Kerryanne

We are planning our first self drive tour of Britain. I wanted to know if our first two days of touring is acheivable without being seriously rushed. Here goes:.. After collecting our hire car at Croyden (our intention is to miss the worst of London traffic) we then head to Chartwell to tour the house and grounds. We then head on to Leeds Castle and finally to Cambridge for night one. Day two: after viewing areas of interest in Cambridge we want to travel on to York via Lincoln. Is this itinerary achievable for these first two days without being seriously rushed? I have planned the rest of the driving tour, but will post more of this later if anyone is able to help me with some advice.<BR>Many thanks.

Ruth

It looks seriously rushed to me (is it for real, or am I falling for a troll?). Assuming you are serious... <BR><BR>Depending on what time you picked up your car, you might be able to see Chartwell and Leeds Castle in a day (they are not too far apart) but if you can't see one of them before lunch time, say, you might be reeling a bit by the second one. (When are you travelling? Chartwell is National Trust, I believe, and most of their properties don't open until late March).<BR><BR>Will you have to take jetlag and immigration into account as well? Are you used to driving on the left - it is tiring until you get used to it, and (I don't mean to preach, but...) tired drivers cause road accidents.<BR><BR>Cambridge is north of London and I would say at least 3 h drive from Leeds Castle - how long is your first day?!<BR><BR>Your second day is even worse if possible! I really don't believe that you can do Cambridge and Lincoln in one day, and get anything memorable out of those beautiful cities.<BR><BR>I would aim for half your itinerary, or double the time (more if the first day includes recovering from jet lag)! <BR>

Ruth

Having said all that above, I really like your choice of places to visit! Have a great time in Britain!

Keith Legg

You probably won't miss the worst of the London traffic by picking your car up in Croydon - I live near there and it can be pretty busy, especially first thing in the morning.<BR><BR>I think that so far your plans are managable as long as you go to see Chartwell in the morning and Leeds Castle in the afternoon. I assume you're coming from the US and arriving in the morning - if so, remember that you will be driving on the left and probably using a stick shift (manual) gearbox, and you might want to make allowances for getting used to the car!

Lanny Morry

Day one is possible, as other posters suggest. Driving out of London in the morning is not that awful -- I do it all the time after crossing the Atlantic. I hope you will be at Chartwell when all the rhodedendrons are in bloom as the walk in from the carpark to the residence is banked with them and they are stunning. Chartwell is a nice 90 minute visit but not longer. Leeds castle is stunning, right on the golf course, and you will want to linger for the photo opportunities that abound, but it does not require a lengthy visit either. The drive to Cambridge is pleasant but remember that by later in the afternoon you will be picking up the commuter traffic heading out that way from The City. Hopefully you will have better luck finding places off the ever congested ring road around Cambridge than I usually have which is why I prefer to stop off for the evening in Beford or over as far as Saffron Walden as an alternative to Cambridge. For day 2, I confess I am not a fan of Cambridge and my preference would be to have a fast look at the University and then get out of the city and head off to Lincoln to see the cathedral -- again a short visit place really, before heading north again on the A road to York. <BR><BR>There is nothing wrong with busy days, and as long as you are comfortable driving you are far better off having a busy agenda than one where you select only one site and then discover you are bored to tears with it after 60 minutes.<BR><BR>Enjoy.<BR><BR>Lanny

janis

If possible, I would REALLY recommend adding an extra day to you trip to York. (By the way, You could pick up your rental car at LGW and be even farther out of the London traffic).<BR><BR>Chartwell is wonderful, but hever Castle is near there and should not be missed. You could do Chartwell, Hever and possibly Pennshurst, on the first day. Then travel over to Leeds the next morning (Leeds grounds and gardens are the best part - the interior is not much. So if you have limited time just get tickets to the grounds - they are picture perfect and the interior will disappoint by comparison) and then visit Cambridge in the afternon and sty overnight there.<BR><BR>Then head up to Cambridge, Lincoln and on to York. this itinerary is more doable and except for the Dartford tunnel, the traffic shouldn't be too bad.

Kerryanne

Hi All, thanks for your comments. Firstly, we are from Australia and yes we know how to drive on the left so that won't be a problem. I neglected to say that we will have 6 nights in London before we start on our self drive tour. We intend to get an early morning train from Earls Court to Wimbeldon and then the tramlink to Croydon to pick up the hire car. (Early starts are no problem for us, we do it every day here to go to work) We intended to be at the hire car place as soon as it opens so that we are at Chartwell in time for opening. We intended to do Leeds Castle after an early stop for a quick lunch. (We are commencing our self drive tour on the 23rd May and in total we have 30 days to tour England and Scotland.) In Cambridge, we wanted to do two main things, 1) do an orientation tour on a bus to get the feel of the city and (2) See Kings which we have been told is wonderful. The next day we intend to head off straight after an early breakfast, hopefully no later than 8.30am and travel to Lincoln to view the Cathedral, then on to York. If we don't get into York until 6pm it wouldn't matter, but if you think we need to stop overnight in Lincoln, I could re-arrange the itinerary. I appreciate any further suggestions you may have. The tip on just doing Leeds Castle gardens, I will keep in mind, Janis.

Ruth

Yes, that all looks much more practical - I am glad you are not trying to do it straight off a plane!<BR><BR>I'm not sure whether you would be able to do either of your Cambridge plans on the first day, though - the chapel will probably not still be open late in the day. The tours may still be running though.<BR><BR>So, seeing Cambridge will probably take up the best part of the morning, so you will be in Lincoln mid-afternoon. If your hotel in York knows that you won't arrive till the evening, that should be fine.<BR><BR>You're right, King's Chapel is wonderful. I hope the sun is shining so that the stained glass looks its best! (but it's lovely whatever the weather)<BR><BR>If you had more time I would suggest a side trip to Ely to see the cathedral there, but that would really be overloading your day.

Kerryanne

Thank you Ruth. We are planning on two nights in York before moving on to Leyburn in the Dales for another night and then across to Windemere and Grasmere for two nights in the Lakes District. Will two nights in York be enough to see the main sites or should we steal another night from our two in the Lakes District?

janis

Kerryanne - 2 days is fine for York unless you want to tour the rest of northeast Yorkshire - things like Castle Howard, the Moors nat'l park, Pickering etc.<BR><BR>In fact - if you are staying in York and not farther out, one full day would actually be enough (barely). The city is very compact and everything is within walking distance. The Minster, Shambles, Jorvik Viking center, County Museum, walking the medieval city walls, even the nat'l railway museum are all practically on top of each other.

Kerryanne

Janis, thankyou for your reply. On the day we leave York we are going via Malton (sp?) to Castle Howard, then on to Thirsk to see the Herriot Museum via Sutton Bank to view the chalk figure - a horse I think I read. After Thirsk we go to Leyburn to stay the night. Next day we head of to Windemere via <BR>Askrigg and Hawes. Is that the most scenic route across the dales to the Lakes District?<BR><BR>I really appreciate everyone's input, it really helps us a great deal