
Travelling Between Southampton And London
When we arrived in Southampton after we finished our cruise through the Nordic countries we had a full day booked. A Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle day trip between Southampton and London with International Friends gave us yet more interesting sights to explore.
We visited the Canterbury Cathedral when we did a Baltic cruise and stopped in Dover. So we were excited to spend some time at the Salisbury Cathedral on this trip. The second stop on our transit day was at Stonehenge. A great complement to the standing stones or rock structures we found on our cruise. The final stop on our tour was at Windsor Castle. It was the first but not last view of life as a Royal on our stay by Hyde Park in London.
It was great to explore the great sights on a Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle day trip between Southampton and London.
A Stop In Salisbury
We started our day trip between Southampton and London in the small town of Salisbury. It was located about 30 minutes from the port in Southampton. You could also have reached it by train from London in about 90 minutes. Our tour van parked by the wall that still goes around the old town.
The Salisbury Cathedral was built in medieval times. It still boasts the largest spire in the country (404 feet tall and 6,400 tons). There were 332 stairs to the top of the spire for an amazing view around the countryside. But we did not have time for this.
We walked up to the cathedral and got a great view of the outside. The facade was decorated in an amazing variety of figures that represented a hierarchy of bishops and doctors, saints and martyrs, apostles and evangelists, prophets and patriarchs.
Before we went inside we strolled along the outdoor Gothic cloister area. Apparently it too is the largest in England. In the centre of the garden were giant cedar trees.
Admission to the inside of the cathedral required a “suggested” donation (in any currency). We were not going to miss a chance to see more of the Salisbury Cathedral.
Inside The Salisbury Cathedral
When we entered, we took a moment to look around this massive cathedral. Every spot seemed to present something else to look at. We started with what was claimed to be the oldest clock. Originally located in the cathedral’s bell tower, it was made of hand-wrought iron. It did not have a clock face. But was designed to chime at key points through the day. Although the chimes have been removed.
I was always fascinated by the colour and artistry of stained glass windows in churches. The first stop was above the military display. It was very strange to find the modern helicopters in stained glass. The stained glass windows around the cathedral presented different stories told in colour and detail.
As we walked around, we were conscious of the fact that we were walking on medieval tombs. But not all of the bodies were buried underground. Decorative sarcophagus and tombs were found all around the cathedral. In front of Sir Thomas & Lady Gorges tomb was a modern glass art piece (“Preen” from the “Beyond” collection by Diane Maclean).
We made it up to the main altar. Smaller altars lined the side aisles. Everywhere we looked we admired the statues and art. Even the ceiling was decorated.
A stop to see the Salisbury Cathedral was a great way to start our day trip between Southampton and London.
The Magna Carta At Salisbury Cathedral
One of the key reasons many people visited the Salisbury Cathedral was to see one of the copies of the Magna Carta. We moved to a separate wing of the cathedral to see this display. Another set of beautiful stained glass windows decorated the room.
The Magna Carta was a latin document which outlined a charter of liberties between King John and his nobles after many years of heavy taxation and bad governance. It formed the basis for English common law. The actual sheet was maintained in a dark and climate controlled enclosure. But around the room there were displays that provided more information about the document.
Our final stop inside of Salisbury Cathedral was interesting on this visit to London.
The Stories About Stonehenge
It was a short drive from Salisbury to the next stop on our day trip between Southampton and London. A large parking lot sat beside the visitor centre for Stonehenge. A side road ran close by. And people who didn’t want to pay to visit stopped their cars along the road.
Archeologists have determined that Stonehenge was built in a series of stages over a 1500 year period starting around 3000BC. There were different tales about how the massive bluestones were moved to the site 240 miles from the Preseli mountains in Wales. Some talked about hundreds of years moving the giant stones with stone rollers. Some stones may have been moved partially across the water. And then there were people who believed that extraterrestrial beings created the site.
But almost everyone agreed that this site was built on the flat grass plains as a place of worship. It was posited that it may also have been a place of healing. But whatever the original purpose, it was a huge tourist draw. After we saw several different areas of standing stones on our visit to the Orkney Islands on our cruise through the Nordic Islands, we needed to see this much bigger site.
Over the years Stonehenge has been gradually degraded by natural causes and by man. Stones were removed in early days as building materials. And early visitors often took rock souvenirs. We were glad to see the efforts to protect Stonehenge.
A Stop At Stonehenge
Our tour van parked by the visitor centre. We picked up our audio guides and took the shuttle to the rocks. The has been instituted as a way to separate and control the crowds.
The stones were located in the middle of large fields of grass. Sheep grazed in the field. People walked the fields to and from the stones.
