Stonehenge, Salisbury and Avebury

Your drive out of London takes us through the London suburb of Chiswick.

Crossing over Chiswick bridge we pass through the town of Richmond Upon Thames. Fans of "Ted Lasso" the hit comedy/drama will recognise the town.

This is the home of International rugby, and the 82,000 seater stadium also hosts rock concerts and the NFL.

We drive through the Surrey heath, said to be the best in the world. This preserved piece of ancient landscape is home to rare flora and fauna. Fans of H.G. Welles will hear where the Martians landed in his classic novel, "The War of the Worlds".

We pass through Hampshire, home to Farnborough where the International Air show is held every other year. Nearby is the forest where the opening scene in the movie, "Gladiator" was filmed, the battle in the German forest.

It's market day today in the cathedral city of Salisbury, one that is 800 years old. Browse the market and sample the goods - you take some local produce home with you as there is a chiller box aboard the coach. This is a great place to buy lunch which you can take with you up to Stonehenge. Not tried a Cornish pasty yet? Now is your time. Nearby is the medieval Butter cross, Saint Thomas's church, with its impressive fifteenth century doom painting and "The Haunch of Venison" pub which holds a gruesome secret.

A photo opportunity now at Salisbury cathedral and its splendid spire - the tallest one in England.

Time to visit the cathedral. The splendid nave is said to be the best example of its type throughout the world. Inside the cathedral you'll also see the world's oldest working clock on display as well as a model of the cathedral during its construction stage. Arguably the greatest treasure of all is inside the Chapter house, where the Magna Carta is on display. This document first established the rule of law in this country and was later adopted by countries throughout the English speaking world. The Chapter house is also home to some early thirteenth century friezes depicting the vices and virtues as well as the story of the Bible from Creation through to Exodus. Look out for the fox nibbling grapes and the monkey scratching his leg.

Time for lunch now and we'll drive through a series of delightful thatched villages on the way. We pass under the flank of Old Sarum, an ancient fortress inhabited since neolithic time.

After lunch we continue your tour by the gin clear waters of the river Avon. This is a rare chalk river, one of only 160 or so throughout the world, rich in game such as trout and salmon. We'll see more thatched buildings and walls and some splendid examples of chequering: a motif popular in this part of the world. We will stop briefly to show where the Avenue started, a pre-historic ceremonial route taken by the people who built Stonehenge that leads directly into the heart of Stonehenge. En route we'll pass by a very famous singers house. Here's a clue, we hope you'll enjoy every breath you take of our tour. We cross over the river Avon past St. Melo's where a French queen is buried and past a feature which is thousands of years older than Stonehenge itself. We continue up to your next stop, Woodhenge.

We stop briefly to view Woodhenge. This is one of the earliest examples of aerial archaeology, the site only being discovered a hundred years ago. This proved to be a crucial discovery and one of the missing pieces of the Stonehenge complex. Nearby is Durrington walls, a huge enclosed area ,once the largest in the country and home to thousands of neolithic peoples.

We drive through Larkhill, home to the Royal Artillery training corps. Look out for the red flags flying: there's live artillery practice going on!

We arrive at Stonehenge. After you have been accompanied up to the Stones you will be left to discover the site at your own pace. A service bus takes you up and down to the stones from the visitor centre. We have specially curated our very own audio guide for this visit but you can download for free English Heritage's own version. You ticket includes entrance into the visitor centre where you can experience how it felt to be right in the middle of the stones as the site developed over the centuries and the seasons. On display are various artefacts discovered during excavations in the area. Outside facsimiles of huts have been re-created to give you a sense what it was like to live in those times.

Passing over Brunel's Great Western railway and the Kennet and Avon canal we come to the Saxon chapel at Alton Barnes, a rare example of its type and over a thousand years old. Nearby is the white horse of Alton Barnes, a chalk figure carved into the hillside of the Marlborough Downs

We stop on the Ridgeway path, an ancient trackway used for thousands of years and still a popular hiking route. Nearby is the sanctuary where once stood a series of concentric stones, the terminus of one of the avenues leading into Avebury,

A chance to explore an ancient burial site over 5,000 years old and one of the longest of its kind in the country, with stunning views over to Silbury Hill

A short drive away is Avebury Stone circle: the largest pre-historic stone circle in the world. The site was developed over hundreds of years and accompanied by your driver/companion you'll hear something of its history. There will be time to explore the site on your own using our very own in-house tour app. Why not browse the Henge Shop with its vast collection of semi=precious stones, dowsing road and books and maps on exotic topics such as crop circles and magic? Or you may want to discover the village and the old church, parts of which are Saxon. There is also the National Trust museum and a café nearby. Or if you want alternative liquid refreshment the thatched "Red Lion" pub is nearby, one that is supposed to be haunted.

We pass through the market town of Marlborough which boasts the widest street in England. The school nearby was attended by Katherine, the Princess of Wales. In the grounds there's an ancient mound, under which Merlin the magician is said to be buried along with King Arthur's round table.

We drive through the ancient forest of Savernake. This was once a royal forest, a vital source of fuel for locals and a source of timber for kings and queens. Within the forest there is a feature known as Wansdyke, a huge 50 kilometre earthen defensive wall built soon after the Romans had left and tantalising evidence of the existence of King Arthur.

We pass through the market town of Hungerford which claims to be the antiques capital of England. It is the last town in the country to celebrated the Hocktide ceremony, once a rather bawdy custom. We pass over the river Kennet before we join the motorway nearby that takes us back to London.

We arrive at Lockeridge Dene, and the quarry from where some of the stones at Stonehenge were sourced. Some of these stones still remain - if only they could talk!