walktrotncanter

Looking for a cottage in the Cotswolds for 5 nights. So far I like this one http://www.cotswoldsretreatcottage.c....asp?page=3659 Anyone have any opinions on it or the location or anything? Or other suggestions in the Cotswolds? I liked that this one seems to be within an hour or two of Salisbury, Bath, Warwick, Birmingham, Abergavenny and London. All places we may be driving to from there. What do you think?

janisj

I think you may be seriously underestimating drive times. That location would not be w/i an hour of any of those places except Bath. Warwick, B'ham, etc will easily be 2.5-3 hours away

If I might make a suggestion (but it is your holiday so take it for what it is worth). While selecting a central base to tour from is a great idea -- maybe not for such far flung places over a huge area.

If you plan to visit Salisbury, Bath, London, Warwick, Stratford, Birmingham, and Abergavenny from one location you will be on the road 5-6 hours most days. Those are drive times -- not stopping/touring/sightseeing. From Hullavington to Birmingham via Stratford and Warwick is about 3 hours each way just driving. Then you add 3 hours in Stratford and 3 hours in Warwick and some time in B'ham and you will be a wreck. And if you don't do all 3 on the same day -- then you end up w/ almost the same drive times retracing the same route 2 days in a row.

For your itinerary for the second week -- instead of one central cottage, it might be better to stay in 2 different B&Bs closer to the various sites. One in Wiltshire or near Bath for Bath/Salisbury/Abergavenny and <i>maybe</i> London (though really, London is best seen from London). Then a different B&B in the northern Cotswolds (Broadway, Chipping Campden or somewhere north of there) to visit Stratford/Warwick/Stoneleigh Park and tour the Cotswolds.

There are other options. A place in the SW Cotswolds would be a good base for Bath, Abergavenny and S Wales. Or near Salisbury could also be a base for Bath and (by train) London.

I almost always pick a central cottage for a week's touring - but you want to cover an area of about 125 miles (north - south Birmingham/Salisbury) by 160 miles (east - west London/ Abergavenny/) which is just too much. In the States or Australia that is nothing - but in England the roads are narrow, busy and slow. Except for the motorways you are talking 35-40mph on average. You'd spend hours driving and relatively little time seeing/doing)

walktrotncanter

Thanks for the advice! Will reconsider. I was just using google for the times and they sounded reasonable. Going to fly into London (an overnight flight so we would get in early in the morning) and then drive to Cornwall. Maybe see Stonehenge on the way? Don't think we will be going to all those places from the Cotswolds. Abergavenny after the week in Cotswolds, and then will have a ride to Stoneleigh after that. Would maybe have time to see Warwick and Stratford on the way there and/or during/after the show. So maybe stay around Wiltshire or Bath for the week? Don't really want to spend a lot of time in London (maybe on another trip??) but would love to go there for an evening to see a show. And maybe the Tower of London before. Giving me lots to consider, thank you!

Surfergirl

The other thing is that so much work is being done these days on the motorway, with constant speed reductions, not to mention the zillion speed cameras and speed zones, and accidents clogging up the drive. Motorways around B'ham can be hellish. In short, if it used to take you an hour to get from point A to point B, it will now realistically take you at least 1.5 hours to get to point B. And I'm being generous.

janisj

"<i>Going to fly into London (an overnight flight so we would get in early in the morning) and then drive to Cornwall.</i>"

No, NO, <B>NO</B>, <B><red>NO</B></red>!!! (does that get your attention )

Not only is that nearly impossible -- it will be exceedingly dangerous. Jetlag + a probably mostly sleepless flight + driving 'on the wrong side of the road on the wrong side of the car' is a recipe for disaster.

Heathrow to Penzance is a 6-7 hour drive <u>if everything goes perfectly</u>.

Another suggestion: Fly into LHR. Go in to London for the first night or two. Get over the jetlag car-less,then on the 2nd or 3rd day take the train to Cornwal and collect your rental car there. Tour Cornwall/Devon, drive north for the 2nd week, then drop you car at LHR and fly home.

walktrotncanter

Glad I'm planning this early! Since we have 4 days of "cow stuff" at the end of the trip we really only have 10 days of "vacation time" to work with. We could always take the train from London to Cornwall the first morning/afternoon? Will be interesting trying to explain to my boyfriend why it's not a good idea for him to drive there the first day! Although the flight will probably be the most sleep he's gotten in one night in his whole life. With his job he doesn't get much sleep and is able to pass out pretty much anywhere, anytime (I'm pretty jealous of that part of it!) But even so, we've never experienced jetlag so will have to take that into consideration, plus the difference in driving.

