{"id":41,"date":"2018-04-10T13:05:14","date_gmt":"2018-04-10T11:05:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/?p=41"},"modified":"2021-12-06T15:49:54","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T14:49:54","slug":"road-trip-south-west-england","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/road-trip-south-west-england\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to an Epic Road Trip Through South West England"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A few years ago I rented a car with a friend and took a really epic road trip through South West England. This was a bit different than most trips I took in England which often was just a train ride away. The combination of a road trip, seeing one of the world wonders, exploring old Roman baths, eating some of the best food of my life, and so much more just made this trip extra special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are planning a road trip through south west England to see Bath, Stonehenge, the Cotswolds, and more I have provided a map below with all of the places mentioned marked, along with the driving route. Including food and accommodation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Traveling to England?<\/strong> Check out these posts for more inspiration<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/manchester-uk\/\">Everything You Need to Know About Manchester<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/bodiam-castle-england\/\">Bodiam Castle: An Iconic Water Castle<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/seven-sisters-hike-england\/\">The Seven Sisters Hike to Beachy Head<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/1\/embed?mid=1iaWgGKuzl4okNtg8mhEjOgrEAS4\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_67_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a107949570d7\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a107949570d7\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/road-trip-south-west-england\/#i\" title=\"&nbsp;\">&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/road-trip-south-west-england\/#Day_1_Bristol\" title=\"Day 1: Bristol\">Day 1: Bristol<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/road-trip-south-west-england\/#Day_2_Wells_Glastonbury_Tor_and_Bath\" title=\"Day 2: Wells, Glastonbury Tor, and Bath\">Day 2: Wells, Glastonbury Tor, and Bath<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/road-trip-south-west-england\/#Day_3_Bath_Stonehenge_The_Cotswolds_Stratford-upon-Avon\" title=\"Day 3: Bath, Stonehenge, The Cotswolds, Stratford-upon-Avon\">Day 3: Bath, Stonehenge, The Cotswolds, Stratford-upon-Avon<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"i\"><\/span>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Day_1_Bristol\"><\/span>Day 1: Bristol<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The trip started off gray and rainy, nothing new for England, but not the most exciting way to start an adventure. We rented a car and headed down to Bristol from Manchester. By the time we arrived in Bristol, the rain had ceased and the&nbsp;day could begin!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What seems to be Bristol&#8217;s pride and joy was our first stop, the <strong>Clifton Suspension Bridge<\/strong>. An amazing feat of construction opened in 1864 and still holding strong (thank god!). If you are afraid of heights maybe don&#8217;t look down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Clifton-Suspension-Bridge_SW-England-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol, England\" class=\"wp-image-44\" title=\"Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol, England\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Clifton-Suspension-Bridge_SW-England.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Clifton-Suspension-Bridge_SW-England-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Clifton-Suspension-Bridge_SW-England-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The next stops were the <strong>Bristol Cathedral and Cabot Tower in Brandon Hill.<\/strong> The tower was surrounded by these beautiful flowers. You can enter it for free and get really beautiful views over Bristol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Brandon-Hill_bristol_sw-england-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Bristol Cathedral and Cabot Tower in Brandon Hill\" class=\"wp-image-43\" title=\"Bristol Cathedral and Cabot Tower in Brandon Hill\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Brandon-Hill_bristol_sw-england.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Brandon-Hill_bristol_sw-england-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Brandon-Hill_bristol_sw-england-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Brandon-Hill_bristol_england-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Bristol Cathedral and Cabot Tower in Brandon Hill\" class=\"wp-image-42\" title=\"Bristol Cathedral and Cabot Tower in Brandon Hill\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Brandon-Hill_bristol_england.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Brandon-Hill_bristol_england-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Brandon-Hill_bristol_england-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After some sightseeing, we went wandering around the <strong>Harbourside<\/strong> and had drinks at the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.grainbarge.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Grain Barge <\/a>owned by the Bristol Brew House and <a href=\"http:\/\/applecider.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Apple<\/a> (shout out to @nicole_santora on IG for the recommendation) and lunch at a Moroccan restaurant at <strong>St Nicholas Market<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/grainbarge_bristol-england-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"the Grain Barge owned by the Bristol Brew House\" class=\"wp-image-45\" title=\"the Grain Barge owned by the Bristol Brew House\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/grainbarge_bristol-england.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/grainbarge_bristol-england-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ended the night staying at a picturesque inn a few miles outside of the city, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dundryinn.