sonicdeb

I lost my previous thread but from previous advice on this forum, I changed my driving itinerary. I need to see if this is doable.
May 22-1400hr Drive from Gatwick to Winchester (or Chawton) 1nt. there
May 23-Drive to Chipping Campden via Basildon Park. Spend 2 nts. in Chipping Campden
May 25-Drive to Chatsworth via Buckingham(there is a site I want to see there. Spend 2 nts. Peak District
May 27 York? or Lincoln? I want to spend 2 nights in the area
May 29-Drive to Stamford (1 nt)
May 30-Drive to East Midlands airport-Return rental car by 1430hrs.
This is sort of a Jane Austen' movies/National Trust excursion.
Any suggestions for overnights near Chawton? I already have accommodations confirmed for other areas, except York? or Lincoln?
I will not have jetlag as I am arriving from Italy. TheAA.com states all of the areas are w/in a 2 hour drive from each other approx.
Thanks for any suggestions.

Cholmondley_Warner

Your best bet for Chawton would be Winchester. You can kill two birds with one stone then. You can visit Jane Bloody Austen's Grave* in the Cathedral (halfway down on the left hand side).

You could also see the house she died in - it's near the cathedral in College St. It's a private house - you can't go in.

You can also see cannon St (where I used to live) which has been used in quite a lot of TV adaptations.

*I won't tell you what I used to do to this grave as a schoolboy in Winchester. It's her fault. She wrote those dreadful books.

sonicdeb

I will look in Winchester. Not a JA fan, I gather?

Morgana

Deb, if you just click on your name at the top of your post it will come up with a list of your other contributions and posts.
If you choose York then do get booked up as soon as you can. You are travelling during school holidays (half term Whit week holiday is w/c May 25th)and everything will be much busier than normal wherever you go. Also it is Bank Holiday Monday on the 25th, and if it is warm and dry the crowds will be out, roads very busy and Chatsworth will be packed.

Cholmondley_Warner

I went to school in Winchester (it's the college in College St) and they made us read those dripping wet books. I have never forgiven her.

I'd quite like to dig up Thomas Hardy and throw stones at him too. Winchester is Wintoncester in Tess.

If you like this sort of thing - Winchester is also Barchester in Trollope's Barchester Chronicles. More digging and more stones required there too.

sonicdeb

Yes, I found out that week is busy;( .That is why I am trying to get this all figured out now. Any other suggestions besides York or Lincoln? I have been through York over 10 yrs ago, and at the time did not get explore it. Does the time that I have alloted sound reasonable, even with heavy traffic?

flanneruk

The tricky bit is the M1 round J23A and 24. Allow at least another hour from Buckingham to Chatsworth: I've never found a way of bypassing that mess, except by going straight from the Cotswolds to Derbyshire via the M42/M6 Toll/ A515, but that means you don't get to Buckingham.

The mess seems never-ending, so allow time for it coming back to the airport from Stamford

sonicdeb

I may decide to skip Buckingham. I was wanting to see Claydon House, but it is south of Buckingham and may be too out of the way. Thanks for the advice from Stamford to the airport. I don't want to miss my flight or pay extra for the car. I am just wondering if stay near Lincoln is best. I also want to see Belton House.

flanneruk

I wouldn't kill Claydon House.Just head east to J10 of the M40, then north to the M42.

sonicdeb

Thanks. I will take your advice on that and not rule it out yet

bilboburgler

I have a similar view about Thomas Hardy. I grew up in Dorset and had to read about yet more poverty driven farmers (descended from a long line of poverty driven farmers).

Still it meant I didn't have to read more about William Barnes (the dorset dialect poet), I come from a long line of dorset dialect poets.

As for the idiot family up at Haworth don't get me started about poverty driven vicars and their junkie children.

ElendilPickle

Here is your previous thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35177468

Chawton is very small; as C_W said, Winchester is your best bet for lodging.

Lee Ann