Cotswolds, Kent, London: Ab Fab :-)
Oct 24th, 2010, 06:50 AM
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Cotswolds, Kent, London: Ab Fab :-)
Had the best time! EVER.
Stayed in Stow on the Wold for a week at an absolutely beautiful self catering. I had trouble deciding what I loved best, the cottage or cottage gardens. It was simply brilliant.
We were able to walk to great pubs and restaurants and fabulous little shops. I could not recommend the place more.
We did day trips to Warwick and Kenilworth castles. We liked them both.
Also went to Stratford and saw the Bards birthplace and Mary Ardens farm. We loved the farm. It was fascinating.
Visited the towns of Bourton on the Water, Bibury, the Slaughters, Moreton on the Marsh, Burford, and Broadway.
Oh the Cotswolds were more beautiful than I ever could have imagined.
Our favorite castle was Sudeley where Catherine Parr is buried. The Queens garden was amazing! Also went to Blenheim Palace, but there was no electricity and the House was closed. But we did enjoy the Gardens. We had amazing weather BTW.
More to come.
Stayed in Stow on the Wold for a week at an absolutely beautiful self catering. I had trouble deciding what I loved best, the cottage or cottage gardens. It was simply brilliant.
We were able to walk to great pubs and restaurants and fabulous little shops. I could not recommend the place more.
We did day trips to Warwick and Kenilworth castles. We liked them both.
Also went to Stratford and saw the Bards birthplace and Mary Ardens farm. We loved the farm. It was fascinating.
Visited the towns of Bourton on the Water, Bibury, the Slaughters, Moreton on the Marsh, Burford, and Broadway.
Oh the Cotswolds were more beautiful than I ever could have imagined.
Our favorite castle was Sudeley where Catherine Parr is buried. The Queens garden was amazing! Also went to Blenheim Palace, but there was no electricity and the House was closed. But we did enjoy the Gardens. We had amazing weather BTW.
More to come.
- we're waiting !! 
Oct 24th, 2010, 02:59 PM
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We also did the Rollright Stones near Stow, on the way back from Blenhiem.
It was so very cool to have the stones all to ourselves. I felt like the fairies were there with us.
We also visited Daylesford Farms market. It was so strange to see the modern store on the small back roads. Had a very "posh" sort of clientele. Bought some great cheese there. I LOVE the Cotswolds cheeses.
The small back roads took a toll on my DH. He is superb driver, but a 12 mile trip on the small roads often times turned into a 45 minute trip....so the some of the planned trips were pared down. We were going to do Oxford, but he was getting a bit tired.
Warwick was easy to find, Kenilworth, Blenheim and
Stratford were too.
Patandhank, what do want to know "how we did it"?
BTW, there was a very good Indian restaurant in Stow, plus the Kings Arms and Queens Head, both pubs, were very good too.
After our wonderful week in the Cotswolds, we were headed to Cranbrook in Kent.
We stayed at the George Hotel, where Elizabeth I stayed. It was very atmospheric, yet comfortable. The town was quaint. On the way to Cranbrook, we stopped at Leeds Castle, we had the British Heritage pass, so we decided to stop and visit.
I liked it, and it was not crowded at all.
More to come......
It was so very cool to have the stones all to ourselves. I felt like the fairies were there with us.
We also visited Daylesford Farms market. It was so strange to see the modern store on the small back roads. Had a very "posh" sort of clientele. Bought some great cheese there. I LOVE the Cotswolds cheeses.
The small back roads took a toll on my DH. He is superb driver, but a 12 mile trip on the small roads often times turned into a 45 minute trip....so the some of the planned trips were pared down. We were going to do Oxford, but he was getting a bit tired.
Warwick was easy to find, Kenilworth, Blenheim and
Stratford were too.
Patandhank, what do want to know "how we did it"?
BTW, there was a very good Indian restaurant in Stow, plus the Kings Arms and Queens Head, both pubs, were very good too.
