Hello All, we are getting the Britrail SE pass for 4 days. I want to do Dover, the Cliffs and Castle, THEN go to Canterbury to see the Cathedral, and then Tales vignettes. Do you think this is too much in one day? I figured since it is a fairly long day trip, that we would try to do both. <BR> We also want to go to Brighton, and Cambridge, and maybe Winchester or Arundel.<BR> Judy

I don't know if you will be able to get it done on britrail but I know you can do it with a car. Starting at either Dover or Canterbury - although I'm not sure what the Tales Vignettes are, you can do the castle and the cathedral in one day - castle is awesome, cathedral will take about an hour.<BR><BR>Not sure where Arundel is (memory fog) but you could head through Brighton to Winchester. We started in Winchester, went to Portsmouth, on to Brighton, and ended up in Canterbury - it was a long day but we did a lot. You can read more detail at www.appleberryroad.com under the UK in October Link.<BR><BR>jpm

Sorry, meant to add: we will be staying in London, and doing day trips. <BR>Judy

jpm, I believe there is an attraction of sorts, of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. It sounds interesting, thought we would try it.<BR>Did you do Dover Castle?<BR>Thanks for the feedback, Judy

You can't do Dover and canterbury in a day by train. Dover Castle takes several hours if you include the WWII tunnels and there is no train to the cliffs. You can glimpse a portion of them from the cliffs at Dover Castle tho'. <BR><BR>Some advice - Brighton, Cambridge, Arundel, Winchester Dover and canterbury is an Awful lot to try to squeeze into 4 days. You will spend a lot of time "to-ing and fro-ing" from London on the trains. I presume you are staying each night in London. This is not very economical or efficient. London accomodations are the most expensive in the country - but you are staying there 4 nights while seeing provincial towns. Hotels near Dover or Brighton or Arundel will be 1/2 the cost of any in central London.<BR><BR>So instead of taking train trips out of the city every day - just rent a car for 4 days and drive a loop through Kent and Sussex. You will see much more and save a lot of money. Canterbury to Dover to Brighton to Arundel to Winchester is an easy 4 day trip and you will have a chance to see other things like Walmer, Deal, Rye, Sissinghurst, Scotney Castle and too many others to list. None of these ccould you visit by train.

Thanks Janis for the feedback. We are staying in London to do a few plays, and I thought to do daytrips with the SE Britrail pass for 4 days. I guess we will just plan according to the vagaries in the weather. <BR>Next time to the UK, when we have more time, we will rent a car and meander wherever.....<BR>We only have a week this time.<BR>Judy

Judy - if you are staying in London for a week you will probably not want to or be able to take 4 day trips out of the city. The first day in London is difficult due to jet lag and the last day is hectic packing and getting out to the airport. So you really would only have one full day in London if you take 4 day trips. <BR><BR>I have a lot of friends who plan all these type day trips and I always advise them they'll probably change their minds once they get to London. And the ALWAYS do - in a week you will probably comfortably fit in one day trip - two at very most.<BR><BR>Now, if you've been to London before and are ONLY staying in the city to go to the theatre a couple of times - then stay out in Kent or Sussex to do your sightseeing and spend the last 2 or 3 nights in London and do your theatre-going then.

just did the trip to London with our 8 year old and we did Dover and Caterbury and Leeds castle in one day. Used a car service where the driver is also a tour guide was really wonderful. Would normally be rather expensive but it is half price time in London right now so that made it more reasonable. The driver was very knowledgable about history and local lore. Having someone do the driving but able to work on our interests and time frame was an advantage. If I find the brochure I will post the name. I think if you are driving it all yourself it will be a long day.<BR><BR>jean