Basingstoke.
Andover.
Thruxton. Vroom vroom.
Quarley.
Amesbury.
Stonehenge. Come over the hill and you almost miss it, until suddenly there it is on the skyline. As you descend, so does it, and you see that it’s swarming with human ants, who are eating its heart.
Winterbourne Stoke.
Deptford. Marlowe never came here, you think irrelevantly as you soar past the signpost.
Fonthill Bishop.
Zeals.
Gasper.
Wylye.
Chicklade. An old joke about hens.
Mere. Don’t stop there for lunch. The only way out is via the carpark.
Wincanton. Tankers full of milk.
Compton Fauncefoot.
Queen Camel.
Wales.
Kingsbury Episcopi.
Ilminster. The strangest bypass in Britain.
And then it peters out, no ceremony, not even a place (the nearest is Upottery), just before Honiton, and turns into the A30. Which is a whole other story.
Oh, the bliss of being beyond Honiton and almost home...
ReplyDeleteSx
....get your over priced tea on the A303 doesn't quite have the same appeal....
Love those names. Delicious.
ReplyDeleteAnd, of course, who could forget the Cartgate picnic and rest area?
ReplyDeleteThank you. I got the map out to see if these places actually exist. And they do! Couldn't find the Cartgate picnic and rest area, though, so I'm afraid there's nothing to forget.
ReplyDeleteCartgate is, roughly, at 50º58.15’N 2º44.46W on the Fosse Way Roman road section of A303. It boasts the best bacon & egg butty in Britain.
ReplyDeleteAnd nearby, just off the main drag, one can find the Chinnocks, the Cokers, the Sub-Hamdons, the Seavingtons, Tintinhull &, of course, Sock Dennis.
The bottom end of A303 does have Annie's Tea Bar but I haven't sampled her bacon & egg butties.
You can however sample the delights of A303 here.
Scarlet - so you're a Devonian then?
ReplyDeleteKula Shaker did a song called 303, which is Spotifiable. I wouldn't bother.
Lo, Martin, Christopher - more to come. See Richard's comment.
Richard - don't know what I'd do without you! You forgot Hanging Langford, Ash, Little Load, Windmill Hill and Whitelackington.
If you did want to stop in Mere for lunch, I could give you my sister's phone number. I'm sure she'd be happy to feed you.
ReplyDeleteOne of the little joys in my life is the sight of Stonehenge as I drive wearily along the A303. It's like a rainbow to me, a little jolt of delight.