Patrick sent this article in to us a while ago as a trip report but I decided to publish it as some travel notes instead. I really like the idea of this and hope to someday be able to do it, enjoy:

Walking to Stonehenge

Patrick, apologies for taking so long to get this posted.

Patrick - what a great article - and a fabulous picture of the henge. Thank you for suggesting a different way to approach a true British icon.

Judy

An inspiring article, Patrick. I did this walk years ago whilst staying with some friends who lived near Amesbury and it was a memorable experience. Your timings make it very useful for someone planning it as a day trip from London.

(I drove past the site last Friday morning, on the lovely A303, in the driving rain - we could barely make the stones out but there were about 20 hardy souls trudging their way around the circle. Their impressions would have been a little less delighted - a 'blasted heath' if ever there was one!)

If you visit Salisbury by train then Stonehenge, consider returning to the rail station and take the train over to Bath. It's only an hour's ride and Bath is well worth visiting. An overnight in Bath ? At Salisbury station there is no Left Luggage office but the pub nearby is used to visitors leaving bags.
Walking around Stonehenge is great but choose some decent weather and wear good shoes. The bus from Salisbury to Amesbury is a great idea. If you have more time and some walking in your blood then plenty of other footpaths in this area. You could always take the bus a bit further North beyond the A303 road to see Woodhenge before continuing your walk across the paths to the National trust lands and get a distant view of Stonehenge.
The visitor centre is way past its sell by date for the volume of people and the new centre is going to be erected further away making the entire visit experience so much better.
I did a Google Map of a circular walk taken last summer which gives some more ideas.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/...0e74b8d338b6ce1&z=13

Patrick,
Thanks for an informative travel note, and an interesting idea for visiting Stonehenge. I've been wanting to get back there, and think a nice walk sounds like just the thing.

In the early summer of 1991 I stayed with a friend living in Saffron Walden, and I walked along paths all over the area. One of my favorite afternoon walks was to Audley End House . I still remember the beautiful Queen Anne's Lace flowers blooming along the path. I might even have one pressed in a book somewhere!

Patrick,

Your article has inspired my daughter-in-law, ganddaughter (14) and me to do at least the Amesbury to Stonehenge part when we are there in early July. I just have a question: I see the actual walk goes around Stonehenge. Our goal is to visit Stonehenge and it sounds like you visited it too. I assume it is pretty easy to see the way to enter Stonehenge...or is it? Linda

Oh yes, it's unmistakeable. This particular route circles round and approaches Stonehenge from a distance (you can either follow this route along the Cursus and up the slope, or turn off earlier along what the archaelogists think was the ceremonial avenue approaching the stones. Either way, once you get near them, you'll see the carpark and entrance without any problem.

One note of caution - you have to cross the main roads passing the site, once leaving Amesbury and again to get into Stonehenge. There is fast traffic. Please be careful!