janisj

I might change things up just a bit. At least consider getting the car as you leave London. An easy way to do this is to take public transport or a car service to LHR and pick the car there. Then you can drive to Avebury which is really more interesting but less 'iconic' than Stonehenge, and other sites on the way to Stonehenge (note the spelling) and Salisbury. Stay the night if you want -- or head straight on to Bath.

Then a couple of nights in Bath, 2 or 3 nights in the Cotswolds and then drive back to LHR to drop the car and head back into London.

OR -- another option: if your flight out is after maybe 10AM -- you could do all your London nights up front, then go to LHR and get the car. Avebury/Stonehenge/Salisbury > Bath > Cotswolds > then drive back to LHR to fly home. Heathrow airport is a fairly easy drive from parts of the Cotswolds and very early in the AM the traffic won't be bad yet.

PalenQ

Dartmoor N P to me was astounding - much more so than the Cotswolds, nice as those hills are - but Dartmoor - bleak Dartmoor is something else. Be sure to hit the abbey on the southeastern (?) edge of it when coming from Exeter - Buck something Abbey where the monks brew up a very potent alcoholic brew in addition to the interesting abbey to tour.

Princetown in the middle or so of the moors is about the only town - I believe it and the much of the moors are owned lock stock and whiskey barrels by Prince Charles but not sure. Part of his Duchy of whatever estate.

PalenQ

Dartmoor N P to me was astounding - much more so than the Cotswolds, nice as those hills are - but Dartmoor - bleak Dartmoor is something else. Be sure to hit the abbey on the southeastern (?) edge of it when coming from Exeter - Buck something Abbey where the monks brew up a very potent alcoholic brew in addition to the interesting abbey to tour.

Princetown in the middle or so of the moors is about the only town - I believe it and the much of the moors are owned lock stock and whiskey barrels by Prince Charles but not sure. Part of his Duchy of whatever estate.

dchal09

I like the idea of 4 days in London, renting a car for the next 4 days from the airport and then returning it there for our flight. I was planning not to reserve any hotels or bed and breakfast so that we can be free to travel without any restraints. Is that possible? Then, I may be able to fit in Exeter and Dartmoor.

annhig

hi, dchal,

in March you should have no trouble at all getting accommodation in hotels, B&B or guesthouses. certainly it would be possible to do what you suggest - another idea might be to get the train to, say, Exeter, then pick up your car and work your way back.

PalenQ

Not far from Exeter is the Cornish Riveiera around Torquay - a lovely stretch of coast surrounds it and this town abounds in zillions and zillions of comfy typical English B&Bs and makes a good base from which to hop to some nice nearby places. Indeed Torquay is one of Britain's many seaside resorts that is still hopping and not tacky and declining as most others are. And the palm trees hint at what is oft described as England's best weather!

annhig

if you want the seaside, Sidmouth is nice, or Lyme Regis.

neither is at all tacky.