debstajm

We would like to hire a car for the day to travel to Hever Castle & Penshurst Place as there are no tours for these places from London. Is there a suggestion out there as to the best place to hire a car particulary outside the congestion zone or is there another option I am not aware of?
Appreciate any advice Deb

janisj

Take the train to Gatwick and rent the car from there. All the majors are at LGW and it is easy access from there to Hever/Penshurst/Chartwell -- all three are close to each other and would be easy to do in one day w/ a car.

debstajm

Great thanks Janisj appreciate the response. Deb

Matroskin

If you take Southeaster train from London Bridge or Charring Cross to Lewisham, there is an Enterprise rent car with a special weekend rate 15 GBP a day. Check out their rates and book on line. I used there a few time for the last 3 yeaers and their service is quite good.

janisj

That is a terrific rate if you are going on a weekend. The issue w/ Lewisham though is - it is practically in central London and quite a slog from Hever, whereas LGW is maybe 12 miles.

Matroskin

We love Hever Castle and it takes about 45 min from our house in Mottingam; if you add 10 min from Lewisham, then it'll make an hour (A2 to M25 and you are there)
If you want to save money - that is terrific rate; although, I have to admit that going from Gatwick would be more convinient, especially for one day trip.

debstajm

We have 2 good options. I did check out travel to Gatwick and for us to get there and return it will cost 28 pounds each on the express. But would gladly do it. If I go the Lewisham option we could travel via district to DLR and onto Lewsham and pick up a car. So either way we need to travel a bit before we are on our way if that makes sense.
I am very appreciative of the advice given so might have to toss a coin! (We will be staying in Earls Court again Base2stay, great place if anyone is interested)

Thank you Deb

rogeruktm

When you look at each site it indicates taking the train to Edenbridge and then bus to Penshurst. Once back it suggest a taxi to Hever. Seems to me you could take the 9:06 Southern train taking about 40 minutes. Bus to Penshurst, spend a couple of hours, return and the rest of the day at Hever. Arrange for the taxi back from Hever and train back to London.

janisj

They could <i>just</i> squeeze in the two properties and worry all the time about missing the infrequent bus connections, and paying for taxis, or they could very easily do Hever, Penshurst, and Chartwell (or Knole) w/o any hassle and at their own speed in a car for about the same cost.

Public transport is terrific -- but for some journeys, and some places, just bite the bullet and drive.

annhig

ahh, the train to Edenbridge. that brings back memories [not all of them good].

I used to commute on that line, getting on and off at Oxted where the trains used to divide, one half going to East Grinstead [where Dr. Beeching used to live, which is why the train didn't stop further up the line] and the other to Uckfield, which is the line that the OP would need. You jsut get off and get on the other train now - no more worrying about whther you're in the right bit.

penshurst is quite a pretty place, with, if I remember rightly, a rather superior pub, and a tea shop opposite the Castle. another nice place nearby is chiddingstone. that has a "castle" too - really a rather superior house - and a very quaint high street where series like Miss Marple are often filmed.

whether using the bus [something I never did in over 20 years of living in that area] would enable you to see what you wanted to, I'm not sure.

good luck,

regards, ann

regards, ann