The August bank holiday weekend already feels like it was years ago rather than just a few weekends back. The Friday before the bank holiday was such a great day. First off, it was payday, which is always a great start to any Friday. The forecast for the weekend was fab and it was already sunny on Friday. My work treated us to bacon sandwiches and let us go home at 4pm! To top it all I had the whole following week off work. I was practically skipping by the end of the day.

We spent the Sunday of the bank holiday visiting Old Sarum to watch the medieval joust. For those who aren't familiar with Wiltshire, Old Sarum is the earliest settlement in Salisbury and lies about 2 miles north of the current city. The site itself has been settled since prehistoric times and the fort dates from the Iron Age. 

It was later controlled by the Romans and the Saxons where it was used as a stronghold against the Vikings. The Normans built the Motte and Bailey castle and the cathedral, the remains of which can still be seen today.

When construction began for the new (and current) cathedral in Salisbury during the 13th century Old Sarum began to decline and many of the buildings were used to provide stone for the newer buildings. 

If you have any interest in history this is well worth a visit and isn't as packed as some of Wiltshire's more popular sites (and by that I mean Stonehenge). It's really cool to walk around it and imagine what it must have been like to live there. 

My parents used to take me to visit when I was little as it's a great day out for small children, plenty of room to run around safely and history that is actually tangible enough for even little kids to understand.

Jared has never been and what better day to go then when the fort is playing host to a medieval joust? The sunshine was glorious, we packed a picnic and spent a day enjoying the sunshine.

There was plenty to watch with the falconry display and the knights displaying their skill at arms.

Finally at the end of the day there was the joust itself, which was action packed and great to watch!

If you're ever in Wiltshire and you're looking for things to do that showcase the history of the area, then Old Sarum is a must see.

We have so much history right on our doorstep here in the UK, that sometimes I think we don't make enough of an effort to get out there and actually see it. 

Plus the view from the top, overlooking the modern city is pretty cool as well.

Have you ever visited? Or do you have something awesome near your home town worth seeing? Let me know! I'm always looking for new things to see and do!

Exploring Wiltshire - Trip to Avebury

Ah Wiltshire. The glorious county that I am lucky enough to call home. After 4 long years in urban Southampton I am so relieved to be back in the countryside where I can actually breathe.
At the same time that I moved back here my boyfriend Jared also moved in with my family, which was a huge change but I have to admit I am surprised how well its going so far.

Despite being a country boy at heart Jared has grown up in the suburbs and is entirely new to Wiltshire and the many hidden delights it has to offer.

When most people think of Wiltshire's landmarks (and the UK as a whole) they often immediately think of Stonehenge. However as a local I find Stonehenge to be a tourist nightmare that I have seen so many times that it kind of makes me want to claw my eyes out.

So for Jared's first trip round Wiltshire we jumped in the car and drove the 45min to Avebury.
Less well known than Stonehenge and much larger, I've always preferred the freedom to explore at your own pace offered at Avebury.

The stone circle is not fully complete (but then neither is Stonehenge) as a lot of the stones have been pilfered to build the gorgeous old stone houses that are nearby. It is also free to visit and there are numerous walks you can do that connect Avebury to nearby attractions such as Silbury Hill and the East Kennet Long Barrow.

After merrily sailing past the car park and having to find somewhere to turn around a very kind Australian tourist gave us his all day parking ticket. The National Trust car park is free for members or £7 for a whole day. This seems steep  but contributes towards the maintenance of the site.

We wandered around the stones for an hour marvel ling at how ENORMOUS they are and how on earth anyone managed to move them in the first place.

The best thing about Avebury is that there are no tour guides, just signs that you can read at your leisure. As we went on a pretty overcast weekend at the beginning of October there was hardly anyone else there which is always pretty magical.

My parents used to take us to Avebury a lot when we were small as its a great day out for kids. There's lots of space for them to run around and let off steam and most of the other visitors were young families out for a cheap day out in the fresh air.

The village itself is actually set in the heart of the stone henge and after a chilly walk we headed to the local pub, the Red Lion for lunch. Warm and cosy with friendly staff we filled up on fish and chips and a toastie for less than £20 with drinks for both of us. The pub is considered to be the most haunted pub in Britain with an ancient well in its centre that has been converted into a table. There is said to be a female ghost that is seen entering and leaving from the well... Spooky.

It was such a lovely day out and it was really nice to revisit a place that I used to go often as a child.
If you're ever in Wiltshire and don't fancy forking out a fortune to visit Stonehenge then Avebury is well worth the trip as an alternative.