Salisbury...

Superbly situated in southern England's rural heartland, few destinations can match the amazing diversity of Salisbury and Stonehenge - with a history dating back over 5,000 years there is no shortage of places to visit, all conveniently located within an hour or so's drive of each other.

On the 'must see' list are the World Heritage site of Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, Longleat and Stourhead gardens. But we also have a wide range of less well known but equally lovely stately homes, beautiful gardens, lively farm parks and award-winning museums you definitely won't want to miss.

Salisbury has plenty of characterful places to stay - some dating back to the 13th century - and a wide range of pubs, restaurants and tea rooms. A choice of arts and culture venues complement individual shops and regular street markets, and outside the city you will find charming country towns and villages with plenty of opportunities for great walking and cycling.

To cap it all, Salisbury is easily accessible with good road and rail links, making it the perfect choice for a great day out , a relaxing city break, or a refreshing countryside holiday.

The New Forest and the Coastline

A 30 minute drive from Salisbury is the Jurassic Coastline starting at Poole with all its tourist attractings & superb beaches & stretching to the busy port of Weymouth . Also within easy reach by car , bus or train is the beautiful respot of Bournemouth with all its shiops, entertainments and blue flag beaches whilst Salisbury itself is on the edge of the New Forest.

There can be few other places in England where the ancient landscape has remained so unchanged. In 1079 when William The Conqueror named the area his ‘new hunting forest’, little could he imagine that nearly 1000 years later his ‘Nova Foresta’ would still retain its mystery and romance.

The ancient system established by William The Conqueror to protect and manage the woodlands and wilderness heaths is still in place today through the efforts of Verderers, Agisters and Commoners – literally the judges, stockmen and land users of the forest.

As well as the ancient systems of managing the forest, man has left his mark on The New Forest in many other ways. Learn about the forest's history and archaeology at our many museums and Heritage Centres. From stately homes such as Beaulieu to the Roman Villa at Rockbourne, The New Forest has it all.

You can visit historic villages such as Buckler's Hard, where ships for Nelson's fleet were built, using the mighty oaks from the forest. Another example of how man has harnessed nature is at Britain's only surviving tidal mill, Eling Tide Mill.

There are many hidden treasures for you to discover if you know where to look. Alice Liddell, Lewis Carroll's inspiration for Alice In Wonderland, is buried in the churchyard in Lyndhurst.

The ideal place to start your visit is The New Forest Museum & Visitor Centre in Lyndhurst with its exhibition depicting the history and heritage of the forest.

For further information on the area please use the Tourist links, Accomodation & External links tabs which are provided at the bottom of the webpage.