2014 - OCEAN PRINCESS - STONEHENGE etc. WITH MAD MAX TOURS

IT'S THE NEXT DAY NOW, & I HAVE A MAD MAX TOUR TO STONEHENGE, A COUPLE OF COUNTRY VILLAGES & THE STONES AT AVEBURY.

I HAD NOT BOOKED FOR STONEHENGE BUT HAD A CALL WAITING AT THE HOTEL TO SAY THAT SOMEONE HAD BECOME ILL SO THEY HAD SUBSTITUTED THIS LONGER TOUR THAT INCLUDED IT. AND THEY GAVE ME A DISCOUNT AGAINST THE OLD PRICE.

MUST BE WHY THEY ARE CALLED MAD MAX.

FIRST UP IS STONEHENGE ...... OR A BUNCH OF OLD STONES AS MY MOM CALLED THEM ....

MAD MAX GOT US HERE AS THE SECOND BUS INTO THE CAR PARK & THEN HAD US BI-PASS THE SHOP & HEAD STRAIGHT TO THE SITE.

SMART THINKING .... NO CROWDS...

JUST A FEW PEOPLE AS WE WERE LEAVING ...

SOME OLD ENGLISH HOUSES & POPPIES ALL OVER THE PLACE ...

THIS GIRL IS MAKING FIRE ....

NOW WE GET SOME SHOP TIME. HOW ON EARTH ARE THEY GOING TO GET THAT THROUGH CUTOMS?

& THAT'S IT FOR STONEHENGE ... MAD MAX GAVE US PLENTY OF TIME HERE. NO RUSH, NO PANIC...

LOTS OF ARMY IN THIS AREA SO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR TANKS ..

ONE OF THE FAMOUS WHITE HORSES WHICH I ALWAYS ASSUMED WERE MADE BY CUTTING TURF AND REVEALING THE CHALK UNDERNEATH. NOT TRUE FOR THIS ONE. THE ARMY DROP LOTS OF CHALK ON THE HILL & CHILDREN TREAD IT INTO SHAPE ... APPARENTLY!

A BROWN HORSE ..

& A WHITE HORSE WITH A CHALK ONE ON THE HILL ...

WE MADE A SIDE TRIP THROUGH THIS TINY VILLAGE ... THAT'S A SARCEN STONE ON THE LAWN

AND YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO JUST MAKE OUT THE FIGHTING RABBITS ON THE THATCHED ROOF ... IT'S THE THATCHERS TRADE MARK

AND THE VILAGE HAS THIS PUB ALTHOUGH I DID NOT SPOT THE ACTUAL PUB

COMING UP TO THE STONES AT AVEBURY

WHERE, UNLIKE STONEHENGE, YOU CAN REACH OUT & TOUCH THE STONES.

AND WALK ABOUT AMONG THEM, TREADING CAREFULLY TO AVOID BEING IN DEEP DO DO.

THIS GROUP WERE SITTING IN A CIRCLE, HOLDING HANDS - COMMUNING WITH SOMEONE OR OTHER .....

THE STONES LIE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE QUAINT VILLAGE ....

SOMEONE DID A LOUSY JOB OF SHEARING THE SHEEP ....

PERHAPS THEY HAD SPENT A FEW HOURS IN HERE ....

WE ASKED A COUPLE OF GUYS WHY THEY THOUGHT THE TREES WERE DECORATED - SUMMER SOLSTICE WAS THEIR GUESS..

ANOTHER SARCEN STONE ACTING AS A FENCE POST .. NOTE THE BARN IS THATCHED ....

A FLEETING GLIMPSE OF A WHITE HORSE ..

BEFORE GETTING TO LAYCOCK VILLAGE ...

AND IT'S ABBEY ... WHERE SOME OF HARRY POTTER WAS FILMED ....

THE GUIDE TOLD US A STORY ABOUT A WINDOW IN THIS BUILDING BEING THE FIRST SUBJECT FOR ANY PHOTOGRAPH EVER TAKEN. OR SOME SUCH.

AND THIS MAY BE THE WINDOW - OR NOT ...

INSIDE THE ABBEY ...

BACK TO LAYCOCK VILLAGE FOR A STROLL AROUND & A SAUSAGE ROLL.....

A VERY PRETTY LITTLE VILLAGE ....

& A HALF OF CIDER IN THE PUB. ANOTHER RED LION - THEY ARE POPULAR AROUND HERE...

GOOD JOB IT WAS ONLY A HALF - IT WAS VERY STRONG .

THEN IT'S BACK ON THE VAN FOR OUR LAST STOP AT ANOTHER LITTLE VILLAGE CALLED CASTLE COOMBE .....

JUST TIME FOR A QUICK STROLL ROUND TOWN .....

NOT MANY PEOPLE HERE EITHER - ANOTHER GOOD JOB ON THE PART OF MAD MAX

E R - NO LONGER IN USE - IS THAT PROPHETIC?

& ANOTHER GLASS OF CIDER OUTSIDE THE LOCAL. QUITE GETTING TO LIKE THESE. VERY REFRESHING. THIS ONE WAS MANGO CIDER.

SITTING HERE I SPOKE TO A COUPLE OF GIRLS WHO HAD MANAGED TO GET HERE FROM BRUSSELS TODAY. AMAZING - CAME VIA BRISTOL AIRPORT. NOT SOMETHING I HAVE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE.

THIS IS THE VIEW FROM INSIDE THE PUB ....

AND BACK TO BATH.

50 POUNDS WELL SPENT FOR THAT DAY OUT WITH MAD MAX TOURS