After our wonderful week in the Cotswolds, we were headed to Cranbrook in Kent.
We stayed at the George Hotel, where Elizabeth I stayed. It was very atmospheric, yet comfortable. The town was quaint. On the way to Cranbrook, we stopped at Leeds Castle, we had the British Heritage pass, so we decided to stop and visit.
I liked it, and it was not crowded at all.
More to come......
Oct 24th, 2010, 03:39 PM
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Oct 25th, 2010, 04:55 AM
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In Cranbrook, we did more dya trips. We went to Knole, Heever and Chartwell in one day. They are not that far part.
Knole was a grand place, but Hever, with it's Tudor heritage had me enthralled. I loved it. The topiaries were wonderful.
Ahhh, but Chartwell, Winnie's home, was a so wonderfully historic, I was fascinated and moved by this great man and his marvelous home. I loved his cottage/studio with his paintings.
Next day went Bodian Castle, surely the jewel of all Castles. It is exactly what an ideal castle should look like. It was exquisite.
After Bodian we went to Rye, (because it did not look too far away ;-) ). After the windy roads, we entered Rye and had a great time just walking throught the beautiful old streets. It was lovely and I would recommend it highly.
BTW, we went to a marvelous Italian restaurant called Terracotta....best Italian we had in ages, It was so good we went twice. Also ate at the George which had good pub food in it's brasserie.
Next, drove to Gatwich, which was not far from Cranbrook, and dropped off the car and took the Gatwick express into London....easy peezy.
Next up...LONDON.
Knole was a grand place, but Hever, with it's Tudor heritage had me enthralled. I loved it. The topiaries were wonderful.
Ahhh, but Chartwell, Winnie's home, was a so wonderfully historic, I was fascinated and moved by this great man and his marvelous home. I loved his cottage/studio with his paintings.
Next day went Bodian Castle, surely the jewel of all Castles. It is exactly what an ideal castle should look like. It was exquisite.
After Bodian we went to Rye, (because it did not look too far away ;-) ). After the windy roads, we entered Rye and had a great time just walking throught the beautiful old streets. It was lovely and I would recommend it highly.
BTW, we went to a marvelous Italian restaurant called Terracotta....best Italian we had in ages, It was so good we went twice. Also ate at the George which had good pub food in it's brasserie.
Next, drove to Gatwich, which was not far from Cranbrook, and dropped off the car and took the Gatwick express into London....easy peezy.
Next up...LONDON.
Oct 27th, 2010, 07:19 AM
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Thanks for trip report.
In case anyone wants to check out some of the places you visited.
It's Moreton In Marsh (not on the Marsh)Gloucestershire
Bodiam Castle near Tenterden Kent
Hever Castle in Kent between Sevenoaks and East Grinstead
was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, wife of King Henry VIII
Chartwell in Kent, home of British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
In case anyone wants to check out some of the places you visited.
It's Moreton In Marsh (not on the Marsh)Gloucestershire
Bodiam Castle near Tenterden Kent
Hever Castle in Kent between Sevenoaks and East Grinstead
was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, wife of King Henry VIII
Chartwell in Kent, home of British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Oct 28th, 2010, 09:42 AM
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Anna, I will post some more pics later.
May Cottage was even better than the web site pictured it. It was perhaps the cleanest place I have ever been to, not a dust mote in sight!
The owner had generously left a bottle of wine, eggs, bacon, bread, butter, oj, milk, and coffee and tea for us to use. Plus she also left a us a nice homemade cake and lemon bars.
What a treat!
The ownwers are very flexible about renting.
I have given May cottage recs to all my friends. They love it.
Took the Gatwick Express to Victoria, then got a taxi to Jumeriah Lowndes in Knightsbridge. It was a good hotel with a great location. We were close to Harrods and Sloan st shops.
We went to the British museum again, but did a micro visit, which included a guided tour, instead of wandering around.
We walked around Covent garden afterwards and just enjoyed the scene.
