walktrotncanter

I will be travelling to England with my boyfriend. We will be going for about 2 weeks. We plan to end the trip with a work related event and a few farm tours he's going for, near London. This will take 3 or 4 days. There is also a farm near Cornwall and one near the Lake District that he would like to stop it, each would take about half a day. Is there a good way to work all of this in? Where else should we try to go? We are 25 and 29 and I would say more interested in the scenery, architecture, parks, and outdoors stuff as opposed to just museums and such. Although we are going the first half of February, so I'm thinking indoor activities might be better? I have no idea where to start! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

walktrotncanter

Looked up the show we'll be going to at the end of the trip, it's actually at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire. Not sure how close that actually is to London.

Aristotle

There is so much to do and see in England that you can almost ju8st start out and see where you get. Driving is a challenge but not impossible. The biggest challenge is navigating the traffic circles. Why not get medium size map and mark your obligated spots and make a plan around them. Distances and time in England are not difficult.Some places I would not miss are: London (several days), Oxford, York, Hampton Court Palace (a London day trip) and several others. You"ll never see all the sights, so pick places near your route. Get a good guide book and browse freely.

walktrotncanter

Just looking at the distances... Would it be better to choose between Lake District and Cornwall? If we're ending in the middle, at some point we'd have a very long drive going from one to the other. The Lake District sounds like what we would be most interested in, but also the most out of the way! And I'm guessing that skipping London probably wouldn't be the best choice either? So many options!

jamikins

I would spend a week in London and a week travelling to/spending time in Cornwall or Lake District.

As the Lakes seem to be what you want to see what about flying into Manchester, driving around the Lake District, then driving to the work event for 3-4 days and ending with a week in London and flying home from London?

Lifeman

Cornwall in the first half of February won't be busy, indeed it may be closed! The seaside villages and inland versions will be virtually deserted, shops and restaurants closed for the winter, so not a lot to see or do. Half a day's visit will invlove an enormous amount of driving in what will not be the best of weather, bearing in mind also the shorter winter days.

You have 4 days ending in Warwickshire, not very close to London and you say that you prefer outdoor stuff but are aware that indoor may be better in February. It's a bit confusing, but I assume that you are flying in and out of London, so long drives North may not be a great idea. I'd suggest that you spend the time doing one of the following:

Return to London and spend the time based there, with trips to Windsor, Hampton Court, Bath etc. Lots to do to fill 10 days.

Carry on North from Warwickshire and base in Manchester. From there you can do trips up to the Lake District, York, Liverpool as well as exploring Manchester iteslf--lots of history going back to the Romans.

From Warwickshire, drive to Cornwall and base somewhere like Truro. You can visit the Eden Project, lots of nice villages(pray for cold, crisp, dry days) and visit Bath and maybe Stonehenge on the way down or on the way back.

bilboburgler

You will not need a car in London, you will need cars in the other places but you have to get there. Logically you drive London to Warwick and then onto the Lake district this allows you to consider Hadrian's wall, The Penines, Manchester, and then maybe the Yorkshire Moors, York, head south to Cambridge and then back into london. It's a long way but makes sense of the road system. Cornwall is well out of it, if he has to go then I suggest you stick him on an early train and see he late that night. Train tickets are cheapest when booked early and can be ordered at thetrainline.co.uk and other good suppliers, you order them now and pick up at the selected railway station machine.

Days will be short and while it is bright sunshine right now it will generally be dull for a fair part of February.

"Roundabouts" is the right word for traffic circles and as long as you don't go to Swindon all you will find is that they are efficient versions of traffic lights, though traffic lights work differently in the UK compared with many US ones

Finally farming, is it sheep you are interested in?

walktrotncanter

He is a dairy farmer. We don't have to go to Cornwall or the Lake District if they don't work out. If we chose one, which would be recommended more for February? Will probably try to fly in and out of Cardiff or Birmingham as we will be staying with some of his friends in Abergavenny the last few days. I think round trip flights are cheaper than flying in one airport and out of another?

bellini

If you are at Stoneleigh (the National Agricultural Centre), then do stay in Warwick - lovely old buildings, spectacular Beauchamp Chapel in St Mary's church and a castle which all our visitors have loved. "The Rose and Crown" pub in the Market Square in Warwick has good accommodation and is only 15 mins. drive from Stoneleigh. It would take about 3 hrs to get to the Lake District from the Midlands and a similar time, to get to Cornwall (as long as you don't want to go right down to Penzance and Lands End

janisj

"<i>I think round trip flights are cheaper than flying in one airport and out of another?</i>"

Not true in general. You'd still be doing 'round trip' but it would be open jaw (or 'multi city' on some sites)

Open Jaw means flying in to one city and home from another. Not only can this be cheaper - it avoids the need to back track to your arrival airport.

Where exactly are the work-related events? That could make a LOT of difference. But w/ 2 weeks you could spend 5-6 days in London, a couple of days w/ the friend in S Wales, 2 or 3 days in N Wales, Warwickshire or the Peak district, and/or Lake District, 3 days in the Lake District and fly home from Manchester.

Surfergirl

I drove right by Stoneleigh this summer. If you end in that area, you are so close to Warwick (think castle, and think university) and Stratford upon Avon, both off the A46 and a very pleasant, relatively short drive.

Even in winter, I'd head to Stratford. The park along the Avon river is magical, and there is such amazing architectural history in this small town. Take a tour of Shakespeare's birth place, and the other homes open for the price of one ticket. Now early February, you won't get to see any Shakespeare, since the first RST production (King Lear) doesn't start until the end of Feb., which is a pity, since even if you're not a big theatre fan or Shakespeare fan, their productions can make the smallest child or the biggest hick a fan -- they're that good.

The whole area around there, which includes Coventry -- is beautiful. Lots of thatched roof houses, country pubs -- so much to explore. Cotswolds -- like Chipping Camden area -- is great.

All of this is about 2 hours northwest of London.

janisj

just saw some confusion in my post.

Should have read >> . . . a couple of days w/ the friend in S Wales, 2 or 3 days in N Wales, Warwickshire or the Peak district, 3 days in the Lake District, and fly home from Manchester.<<

walktrotncanter

Just getting more confused But sounds like anywhere we go we'll have plenty to do! Tentative schedule would be to fly in (somewhere) on the 4th or 5th of Feb. The only thing we have to do is the show at Stoneleigh which is the 15th and 16th. Then will stay with the friends in Wales probably the 16th to the 18th and they will drive us around to tour some other farms. And then take us to the airport closest to them. Had no idea about the open jaw thing, that helps a lot! So pretty much just need a plan from the 5th to the 14th, that ends in Warwickshire. So probably the last couple days around Warwick/Stratford/Coventry/Cotswolds. If Cornwall or the Lake District fit in there are people he could see there, but not necessary. Was thinking maybe do Cornwall, Bath, Salisbury, London, then around Warwick before the show. Trying to decide if adding York and the Lake District after London would be way too much. Or skip Cornwall and do the Lake District, York, London, Salisbury, Bath, then to Warwick area before the show.

bilboburgler

have a look at the motorways, you need to use these for much of the time to get any where. You will see in Wales what it does to your travel times if you do not use the motorways. This means that getting to cornwall AND seeing any of it will be like Wales, similar in the Lake District but at least the motorway is not too far away. My advice would be to Go South (Cotswalds, Cornwall etc) or Go North (Lake District,York etc)

alanRow

"Not only can this be cheaper - it avoids the need to back track to your arrival airport."

In some cases you do go through your arrival airport - but it will be as a connection rather than a start point, so you get luggage checked through, can avoid having to go landside and if you have problems the airline is the one that has to sort them out.