HELP! England at Christmas
 

Hello,

I've read a quite a few posts on Christmas in London, and I must say that I am at a bit of a loss.

My friend and I were not planning on a UK trip this holiday (we were looking at California---we livein Boston), but I was shocked to discover I could get a flight to London for not much more. The only dates available at that price were flying out on 24 Dec (arriving at Heathrow at 7am on 25 Dec) and flying back on the afternoon of 31 Dec.

Well, I had forgotten that Christmas and Boxing Day stood in the way.

Further complicating things is the fact that my friend really wanted to go to Dublin, so we have a Ryanair flight to Dublin on the night of the 27th and returning the morning of the 30th (to Gatwick).

So that leaves us 3 days (25th, 26th, 27th) to explore.

What is the best way to avoid wasting our money?

I guess we could stay in London, but I can also hire a car fairly cheaply for 3 days at Heathrow and go on a road trip.

I know everything everywhere is closed on Christmas, so I was thinking maybe a drive to Oxford and into the Cotswolds would be a nice idea (never been to the Cotswolds, because I've always been to the UK in the summer, when they are crowded).

From that point, I thought I could drive up to Warwick on the 26th, because the castle is open on Boxing Day.

From there we could snake our way down through Gloucestershire and Herefordshire (lovely country) and then Bath and Salisbury (or Portsmouth) before returning to Heathrow to drop the car off on the 27th. Or maybe we could instead scoot over to the Brecon Beacons and Gower Peninsula, two places I haven't been to, in Wales and cross the Severn back into England.

Is this doable, or is London a better idea? Transport there will be hard the first couple days and little will be open, it seems.

There are other options for road trips---I've never been to Devon and Cornwall.

Re: food. What can I do for food, arriving on Christmas Day? Will there be any markets or M&S/Sainsbury/Tesco open on the 25th-26th?

Will pubs/restaurants outside London be open on the 26th?

Is it probably a good idea to stay overnight in larger cities like Bath and Birmingham and Oxford? I know it will get dark quick, so we have to do something at night.

Sorry for all the questions. I've never been to the UK in the wintertime, and the holiday thing has me panicking a little bit.

Finally. . .the car. I've never driven on the left side of the road. Being in Boston, I don't drive regularly anyway, so I think I can adjust to that pretty well, and my car will be automatic transmission.

However, I know nothing about what to do with a car in Britain. If I'm staying overnight in cities, where do I park it? Will there be free parking available on Xmas and Boxing Day? I assume park and ride lots outside will not work because buses will not be running.

Thanks again!

My wife and I were in London this past spring. We bought 2 tube passes in advance and added zones to travel Windsor and Eaton. You can price at www.tfl.gov.uk. I have driven in a lot of countries but never would I drive in one on vacation that drives on the opposite side of the road.

It sounds like you've already visited London; if so I think Christmastime in the Cotswolds sounds like a lovely idea. All of the B&B's we've stayed at in rural England had off-street parking so I wouldn't think that would be a problem. I would, however, set about booking your Cotswold accommodations as soon as possible. (I can thoroughly recommend Bramley House in Chipping Campden; don't know if they are booked or even open over the holidays however.)

As far as driving goes, you should be able to handle it. We found driving in the Cotswolds easier than other areas (like Yorkshire and N. Wales) because there aren't so many roads with big rock walls on either side of them!

sherm99: Windsor and Eton are not in the TFL London zones and one can't add on zones to visit them w/ tube passes. Maybe you are thinking of Hampton Court Palace and/or Kew??

lubeltri: Traveling around by car over Christmas is not hard at all (unless there is a bad winter storm). However - finding places to stay may be. Many places close over the holidays and some others have special Holiday programs the are booked up well ahead.

I know changes can be expensive. But if it were me - I'd try to fly directly on to Ireland and stay in Dublin the first 3 days of your trip and then return to London for the last 3-4 days.

Thanks for the replies so far.

Azzure, yes, I studied at Cambridge, so I have been to London a number of times.

Janis, I had the same idea you did. Unfortunately, Ryanair does not fly out of London on Christmas day (as for getting to Stansted, Gatwick or Luton from Heathrow, that is another issue).

This is a tightly budgeted trip, so the big reason why we're doing Dublin is because we got very inexpensive tickets on those dates (about 50 quid each return). This is my friend's first trip to Europe, and he really wants to get a taste of something out of the UK (Eurostar to Paris was an option, but too expensive at those times). Unfortunately, flying the "big" carriers to Dublin on Christmas day is a good deal more expensive.

We're young so can hostel it if we must (a quick check shows hostels available in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Birmingham on the 25th-26th. There's even one open in Ledbury in Herefordshire.). I guess the problem would be parking in city centers.

We can stay anywhere---I just want us to get as much out of those first two days as possible with so much closed.

Janis, if you have travelcard for London, and want to get a train to Windsor, you buy a ticket to Windsor from the zone boundary. For example, with a six-zone travelcard, you can buy a ticket from the boundary of zone 6 to Windsor.

<<< Unfortunately, Ryanair does not fly out of London on Christmas day >>>

There are other airlines that fly to Ireland - even on Christmas Day.

Try Aer Lingus, BA, BMI...

GeoffHamer: I know you can buy tickets between the outer reaches of London and Windsor. But for that to work you'd really need a 6 zone travelcard. If one has the normal zone 1-2 travelcard, then it would require an extension to zone 6 plus a train ticket. If they paid for 6 zone travel cards they paid a lot more than they needed to.

