In this session, we’ll dive into the Bath Countryside – Avebury, Glastonbury and Wells. We’ll use our process to help us determine:
- What we are going to see?
- Where are we going to stay?
- Where/what are we going to eat?
This is Day 4 of our England/Wales/Scotland Trip. On this day, we’ll pick up our rental car and wander around the countryside outside of Bath.
Today we check out of our Bath Hotel and go pick up our rental car. After doing a little research, we decided to go with Europecar, which has a location in Bath which is walking distance (it is a bit of a walk) from the Abbey in Bath.
There are a few items that American show know about renting a car in England. First – get the smallest car you feel comfortable in. Parking is a premium in most cities and villages… I would not want to park my big SUV in most places I have visited in England/Wales and Scotland. Second – most cars are manual transmissions. You need to be careful to make sure you have rented an automatic transmission. Even if you have some experience driving a manual transmission… remember that you will be using a different hand to shift as you are sitting on the difference side of the car. There is enough to pay attention to with the different driving environment… so I’d strongly suggest you just get an automatic transmission.
What Should we see?
We turn again to my chosen Patron Saints – Rick Steves and The Lonely Planet. Today we’ll be leaving Bath by car and driving to Avebury, Glastonbury, and Wells. What are the “Must-see’s” according to our patron saints? Here is my list:
- Avebury Stone Circle
- Glastonbury Abbey
- Wells Cathedral
- Cathedral Evensong Service (if available)
The Avebury Stone Circle is much older than the nearby Stonehenge… and it is much larger. The village of Avebury is found mostly within the circle. You also get a chance to walk out and around the stones themselves… it has a different mystery than Stonehenge and while I enjoyed both my last visit – I will not miss the crowds of Stonehenge. The ruins of the Glastonbury Abbey legendarily hold the remains of King Arthur and his wife… and was also built by Joseph of Ariamathea in the 1st century. Perhaps dubious… but adds an air to the place. Wells is the smallest city in England that is not part of a larger metro area, and has the incredible Wells Cathedral and its precinct around it. The Cathedral is considered one of the finest collection of statuary in Europe. Wandering around this little walled city with my wife is one of the items I am most excited about on this adventure.
There are also other areas that are suggested if a person has an interest and time:
- Silbury Hill
- Ritual Possession Way (Avebury)
- Avebury Manor
- Glastonbury Tor
- Lake Village Museum
- Bishop’s Palace
The last list of areas or sights that are a bit more specialized or good for hunting for a little separation from the crowds or unique themes:
- Avebury Manor and Garden
- Alexander Keiller Museum
- Wookey Hole
- Vicar’s Close
I normally will use Google Maps to locate and mark the “Must See” locations. I will then cross check each location to see if they are open, their operating hours, ticket arrangements, etc. Nothing can mess up a trip faster than having a wish list place be closed on the day of your visit, or not open when you slot it into your schedule.
Where do we sleep?
The smallest (or second smallest depending on how you measure it) city of Wells has a much smaller list of accommodations available. Really only two…
- The Swan Hotel
- Badington House
The Lonely Planet folks have a soft spot for the Babington House. It is a beautiful Manor set on 18 beautiful acres of English Countryside just outside of Wells. It comes equipped with a spa (Soho Health Club). The rooms are incredible by the looks of it… and come at a pretty incredible price tag. 🙂 The Swan is a Best Western Plus property right on the main square in Wells… the rooms look delightful and its central location (and price tag) made it appealing. Parts of the building date back to 1422… now it is a modern hotel with 49 rooms and suites. It got our vote and our reservation.
Finally… Where to Eat?
As I shared in my last post, my wife and I enjoy a wide variety of styles and levels of eating. Generally, I break the food choices down into “Eating Well” and “Eating Pub”. None of the restaurants in Wells were reviewed as an “Eating Well” choice. There were two restaurants that had outstanding reviews for their quality and service that served more traditional fare…
- The George & Pilgrim Hotel
- The Fountain Inn
After a day of driving and wandering, we decided upon the Fountain Inn as our choice for dinner. We’ll find something tasty and quick where ever lunch finds us during our drive.
So there you have it… and here is how our preliminary itinerary for Day 4 looks:
- walk to Europecar and pick up our rental car around 10 AM. Drive back to the Abbey Hotel to pick up our luggage and depart.
- Travel to Avebury. Park in the car park and wander around the Avebury Stone Circle. To whet our whistle or grab a small bite, the Red Lion Pub is our target.
- Travel to Glastonbury to visit the Glastonbury Abbey and perhaps Glastonbury Tor. The village also is a nice walk to gawk at the new age stores and perhaps have our palms read. 🙂
- Travel on to our final stop – Wells. After checking in at the Swan Hotel, wander the small walled village – visiting the Wells Cathedral and hopefully take in the Evensong. The Bishop’s Palace and Vicar’s Close are in the area as well. Dinner will be on the main square at The Fountain Inn at 7:30 PM.
I hope you have found this helpful. Next Up – Prep for Day 5 & 6 – the Cotswolds and Chipping Campden.