Introduction
After our busy castle day in Kent, we continued our journey westward. Days 5 and 6 turned out to be some of the most memorable of the entire trip — featuring an extremely early morning at Stonehenge, ancient stone circles, and the beautiful city of Bath.
Day 5: Portsmouth, HMS Victory & Moving Toward Stonehenge
Today we drove to Portsmouth so Dave could visit HMS Victory. As a huge military history buff who had been there decades earlier, he specifically chose this stop. The ship is currently under restoration but we were able to do the tour and hear the stories of its glory days and of the sacrifices that were made along the way. Here’s a bit of her story:
HMS Victory, Lord Nelson’s famous flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar, is the world’s oldest commissioned naval vessel. Still in active service with the Royal Navy after more than 260 years, she serves as the flagship of the First Sea Lord and welcomes visitors at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Built between 1759 and 1765, she consumed around 6,000 trees—mostly oak—equivalent to 60 acres of woodland. Though a massive 104-gun first-rate ship, Victory was surprisingly fast, reaching 11 knots under sail. Her hull was later copper-sheathed to protect against shipworms, and sailors aboard drank beer or wine instead of water, which spoiled too quickly. The name “Victory” even carried superstition, as the previous ship with that name had sunk with all hands.
A veteran of the American War of Independence, French Revolutionary Wars, and Napoleonic Wars, she fought at Ushant, Cape St. Vincent, and Trafalgar in 1805, where she lost 57 killed and 102 wounded—including Nelson. Today, very little of her original 1765 timber remains due to constant restoration. Well worth a visit if you’re in Portsmouth!
Afterwards we drove to Freemantle to gather with Dave’s cousin Blaine and his family for a phenomenal feast of Indian cuisine at Coriander Lounge. Finally, we checked into our AirBnB and turned in early since we had an insanely early booking for Stonehenge.
Day 6: Stonehenge at Sunrise & Avebury
3am comes early when you have a 5:30 reservation for the inner circle tour at Stonehenge!!! We arrived in Freemantle last night to find our AirBnB was not as advertised. When we woke up we made the snap decision to pack up and take everything with us and find another place to stay that was closer to our next destination in Chester. We made it out quickly and arrived on time for our Stonehenge tour.
The morning fog gave a perfect mystical vibe to the stones. Our guide, Chris, was really funny and knowledgeable! As he gave his instructions on visitor guidelines he “requested” that we refrain from touching, hugging, licking, or kissing the stones and that everyone please keep their clothes on. As the tour group gave a chuckle he said, “Oh, you laugh…”, because apparently people have to be told this. He also informed us that all these actions are a criminal offense that could land us in prison! Yikes! We spent close to an hour examining the site and asking questions before moving along to our next stop, Avebury Henge and Stone Circles.
This was a self-guided tour through pastures filled with large standing stones, sheep, and lots of sheep sh**! Watch your step!!! You may even want to wear galoshes. The early morning light bathed the countryside making it look like a painting. It was perfect! Check out the pics below.
Bath & Bristol
Next stop, Bath. Along the way we stopped at a cafe for coffee and a bite and arrived to find the city bustling with people and street performers. Bath Abbey towered above as we walked along the River Avon toward Pulteney Bridge and found ourselves at Thai Weir where we ordered a bottle of wine to enjoy on the balcony as we did some people watching and marveled at our surroundings. Another beautiful day in England!
We found a place to stay in Bristol, made ourselves some dinner and hit the hay by 9pm after our long day.
Tips for Stonehenge & This Route
• Book your Stonehenge Inner Circle experience well ahead of time. These exclusive sunrise or sunset tours (which let you walk among the stones) are very limited and sell out months in advance — catching the sunrise there feels truly magical. Note that the English Heritage Pass covers standard entry but not these special timed access tickets, which must be booked separately.
• Don’t skip Avebury. It’s completely free to visit, far less crowded than Stonehenge, and absolutely worth adding to your itinerary. Plus, you can lick, hug, and kiss the stones all you want!
Fun Facts for these sites.
Stonehenge
• Builders transported some bluestones over 240 km (150 miles) from Wales — without wheels or modern tools.
• The largest sarsen stones weigh about 25 tons each (as heavy as four African elephants).
• The site aligns perfectly with the summer solstice sunrise and construction spanned over 1,000 years, starting around 5,000 years ago.
Avebury
• It features the largest stone circle in Britain (originally about 100 stones) and shares the same UNESCO World Heritage Site listing as Stonehenge.
• Built roughly 4,600 years ago, the henge’s ditch and bank actually enclose part of the modern village.
• Unlike Stonehenge, you can wander freely among the stones for a more intimate prehistoric experience.
Bath
• The Romans called it Aquae Sulis and developed grand baths around the natural hot springs.
• Jane Austen lived in Bath and drew inspiration for novels like Northanger Abbey and Persuasion.
• The entire city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its elegant Georgian architecture including the Royal Crescent.
Final Thoughts
These two days had such a great mix of history, scenery, and spontaneity. From standing among ancient stones at sunrise to enjoying wine with a view in Bath, it reminded us why we love these kinds of trips. The early wake-up was tough, but moments like these make it all worthwhile.
Next Up:
Our drive north to Chester, a surprise stop in Liverpool at The Cavern Club, and our first full day walking the ancient walls of Chester.
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