English countryside itinerary help

ok, jan, you have about 10 days - yes?

6 adults, wanting to visit Castle Donington [postal address Derby, though it's actually in Leicestershire] and the environs, and London.

apart from Castle Donington, what else are you interested in seeing in the Midlands? the Peak District, the Vale of Belvoir, Warwick? the cotswolds?

I note that you are planning to spend some time in london, then going up to the midlands, and back to London again. it would be a more efficient use of your time to go from the airport [assume LHR] to Castle Donington, and then when you are finished there, go to London. then you will be in the right place for going home at the end of your trip, and your time in London won't be so bitty.

hey there, i second annhig's advice, go straight from the airport if you can, so you have a solid time in london rather than it being broken up

If you haven't been there before the cotswolds is the obvious middle place. (Althrough Shropshire/Shrewsbury is a less knows but lovely area)

oxford another obvious but historic choice

From your other posts, it appears that you are from the US midwest. Unlike the other responders, I don't think it is such a terrific idea, after a 10 hour or so overnight journey, to hop into a large vehicle and drive 200km to Castle Donington. Your idea of spending the first couple of days in London is better.

I'd suggest train to Derby or Nottingham and renting the people mover there.

the link below is to the Leicestershire record office. Your families records will be there rather than in the parish church. www.leics.gov.uk/index/leisure_tourism/local_history/recordoffice/recordoffice_about/recordoffice_admission.htm

There are relatively frequent buses from Heathrow to East Midlands Airport (EMA), which these days is Castle Donington's main economic activity, rather ahead of its motorcycling circuit.

If you take the advice of others and go straight there (which I'd strongly recommend too), it's absolutely essential you don't drive after an overnight flight, especially on the M1 (you'll see why from the bus). Get the bus to EMA, stay at a nearby hotel and do your driving after a proper night's sleep.

You'll struggle to do much "connecting" with this dormitory town at a key road junction (J 23A of the M1 is famous for its hour-long queues). But eastwards, the Leicestershire countryside (www.goleicestershire.com/)is Britain's best foxhunting territory, it's a relatively fast drive to the Derbyshire Dales and Peak District (www.visitpeakdistrict.com/, once you've got past the J23A horror), and the Warwickshire (http://preview.tinyurl.com/8xy3rfm) and Leicestershire countryside southwest is packed with key sites in our history, though only mildly pretty.

Getting to the Cotswolds means navigating round the side of the West Midlands conurbation, and I'd suggest there's actually enough to see and do in the East Midlands.

One interesting insight into the area is a book and TV series (available on DVD from Amazon) called Story of England by Michael Wood. It's the (astonishingly detailed) history of the similarly-sized small town of Kibworth, about 15 miles away, since just before the arrival of the Romans, charting all the influences that have shaped the area - and your forbears - over 2000 years.

East Midlands airport is right outside Castle Donnington, so flanner's suggestion of a coach from LHR makes HUGE sense.

What doesn't make sense is dashing back down to London to catch a flight home when you want to visit London anyway.

So I'd definitely do the C. Donnington bits first, then explore Leicestershire/Rutland. Tons to see/do from Stamford to Belvoir Castle, to Burghley house, to Rutland Water, etc. Then I'd drop the car in Leicester or Peterborough or somewhere and take the train into London for the last few days.

Thank you all for such wonderful suggestions. I ordered 3 copies of the Wood book and can't wait to begin reading it. We will look at taking a train to East Midlands and picking up the car when we arrive. We love your suggestions for things to see and do. I will do some more work and then post again.

"We will look at taking a train to East Midlands"

Not from LHR -- there isn't one. flanner's suggestion was to take direct coach - much simpler.

Coach = long-distance bus in English English. Whereas a bus only runs in-town. The only train at Heathrow goes into London. You'll have to take a bus to get anywhere else. But coaches in Europe are pretty nice, much better than Greyhound.

jangonow if you need a hand I live near Donington so could give you a few tips on where to stay how to get to records office and churchs etc

Train to East Midlands Parkway is definetly infinetly easier to get to the midlands and I am sure you can get a car delivered there to. Its 5 mins away from Donington

Just re-read your post - how are your family connected to the Key house? Heard some bizarre reasons why its called that be good to get a more down to earth rendition

Catching a coach (= long-distance bus) at Heathrow is simple. You just walk directly from baggage claim to the Central Bus Station (through clearly-marked passages/tunnels), buy your tickets there, and get straight on a comfy coach to your destination.

By the way, the bus station has a sandwich/coffee shop and a place to buy newspapers, etc.

Tahi's advice does not apply to Terminal 5. There most buses/coaches leave from the lower level of the terminal.

Thanks, Mimar -- didn't know that.

Thanks, so much for your suggestions. We have now bought plane tickets and our party will be arriving in London on two different days. We are planning to follow this general itinerary:

London-5 nights
Drive (or coach or train) to East Midlands and Castle Donington area and spend 3 nights in area
Drive to Salisbury and two nights there
London for 1 night in airport area hotel

Haven't made hotel res yet, bit considering the Gateway in Salisbury.

In London, we will do the usual things--hop on hop off bus, Tower, British Museum, Theater, British Museum, Evensong

I plan to phone the Castle Donington historian and Church caretaker. We will certainly be visiting some of the sites suggested here.

Those of you who are local, is there any place near Castle Donington that permits fishing?

Does anyone have recommendations for a guide at Stonehenge or an opportunity to get close to the structure?

We would sure welcome suggestions.

Missdgear, the key house once belonged in my family. I understand that the house is marked with dates and a key hangs by each date. It seems that this is one of the oldest structures in the town and we look forward to seeing it because of the family connection.