What about Braunston for the first part of the second half, and then around Bath for the end before Abergavenny? I know I keep picking based on the places to stay, can't help it, they look so nice! The cottage here looks amazing! http://www.braunstonmill.co.uk/

Thanks again for taking the time to explain everything, you can tell I don't know too much about it!

walktrotncanter

Or maybe just fly into Newquay instead. There are 2 stops we were trying to avoid but might actually be nice to get out and stretch and get food besides airline food. Would be close to the same in travel time as flying into London and then taking the train to Cornwall. And probably similar in cost as well.

Judyrem

OMG, Janis is so right! Driving times are wayyyyyyy longer than you think!
The 2 differant cottages make the most sense to me.

Judyrem

http://www.cottageinthecountry.co.uk/properties/C480



FYI.

annhig

hi wtnc,

what janisj said about driving - don't do it!

you could either fly to Newquay and pick up your car there, [Herzt from memory] or get the train. as you are flying into LHR, the train would be easier - you can get the train to Reading, and change there onto the train for Penzance/Truro.

flights to Newquay go from LGW, which would mean you had to get to Gatwick t pick up the plane, which is a bit of a waste of time. However, at the end of your stay in Cornwall ,you could fly from Newquay to Bristol rather than drive.

janisj

and to follow on from annig's suggestion of taking the train to Cornwall and collecting a car there. If you do that, don't rent the car that day. You will have been up for probably 24+ hours by the time you get to Penzance. No time to be driving on the left for the first time, especially on the narrow/stone wall and hedgerow lined Cornish roads. Book one night in a nearby hotel or B&B and at least partially recover before dealing w/ a car and navigating.

Pick up the car the next day and drive on to your cottage or B&B.

taconictraveler

Any chance you could change and fly to Bristol? Continental does that I believe.

walktrotncanter

We actually have not booked our flights yet, which is good since we found out today that the cow show we were going for is cancelled! Will still be going but will have a little more leeway with the dates and such. Will spend 3 or 4 days touring farms instead of the show stuff. Changes things a little bit but am still going to try to work around the areas we were already considering.

Thinking about the driving made me laugh. My dad was watching some show about the most dangerous roads the other day! I would feel more comfortable with my boyfriend driving but would almost make more sense for me to do it. I have a CDL and am used to driving large semis/trailers which make the roads seem smaller, lol. But if I don't have to drive at all over there I'll be happy, I do plenty for work!

Will keep everyone updated with my ideas, and numerous questions!

goddesstogo

Geez, that's EXACTLY what we did. Our friends flew overnight and landed about 6 a.m. We met them at 8 a.m., picked up the car and spent the whole day driving in the Cotswolds. We didn't check into our inn till that evening. They did have business class sleeping pods but I don't think he's that good a sleeper anyway, pod or not.

janisj

gtg: apples and oranges. LHR to the Cotswolds is a hecka (HECKA) lot shorter drive than to SW Cornwall.

Not that either would be <i>recommended</i> - but LHR to Penzance is over 300 miles, LHR to Stow-on-the-Wold is less than 75 miles.

Business/First does make a difference -- but $5000-$10,000 is more than some are willing to pay for a good night's sleep

goddesstogo

Oh, I assumed they'd be flying into LHR. Didn't read closely enough.

Are you kidding? I don't have ANY friends who can afford to do that with actual money! My friends didn't pay for the business class tix -- he flys tons for his job and piles up points like crazy so he's on some sort of 'gold member list' thing and they sometimes get upgraded. They did this whole trip on points and that's why they could afford to come over and visit us for just a few days.

I've only flown business class twice and both have been on somebody else's buck. They were nice long trips, once to Japan and once to Brazil. But that was in the days before they had beds. I'd sure like a chance to try that. Going business class spoils you for flying coach for the rest of your life!

bigtyke

If you are a 'horse person' as your name implies, then be sure to read a Dick Francis novel or two (or 30) and visit Lambourn and Cheltenham

walktrotncanter

Oh wow thanks bigtyke! I was kind of hoping to get on a horse over there but it would be a bit expensive for something I can do for less (or free) over here. Will see how it goes though. Those places might be perfect to see though! I sold my Thoroughbred earlier this year but I used to event with him, I miss it!

janisj

Lambourne and Cheltenham are really more connected w/ thoroughbreds/horse racing.

'Run of the mill' riding can be found all over and you don't need to spend a lot of money. If you google 'pony trekking' or 'riding stables' - you will find TONS of places w/ riding. Even some farm B&Bs offer riding/trekking.

You'll find them in the SW, the Cotswolds and other parts of the west country where you'll be.

annhig

wtnc, i know that this is your cotswolds thread rather than your cornwall one, but there are plenty of riding stables in cornwall that could arrange a ride for you; in the country and/or on the beach.