July 2024

UK and Scotland Day 5

Today’s travels take us to Salisbury for a walking tour of the city and it’s cathedral which is home to one of the original copies of the Magna Carta. Then to the outskirts of the new city to see the remains of the original city – Old Sarum. Finally, today’s highlight a special tour of Stonehenge from inside the circle at sunset.

Salisbury Sttreet Views

Salisbury Cathedral

Old Sarum

Stonehenge – Stonehenge is perhaps the world’s most famous prehistoric monument. It was built in several stages: the first monument was an early henge monument, built about 5,000 years ago, and the unique stone circle was erected in the late Neolithic period about 2500 BC. In the early Bronze Age many burial mounds were built nearby.

July 16, 2024 5

2024 UK and Scotland – Day 4

Started our day with a 6:30 am train from Waterlou Station to Christchurch in southwestern UK where we caught up with friends with whom we will be travelling with for the next two weeks. We headed to the Purbeck peninsula and the town of Worth Matravers for some coastal hiking to St. Aldhelms Head and it’s Chapel at peninsulas end (a six-mile round trip). Before heading back to our hotel, we stopped for a visit to see the ruins of Corfe Castle in the village of the same name.

St. Aldhelms Head hike

Corfe Castle and Town

July 15, 2024 4

2024 UK and Scotland – Day 3

Continuing our London visit we headed to a 10:30 tour of Kensington Palace, the Sunken Garden (dedicated to princess Diana) and Kensington Gardens. The palace is divided into two halves – public rooms including the Queen’s and King’s state apartments and the private areas of the royal family. From there we headed to the Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall and the Victoria and Albert Museum (focusing on Sculpture, Silver and Stained-glass galleries). We concluded our day visiting St. Pauls’ Cathedral (where we climbed halfway up the dome 275 steps).

Kensington Palace & Gardens

Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall and the Victoria and Albert Museum

St. Paul’s

July 14, 2024 6

Well, our first day did not happen. After spending 5 hours at MCO British Air informed us that our flight was being cancelled. We rented a car and drove back to Plantation Bay for the night – since we were rescheduled for the same flight the next day.

On day 2 we finally flew British Air (overnight) to Gatwick Airport outside of London then took the Gatwick Express and the “tubes” to our hotel at Trafalgar Square. After depositing our luggage at the hotel, we began our walking tour of London (albeit modified for our lost day). Strolling along Whitehall Street past the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, government buildings. the Parliament and Big Ben to Westminster Abby. Much of the church as we see it today was built by Henery the 3rd between 1245 and 1272. Burial in the Abbey (a privilege confined to royalty and a few of the aristocracy in the Middle Ages) became much more common after the Reformation, and the side chapels in particular – stripped of their medieval alters and furnishing – began to fill with tombs. More the 3000 people are buried or commemorated in the church or cloisters. After. the Abby we crossed the Millennium Bridge getting views up and down the River Thames. Then into the Tate Modern Museum for a rapid run through, a quick look at the Globe Theater and a long walk back to our hotel in Traflagar Square but enjoying the views in. the Embankment Gardens.