Great West Way® Travel Magazine | Issue 01

PROTECTED AND CELEBRATED
Some of England’s most famous and important heritage
sites are situated just off the Great West Way, and there is
none more impressive and beguiling than the entire World
Heritage Site that is home to Stonehenge – an ancient and
important prehistoric monument that continues to fascinate
visitors to this day. Historians are still pondering both how
the stones got there and why, and its mystery remains a
vital part of its appeal, which sees it attract over one million
visitors a year. It is really worth exploring the whole World
Heritage Site, and not just focusing on Stonehenge as there
as so many hidden gems to seek out and discover.
You can also marvel at the ancient origins of the standing
stones in Avebury, a Neolithic monument containing three
stone circles, including the largest megalithic stone circle
in the world, with a village built inside the stone surrounds.
In addition, don’t miss Silbury Hill – a man-made chalk
mound whose specific origins remain a mystery, and West
Kennet Long Barrow, a Neolithic tomb, situated on a
prominent chalk ridge, near Silbury Hill. The extensive and
ancient history of this entire place continues to reveal its
secrets, even in modern times, and remains one of the
most fascinating of English sites for archaeologists and
visitors alike.
Stonehenge and Avebury are both part of the same
UNESCO World Heritage Site, an honour shared by two
other sites easily accessible from the Great West Way. The
entire city of Bath is one, a striking example of beautiful
Georgian architecture, whose impressive crescents and
cobbled streets feel both ancient and timeless. The
incredible Roman Baths, the UK’s only natural hot springs,
situated in the heart of the city, soothed aching muscles
for over 2000 years and now feed the open-air rooftop
pool at Bath’s Thermae Bath Spa.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is also a World Heritage
Site, created in 1759, and boasting 330 acres of important
landscape, several striking botanical glasshouses –
including the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world -
and four Grade I listed buildings. Home to the largest and
most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the
world, it boasts 30,000 different kinds of plants, some of
which are extinct in the wild and an extensive arboretum
of 14,000 trees, many of which cannot be found anywhere
else in Britain. Its newest addition is a unique 17m-high
honeycomb structure called The Hive, which takes you
inside the world of honeybees using 900 LED lights and the
sound of 40,000 bees.
All along the Great West Way you’ll find plenty of
houses, parks, gardens and other places to visit. English
Heritage sites and buildings are designated as important
monuments to English history and are protected from
development or unapproved work, so visitors are ensured
an authentic and unspoilt journey back into the past.
Highlights nearby include Apsley House, the Duke of
Wellington’s former home; Donnington Castle, an
impressive 14th century twin-towered gatehouse; Bratton
Camp, an Iron Age hillfort complete with one of the area’s
distinctive white horses, a giant 17th century chalk carving
of a horse, a major landmark and visible from miles around;
and Harmondsworth Barn, a Grade I listed medieval
barn near London, which ranks alongside the Houses of
Parliament and Westminster Abbey for its exceptional
architectural and historic interest.
If walking in nature, exploring the roads and paths
less travelled, finding hidden gems and a host of
native wildlife is your idea of the perfect short
break, then why not plan a walking road trip down
the Great West Way over the course of several
days? There are a host of fantastic accommodation
options along the route, from bed and breakfasts in
quintessential villages and rental options in quaint
cottages, to luxury hotels in grand houses.
You can find everything you need at
GreatWestWay.co.uk/stay
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