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>The Dundry Inn<\/strong><\/a>.&nbsp;After reading the menu we knew we had to try the food. Dinner was amazing. It was one of those meals you feel like you will remember always because everything was just right. I had the beef and stilton pie with mash and cabbage. The beer was brewed by a couple down the road and only supplied to 6 locations&#8211;I was so in the moment I never took note of the name, but it was fantastic.&nbsp;I highly recommend them for your next stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/The-Dundry-Inn_bristol-england-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"The Dundry Inn Bristol England\" class=\"wp-image-46\" title=\"The Dundry Inn Bristol England\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/The-Dundry-Inn_bristol-england.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/The-Dundry-Inn_bristol-england-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Decided to go explore the nightlife, so back to the Harbourside. We had a drink at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.underthestarsbar.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Under the Stars<\/strong><\/a> a boat turned restaurant and bar. I think I can&#8217;t resist going on a boat! Stopped by a few other pubs but it seemed most places were having last-call quite early. Not sure if that is a normal thing in Bristol or just for that area we were in. It began to rain so we decided to call it a night to get a fresh start for the next big day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Day_2_Wells_Glastonbury_Tor_and_Bath\"><\/span>Day 2: Wells, Glastonbury Tor, and Bath<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Started this day off doing two small stops the first at Wells. <strong>The Wells Cathedral<\/strong> was highly recommended to me by a friend and if you have the chance&#8230; <em>you must go<\/em>. It is up there on my list as the most impressive in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/wellscathedral_wells-england-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Wells Cathedral, Wells England\" class=\"wp-image-59\" title=\"Wells Cathedral, Wells England\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/wellscathedral_wells-england.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/wellscathedral_wells-england-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/wellscathedral_wells-england-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Next to the cathedral is the <strong>Wells Bishop&#8217;s Palace, Moat, and Gardens<\/strong>.&nbsp;It is a self-guided tour and cost \u00a37.20 entrance fee for adults. It was so peaceful and beautiful and well preserved, you can walk the grounds and inside to the chapel and some rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Wells-Bishops-Palace_wells-england-3-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Wells Bishop's Palace, Wells England\" class=\"wp-image-56\" title=\"Wells Bishop's Palace, Wells England\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Wells-Bishops-Palace_wells-england-3.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Wells-Bishops-Palace_wells-england-3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Wells-Bishops-Palace_wells-england-3-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Wells-Bishops-Palace_wells-england2-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Wells Bishop's Palace, Wells England\" class=\"wp-image-57\" title=\"Wells Bishop's Palace, Wells England\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Wells-Bishops-Palace_wells-england2.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Wells-Bishops-Palace_wells-england2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Wells-Bishops-Palace_wells-england2-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Wells-Bishops-Palace_wells-england-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Wells Bishop's Palace, Wells England\" class=\"wp-image-58\" title=\"Wells Bishop's Palace, Wells England\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Wells-Bishops-Palace_wells-england.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Wells-Bishops-Palace_wells-england-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Wells-Bishops-Palace_wells-england-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After Wells, we were driving towards Bath but had an opportunity to stop in between to see the&nbsp;<strong>Glastonbury Tor<\/strong>. Free to visit and close to Wells it has breathtaking views. I really wish it wasn&#8217;t as cloudy as it was, but I should be used to this by now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BE6ImKjrCUF\/\" data-instgrm-version=\"8\"><div style=\"padding: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 62.4537037037037% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;\">\n<div style=\"background: url(data:image\/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc\/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5\/p8\/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo\/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli\/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif\/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BE6ImKjrCUF\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Helene (@wanderinghelene)<\/a> on <time style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;\" datetime=\"2016-05-02T14:32:53+00:00\">May 2, 2016 at 7:32am PDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><script async=\"\" defer=\"\" src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As it was Sunday, of course, it was time for some Sunday roast. We stopped at the <a href=\"http:\/\/whiterowfarm.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">White Row Farm<\/a> which had a store and restaurants on the grounds. I had the beef brisket roast. This was not my best roast, even in spite of being on a farm. It was decent and not bad by any means, but it did not compare to the rest of the food on this trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/whiterowfarm-sunday-roast-england-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"white row farm sunday roast england\" class=\"wp-image-53\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/whiterowfarm-sunday-roast-england.