England in Winter-Any Advice?
 

My wife and I are taking our first trip to England. We are spending Days 1-3 in Durham, Days 4-6 in York (Dean Court), Days 7-8 in Whitby, and the balance of the time (Days 9-16) in London (probably at a Nick Price apartment, judging from the postings here at Fodors; we also wish we could take our ferrets, but have settled on a house sitter for them...). <BR> <BR>My questions are: should I rent a car and drive from Heathrow to York/Durham/Whitby? Is driving in the North country recommended during the winter? How about train to York and then car in the North? Is the abbey in Whitby Dracula-riffic? Any advice on seeing Hadrian's Wall? Any advice on places to stay in Durham/Whitby/London? <BR> <BR>Are we doing too much or just right? <BR> <BR>Thanks! <BR> <BR> <BR>

How about a train to Durham and then a car? <BR> <BR>Arriving at Durham by train you'll get an incredible view of the cathedral towering above the city, so keep your eyes open. <BR> <BR>To really wander around on Hadrian's Wall, which I assume you're doing from Durham, you'll want a car. Bear in mind that the wall is in a very exposed area -- weather can be wintry in summer, let alone in winter, so dress accordingly.

On second thought, I recant. You were right: train-to-York-then-car makes sense. In a moment of temporary insanity, I didn't think abou the scenic driving possibilities around York.

We did Hadrian's Wall late Nov./early Dec. 1999. The weather was raw and lots of rain, but we wouldn't have missed it for the world. The main problem with Hadrian's Wall is that museums close around the end of November. They have an excellent website which will give you great information *http://hadrians-wall.org*. We also picked up a pocket guide to Hadrian's Wall, 48 pages, by Michelin. For 1 pound 99, it was well worth it. <BR> <BR>My other suggestion for Hadrian's Wall are wellingtons, if you have the room in your suitcase. The wall is located primarily in farmers' fields and the primary commodity is sheep. So you do a lot of sidestepping....don't wear good shoes! <BR> <BR>The weather didn't stop us from enjoying the area. We stayed at a lovely B&B in Hexham and on a sheep farm near Brampton. If you'd like more information, please email me.

I second the train-to-York then rent a car proposition! The weather will be quite cold, but the state of the roads shouldn't be much of a problem (unless there's snow - which is unlikely). As for places to stay in Durham: the top end hotels are the Royal County and Three Tuns (both 4 star) - they're both centrally located. For information about others - take a look at www.smoothhound.co.uk/durham.html which lists some information about Durham hotels - the Georgian Townhouse seems like a good choice if you want something cheaper - it's very central (and looks nice from the outside - but I've never stayed there). A lot of the others listed are further away - so look them up on a map before you book...

Victor <BR> <BR>Bring a squash ball with you, medium size. You'll know what it's for when it happens. <BR>Tony

I spent some time in England in November a few years back. Not quite winter, but cold, still. The days are very short - it started to get dark at 3.30, 4 pm - and the sunshine limited. Get your sightseeing done early. If you're a romantic you'll love the gloom and fog on the moors. Otherwise, head for the pub.

xxx

Thanks, everyone, this is just the sort of advice I need. <BR> <BR>Please provide any more information that comes to mind, it is appreciated. <BR> <BR>Victor <BR> <BR>P.S. I did post this request a second time because the first didn't show up until late, but feel free to provide your thoughts there as well, and thanks...score 1 for Windows, 0 for Linux.

Dean Court Hotel in York is a superb location, directly across the street from the Minster...we've stayed there several times and found the rooms on the front of the hotel too close to noise from the street, but doubt it will be bad during that off tourist time. Food at the hotel was good, as was the pub.

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