Bletchley Park & Stonehenge

My thoughts:

1. No. You can buy on the app for the train company as you are sitting in the station.

2. I am a read-it-all person too. It’d say 3-4 hours on site. I like to walk back from the stones via the cursus and other small sites.

You didn't ask, but we are also read every sign kind of people and we spent the whole day at Bletchley. We got there at opening, didn't stop for lunch and could have used another half hour in the museum. And, agree, you don't need train reservations.

Pam--thank you! It'll be easier to get tickets when we actually show up anyway.

Thanks for mentioning the cursus--I actually had to look that up, didn't know what it was. I thought that we take the bus from the visitor center to the stones and then back. Are there options and/or more to see?

Jules M--thanks! Yes, we've definitely planned for the whole day at Bletchley Park. No other plans at all so we can take it ALL in :-) We are huge history buffs, so want to be sure to have all the time we need. Thanks for making sure to tip me off the need for time there. Stonehenge/Bath are separate from Bletchley Park. Glad to know we can wait on train tickets! Thanks!

Interesting to see the responses here. For most Brits the answer would be to absolutely book tickets ahead of time (walk up tickets are eye wateringly expensive), and only spend 5 minutes at stonehenge.

I think we read most everything in the Stonehenge Museum, walked out to the site and rode back but you could ride both directions. They have a nice gift shop that is fairly large, as well as a cafe. The length of time at the site may vary on the weather, time of day, number of people. For example, taking photos from certain angles may require waiting for people to pass. If the weather and lighting are good, you may take more photos. We were there late in the day and had a good sunset (October), so we spent more time getting some good shots. If we'd been there on a cloudy day, or with hordes of people, we would've been finished much more quickly. My husband and I think we were a couple of hours at Stonehenge (curious to see what our daughter says on our time estimate).

What time is the first tour? I probably would have a shorter time at Stonehenge for a longer time in Bath, if all on the same day. We enjoyed Bath.

For London to Bletchley Park there are technically cheaper Advance Fares, but for that kind of journey that is just adding a complication to me, in that you are then bound to certain trains.
As well as being high tech in buying tickets on an app when already at Euston, you can buy paper tickets on the ticket machines, for the same price.

Also there is now contactless payment to Bletchley Park- no good if you have a National Railcard and/or are wanting to use the 2-4-1 offer at Bletchley Park.

If I've gone to the effort and expense of going somewhere such as Stonehenge I'm spending a lot more than 5 minutes there. If I had that little interest I wouldn't be going there in the first place.
Having said that it is surprising how much Stonehenge is a must do for overseas visitors, not for Brits. I was at Salisbury for almost a week last Autumn. Stonehenge wasn't even on my agenda, and no one I know even thought I would be going there- people could rattle off a wholly different list of other day trips (as could I)!!
I'm not saying I wouldn't go, it is just way down my Agenda for that area.
Horses for courses.

Ah, yes, Stuart reminded me. We did use the 2 for 1 for Bletchley. Worked great. You need to have "proof" of the train. I can't remember if I had something on my phone or if I had a paper ticket which you can get if you buy a ticket in person at the station. Each attraction that is included in the 2 for 1 program has slightly different requirements. Read them carefully, Remember, you have to have a train ride within 24 hours of the ticket purchase. So, it makes the attractions in London a bit tricky. Since we were in York prior to London, I used the 2 for 1 the day after we got to London, because I had the train ticket from the York to London travel. I think I must have used it for St. Paul's cathedral. You take a train to Bletchley, so you would make that requirement. It is worth looking at the website prior to your trip because for some of the attractions, you need to print out the offer.

https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/

Well, I can't find the map I am looking for so here is a google map terrain view.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/mY96EavYSZz26WwX9

So...you park in one of the lots near the VC. From the VC there is a "land train" that takes a paved lane out to the stones (or you can walk) then coming back I always walk back via the Barrows, the Tumuli and the Cursus on the other side of what is noted as Fargo's Wood. You can see the walking paths in the aerial view.

You can also download an Audio Guide to your phone before you go (so be sure you have your earbuds with you!).

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/plan-your-visit/stonehenge-audio-guides/

Oh yea, and I just found the map I was looking for in the Transcript of the Audio Guide.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/siteassets/home/visit/places-to-visit/stonehenge/plan-your-visit/stonehenge-landscape-tour---audio-guide-transcript.pdf

It's also possible to walk from Stonehenge to Woodhenge and Durrington Walls via public footpaths. You can see the paths on the google map view as you head toward Larkhill housing area, skirt around the bottom end and head to Woodhenge.

And will add regarding the amount of time Bletchley Park takes...I agree I spent most of the day there. Look at the train times ahead of time as there are some that are direct to Bletchley and some that have lots of stops and take longer so you'll want to get the train departure that is direct. IF you get there when they first open, be sure to sign up for a free tour that is given periodically. You'll still have time to go back to places you want to explore further after the tour.

And back to Stonehenge and the Neolithic landscape....I think for one thing there are just not that many Neolithic sites to see in the US so it's a real treat to see those things in a landscape. I've been to a site here in Idaho that has been dated to 9,000 or so years ago (from the soot on the rock shelter roof) BUT it's been backfilled to keep it from being damaged so you can't see it properly. There's another that I'd like to get to (Medicine Wheel in the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming from about 3200BC) but it's fairly remote and is a sacred site to the local tribes so depending on time of year is reserved for ceremonial purposes. So...I try to "fill up" on Neolithic sites when I am in Europe. I've been to many in UK and France and honestly will return again and again.

Hi! Thanks for the responses to my question.

Bletchley Park: Thanks for the reminder about the 2-for-1. I do have my paper to take and will get paper tickets from the train as well. We plan to spend the whole day there. We'll just get tickets that morning, but will plan to arrive at Bletchley at opening so we can take a guided tour. Our favorite!

Stonehenge: It seems that I'll err on the side of more than less time as that's more realistic for us. Thank you for all the extra tidbits--Pam--about walking and the sites around the stones, too. Very helpful!

Thanks again!