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/whiterowfarm-sunday-roast-england-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/whiterowfarm-sunday-roast-england-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bath<\/strong> was our final stop. I have been looking forward to Bath for about a year now. It has always been one of those places I felt drawn to and just wanted to experience. It was worth the wait. Such a beautiful and charming city. It had that old European feel to it that I have been missing in Manchester. Tiny cobblestone streets, little shops in every corner, old and new everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/bath-england-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"bath england\" class=\"wp-image-52\" title=\"bath england\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/bath-england.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/bath-england-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/bath-england-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>At the <strong>Roman Baths<\/strong>, some of the pools are still functioning with the same water as the Romans used! You can see the hottest pool that the water is literally bubbling from the heat. Thought to have been sacred water this bathhouse was very important during Roman times. Not only was it a social, leisure, and business meeting place, but also spiritual for healing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the tour, we were offered an opportunity to try the water that is still flowing through the pipes. What sounds like a rare experience quickly turns into everyone spitting out the water and trying to remove the taste from their mouths, haha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/roman-baths-bath-england-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Roman Bath England\" class=\"wp-image-51\" title=\"Roman Bath England\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/roman-baths-bath-england.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/roman-baths-bath-england-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/roman-baths-bath-england-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>One of my favorite items displayed on the tour is remains of hand-carved curse notes to the gods. They were added to the United Kingdom Memory of the World Register. Dated 2nd to 4th century AD they were messages to Sulis Minerva to get revenge when they were wronged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/roman-baths-museum-bath-england-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"roman baths museum bath england\" class=\"wp-image-50\" title=\"Roman Bath England\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/roman-baths-museum-bath-england.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/roman-baths-museum-bath-england-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After the Baths we wandered around to see the great Gregorian architecture Bath has to offer, such as the <strong>Pulteney Bridge, the Royal Crescent, and the Circus<\/strong>. This is such a drastic difference from the more industrial style of Manchester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Pulteney-Bridge-bath-england-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Pulteney Bridge bath england\" class=\"wp-image-49\" title=\"Pulteney Bridge bath england\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Pulteney-Bridge-bath-england.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Pulteney-Bridge-bath-england-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Pulteney-Bridge-bath-england-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"582\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/the-Royal-Crescent-bath-england-1024x582.jpg\" alt=\"the Royal Crescent bath england\" class=\"wp-image-48\" title=\"Pulteney Bridge bath england\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/the-Royal-Crescent-bath-england.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/the-Royal-Crescent-bath-england-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/the-Royal-Crescent-bath-england-768x437.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We stayed at another inn in the countryside &#8211; the best way to experience an English road trip. They were not serving dinner so we headed to an inn down the road who were. An incredible meal of barley and pea risotto with goat cheese that just melted in your mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/food-bath-england-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"food bath england\" class=\"wp-image-47\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/food-bath-england.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/food-bath-england-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Day_3_Bath_Stonehenge_The_Cotswolds_Stratford-upon-Avon\"><\/span>Day 3: Bath, Stonehenge, The Cotswolds, Stratford-upon-Avon<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The final day we headed back to Bath because we wanted to go to the tower tour of the <strong>Bath Abbey<\/strong> and it wasn&#8217;t running on Sundays. It was an hour-long tour through the tower and top of the church, the bell room, and even behind the clock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/bath-cathedral-england-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Bath Abbey Bath England\" class=\"wp-image-63\" title=\"Bath Abbey Bath England\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/bath-cathedral-england.