Today we spent our day outside the city of London, in the English countryside. It was an early morning, as we boarded the bus at 7 AM, but despite this, today was probably my favorite day so far. Among our journey we explored Stonehenge, Stourhead, and Salisbury.
Our first stop was Stonehenge. After about 2 hours of driving we arrived at the site, eager to see this mysterious work of art. After seeing a couple signs along the way of Stonehenge ahead, I was very surprised when I looked up from my seat on the bus and Stonehenge was there, next to the highway, like it was no big deal.
Stonehenge
After taking the shuttle to the site of the stones, we walked around the entire site. I knew that one side looked more complete than the others, but I was surprised by how many different views there really were. I found it very interesting. Every few steps you took revealed a whole new take on the site.
This idea of new views around every corner continued at our experience at Stourhead. Stourhead was AMAZING. I love parks and nature, but Stourhead blew everything away by far. It’s interesting because every site I have seen on the trip I have learned about in class and I have expectations for them. I have learned that everything is so much better than I had ever imagined. Stourhead was one of the places, especially the grotto. In class we learned about how grottos were small, cave-like spaces often with the presence of water. The grotto was nothing like I pictured. It was so much better. It was beautifully planned out and constructed to incorporate statues, fountains, and Windows looking out over the lake.
As we walked around the lower path we saw other follies and another grotto. As we explored the grotto, we realized they were steps leading up to the temple of Apollo. With only a short amount of time left and still in need of a place to sketch, we hurried up the hill. The view from up there was beautiful. The Temple of Apollo was so much bigger than it seemed and so detailed. I sketched the temple and we hurried back to the bus, but not before taking one last look at the picturesque view of the landscape.
Picturesque view of Stourhead
The final stop on our trip was the town of Salisbury. I was excited for this stop because I knew we were going to gm see the Salisbury Cathedral, and I love cathedrals. There’s just something about the grandness and over-the-top ornamentation that appeals to me.
The village was very quaint with many shops, restaurants, and bakeries. We looked around the market that was set up today and bought a couple things. We decided to grab a quick snack at the bakery next to the market, and I got a bacon and cheese puff pastry and a chocolate eclair. The pastry was very good and the eclair was delicious!
The sky got cloudy and the wind picked up, so we headed over to the cathedral where we spent the next two hours.
The cathedral was massive. Coming around the corner from the town you can’t see it. Once you turn the corner the cathedral and its tall spire are suddenly towering above you. We walked over to the west works and entered. First, we explored the chapter house. It was an octagon shaped room with gorgeous stained glass windows. I loved this space. The chapter house is home to the Magna Carta. It was amazing to get the chance to look at this governing document first hand.
I then ventured over to the nave of the cathedral and was blown away. The nave seemed to be never ending. The arches and flying buttresses were amazing. There were so many spaces within the cathedral that it seemed every time you thought that you had gone to all the spaces possible, you would find another room you could enter. It was truly amazing. The stained glass was gorgeous, as well. Another interesting feature was the baptismal font in the nave. The pool of water poured out in four streams on the corners of the basin. The top of the water was so calm that a perfect reflection could be seen on its surface. It was incredible. One of the best parts of sitting in the cathedral sketching was the music of the organ in the background. It was a wonderful experience.
Overall, this entire day was incredible. It was full of exciting surprises and adventure. I was excited to go to these places before the trip because they are all such well-known places, but after visiting them I now truly understand why they are so important.