There are very few people who get to walk amongst the inner stone circle at Stonehenge.
Stonehenge inner circle tours from Salisbury are led by acknowledged experts, one of the most famous and highly rated was Pat Shelley. Pat worked with many TV production companies, archaeologists and authors throughout the years on the history of Stonehenge.
This tour is not currently running. Please see alternative tours from our selection of Stonehenge Special Access tours from London.
Lion Tours inner circle About Pat Shelley's tours 5-hr walking tour About Inner Circle tour Tour itinerary Getting to Salisbury from London Special Access dates 2023
Pat Shelley has unfortunately retired now, so the Stonehenge inner circle tours from Salisbury that bear his name are no longer running. This however, does not mean that you cannot gain Stonehenge inner circle access anymore.
The same tour from Salisbury that Pat run for so many years is being run in the same format as he did but led by another guide mentored by Pat.
Don't worry if your accommodation is in London, it is very easy to get to Salisbury from London by train and the trains run until late so there is still time to get back to London last thing.
Alternatively simply use the menu to the right or the table at the bottom of the page that lists the tours that have special access to the inner circle of Stonehenge. You too can become one of the few to have walked amongst the stones themselves.
Tour based on the Pat Shelley tour
(Not currently available)
Adult/child £130
• Runs April-September and one date end Dec • 9.5-hr tour from Bath • 5.5-hr tour from Salisbury • Max 30 places
It is worth reiterating why Pat Shelley and the Stonehenge inner circle tours from Salisbury were so successful.
The Stonehenge Special Access tour led by Pat Shelley was the only tour dedicated to Stonehenge.
The actual Special Access visit itself was the culmination of the tour which explores the Stonehenge landscape thoroughly before the highlight of the day the inner access visit to Stonehenge.
In 2019 Pat worked with colleagues to create a new tour run in a similar style and by equally talented and highly knowledgeable guides. You can learn all about the Stonehenge tour from Salisbury or Bath below or by clicking on the banner.
This Stonehenge special access tour has exclusive focus on Stonehenge and the surrounding Stonehenge landscape, the most in depth and complete tour on the subject of Stonehenge of all the tours.
Stonehenge Special Access is the climax of this tour, prior to this you explore by foot the Stonehenge landscape, such as Durrington Walls, Woodhenge and the Avenue walk.
If you want to really understand what Stonehenge is all about, this is the Stonehenge special access tour for you.
Durrington Walls is located in the Stonehenge World Heritage site about 2 miles away from Stonehenge. Durrington Walls is the site of a large settlement and henge enclosure and may have had up to 4000 people living there. It is a fascinating addition to the whole Stonehenge experience, giving you a greater understanding of the whole World Heritage site.
Depending on the date, the tour starts from Salisbury between 3pm and 5.15pm returning to Salisbury around 5.5 hours' later. The tours run in the summer months only - May to September.
A similar tour also runs from Bath. Click on banner above for more details.
Before you go to Stonehenge itself, the tour makes visits to other Neolithic monuments in the Stonehenge landscape area. By the time you reach Stonehenge you have all the angles related to Stonehenge enabling your experience inside Stonehenge to come to life.
2 hours to explore the beautiful cathedral city of Salisbury
Follow in the footsteps of our Neolithic ancestors with a fully guided walk through the rich landscape that surrounds the stones
Visit Woodhenge and Durrington Walls where the builders of Stonehenge are believed to have lived
Explore the Stonehenge visitor centre, world-class exhibition and cafe
See the Cursus, and take a walk along the Avenue and get one of the most interesting views of Stonehenge
Visit a barrow, one of the ancient burial mounds around Stonehenge
Millstream Coach Park is the meeting point for the evening tours or the Market Square is for the few number of morning tours that operate.
A map is sent on confirmation of your reservation. The meeting point is within easy walking distance of Salisbury Railway Station and Salisbury Cathedral, well worth a visit prior to your evening tour.
It is recommended that guests do not rely on the train that gets in just before the tour starts because of any possible delays.
After the tour, drop offs are offered at the railway station, Millstream coach park and the Market square.
On leaving Salisbury it is about 10 miles to the Stonehenge landscape. First visit is Durrington Walls and Woodhenge close to the River Avon, the Woodhenge to Stonehenge walk begins here.
It is then back on the coach to the Stonehenge Visitor Centre, where you start a walk across the Stonehenge landscape, climaxing with your visit to the Stonehenge monument itself and inside access to the stones. Walking is a little over a mile with 4 stopping points.
On completion of the tour the coach takes you back to Salisbury stopping at the railway station, Millstream coach park and the Market square.
As these tours are run as evening sessions it is possible to use train services to and from Salisbury on the day of the tour. Direct trains run back to London until about 9.30pm, indirect trains later.
Salisbury is a bit of a rail hub with main lines and frequent trains going east to London, south to Southampton and west to Bath and Bristol.
Frequent trains run from London's Waterloo station taking approximately 80 minutes to do the journey.
There are normally two trains an hour operating up until very late evening.
During the week, the cheap tickets are not available until after the morning commuter rush.
MORNING TOURS |
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Dates |
Premium Tours |
Evan Evans |
Anderson Tours |
Jan 23 | 7, 14 | N/A | N/A |
Feb 23 | 4, 11, 18, 25 | N/A | 24 |
Mar 23 | 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 23, 27, 30 | N/A | N/A |
Apr 23 | 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27 | 1, 8, 15 | N/A |
May 23 | 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29 | 6, 13, 20, 27 | N/A |
Jun 23 | 1, 5, 8, 12, 15 | 3, 10 | N/A |
Jul 23 | 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27, 31 | 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 | N/A |
Aug 23 | 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 31 | 5, 12, 19, 26 | N/A |
Sep 23 | 4, 14, 18, 21, 28 | 2, 16 | N/A |
Dec 23 | 2, 9, 16, 30 | 4, 11, 18 | 8 |
Premium Tours Special Access Tours |
EVENING TOURS |
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Dates |
Premium Tours |
Evan Evans |
Anderson Tours |
Golden Tours |
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Mar 23 | 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 26, 29 | 6, 13, 27 | 10, 24 | 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 25, 28 | |||
Apr 23 | 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30 | 3, 10, 17, 24, | 14, 28 | 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29 | |||
May 23 | 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 31 | 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 | 12, 26 | 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30 | |||
Jun 23 | 4, 7, 11, 14 | 5, 12 | 2, 9 | 3, 6, 10, 13 | |||
Jul 23 | 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30 | 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 | 7, 21 | 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29 | |||
Aug 23 | 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30 | 7, 14, 21, 28 | 4, 18 | 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29 | |||
Sep 23 | 3, 13, 17, 20, 27 | 4, 18 | 1, 15, 29 | 2, 12, 16, 19, 26, 30 | |||
Premium Tours Special Access Tours Evan Evans Special Access Tours |
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