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/bath-cathedral-england-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Wandering around some of the streets since it was a lot quieter and fewer people than Sunday. Looking through the windows of various shops, wandering down tiny streets is definitely one of my favorite pastimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next stop was <strong>Stonehenge<\/strong>, a spot on many&#8217;s bucket list this, this world wonder is a just something you have to see once. It has been on and off gray and cloudy throughout the trip until we arrived here. So we got the most beautiful weather to see this spectacular moment in human history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are traveling through this part of England, it doesn&#8217;t take much to stop and see. The whole thing if you take the buses from the ticket office to the site takes no more than about 1.5 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/stonehenge-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Stonehenge, England\" class=\"wp-image-62\" title=\"Stonehenge, England\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/stonehenge.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/stonehenge-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/stonehenge-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/stonehenge2-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Stonehenge, England\" class=\"wp-image-61\" title=\"Stonehenge, England\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/stonehenge2.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/stonehenge2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/stonehenge2-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For me, the most amazing part of this experience was imagining that Stonehenge wasn&#8217;t the only site and not the biggest. This was part of something so much bigger, and something we don&#8217;t know much about. Maybe it is the anthropologist in me, but that is so fascinating and I always love to try to place myself back in time when on archaeological sites. They become so much more real and awe-inspiring. Humans are pretty cool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, as a tourist, this is actually one of my least favorite &#8220;tourist traps&#8221;. I had a chance to go back two more times after this visit and declined both. Talking with other travelers a lot of them agree, but it seems like one of those things you just have to try if you want to. But I would argue it is overpriced, and because it has such a high volume of visitors the audioguide is a bit simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since we had to drive home we figured why not take an alternate route and drive through <strong>The Cotswolds<\/strong>. Beautiful&nbsp;small towns built using Cotswold stone. We stopped at Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower Slaughter, and Stow-on-the-Wold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We added a last minute stop at <strong>Stratford-upon-Avon<\/strong>, most famous as the birthplace of William Shakespeare. Most places were closed by the time we got into the town, but we still got to the see the outside of the house Shakespeare was born in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Stratford-upon-Avon-shakespeare-birthplace-england-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Stratford-upon-Avon shakespeare birthplace england\" class=\"wp-image-60\" title=\"Stratford-upon-Avon shakespeare birthplace england\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Stratford-upon-Avon-shakespeare-birthplace-england.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Stratford-upon-Avon-shakespeare-birthplace-england-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Stratford-upon-Avon-shakespeare-birthplace-england-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Wandering around the streets a bit to the canal and got some dinner at The Lazy Cow [now closed]. I must commend them for their awesome buffalo chicken sandwich. As an American desperately missing quality buffalo chicken anything, this was the cherry on top of the whole trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks, England for having these hidden gems! This is a trip I will be talking about and recommending to people for years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Save this article for later!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-pin-title=\"Southwest England Road Trip Itinerary\" data-pin-description=\"The most epic road trip itinerary for exploring the southwest England. See Stonehenge, Bath, the Cotswolds, Glastonbury Tor, and much more. Stay in traditional inns, eat local foods, and get outside of the cities to truly appreciate the English countryside. south west england | things to do England | road trip England #uk #travel \" src=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/southwest-england-roadtrip.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4059\" width=\"368\" height=\"551\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/southwest-england-roadtrip.png 735w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/southwest-england-roadtrip-300x450.png 300w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/southwest-england-roadtrip-370x555.png 370w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/southwest-england-roadtrip-185x277.png 185w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/southwest-england-roadtrip-20x30.png 20w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/southwest-england-roadtrip-400x600.png 400w, https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/southwest-england-roadtrip-32x48.png 32w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 368px) 100vw, 368px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A few years ago I rented a car with a friend and took a really epic road trip through South West England. This was a bit different than most trips I took in England which often was just a train ride away. The combination of a road trip, seeing one of the world wonders, exploring &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/road-trip-south-west-england\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Guide to an Epic Road Trip Through South West England<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":62,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,14],"tags":[116,15],"class_list":["post-41","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","category-england","tag-city-exploration","tag-road-trip"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6533,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41\/revisions\/6533"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wanderinghelene.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}