re

We are planning a spring trip to England. Would like to visit Yorkshire, Devon and Cornwall. Flights in and out of London, and a stop in London before heading home.A rental car in addition to some train travel. Since we have visited England several times we would like to spend this time wandering and enjoying countryside as well as a few cities. I would like some help with the itinerary - have allowed 5 days for Yorkshire,3 for Devon,10 for Cornwall and 3 for London.This is our first draft so suggestions of number of days needed, routes, towns, sites etc would be much appreciated. Thanks

yestravel

We are doing a similar trip and I'd love to hear the recommendations.

PalenQ

A rental car in addition to some train travel.>

If long-distance trains be sure to book really early for deep discounted tickets over walk up fares- local trains no real discount -for info on UK trains and discounted tickets check www.seat.61.com; for general info also www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

You could take the train to York - rent a car (or other Yorkshire city) and return it in Cornwal and train back to London.

I found Harrogate a great base - to the north are the famed Yorkshire Dales and also Fountains Abbey- south Leeds (industrial town traditionally but some amazing restored industrial aspects) and Haworth - the Brontes' small town where their papa was a local minister -the famous Moors abut town.

I also enjoyed Whitby and the drive along the coast to Scarborough.

And of course York itself has a surfeit of interesting sights along with its famous cathedral-like Minster.

If never been to London before I'd add some days and perhaps do day trips by train to Oxford or Cambridge or any of many other choices.

dotheboyshall

10 days for Cornwall????

janisj

why not?

re: see my post on your other thread. You may want to re-figure the order of things since finding a 1-way rental from Canterbury to Taunton might be difficult.

PalenQ

why that many days in Cornwall -well yes why not but again if never been to London take a few days off Cornwall and add to London.

If you drive back towards London hit Stonehenge and Salisbury on the way -and Windsor Castle return car at perhaps Heathrow-a couple of days that could be taken away from Cornwall, nice as that place may be.

Heimdall

Cornwall is a beautiful county! I used to take my daughter there when she was little for seaside holidays, and it was great on sunny days, but when it rained there were traffic jams on roads leading to Flambard's Theme Park. That was before the Eden Project, which would have made a great rainy day activity!

I agree with others that 13 days in Devon and Cornwall and only 8 for the rest of England is unbalanced. Are you a Poldark fan?

bilboburgler

5 days for Yorkshire,3 for Devon,10 for Cornwall and 3 for London.

something wrong with Dorset?

Heimdall

<I>"something wrong with Dorset?"</i>
Nope! Closer to London, too.

PalenQ

Dorset? What's in Dorset -looks like some awesome seascapes:

https://www.google.com/search?q=dors...w=1745&bih=864

re

PalenQ, I will aim for Harrogate and use it as a base for the Yorkshire dales. Wanted to return the rental car and take the train into London. We have visited Stonehenge and Salisbury on an earlier driving trip thru Dorset. We will end our trip with 4 days in London. At this point I am still trying to see about driving south from Harrogate to the Cornwall area. Don't want to take major motor ways. Janis's, I have found a car rental agency that allows pick up in Canterbury and drop off in Taunton, also no one way drop. Hiemdall, our trip to England is 30 days.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

janisj

On your other thread you said Chester - Harrogate is even farther.

PalenQ

Chester in any case is one of the nicest British cities I've been in- lovely river running thru it (if I recall right as it seems like generations ago when I was there!)

Harrogate is unique in that like any spa town it has a campus-like setting many places with a nice main town. It also has one of the most famous tea shops in Europe - Betty's, the first Betty's built when Harrogate was a fashionable spa -later the famous one in York opened.

https://www.bettys.co.uk/tea-rooms/locations/harrogate

re

janisj, I was planning on 3 nights in York, 2 nights in Harrogate, a night in Chester and then driving south to Cornwall. You suggested stopping at the Peaks, Cotswolds and Doset or Somerset. Do you feel the distances are too close and that I don't need that many stops?

janisj

If you are going to Chester -- then don't stay in the Peak District (but you will drive through them en route so you can check out some of the scenery)

So one night Chester, one night in the Cotswolds, and one night in Dorset. Yes IMO/IME you would need the three stops IF you want to see/do things.

Harrogate to Chester through the Peaks will be a 4+ hour drive.

Chester to say Burford is a 4 hour drive -- so if you want any time to explore any of the Cotswolds you would need to stay the night.

Then Burford to maybe Dorchester is a 3+ hour drive . . . so yes I would stop three places before heading down to Cornwall. You would want to stop at at minimum Wells en route so it will take more than half a day.

bilboburgler

Plan coming together, but of course both Stonehenge and Salisbury are not in Dorset