We found the stones inside a roped-off ring. This kept people back from the stones. It was meant to protect the stones. But we were happy that this allowed us to get a good perspective on the rocks as we walked slowly around the circle.
Walking Around Stonehenge
A bronze arrow on the ground marked the place on the horizon where the summer solstice sunrise appeared when viewed from the centre of the stone circle. This would certainly be a magical time to visit. At various points around the circle we saw large rocks in the grass. We could just make out the grass moat that encircled the Stonehenge stones.
As we walked around the ruins of Stonehenge, we saw the remnants of the two rings of rocks. In some places, the lintels still topped the pillars. In other spots stones had tumbled to the ground. At each stopping point, a number indicated which audio segment to listen to. There was a great amount of additional information you could select.
It was a great sunny day to see Stonehenge. But it would be fascinating to catch it early or late in the day with the sun setting it aglow.
We slowly made our way back to the visitor centre before we rejoined our group. Stonehenge was a great stop on our day trip between Southampton and London.
Walking Around Windsor Castle
The final stop on our day trip between Southampton and London was at Windsor Castle. It has been home to British Monarchs for over 1,000 years. And is the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II. As we approached, we saw the walls around the castle. And there was a statue of Queen Victoria.
We walked in the main entrance and got our first view. The Round Tower (really a D shape) flew the Union Jack flag because the Queen was not in residence. We walked in through the St George’s Gate. There was interesting detail everywhere we looked.
The castle stood above gardens in bloom. Flowers framed the towers above the Norman Gate.
When we walked to the back, we saw the Dutch Gun still aimed out over the countryside. Far off in the distance we saw a large church.
It was the perfect day to wander around Windsor Castle on a day trip between Southampton and London.
An Inside Tour Of Windsor Castle
We entered the State Apartments in the castle and walked through room after opulent room. Everywhere we looked sparkled with gilt. Many of the rooms reminded me of our visit to Catherine’s Palace in St Petersburg. We were sorry we could not take any pictures inside.
There were rooms for the Queen and King, meeting rooms, armour and royal china displays. Queen Elizabeth II is often in residence at Windsor Castle. We figured there were private residences not on the tour where the Royal Family spent their time. But some of the opulent rooms we toured were surely used for visiting dignitaries.
The gift shop had lots to buy as a Royal souvenir. There was a large collection of tea sets for sale. It reminded us of similar royal-inspired tea sets we found for sale when we had Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia.
We were happy we got a small look at life as a royal on our visit to Windsor castle on this day trip between Southampton and London. And we saw even more royal spots on our 3 day visit to London.
We Finished Up At St. George’s Chapel
On the way to the exit we saw St. George’s Chapel. It was a place of worship for the Queen and the Royal Family and a church for the local community. St George’s Chapel was known for being the home of the Order of the Garter procession held annually in June. The knights (Companions of the Order of the Garter) paraded in medieval and royal pageantry in velvet robes and plumed hats. This was also the venue chosen for the recently highly televised wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018.
When we walked inside, we learned that there were no photos allowed inside of here either. But it did not take long before we saw why this was the perfect spot for a stunning royal wedding. We understood why this chapel was considered one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England.
The inside of the chapel seemed to go on forever as we followed the roped-off path. The ceiling was stunning with its stone fan vaulting. Beautiful stained glass windows were everywhere. The West Window was believed to be the third largest stained glass window in England. On each side of the choir we saw beautifully carved stalls of the Knights and Ladies of the Garter. Above the stalls were the helmets, crests and banners of these Knights and Ladies.
The chapel also contained two burial vaults and tombs in the main chapel where the royalty have been buried since the 1400’s. We did not see the vaults on our visit. A visit to Windsor Castle on on a day trip between Southampton and London should definitely include a stop at St. George’s Chapel.
A Final View Of Windsor Castle From The Air
Windsor Castle lay right under the flight path to Heathrow Airport. And we often caught sight of planes framed by the castle.
When we flew out after our stay by Hyde Park in London, we were excited to catch a view of Windsor Castle under the airplane wings.
It was interesting to finish up our visit to London for 3 days with this last Royal view.
A Short Pub Stop
We finished our exploration around Windsor Castle with a little time to spare before we met back up with the group. The Horse & Groom Pub called to us for a little refreshment. The pub had a rich and long history, having been on that site since 1719. The upper room with a view was not open. So we settled into a traditional English pub. At the bar, David debated over which local beer to try.
But I was amazed by the wide selection of gins that were available. All the usual brands were available. But I also found a great selection of infused gins. For this first gin and tonic, I tried the Brockman’s gin. Infused with blackberry and lemon, it was a refreshing way to finish our visit to Windsor. I so enjoyed this fruit infused gin that when we reached the Intercontinental Park Lane for our 3 days in London, I made sure to explore the menu further. The Edgeton Pink with pomegranate and lemon was a decided favourite!
