Self-guided tour to Avebury, Stonehenge?

Not crazy at all. Also not sure what real advantage a tour group gives other than leaving the driving to someone else. At Stonehenge you get to walk around the perimiter and see the stones. What more really is there to say or do? At Avebury, you get to wander through sheep fields and the town to see the stones. I almost prefer Avebury because it is more picturesque and personal, though Stonehenge is more dramatic. If in London, I'd rent a car from the airport to avoid city driving and you could easily do both in a day and return the car. It's not that hard to drive there, though bring or rent a good GPS system as getting lost is easy and roads can be confusing. I won't get the bonus points for having children but I'd think being on your own would be better with a 19 month old. PS - Stonehenge is remote and has few services. Avebury has a town and some restaurants so plan lunch there.

In 2008 my group of 4 hired the tour services of Alan Price of Celtic Horizons (recommended by RS), and Alan is terrific. He picked us up at the train station and at the end of a long day of Stonehenge, Avebury, Salisbury Cathedral and sights in-between that we didn't know about, brought us back to the train station for the last train back to London. He is very knowledgeable about the historic sights and being in his private mini-van gave us a lot of flexibility (which might be handy with a small child), including getting out for walks. It was the best day of our whole trip.

Yes, it's very doable. Crazy, not at all. I would strongly suggest going outside of London to pick up your car. You could take the train from Paddington Station in London to Slough or Reading to pick up a car. Driving in the UK is so easy and fun. The first time we went which was many years ago our youngest daughter was 5.

I think what I'd do is pick up the car as close to where you're staying as possible since driving out isn't that hard. It would save a good bit of time. Head west on big roads until you bump into the M25 and circle to the M3/M4 depending on which end you want to start (Avebury or Stonehenge). Hitting the target coming back in might be a bit tricky. Your call, depending on where you're staying. If you have to drop it, probably drop it at Slough or maybe even as far out as Reading. In regard to humping the kid: I can almost picture strollers at Stonehenge, but the walk from the far end of the car park to the entrance is close to the distance of the walk under the road and around the circle. It isn't too bad. At Woodhenge, you park right there and it's usually deserted anyway. At the West Kennet Long Barrow, parking is along the road a wee bit less than a half-mile away along a good path. Silbury Hill is mostly a slow-down-and-look. At Avebury, there's a small parking lot west of the Red Lion and within the circle. The larger lot is almost a half mile away, but use the paths instead of the road to cut the hike a bit. Don't use the Red Lion parking lot, the guy gets grumpy during crowded season, even if you eat his grub and drink his beer.

Very do-able by rental car. You dont need to be part of a tour. That way you get to spend as much time absorbing them as you want. Done it both ways. Avebury is great, just as you get to the ring there is a car park. You can climb the banks and manhandle the stones. Stonhenge is better than it was , you now get a good feel for it (although not as good as when you could walk among them). Rental car also has the advatntage you are close to Old Sarum and Salisbury cathedral which are both great experiences All these places are at least as good on your own as with a tour group. Stonehenge you will probably need a strollee, the walk is a bit long, and you want to be able to spend time

First - thank you for being a parent who worries that their toddler might disrupt others! Do you know how rare you are? Much appreciated! Second - I would never go with a group! Driving a car is an ideal solution. You can go at your own pace, and if your daughter gets antsy, you can abort whatever plans and just spread out a picnic somewhere and enjoy the scenery. You can also see the sights without having to deal with the reactions of a lot of other travelers. I, too, have a VERY strong feeling for standing stones, sarcens, ley lines, and whatnot, and was very pleased to be able to have my own private reactions when visiting Stonehenge. It was a very intense experience. Driving: my husband had never driven in the UK before we impuslively rented a car in London (yes, central London) and drove to Oxford! He was a little shaky on his first roundabout, and then it was clear sailing for the rest of the way. He reports you willl be surprised at how easy it is to pick up driving on the "wrong side" of the road. A tip - spend a little more to get an automatic if that is what you are used to. We rented a manual, but my husband already drives a manual, so it wasn't an issue. If you are used to an automatic, we recommend NOT trying to learn both "opposite side" and shifting gears at the same time! Have fun!

We rented a car at Heathrow and drove there. It was a great way to do it - very easy and enjoyable.

Winchester and the Cathedral are very interesting - large cathedral, interesting comparison to Salisbury (although I prefer Salisbury with its adjacent cloisters, close etc). Winchester is a comfortable train ride from London. Basically a full day activity (including the Round table)

WOW, what a great response!! Thank you so much, everyone, for taking the time to give me some great tips and advice. I really appreciate it and will be taking it all to heart! I feel much less anxious about the whole thing, particularly driving in the UK. If it is at all possible I am now even more excited for this trip. :)
So, thank you!!

We too are fascinated by the ancient stones and have visited that area several times, including a private access 7A.M. visit the last time. If you are over-nighting in that area, consider adding Winchester to your trip. It's about 20 miles from Salisbury on the way back to London and it is fascinating to compare Winchester Cathedral with Salisbury Cathedral.......... Winchester Cathedral has the tombs of many of the early Saxon kings. It's also pleasant to walk along the river there............. You might consider picking up your rental car at Heathrow, heading directly to Winchester (l hour), then on to Salisbury. Overnight there, go to Stonehenge next morning to be there when it opens, on to Avebury, then head back to the airport to return your car. You can take the tube directly from Heathrow to Kings Cross station. While the tube can be crowded, the two of you could probably manage it with a stroller and one overnight case........Consider reading Sarum by Edmund Rutherford if you haven't already done so..