Avebury
Avebury village comes with a neolithic stone circle and Europe's largest artificial mound at Silsbury Hill. This stands opposite Long Barrow burial mound. The mounds are visible from the main road and there are some conveniently located lay-by's if you want to explore them further. Avebury henge is accessed from the National Trust car park which allows you to walk around the stone circle and into the village and the museum. I can recommend the National Trust cafe's cream tea. On the way out we saw a chalk white horse carved into the hillside at Cherhill, just next to the Obelisk. It's the 3rd oldest in the UK, but it is tricky to spot from the road.
Bristol
Bristol is home to the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. This can be accessed from a view point near to the Zoo, but we also had a good scenic view from a lay-by on the outskirts of Bristol.
We also visited SS Great Britain, a merchant ship launched in 1843 and built by Brunel which was once the longest passenger ship in the world. The car park costs about £2 for for 2 hours, but can be redeemed with a ticket to the boat. We felt the tickets were a tad pricey so we looked at the ship from over a fence.
Bristol Aerospace has a car park and is home to the last Concorde to land, with over 5000 flights to the aircraft. The Concorde has it's own hanger and associated displays, allowing you to walk through the famous aircraft. The main museum is testament to the planes built at Bristol throughout WW1 through to the modern day, with Airbus and Rolls Royce buildings located nearby. It is interactive so is good for all the family to enjoy.
Bath
I recommend Bath as a city to visit, with all the main tourist attractions in close proximity to each other. The Roman Baths and the Abbey are central places to visit. The Baths are laid out as they would have been and the pump room has water from the spring (which doesn't taste great) and is a great way to learn about Roman history. Bath Abbey is beautiful and you can take a tour up to the Tower, taking you onto the Abbey's roof and earning you some great city views.
We walked along the river to see Poultney Bridge and then up to the circus and Royal Crescent, a crescent of terraced houses. This stands next to the park which is in itself very pretty. I had a super chocolaty brownie in a chocolate shop whilst my dad visited the neighboring fudge shop.
If you like literature there is also the Jane Austen Museum amongst other places to visit. I recommend the glass factory which comes with demonstrations and lets you blow a glass bubble.
Cheddar Gorge
Unfortunately I did not get to visit Cheddar Gorge so just drove through the site. This is home to some incredible cliffs and caves and is definitely somewhere I need to go back and visit. Parking is £5 for the whole day and there is a little street of shops to visit and have lunch. Great place for walkers and explorers.
Rodney Stokes
Rodney Stokes is a thankful village, meaning all those who went to fight in WW1 returned. In this case 17 men and 4 women. The village church has dedicated thanksgiving window which makes for an emotive piece of history.
Wells
Wells Cathedral is home to a medieval stained glass window, called the Jesse window and an astronomical clock from circa 1390. It is built with magnificent scissor arches and is a stunning piece of Medieval architecture. The cathedral stands at the end of a busy high street with lots of shops and places to eat.
Glastonbury
Glastonbury is better known for its festival but is home to a Tor (so good for walkers) and the ruins of an old Abbey. The high street has a number of shops which spill out the sense of incense into the street.
Exeter
We stayed in Exeter to allow us to visit the Eden Project in Cornwall. On our way here from Bristol we drove through Cheddar Gorge, which has incredible cliffs and caves and is certainly worth a visit in its own right. Exeter is full of history and home to Exeter Cathedral which is also very impressive. There is a lego model of the cathedral being built inside the Cathedral which stands opposite St Martins' Church which was consecrated in 1065. The city walls are visible from nearby Northernhay Gardens and there is a lot of shopping available. We enjoyed a brilliant cream tea from a cafe overlooking the Cathedral called Tea on the Green. The Mill on the Exe is a riverside pub with great food and a lovely atmosphere, which I also recommend.
Eden Project
The Eden Project is built in a disused clay pit and now consists of two biomes and an expansive outdoor space. The first of the biomes is dedicated to Mediterranean plants and contains lots of flowers, fruits and vegetables. The second is a rain-forest with Malaysian Rhul Rhul birds to help manage the cockroach population and acting as natural insecticides. The female birds look like mangoes with black heads, whilst the males are black with red crests and live freely inside the biome. There is a cattle grid to stop them escaping, but I am reliably informed that they don't like the cold so tend to retreat back inside pretty quickly. There is lots of information around the site, so it is certainly an educational place to visit. It is also home to a collection of artwork, such as an electronic crowd and a very cute wire Orangutan.
Salisbury
This was a flying visit on our drive home having driven past Stonehenge on our way down the A303. We visited Salisbury Cathedral which has a facsimile of the Magna Carta on display in one of the alcoves. The font is a modern piece of artwork and sits proudly near the entrance.
