Hi! We are a couple in our 50's. We have a 12-hour stopover at Heathrow and would obviously like to get out of the airport for awhile. Have been to downtown London a number of times and are looking for an alternative. We would like to be able to walk around an area with character; somewhere we could do some window shopping and of course have a traditional pub lunch. Any suggestions?

Also, does anyone know if there are there baggage locker facilities in Heathrow?

THANKS!

Hard to suggest without knowing which part of London you've been to before.

One area that I like is Temple area and the Inns of Court. Dr. Johnson's House/Museum and the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese pub is nearby.

There are no lockers at Heathrow but there are left luggage service there. Do a search at the the Heathrow BAA website, it'll list all the left luggage offices in each terminal.

You stated you want an alternative to London, right, not London? Seems that Windsor would fit the bill.

You will likely have to queue to drop your bags and to retrieve them at left Luggage. So be sure to factor in a possible delay - especially when picking them up.

What times are we talking about - your arrival time could make a difference re what to recommend.

If it is a nice day - definitely consider Windsor. If the weather is nasty I'd go into London and do something inside/"museum-y"

Thanks for the info. I will investigate Windsor. We arrive in Heathrow at 0800; leave again at 2100. I am unfamiliar with the term "left luggage" but I assume that means a place where we are able to leave our luggage, for a fee, for a period of time (Seems obvious, I guess, but just want to be sure . . . left luggage sounds too much like "lost luggage")

THANKS AGAIN!

Yep - that's it. Left Luggage is where you -- ta da -- leave luggage

Thanks Janis! Hey but you never know! Any idea of the cost of "leaving luggage" for a day?

As I said, you can find out about the Left Luggage facilites at Heathrow by looking it up at the BAA Heathrow website. It tells you the costs as well as locations.

Here's the Heathrow left luggage web site...

http://tinyurl.com/5gy443

Thanks to everyone. You've been very helpful. I do believe we have a day planned!