After some time in the big city London and other little towns, I also tracked down the ancient spots of England that are worth seeing. From the Hadrian‘s Wall to the Roman Baths and the prehistoric Stonehenge monument, those three were my pick for this trip.
And the best about historical monuments? Some places are just best left as they were so everybody can visit. But please don‘t make it an ‚over the top‘ tourist spot. Or is it too late for that?
Hadrian‘s Wall
The Romans built this wall over 1600 years ago to keep out the unconquered celtic people of Scotland. Today it is a World Heritage Site that is for many on a ‚to do‘ list to walk (or even cycle). After all it is almost 120km long, stretching from coast to coast in northern England. I did consider the walk originally but the weather forecast didn‘t look to good. But I had to make at least a stop.
As there are many forts, museums and milecastles to see (read more here), I decided to stop more ore les in the middle of the overall wall, at the Housesteads Roman Fort.
Once there, don‘t be fooled by the entry fee they are trying to charge you to see the ‚fort ruins‘ or the ‚wall‘. Next to the entry is a free path through the fields that leads you straight to the wall.
It was amazing to be there and touch the wall! Such a big part of history right there and then. Seeing the wall stretch along the stunning landscape was breathtaking. There was definitely no need for me to walk it all the way.
I was happy with just being there.
The Roman Baths
The second on my list, of the ancient spots in England, was the Ancient Roman Baths in the city of Bath. It is a well known historical site in England and quite exciting to visit. The Baths, that were once used for public bathing, now sit below the modern street level and it is still a well-preserved site to see.
Once inside, the actual spring and museum below can be quite dark and lacks on space for all the crowds. Personally I found there were too many people inside and it was hard to get through. Not to mention that I can get claustrophobic at times, so I just took some photos at the bath and left. But not before drinking some of the actual spring water, which was slightly too warm to enjoy. But maybe I will live longer now?
Overall, it was a pretty cool attraction for me.
Stonehenge
Being older than 4500 years the Stonehenge is definitely an interesting prehistoric spot to see. How did they built it? Why is it there? How did the people live in their Neolithic Houses? It is surely impressive and we can only imagine.
I was keen to see the ‚famous‘ Stonehenge, however, once I arrived I saw there is a £23 entry fee. For what exactly? Once again a tourist trap?
Good to know: Once I walked the official 3km way through the fields to get closer, I found a path that is free and leads you close enough to the Stonehenge to take some amazing photos. Perfect for me. And yes, I might not have touched the stones, but hey, I touched the Hadrian‘s wall. Awesome, right?
And so…
For me, those were the ancient spots of England I visited and enjoyed. Each was impressive in the historical aspect and quite meaningful to have seen it. Except all the Harry Potter sites of course! How can you miss those in the UK!