Avebury village comes with a neolithic stone circle and Europe's largest artificial mound at Silsbury Hill. This stands opposite Long Barrow burial mound. The mounds are visible from the main road and there are some conveniently located lay-by's if you want to explore them further. Avebury henge is accessed from the National Trust car park which allows you to walk around the stone circle and into the village and the museum. I can recommend the National Trust cafe's cream tea. On the way out we saw a chalk white horse carved into the hillside at Cherhill, just next to the Obelisk. It's the 3rd oldest in the UK, but it is tricky to spot from the road.
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| Silsbury Hill |
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| Avebury Henge |
Bristol
Bristol is home to the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. This can be accessed from a view point near to the Zoo, but we also had a good scenic view from a lay-by on the outskirts of Bristol.
We also visited SS Great Britain, a merchant ship launched in 1843 and built by Brunel which was once the longest passenger ship in the world. The car park costs about £2 for for 2 hours, but can be redeemed with a ticket to the boat. We felt the tickets were a tad pricey so we looked at the ship from over a fence.
Bristol Aerospace has a car park and is home to the last Concorde to land, with over 5000 flights to the aircraft. The Concorde has it's own hanger and associated displays, allowing you to walk through the famous aircraft. The main museum is testament to the planes built at Bristol throughout WW1 through to the modern day, with Airbus and Rolls Royce buildings located nearby. It is interactive so is good for all the family to enjoy.
Bath
I recommend Bath as a city to visit, with all the main tourist attractions in close proximity to each other. The Roman Baths and the Abbey are central places to visit. The Baths are laid out as they would have been and the pump room has water from the spring (which doesn't taste great) and is a great way to learn about Roman history. Bath Abbey is beautiful and you can take a tour up to the Tower, taking you onto the Abbey's roof and earning you some great city views.
We walked along the river to see Poultney Bridge and then up to the circus and Royal Crescent, a crescent of terraced houses. This stands next to the park which is in itself very pretty. I had a super chocolaty brownie in a chocolate shop whilst my dad visited the neighboring fudge shop.
 |
| Poultney Bridge |
 |
| Bath Abbey |
If you like literature there is also the Jane Austen Museum amongst other places to visit. I recommend the glass factory which comes with demonstrations and lets you blow a glass bubble.
Cheddar Gorge
Unfortunately I did not get to visit Cheddar Gorge so just drove through the site. This is home to some incredible cliffs and caves and is definitely somewhere I need to go back and visit. Parking is £5 for the whole day and there is a little street of shops to visit and have lunch. Great place for walkers and explorers.
 |
| Cheddar Gorge |
Rodney Stokes
Rodney Stokes is a thankful village, meaning all those who went to fight in WW1 returned. In this case 17 men and 4 women. The village church has dedicated thanksgiving window which makes for an emotive piece of history.
Wells
Wells Cathedral is home to a medieval stained glass window, called the Jesse window and an astronomical clock from circa 1390. It is built with magnificent scissor arches and is a stunning piece of Medieval architecture. The cathedral stands at the end of a busy high street with lots of shops and places to eat.
 |
| Wells Cathedral |
 |
| Astronomical Clock |
Glastonbury
Glastonbury is better known for its festival but is home to a Tor (so good for walkers) and the ruins of an old Abbey. The high street has a number of shops which spill out the sense of incense into the street.
Exeter
We stayed in Exeter to allow us to visit the Eden Project in Cornwall. On our way here from Bristol we drove through Cheddar Gorge, which has incredible cliffs and caves and is certainly worth a visit in its own right. Exeter is full of history and home to Exeter Cathedral which is also very impressive. There is a lego model of the cathedral being built inside the Cathedral which stands opposite St Martins' Church which was consecrated in 1065. The city walls are visible from nearby Northernhay Gardens and there is a lot of shopping available. We enjoyed a brilliant cream tea from a cafe overlooking the Cathedral called Tea on the Green. The Mill on the Exe is a riverside pub with great food and a lovely atmosphere, which I also recommend.
 |
| Exeter Cathedral |
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| St Martin's Church |
Eden Project
The Eden Project is built in a disused clay pit and now consists of two biomes and an expansive outdoor space. The first of the biomes is dedicated to Mediterranean plants and contains lots of flowers, fruits and vegetables. The second is a rain-forest with Malaysian Rhul Rhul birds to help manage the cockroach population and acting as natural insecticides. The female birds look like mangoes with black heads, whilst the males are black with red crests and live freely inside the biome. There is a cattle grid to stop them escaping, but I am reliably informed that they don't like the cold so tend to retreat back inside pretty quickly. There is lots of information around the site, so it is certainly an educational place to visit. It is also home to a collection of artwork, such as an electronic crowd and a very cute wire Orangutan.
 |
| Eden Project Biomes |
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| Rainforest |
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| Mediteranean |
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| Female Rhul Rhul |
Salisbury
This was a flying visit on our drive home having driven past Stonehenge on our way down the A303. We visited Salisbury Cathedral which has a facsimile of the Magna Carta on display in one of the alcoves. The font is a modern piece of artwork and sits proudly near the entrance.
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