Suitably refreshed, we rejoined our group tour for the final leg of our day trip between Southampton and London.
A Great Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle Day Trip Between Southampton And London
On this return to London for 3 days, we enjoyed a Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle day trip between Southampton and London. Although, doing all 3 in a long day did not really give us enough time at each spot. So we might recommend spreading these out as day trips from London.
We were sorry we did not get the day trip that included a stop at the Roman ruins in Bath. But that was a great excursion for another trip to London.
Have you done a Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle day trip between Southampton and London? Or did you visit from London? What was your favourite stop?
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The photos of Salisbury Castle really blew me away! I did Stonehenge and Bath many years ago, but I can’t believe I missed out on such a gem. Definitely adding this to my list for future trips!
Lynn, I do hope you get to visit Salisbury Cathedral. There were so many fascinating things to see inside. And so much history to learn. Linda
I am a local who lives in London and I do this tour (but in my own car and be a guide for a day) when friends come over. Its a bit rushed but three amazing places which has to be on anyone’s list when they come to London. Love your photos of each place. 🙂 And I think, well, pretty dam sure I been to that bar, the Horse and Groom. Hmmmmmmmm…..Gotta think about that. If not, I will do that in a few weeks time when my friends from Belarus come over. 😀
Danik, So great to have all of these sights so close to you at home. We had a long 32 day cruise and were not sure we wanted another tour day. But we were so glad we did. I hope you get to the pub. There is a great outdoor patio too if the weather is nice. Linda
It’s been far too many years since I visited England, and your post has given me a distinct nudge in the “must see” direction. Salisbury Cathedral, in particularly, is drawing me in (love your pics), although seeing Windows and Stonehenge again would be a delight. In fact, the only time I was at Stonehenge it was quite brisk and the skies were moody enough that we moved on fairly quickly. I’d love to do a proper tour.
Patricia, We too have often missed exploring outside of London. Glad we did it on this visit. Hope you get to visit soon. Linda
How beautiful England looks in the sunshine! Of these three places, I’ve been only to Windsor Castle and really loved it. Your posts makes me wanna go back and explore also the other spots, especially Stonehenge.
BTW, now I have to get Salisbury Hill out of my head or I’ll be humming it the rest of the day 😉
Renata, We has the most amazing weather. It certainly didn’t feel like England! I am glad I had you humming for the day. Linda
I would never have imagined seeing helicopters in a stain glass window. That and a copy of the Magna Carta in the same building is a really interesting view of history. I’m glad there are efforts being made to preserve Stonehenge. I’m inspired to try the Monty Python’s Holy Grail beer! Thanks for sharing!
Stevo, We were so amazed with the variety in the windows glass at Salisbury. We were glad someone told us to look for the helicopters! We loved the variety of beer and gin we found on this trip. Linda
Loved the detail of this post Linda. Stonehenge is still on my bucket list and thank you for the detail about the place and the beautiful photos as well. How cool it must have been visiting Windsor Palace. Another place I must visit soon. While I haven’t been yet, I appreciate the virtual experience 🙂 Thanks Linda!!
Rosemary, I am glad you felt like got a virtual tour. Blogging helps us to relive our experiences too. I hope you get to visit Stonehenge. There were lots of people but it was great that the rope kept people back. So there were lots of places around the circle to get a great view. Linda
I remember visiting Salisbury and had beautiful weather too. Loved seeing your detail of the stained glass window with the helicopters! They were progressive! Never got to Windsor Castle but I’d love to see that as well. Such wonderful architecture.
Elaine, We were so happy we added this tour to our busy trip. It was great to see this variety of sites. Linda
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your day trip between Southampton and London — especially as I was just in London a few weeks ago. I did not have the time to see any of the places you did, and it’s made me realize you really can’t ever do it all. But I certainly have plenty of reason to go back someday! I’m especially intrigued with the Salibury Cathedral. I adore exploring medieval churches, and it amazes me what they were able to build so long ago without modern techniques and tools. I would have also really enjoyed seeing Windsor Castle. I did get to visit Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, though — that was also incredible.
Tami, We have been to London several times and this was our first time exploring outside of the city. So we were glad we did it too. I also am amazed at the detail in older churches. We will need to add Holyrood Palace to our list when we go back to Scotland one day. Linda
What a cool trip! First of all: how beautiful is the Salisbury Cathedral! That stained glass in the Magna Carta room is just mesmerizing. Also, loved your stop at Stonehenge. It has been forever in my bucket list!