That night we had tickets to Sweet Charity and liked it very much. We had pre dinner at Saigon Square nearby, and it was all right, not as good as expected.
Next day did the National Gallery again and once again did a micro tour. It was a nice day, and so we just strolled around Parliment, Big Ben and Westminster... and walked and walked.
Monday was the Museum of London and St Pauls. Monday night we went to "Oliver" and we thoroughly enjoyed it!
I was so sad to leave London and England. Next time we will rent a flat in London for a few months.
We took Piccadilly to terminal 4 and once again it was easy peezy.
Bellini, thanks for clarifying my muddled post.
May Cottage was even better than the web site pictured it. It was perhaps the cleanest place I have ever been to, not a dust mote in sight!
The owner had generously left a bottle of wine, eggs, bacon, bread, butter, oj, milk, and coffee and tea for us to use. Plus she also left a us a nice homemade cake and lemon bars.
What a treat!
The ownwers are very flexible about renting.
I have given May cottage recs to all my friends. They love it.
Took the Gatwick Express to Victoria, then got a taxi to Jumeriah Lowndes in Knightsbridge. It was a good hotel with a great location. We were close to Harrods and Sloan st shops.
We went to the British museum again, but did a micro visit, which included a guided tour, instead of wandering around.
We walked around Covent garden afterwards and just enjoyed the scene.
That night we had tickets to Sweet Charity and liked it very much. We had pre dinner at Saigon Square nearby, and it was all right, not as good as expected.
Next day did the National Gallery again and once again did a micro tour. It was a nice day, and so we just strolled around Parliment, Big Ben and Westminster... and walked and walked
.Monday was the Museum of London and St Pauls. Monday night we went to "Oliver" and we thoroughly enjoyed it!
I was so sad to leave London and England. Next time we will rent a flat in London for a few months.
We took Piccadilly to terminal 4 and once again it was easy peezy.
Bellini, thanks for clarifying my muddled post.
Sep 12th, 2011, 10:36 AM
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Hey, Judyrem, I saw that your trip was last fall - was it October or September? We're thinking about a trip over there next September, and I'm wondering what the weather is usually like that time of year. I think we'd like to do a walking tour of the Cotswolds, so the main think I'd worry about is rain.
Sep 12th, 2011, 10:46 AM
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smetz: "<i>was it October or September? We're thinking about a trip over there next September, and I'm wondering what the weather is usually like that time of year. I think we'd like to do a walking tour of the Cotswolds, so the main think I'd worry about is rain.</i>"
I'm not judyrem . . . but her answer wouldn't help you any -- none at all. Asking what the weather was like last Sep or Oct has no bearing on what it will be this year. Heck, what the weather was last week has no bearing on what the weather is this week.
You could have lovely weather, nasty weather, warm or cool, sun or rain, - - or all of the above . . . on the same day.
Rain shouldn't stop you from doing anything. Just be sure to have sturdy shoes.
I'm not judyrem . . . but her answer wouldn't help you any -- none at all. Asking what the weather was like last Sep or Oct has no bearing on what it will be this year. Heck, what the weather was last week has no bearing on what the weather is this week.
You could have lovely weather, nasty weather, warm or cool, sun or rain, - - or all of the above . . . on the same day.
Rain shouldn't stop you from doing anything. Just be sure to have sturdy shoes.
Sep 23rd, 2011, 03:40 PM
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I just saw this thread.
Janisj. spot on as usual.
But I love going in the "shoulder season".
We had such great weather that we are going back next week.
I will be flexible about we do...nice weather gardens and outside stuff...wet weather...well inside great houses or castles.
Hey I figure, I won't melt...I have a hooded raincoat, good shoes, and I am good to go.
Janisj. spot on as usual.
But I love going in the "shoulder season".
We had such great weather that we are going back next week.
I will be flexible about we do...nice weather gardens and outside stuff...wet weather...well inside great houses or castles.
Hey I figure, I won't melt...I have a hooded raincoat, good shoes, and I am good to go.
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