44404LON
Roman Baths Museum visit
Bath free time & lunch
Stonehenge visit
Salisbury dinner
- ALWAYS CHECK VOUCHER FOR BOOKING TIME AT STONEHENGE. TIMINGS STATED HERE ACT ONLY AS A GUIDE.
- All entrances are paid by voucher
- All timings based upon hotel located in west of London. To the east such as the Tower Hotel contact office for an earlier departure time.
- Confirm visits in advance & ask about special events, closed areas of sites.
- There are restrictions on coach access to certain parts of the Bath. Please Note that Private Hire coaches are not allowed to use Pulteney Bridge. Coming from London follow the Pulteney Road (A36) South and use North Parade (Good view of Pulteney Bridge rhs) to get into the city centre. Discuss with your driver the route you’d like to take.
- Parking for Bath is located outside THE ABBEY HOTEL, North Parade, BA1 1LF. Or on nearby Terrace Walk.
- From here, it’s a short walk to the Abbey and the Roman Baths. (The original parking spot is now for taxis only).
- No chewing gum allowed in Roman Baths Museum
- Certain Salisbury restaurants require 24-hour pre-order.
opening times, entrances, tel numbers are listed on the yellow pages.
8:00 Depart London for Bath on the M4 and A46 Junction 18. Short rest-stop at Leigh Delamere or Membury Services.
10:30 – 11:00 Arrive Bath and conduct Sightseeing Tour by coach.
Bath
Sightseeing Tour
Do your panoramic of the city first, doing your best to cover as many of the sites below, traffic and restrictions allowing:
Pulteney Bridge
The Abbey
The Assembly Rooms
The Circus
View of Royal Crescent (from Royal Avenue across Victoria Park)
Queen Square
Roman Baths Museum
Drop group in lay by on North Parade/Terrace Walk. This will be your meeting point. Impress on group that they must be on time as coaches are not able to wait. Walk them past Abbey to the museum. Entrance is now strictly by booked timeslot. Different timed lanes outside the entrance. You alert museum staff and pay the entrance by voucher. Individual tickets to be handed out, group then receives a brief welcome chat from a member of staff, and barcodes on tickets are scanned before collecting audio wands. Teachers will be asked to wear a hi-vis Jacket to identify them as responsible for an educational group.
Facilities in the Museum Buildings
Audio handsets distributed by staff – these are interesting, easy to use, not essential, but worth using.
The Pump Rooms – taste the spa water, small charge and sample the delicious cakes (esp. the famous Bath Bun) and tea in this elegant café. There is often a chamber ensemble playing.
Toilets – gents to the left of main entrance and down stairs and ladies to the right. Inform steward on your way in. The next toilets are a while away.
Ensure group is aware that once they have left the museum, they are unable to re-enter. And that they exit onto Stall Street on the opposite side of the complex. They then have free time in the city for lunch/shopping etc.
Facilities/places of interest in city
Bureau de change –Marks and Spencer (Stall Street) is left at the arcade. Post Office 6, Union Street.
Cash-points – bottom of High St. (across from the Abbey), Union St and on Bath Street, opposite Roman Baths shop exit.
BATH Abbey – worth looking inside, small fee, fab vaulted ceiling.
Sally Lunn’s – One of Bath’s oldest buildings, home to the Sally Lunn Bun.
Assembly Rooms/Museum of Costume – Museum and Ambience.
Shopping – offers a good mix of high street, gift and souvenir shops.
Note : Pulteney Bridge no longer open to coaches use North Parade
13:30 Depart Bath for Stonehenge. Take A36 to Knook, then B390 via Shrewton and A360 (Timing assuming a 14.30 booking at Stonehenge, check voucher, and amend timings accordingly).
En route to Stonehenge
On A36 out of Bath, you’ll see examples of a Wiltshire White Horse on the left (approx. 20 miles). Where the B390 joins the A390, you drive through the picturesque village of Shrewton. There’s an old village gaol – a small, circular, stone structure on your right.
14:30 Arrive Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Booking times must be adhered to. You have a half hour window either side of your slot. If you know you are going to be vastly outside that time, telephone: 0370 333 1181. then you need to phone ahead. Groups who do not follow this have been turned away.
Two hours are now being allocated to this visit.
If the weather is inclement, you can shorten the time. However, remember that whatever the weather the group will have to wait for the mini coach and have the journey there and back which is 10 minutes each way. 90 minutes is probably the minimum that you could operate this visit.
There are no longer on-site audio guides. On the maps there is a QR code to download commentary to phones. But mobile data or wi-fi required. Groups don’t go via the visitor centre, which does have wi-fi, prior to boarding the shuttle bus. The night before encourage passengers to go to App Store (Apple/Google Play) to download audio guide.
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/plan-your-visit/stonehenge-audio-guides
Approaching the site.
From the west – Route remains the same. Visitor Centre is 1 ½ miles prior to the stones on A306 at Airman’s Cross. Follow signs for coach parking.
From the east – A344 is now closed. Continue along A303 at Longbarrow Roundabout turn right follow A360 and turn right into Visitor centre. Follow signs for coach parking.
Group Admission: At Stonehengethere is a Groups Welcome Centre, with toilet facilities at the Coach Park. There are no facilities at the Stones. There is also a dedicated Groups shuttle service directly ahead from Welcome Centre. Tour Manager to hand in voucher and collect tickets/wrist bands. Wrist bands are to be retained by passengers as they may be requested for use on the shuttle service to the stones and entrance to the exhibition.
The Visit: Groups visit the Stones first before returning to the Exhibition, Café and Shop. Once at the Stones the group can return to the Visitor Centre on an individual basis. Younger students (13-14) may be required to remain in teacher led groups.
Return shuttle journey – Group will be dropped at the main visitor centre. (See details below.). Warn that queues for bus can be long so allow plenty of time. The walk takes 30 minutes.
Visitor Centre
The main centre consists of two buildings. One houses new exhibition galleries and toilets, the other the shop and the restaurant. Between the two buildings is a large covered orientation space. This will probably be good place for the group to a re-assemble at end of the visit and then walk the entire group back to the coach park.
16.30 Depart Stonehenge
17:00 Arrive Salisbury
Salisbury
- Salisbury Cathedral is not featured on this itinerary.
- You may wish to allow group time to view the Cathedral Close before heading to dinner.
Take A345 south to Salisbury. You drive close to Old Sarum on your right. Excellent views. Coach sets down and picks up in St John’s Street at side of the Cathedral close.
Dinner is now booked in several different establishments in Salisbury. Be aware of the location. If you choose not to visit the Cathedral Close you may wish to drop off around the Market square instead of St John’s Street to get to your restaurant.
Walk group through St Anne’s Gate into Cathedral Close. Houses around the close have association with Handel, William Golding as well as views of the magnificent Cathedral.
Depart Salisbury after dinner. Approximate journey time to London is 2 hours via A30, A343, A303 and M3. Possible toilet stop if traffic is heavy at Fleet Services.