Marlene, We saw smaller stone circles when we visited the Orkney Islands on this trip. So when we had a chance to see Stonehenge we took it. Such an amazing feat. So sad that it has deteriorated over the years. But glad they are now taking steps to preserve it. Hope you get to visit. Linda
Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle in a day? That’s freakin’ awesome! That’s a lot to cover in a day but with the right tour, I’m sure is fantastic. You’re even able to throw in a little pub stop at the end. I’ll take your advice though, I’ll spread it out on a few days and probably do each site a day each 🙂
Adonis, We were lucky there were only 6 of us in the small van. So it made moving around so much faster. It was still quite a full and rushed day. Would love to go back and explore Windsor and Windsor Castle some more. Enjoy your visits when you get them planned. Linda
What a great day tour you had visiting places between Southampton and London!
I am very impressed by Salisbury cathedral! Like many other cathedral Salisbury has beautiful stain glasses and I could sit there all day watching the color reflection of the glasses!
The next stop at Stonehenge is something I have wanted to visit for so long! I am dying to know the truth of how the huge stones got there!
All of all the visit you had on that day, I must say I would enjoy a visit at the local pub the most!?
Dada, Even after a long cruise, we were so glad we added these 3 stops on our way to London. The pub stop was a great way to catch our breath after a busy day. And love all the choices of gin. Linda
What a great review it was and it came to me at a great time, I am planning my trip to London soon while I have heard some amazing things about Southampton I still wasn’t sure if it was worth visiting but this post makes me realized that I can’t miss it. It looks like a heck of tour where there are a lot of things to explore but really less span of time. Nevertheless, I would love to visit it and Salisbury looks right like the town I wouldn’t miss for anything.
Daniel, I am glad this post showed up at a good time for you. I love when I find a blog post right when I am planning a trip. I hope you do get to enjoy some of the sights around Southampton. We were certainly glad we did. Linda
I’ve visited several castles throughout the UK, but haven’t been to Windsor castle yet. I love visiting castles, especially when they have opulent rooms inside to tour. Your photos from the airplane are great! That’s so cool that you caught a view of the castle from the plane!
Elizabeth, We were so glad we visited Windsor Castle. The interior was a great one to see if you love castle interiors. Linda
I’ll be completely honest: whenever I think of Salisbury Cathedral, I think of the case involving the 2 Russian spies! Aside from that, it’s great to read more about the town, as I know little about it. The cathedral’s actually very beautiful and it would be great to see the Magna Carta. Stonehenge is also somewhere I’ve yet to see even though we live in London! You’ve inspired me to explore more of these places in the UK and see it for myself.
Lisa, I am so glad to have inspired you to visit some of the places close to you. We often miss the great spots close to home. Linda
I haven’t yet been to any part of the UK. I am so ready to go now after seeing these sights! I am especially impressed by the majestic look of the churches, especially the Salisbury Cathedral. Such opulence and magnitude! I would also love to try those flavored gins…if I don’t pass out before all I want to try 🙂
Mirielle, We were so amazed with how many great gins we found in the London area. Good thing we did not hit the pub until we finished touring for the day! Linda
Good to know about International Friends. Good to know that they organize daytrips from London. I’m gonna check out what other destinations they have.
I have fond memories of my trip to Salisbury and Stonehenge. It was the first ever day-trip I went on after I moved to London. But just those 2 places took out entire day. We went to Windsor Castle of a different day. I’m amazed at the view of Windsor Castle from the sky. I missed that!
Bhushaveli, I am sure you were far less rushed doing your visits over two days. I definitely need to go back and spend more time at Windsor Castle. Linda
These are exactly the stops I would want to make on a visit to the London area and beyond. I love history and architecture! It made my heart beat a little faster to realize you saw the Magna Carta…WOW! So many fantastic things I’ve dreamed of seeing from across the pond. We have a U.K. trip in the near future so I’ve bookmarked this itinerary. Very helpful!
Jackie, I am so glad to hear we added some sight for your UK itinerary. We have been to London a lot but never ventured out of the city. These spots are easy day trips. Linda
I have visited Windsor Castle and the Stonehenge many many years ago. We took the train to Salisbury and then the bus to the Stonehenge but looking at your pictures of Salisbury I am sad we didn’t spend some time there. Maybe one day I can go back 🙂
Marlies, Sometime it is good to go back and have a second look. We love to return to spots to probe more deeply on certain aspects of a place. Hope you get to return. Linda
World’s oldest clock, the Salibury cathedral, tombs and the idea of learning about history, heritage and culture sounds interesting. The glass stained windows of the cathedral look amazing.
I had no idea that stonehenge was built in a series of stages over a 1500 year period. I am intrigued.
Manjulika, I am glad that this blog post provided you with some new information about this part of England. It was new to us. And we were so glad we visited. Linda