Stonehenge
W
iltshire offers a great range of quality assured accommodation with splendid hotels, starred guesthouses, friendly bed and breakfasts, self-catering cottages, camping and caravan sites. Explore lively market towns, rolling open scenery, stately homes, and magnificent gardens plus experiencing the bustling city culture of Swindon and Salisbury. There are attractions galore including iconic Stonehenge, and Avebury. Famous sites such Salisbury Cathedral, Longleat, Wiltshire’s White Horses, and the Kennet & Avon Canal combine the age of steam rail at Swindon’s STEAM museum. Whether it’s indoors or outdoors an exiting time is assured.
Bradford-on-Avon is on the Kennet & Avon Canal and for barge trips on the canal Sally Narrowboats, based in the town’s marina, is recommended. A popular pastime is walking or cycling along the canal towpath and sightseeing. There is an excellent year-round programme of arts and entertainment on offer, and enough festivals and sports and leisure opportunities to satisfy even the most active of visitors. Local attractions include the Tithe Barn at Barton Manor, and Barton Farm Country Park is within walking distance of the town centre. The Peto Garden at nearby Iford Manor should be on a visitor’s itinerary.
Melksham is on the banks of the River Avon and being just ten miles south of the M4 is a gateway to magnificent countryside and a perfect base for visiting nearby Lacock Abbey, Avebury Stones, its stately homes and gardens such as Bowood House and Chalfield Manor, or Longleat Safari Park or perhaps walking along the Kennet & Avon canal. Near the town centre Conigre Mead is a three acre nature reserve with ponds, fauna & flora, visiting birds, fish, frogs and much more.
Visitors to Bowerhill on the outskirts of Melksham will sense echoes from the past reflected in road names like Hurricane, Lancaster, Wellington, and Halifax, which conjure images of war in the skies.
Corsham and Pickwick has a curious mixture of old and new with guided history tour walks and the Corsham Court gardens and park tours. Also there are the 17C Schoolrooms and Almshouses with their original furnishings and an exhibition room. The Pound Arts Centre holds theatre productions, musical events and art exhibitions regularly. Pickwick gave its name to Moses Pickwick, an abandoned child, and was used by Charles Dickens for his Pickwick Papers.
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Chippenham is one of Wiltshire’s most dynamic market towns with a combination of the old and the new, the historic architectural gems, modern shopping centres and nearness to some of the country’s greatest houses and historic villages, makes this town midway between Bath and Swindon an ideal location for touring and access to the rest of Wiltshire and the southern Cotswolds.
Thanks to its position on the crook of the River Avon the town has a peaceful and relaxing backdrop with ample walking and cycling paths which connect to North Wiltshire Rivers route that is part of National Cycle Route 4. Swans glide along the River Avon as it winds gently through the beautiful park, which provides a peaceful oasis amid the bustling market town. Colourful street markets are held on Friday and Saturday, with a Farmers Market on the second Tuesday of each month.
Around the Market Place are the ancient Buttercross, the magnificent St Andrew’s Church, St Mary Street, and the 15C Yelde Hall that features an interactive history of the building and access to the original Council Chamber. Proximity to the M4 and fast intercity rail service to London makes the town a dynamic centre for business and gives easy travel for visitors. The town is home to an internationally acclaimed Folk Festival, an annual charity marathon, and enough other events throughout the season to keep you going back again & again. Please check with the Tourist Information Centre for dates.
Lacock village is famous for its picturesque streets, historic buildings and its Abbey. Located at the heart of the village within its own woodland grounds is a quirky country house of various architectural styles. At Lacock Abbey a full programme of events runs throughout the year, see their web site for details.
Sandy Lane has been voted the prettiest village in Wiltshire. Its rows of stone-built, thatched cottages are the finest in the county, and the local pub car park is often full with the vehicles of visitors enjoying the “olde worlde” charm of this tiny hamlet.
Castle Combe is the Wiltshire Mecca of picturesque villages. There are many wonderful buildings including the Dower House and the White Hart as well as the lovely church. This village is most famous for being portrayed as a fishing-port in the filming of Dr Doolittle, during the filming a jetty was built on the banks of By Brook to make the town into a seaport.
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