rain.

Thankfully, Barry lent me an umbrella before we set off on his special Harry Potter tour. We started at the corner of Cantax Hill and Church Street, where the muggle village of Budleigh Babberton is portrayed in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Lacock also contains the filming locations of Horace Slughorn’s House and the Potters’ Residence in Godric’s Hollow.

Several interior shots of Hogwarts were filmed inside of Lacock Abbey. Unfortunately, I did not have time to tour the abbey, as we only had an hour and a half stop in the village.

Castle Combe

The tour included one final stop at one of England’s most picturesque villages! Our van drove for another half hour, meandering down narrow streets past numerous farms. We entered the Cotswolds: a hilly region between Bath and Stratford-upon-Avon dotted with quaint villages. Due to the narrow streets, our van had to park outside the village. Our group got out and headed down the hill. As we walked around the corner, the charming little English houses came into view. We had arrived at Castle Combe!

I immediately felt like I stepped back in time! This enchanting village has barely changed since the 17^th century, in part due to strict building codes. All of the houses are built in the English vernacular style, with honey-colored “Cotswold stone” façades and stone shingled roofs.

A river runs through the area, which is bridged by the village’s main street. From here, I looked back at the classic fairytale view of the honey-colored houses against the surrounding forest. It is no wonder that this village is often called the “prettiest village in England.”

The settlement features a 14^th-century market cross, which marks the center of the village at the fork in the road. This structure held a weekly market, primarily of wool products.

I popped into the village’s church: a gothic building from the 15^th century. The church is made of the same Cotswold stone as the surrounding buildings and includes a cozy interior with a small central nave.

Our group waited at the market cross until it was time to head back to the van. Barry drove the group back to the Abbey Hotel, where we parted ways as I headed over to Bath Spa Station. This tour ended up being the perfect way to explore some of England’s more remote areas. The cost was about the same as public transportation and I even got to see some places that I would not have been able to visit without a car. Finally, Barry was a knowledgeable and funny guide who really made the tour a special part of my trip!

I caught an early evening train headed for London, before connecting to a train towards Horley. I spent my final night in the United Kingdom at a small inn near Gatwick Airport before my early morning flight the next day.