By Larry and Joan Dolinski
Next it was on to Bath & Stonehenge. Stonehenge, a World Heritage Site, is considered to be one of the finest prehistoric monuments in the world. The original structure dates back 5050 years. Many mysteries surround this monument. It is not known why it was built (perhaps as a temple, perhaps as an observatory or maybe a calendar). The layout is keyed to the Summer Solstice. At that time the sun faces the main entry arch. It then advances month by month through the sequence of arches to a point opposite the entry arch at the Winter Solstice, and then on around to complete the yearly cycle. Many of the stones come from the Presel Mountains in Wales (385 km away). It is thought that the stones were transported by boat for most of the journey. (A recent attempt at replicating the scenario with vessels of the period, to give credence to that hypothesis, resulted in the accidental sinking of the vessel due to the weight and bulk of the stone). Once the stones were on site, it is not known how they were erected or how the lintels were set in place. While we were visiting Stonehenge a Druid ceremony was in process, everyone wearing white sheets and going through various rituals. In some ways it reminded us of a KKK assembly. Druidism was an ancient pagan religion, predating Christ.
In Bath, the two of us stayed a couple of nights in a lovely farmhouse (B&B), surrounded by rolling pasture lands populated by lots of cows and sheep. During our layover day in Bath a small group of us went on a charming bike ride hosted by a local bicycle club. The tour was led by Vinny, an 80 year old gentleman, who seemed to have more stamina than the rest of us "world riders." He took us the tow path adjacent to a picturesque canal and to a neat pub next to the towpath for lunch. He then volunteered his time further to take a bunch of us to visit the Roman Baths which are built above the hot springs where water gushes forth at a constant temperature of 115.7 degrees F. the year round. We then visited numerous other points of interest in and around Bath including the picturesque Pultency Bridge, spanning the River Avon, whose design was based on the popular Ponte Vecchio of Florence, Italy.
Our destination following Bath was Cardiff, Wales. Before crossing into Wales, we went off-route for a day and did our own bike tour of the Cotswolds. The area is particularly well known for its interesting walking trails. For us the terrain varied from flat (along canals), to severe (25% climbs) over mountains.
The bike group did an overnight stay in Winchester. Winchester is a handsome city, home of a magnificent cathedral, the Arthurian Round Table, medieval buildings, and tranquil green spaces. The present cathedral has been a place of worship for over 900 years and is a combination of Norman architecture (transepts and crypt) and Gothic architecture. The nave (long dimension) is the longest in Europe. It contains the tombs of the early English kings, Jane Austen's grave, and other treasures. It also contains detailed memorial plaques honoring British soldiers of various wars and conflicts. One interesting plaque, which caught our attention, honors the 500+ men who fell in the famous Crimean War assault immortalized in Tennyson's "Charge of the Light Brigade."
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