In the event, I stayed at a very nice B&B (www.websters-bed-breakfast.com ) whose proprietors were absolutely mortified that I was willing to spend £50 for the drive (their preferred taxi company had quoted £35 return). The husband got up early, drove me up and back along a scenic route, for half the price, and breakfast was waiting when we returned. And yes, in the end it is an old pile of big rocks (or a big pile of old rocks), but it was a good sunrise, and the colors made for very good picture-taking.

After breakfast, as it was a nice day out, I decided to go out to Bath. As with Salisbury, nearly all the museums were closed and I arrived too late for the walking tours, but did make it through the baths and the gardens, and stayed for evensong at the Abbey before heading back in to Paddington. Both towns and country were very picture postcard England, except for the sun of course .