Stonehenge Travel Forum

Hi, anyone use Astral Travel before? Any opinion?

I read earlier post on Averbury vs Stonehenge. I am indecisive now.

But I pretty much want to see Stonehenge as well - the above is the nicest combination of places I can find for a tour (budget) from London.

Anyone can advise whether to cover the above 3 places in a day would be worthwhile? I don't think we are considering the option to drive as there are only 3 of us and we are rushing for time.

Can you post a link to the specific tour? Astral seem to have a good reputation, but I can't find the combination you mention anywhere on their site. It would be rather a rushed day if it does exist, imo; tours are usually Windsor and somewhere else nearby, or Stonehenge/Bath.

http://www.londontoolkit.com/tours/astral_stones_bones.htm

This one does Avebury and Stonehenge as well as other good stuff..........

Hi Leics

Thank you very much for your reply!

This is the link for the tour I mentioned:

http://www.astraltravels.co.uk/uk-london-tours/uk_day_tours.htm
Please see History and Mystery tour.

O....but it goes to Lacock, Bath and Stonehenge (you'll only see a tiny bit of the Cotswolds btw).....not Windsor, which is why I was confused. Yes, it's a good tour (pretty standard tourist route, though a smaller coach will be nicer than a larger I think). Bath is lovely but very popular; it all depends on whether you want to focus on more of the less-touristy prehistory or the main tourist places.

You could always do Windsor by train from London, if you want. It's an easy trip.

Over the years I've done many tours with Astral Travel, including the Stones and Bones and the History and Mystery Tour.Some tours I did more than once, when I had come back with some family members. I've always found Astral travel reliable. Only once, in February after some snow, a tour I had booked for the Cotswolds couldn't go there because of the road conditions. I was told this the evening before and given the opprtunity to cancel and get my money back. I went on the tour and the driver and tour guide did their best to give us our money's worth.
Of the two tours the Stones and Bones is the better one in my opinion.

The tours are expensive, but I felt they're worth it.

Thanks leics and christine for all the feedback

Sorry, the tour I was referring to is RRR (as below). Not History and Mystery - I seem to have mistaken it. This is from Astral Travel as well.

» Romans, Royals and Ruins» Full Day tour
This tour visits Bath, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle. All entrance fees are included.
Discover the secrets of Stonehenge and hear about the many myths, legends and mysteries associated with this awe inspiring ancient monument.
A scenic country drive along the 'back roads' takes us to Bath, famous for its elegant Georgian architecture, beautiful crescents, terraces and squares. Our panoramic tour will give you a comprehensive introduction to the highlights of this World Heritage city and its long history dating back to Celtic times.

Visit the Roman Baths and Museum - feel the heat of millions of gallons of naturally hot water that bubble up here every day, see the temple of Minerva goddess of the thermal spring and visit the bath house where people bathed nearly 2000 years ago. There is also time for your own exploration, shopping, lunch and gargoyle spotting !

As we head back towards London we finish the day with a visit to Windsor castle. Home to the Royal Family for over 900 years from William the Conqueror to Queen Elizabeth II, the castle provides a fascinating insight into the history and life of the royals. See the lavishly decorated State Apartments still used today for State occasions and royal receptions, St Georges Chapel, the burial place of monarchs through the ages and Queen Mary’s Dolls House.

We also drive through Runnymede where King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215 and see the John F Kennedy Memorial.

That's a tour I haven't done. It depends on what you want to see and how much time you have. You can go to Windsor and Bath on your own from London without any problem,Stonehenge is more difficult and Avebury even more so. (I think Avebury is the better of the two, by the way.)
Just generally, if you don't have enough time to go on your own, these tours are a great way of combining several places.Just be careful when you plan anything in the evening after the tour, like a theatre show. I've been stuck in traffic on the way back to London and the people with theatre tickets were getting really nervous.

Aha....that explains it. It'll be a bit of a whizzy day; suspect you will only get out of the coach at Bath baths (as it were), but if you are up for it then why not? I'd still tend to do Windsor separately and take the 'stones & bones' instead but it's up to you (obviously).

Christine's advice is good, btw; you'll be tired afterwards anyway, so best not to book tickets for that night.

Leics and Christine

Thank you very much for your feedbacks. I have also written in to Astral Travel on the estimate of time spent on the location.

SB=Stones and Bones, HM=History and Mystery, RRR=Roman Royals and Ruins

SB - approx 1 hr 45 mins Salis, 25 mins Old Sarum, lunch 45 mins, Stonehenge 50 mins - 1 hr, Avebury 1 hour.

HM - 45 mins Lacock 2.5 hours Bath 50 mins - 1 hr Stonehenge

RRR - 45 mins Stonehenge 1 hour 30 at Bath 1 hour 45 at Windsor.


I have considered all the options, finally I have chosen RRR - guess it is a trade off with covering places with the limited time I have.

Well, they have offered me GBP 44 per pax (exclude entrance) as I am getting my own Great British Heritage Pass - original tour price is GBP 75.

So I guess it is pretty fine right.

Thanks for all the replies, because they have made me considered the options well....

As I suspected it'll be whizzy, but you'll get to see a fair amount of countryside from the coach. And you've got a good deal in having the fees removed. Fingers crossed for no traffic jams/roadworks!

Enjoy your visit!