Stonehenge Inner Circle

I did this but spent the night before at an inn in Amesbury.

I think that’s what we’re going to have to do. Was it worth it to walk among the stones?

Stonehenge has been around for nearly 5,000 years.

Scientists, engineers and archeologists still haven’t agreed upon how the stones, which weigh 25 tons a piece, were erected.

Whether Stonehenge is worth seeing depends on your interest.

As far as getting there train from London to Salisbury and take a bus to it. If you’ve got the time you could stay the night before the tour in Salisbury.

Was it worth it to walk
among the stones?

I would have been disappointed if I hadn't done the inner circle. The area you're limited to if you aren't part of the inner circle is pretty far back and wouldn't have had the same effect as wandering through the stones. We had a car and were staying in Salisbury so I can't make a suggestion for you for transportation.

*I don't know what weather will be like in December, but in September the grass was wet with dew and my feet would have been soaked if I hadn't been wearing waterproof shoes. I'd highly recommend them for the early morning tour.

We did the Salisbury Stonehenge coach tour from Salisbury. “Was it worth it?” That’s alway a hard question to answer because it’s a personal choice. What’s worth it to me may not be worth it to you. We enjoyed the commentary and walking up the hill from the stream. It was a lot more dramatic than just walking around the exterior with the masses. You can’t touch the stones and there are guards that watch but you can get up really close.

I thought it was worth it, not just because we got to get close to the stones and view Stonehenge from various angles, but also because the number of visitors is limited (I think it was 30 ppl max when I did it) during the Inner Circle Access times, so it was uncrowded. I also love that kind of thing.

You'll need to decide if it's worth it for you.

We did it as an overnight stop between Southampton and Exeter (where our daughter was attending university), so it made sense for us. We hired a taxi to pick us up in Southampton and take us to Salisbury. We visited the cathedral and the Magna Carta and had lunch while our driver took our luggage to the inn in Amesbury. He came back and picked us up at an agreed-upon time and took us to the inn. He picked us up at the inn early in the morning for our Inner Circle visit, and then picked us up at Stonehenge to take us back to the inn for breakfast. Then he picked us up again to take us to the train station in Salisbury for our onward journey to Exeter.

We used a driver that was based in Amesbury, so most of this was easy for him to do. For instance, he didn't have to sit and wait for us at Stonehenge.

Was it worth it to walk among the stones?

It was not for me.
We spent 2 nights in Salisbury and took the Stonehenge Bus out from the Visitors Centre early one morning. The extra amount of trouble it would have been to arrange the taxi, etc., for the "walk among the stones" bit would not have been worth it for me.

Instead, we enjoyed two nights in a wonderful hotel in Salisbury, ate a nice breakfast very early, didn't feel rushed to get out to Stonehenge in the morning.

I am NOT discounting anyone else's experience. It worked out well for them.

For me, I was completely satisfied with my visit to Stonehenge. I felt we really got up close to the stones. Didn't walk among them, but for me, the trade-off was not having to take the taxi out and back early morning.
For some of these tours, the museum is not open at that time of the morning (daybreak) and that was an important part of the experience for me.

Suit yourself, but I would not do it as a day trip from London. I would spend 2 nights in Salisbury so you could see magnificent Salisbury Cathedral and its copy of the Magna Carta.
Salisbury is an interesting medieval town to walk around and see other buildings, walls, bridges, etc. so I feel you are really missing out doing a quick out-and-back from London.
We canceled 2 nights in London to add onto our schedule just so we could stay in Salisbury.
The hotel we stayed in was built before Henry VIII was born and that's just a sample of the interesting buildings there.

Rebecca- at what hotel did you stay in Salisbury? We have decided to spend a night in Salisbury and have a reservation at the Red Lion Inn.

We went on this tour from Bath and used Celtic Horizons to take us there and to Avesbury and to a barrows and the long walk.
It worked out great.
Not sure if this is helpful though.

Sherry, the Red Lion Inn is perfect for your stay!
It is in the center of town, which is a good location.

We stayed at the Legacy Rose and Crown on Harnham Road. It is a short walk from Salisbury Cathedral, over a medieval bridge, and beside the river, a couple of blocks from the center of town.

These are the two hotels I always recommend in Salisbury. Both are very old and have the "character" you would hope for in a medieval city. Both are very good; comfy, clean, good breakfast.
Fortunately, the beds (mattresses) in these hotels are not from the medieval period, LOL! (Unlike a hotel I stayed in, in Bath)

@Sherry - Not Rebecca, but I've eye'd the Red Lion for several years since a Salisbury walking tour took us back into the courtyard and talked a little about the history of the coaching inn! I'd resisted before because there was a B&B that I liked a lot and thought the owners were wonderful but they've retired so now I'll plan to stay there next time I go to Salisbury! I just looked at their website and I'll add that the pictures of their afternoon tea look scrumptious!

We just returned from England and had booked the Inner Circle tour for 20:00. We were really excited about the more intimate tour and seeing the sunset from this amazing spot. We also struggled with the transportation issue. I did not want to drive back to Bath in the dark, but my husband thought it wold be fine.

We ended up having a rainy day and total cloud cover. So we pivoted and drove to Salisbury after lunch to view the Cathedral and do the regular Stonehenge tour. It was easy to walk up and use our tickets for the regular tour, but there is no refund for the price difference. At about 4 pm. it was about 55 degrees and windy and the rain had let up, but my husband still thought it was pretty miserable. I can't imagine December.

Something important to know for you and future planners, the Vistor's Centre and museum are closed during the Inner Circle time slots. So there are no bathroom facilities to use or nowhere warm to duck into. There is a private bus service from the train station in Salisbury to the site, for an additional fee, but that only operates when the Visitor Centre is open. On a perfect day, this could have been incredible, but you are always dealing with the English weather.

My husband agreed that the drive home in the dark would have been a bad idea. We wish we had stayed a night in Salisbury. I don't know how your trip is structured. If you are staying in other locations nearby, it could work, but I think to come from London in December is not time well spent.