Abe_Froman

janisj - Point taken on the long drive. My original thought was to do as you suggest and just drive straight through and we may still do that, depending on how we feel that day. The nice thing about driving is having that flexibility. I'm still getting used to relatively small size of GB. I make a similar drive in distance (Dallas to Galveston) one-to-two times a month without thinking much about it.

basingstoke2

We did similar this past May. A couple of days in London then train to Salisbury (megatrain has some downright CHEAP fares to Salisbury if it fits your schedule). Overnight in Salisbury and off the next morning in a rental car - Kemwel - it was $220/week for a Ford Fiesta class standard shift - we were given a Vauxhall, nice car. Salisbury to a few hours in Stonehenge, its a quick and easy drive from Salisbury, then to Avebury and then on to Bath for 3 nights. From Bath to 2 Cotswold nights followed by 2 Statford upon Avon nights and then a 4 hour drive to York where we turned in the car. There was no drop off charge. York to Edinburgh was by train.

janisj

"<i> I make a similar drive in distance (Dallas to Galveston) one-to-two times a month without thinking much about it.</i>"

Simply no comparison at all. I live in Calif and do similar drives -- Sac to LA is 400 miles and will do down and back for a weekend.

But there is no comparable I-5 or I-45 between Bath and York -- And Bath/Stratford/York are not modern cities w/ street grids. For most of your touring plan on averaging 10-20 mph in city centres, 35-40 MPH on main roads and 45-55 MPH on motorways. You will get up higher than 55 for sure, but just around the next bend you can come to a dead stop.

janisj

didn't see basingstoke's post -- to compare -- they took 5 days to cover the distance you plan on Saturday

PalenQ

Never be in a hurry whilst on the roads in the U.K. - every few miles it seems there is a neat market town to explore or a stately house to tour or a castle - and be sure to investigat the Great British Heritage Pass or the local equivalent English Trust, English Heritage though none of those are as comprehensive as the Great British Heritage Pass I think - covers places like Edinburgh Castle and a zillion stately homes - lets you stop by for a quick visit that you may not by paying the normal $20 or so entry fee for many.

In York along I made my pass pay off by visiting several sites in the city that I probably would not have paid to enter.

basingstoke2

Pal - I endorse every word of your above post. Our experience was the same and with the GBHP we saw a good number of sites that we may have given a by.

janisj - ...and those 5 days were packed with activities and sites. I only wish we had longer for that part because even with that amount of time we missed so much. We must return. This past trip to the UK was one of the best, and least expensive, trips we have ever taken due in no small part to the wonderful and helpful people we had the pleasure to meet along the way and almost without exception very good, reasonably priced meals, even for mostly vegetarian DW - UK food gets a bad rap. Your own insights were also most helpful and we thank you for that.

PalenQ

Great British Heritage Pass: Britain Sightseeing with the British ...Planning to visit Britain? Discover UK heritage with the Great British Heritage Pass. Great tourist savings & best of British Sightseeing – buy online.
www.britishheritagepass.com/