skatterfly

Hi all,
Apologies in advance if this has been asked -- and answered -- a thousand and one times... but I've been away from Fodors so long and I can't find what I'm looking for using search.

Can you give me your creative ideas on this on how to get this done by train/bus?

We'll be in London in June for about 8 nights and will definitely be going to Bath as a day trip -- on our own, by train. (We're actually joining friends on that day trip.) However, one of our not-so-little-anymore-teenagers has also asked if we can fit in a day trip to the Cottswolds.

Is it realistic to think we could see both Bath and 1-2 Cottswolds Villages in a 2-day loop (out of London in the am on day 1, and back into London in the evening of day 2?)

Is there some clever loop we could make by public transportation that has us spending one day in Bath, and one day somewhere in a Cottswolds village (or cotswolds first and bath 2nd?)

I was thinking that some sort of loop would be a better use of our time than out and back for 2 separate day trips -- but I might be wrong about that.

I'd also prefer to do it ourselves so we're not stuck in a tour group... but perhaps Bath is manageable independently by train but Cottswolds better with a bus tour? If so, please recommend any good ones.

(Just some context, we were just in London 2 years ago for about 9-10 days, so this isn't our first time... we want to venture out of London but not drive.)

Thanks as always for the collective wisdom here!
Skatterfly

janisj

Welcome back

The Cotswolds are not all that well served by public transport. Little rail service and more local buses than any sort of intercity coaches. But if you can stay overnight in Bath there is a good tour company that does day trips into the Cotswolds. https://www.madmaxtours.co.uk

Or you could take a train from London to Moreton-in-Marsh and then local buses to a village or two.

Or London Walks do very good day trips to the Cotswolds - but they would have to fit your schedule. https://www.walks.com/day-trips-from-london/

For ease/convenience if it was me, I'd do Mad Max -- or London Walks IF they run on a day I could use.


(BTW it is 'Cotswolds' - no double 't' )

historytraveler

Have done a MadMax tour but not to the Cotswolds. Thought it was an excellent tour.

The Cotswolds are as janisj mentioned difficult to do by public transportation. In touring the Cotswolds you will certainly want to visit several villages and this only adds to the difficulty of touring without a car. Even local buses are not particularly easy to use as routes vary through out the area and you will likely find that you have to change buses in order to get where you want. Neither the bus schedules nor routes are geared to tourists. Your best option is to go with a small tour such as Mad Max or London Walks assuming their dates correspond to yours.

Sassafrass

A third vote for MadMax tours from Bath. We did the Cotswolds as a day trip from Bath and it was easy, fun and we saw a lot. They use a van, so small group. We had plenty of walking time in several villages and a nice lunch in one. We did our tour combined with Stonehenge (DH big interest), so it was a pretty long day. Super easy way to do a lot without stress or feeling rushed. You could probably catch a late train back to London after the tour.

skatterfly

Thanks so much for the replies, everyone! That's definitely the kind of info I'm looking for. I'm starting to think that it's more realistic to do The Cotswolds as a short day trip on a bus/van tour, and strike out to Bath with our friends separately.

Thanks for catching my poor spelling... not sure how to edit my original post, but wish I could.

Sassafrass

Just look at whether it would be easier after going to Bath with your friends, if you just stay the night In Bath, and catch the MM tour from there and exactly what you would see with each group. That is the only one I have taken, so can’t compare.

janisj

That's what I would be inclined to do -- go to Bath with your friends, they return home or wherever their plans take them, and your family stays the night. Do MadMax the next day then return to London by train. A more efficient use of time and you'd have more time in both Bath and the Cotswolds than when trying to do separate day trips to each from London.