After spending time in London and a few smaller towns, I wanted to explore some of England’s ancient places. There is so much history here. Some of it goes back thousands of years. For this trip, I chose three famous historic sites: Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman Baths, and Stonehenge.
These places show very different sides of England’s past. Roman history. Ancient settlements. Prehistoric monuments. All in one trip. And the best thing about historical monuments? Some places are best left exactly as they are. That way, everyone can visit and imagine what life once looked like. But please, don’t turn them into over-the-top tourist attractions.
Or is it already too late for that? Especially Stonehenge?
Read my other two blog posts about England here: Exploring London’s museums and streets & Exploring the villages of Surrey County and South East England
But first… let’s visit the ancient spots of England.
Hadrian‘s Wall
The Romans started building Hadrian’s Wall over 1,900 years ago. It marked the northern frontier of the Roman Empire in Britain and helped control movement across the border.
Today, Hadrian’s Wall is a World Heritage Site. For many travellers, walking or even cycling the route is high on the to-do list. After all, the wall stretches for almost 120 km across northern England.
I originally considered walking part of the route. However, the weather forecast didn’t look too promising. But I had to at least make a stop. There are plenty of Roman forts, museums, and milecastles to visit along the wall. (Read more on their website.) I decided to stop roughly in the middle, near Housesteads Roman Fort.
Once there, don’t be fooled into thinking you have to pay an entry fee just to see Hadrian’s Wall. A public walking path through the surrounding fields also leads you to sections of the wall. It was amazing to finally stand there and touch it. Such a huge part of history was right in front of me. Seeing the ancient wall stretch across the stunning landscape was breathtaking.
There was definitely no need for me to walk all 120 km. I was happy just visiting one of the top ancient spots of England.
Besides Stonehenge, of course.
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The Roman Baths
Second on my list of ancient places in England were the Roman Baths in the city of Bath. It is one of the country’s best-known historical sites and an exciting place to visit.
The baths were once used for public bathing by the Romans. Today, the ancient site sits below modern street level and remains remarkably well preserved.
Once inside, the natural spring and museum below street level can feel quite dark. There also wasn’t much space for the crowds. Personally, I found it far too busy and difficult to move around. Not to mention, I can get a little claustrophobic at times. So, I took some photos of the baths and made my way out. But not before drinking some of the actual spring water. It was slightly too warm to enjoy.
But maybe I’ll live longer now?
Overall, the Roman Baths were a pretty amazing attraction and certainly worth seeing. This is the best of the ancient spots in England. Next on the list: Stonehenge!
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Stonehenge
At more than 4,500 years old, Stonehenge is certainly an impressive prehistoric site. But how did they build it? Why is it there? And how did people live in the nearby Neolithic houses?
We can only imagine. Naturally, I was excited to finally see the famous Stonehenge. However, once I arrived, I discovered the £23 entry fee. For what exactly? Was this another tourist trap?
Luckily, I didn’t pay. Instead, I walked the official 3 km route through the fields to get closer to the monument. Along the way, I found a public path that was free to access. As a result, I got close enough to Stonehenge to enjoy the view and take some amazing photos.
Perfect for me. And yes, I might not have touched the stones. But hey, I touched Hadrian’s Wall. So, I’m happy with that!
And so…
Exploring the ancient spots of England and its historic sites gave me a completely different view of the country. From Hadrian’s Wall to the Roman Baths and prehistoric Stonehenge, there is certainly plenty of history to discover.
For me, seeing these places was enough. I didn’t need long museum visits or expensive tourist experiences. Sometimes, simply standing in front of a piece of history is the best part.
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