My main point though was the train tickets are not extensions to the tfl travel cards like sherm suggested.

M&S etc will definitely be closed under the Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004, which banned shops with a square footage of over 3000 ft from opening on Christmas Day. You won't find many (any?) smaller ones open either, TBH. Your best bet might be getting food at the airport - or you might find a petrol station open on your route for a snack - nothing desirable. I'd go for the airport myself, assuming the shops there are open. Maybe the bst thing of all would be to bring something with you.

Those restaurants which are open will be (a) charging astronomical amounts which would be a problem as you're on a budget, and (b) are probably all booked up already. In a rural area such as the Cotswolds I think that's even more likely to be a problem than London.

Accommodation is likely to be the same, unless the hostels you're looking at have a different business practice. It may be that this type of accommodation is not in great demand at this time of year among the British, but enough to keep it open. Good luck, anyway.

Parking: public car parks are usually free on bank holidays so that's one good thing for you. I would expect pubs etc to be back to normal Boxing Day, but it's probably worth checking once you have a specific location in mind, and the majority of large shops/supermarkets etc will also be open depite the fact that it's a bank holiday.

Hi lubeltri,

i think your berst bet to do this on a budget is youth hostelling- you are allowed to arrive by car, and they usually offer food which wil be cheap if not haute cuisine.

alternatively, B & Bs [booked in advance] in small towns will offer a range of local pubs which wil have some sort of food. actually buying food on the hoof at that time of year may be trickier - opening hours are bound to be changeable.

I would definitely NOT travel on spec. sleeping in the car might by chilly that time of year.

in the time you've got, Devon and Cornwall aren't really on, especially as you've got a flight to Dublin to catch.

good luck,

regards, ann

Very few supermarkets will be open on Boxing Day, except small convenience stores like Tesco Metro and Sainsbury Local. The only large stores open on Boxing Day are those starting New Year Sale on that day - usually furniture stores or DIY.

I think your only travel option is to hire a car. There s no public transport on the 25th and limited on the 26th.

The motorways will be incredibly busy. Many people work on the 24th so have to travel on the morning of the 25th.

The one place that will be quiet to drive around is the centre of London.

All motorway service stations will be open, the food is expensive and not very good but better than going hungry. Also many have a Marks and Spencer food section attached so you may be able to get food there.

It's a while since i have spent Christmas in London, but certainly outside London you can get indian or kebab food in the evening - i can't see it would be different IN London.

You MUST book some accommodation now.

Hi
A few thoughts - don't mean them to sound negative, just some practicalities really.
You are travelling during the time when the days in England are at their shortest - by 4pm it can be really drawing in.
Also, although winter countryside can still be very beautiful, on days when it doesn't stop raining, or it is foggy or misty and you can't seem to see more than a few yards ahead of you, you may wish you had a plan B! Endless driving through poor weather isn't fun, it's tiring and disheartening. Crisp, clear winter days walking through empty deserted Cotswold villages would be great, but you have, I am afraid, every chance of it being wet, windy and miserable. So I think you SHOULD have plan b, and that is have some specific indoor places to head for (you mentioned Warwick Castle, which would be ideal).
Petrol stations are often open over Christmas and many now sell quite a variety of food - nothing too exciting, and often pretty pricey but enough to tide you over until the shops open properly again.
Personally I think crossing over to Wales much too far on the short time you have - maybe just concentrate on the Cotswolds/Warwick/possibly Oxford area.

On the question of hiring a car, if you decide to do so, do it quickly. I tried t hire a car from Heathrow over the Christmas period last year, and had no success at all (One company could offer bbe a convertable Mercedes Sports car at £300 a day, but that was all).

Some M+S, Tesco and Sainsbury branches in London are open Christmas Day. The M+S in the BP station at Hammersmith flyover is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and many mom+pop convenience stores are also open in the morning In Oxford, no grocery on Christmas Day, but the city centre Sainsbury's Locals are open Boxing Day. Check each of these three co websites for details of places and times.

The rules about daytime onstreet parking at bank holidays (which include Xmas and Boxing Days) vary from borough to borough. As a general rule, you can park free on single yellow lines on bank holidays, BUT:

Central London stays deserted on Boxing Day. Provincial cities can often get overrun by shoppers, since out of London Sales often start on Dec 26, and workday rules may apply. Check each borough website separately.

Oxford Park+Ride does not operate on Christmas Day, but does operate Boxing Day.

plan the accomodation first and meals on 25 and 26th. Then things will work out.

I guess you know about local prices?? and the weather??

Yes. I grew up in Syracuse, NY, and now live in Boston. Believe me, I know dark, bad winter weather.

I've already reserved a car for 71 pounds for three days, taxes/fees included.

You're right about a plan B if the weather does not cooperate on Christmas Day. Hmm. . .

Hi,

Have you looked at renting a self catering cottage in the cotswold??

Might be something aviable??

Mark

well, if you reserved a car from Heathrow, that seems to be transportation issue nearly solved. I presume you know how to drive stick-shifts, or ordered an automatic car?

Central London would be very quiet on both 25 and 26. There is not much you can do during 25-27, aside from driving around and hopefully staying in a comfortable place.

Not sure if supermark"ettes" attached to petrol stations would remain open during the holiday--the one around the corner from where I live, which is a heavy-traffic'ed Tesco/Esso DOES close down from early evening 24, then reopen on 26.

I would stock up on food/drinks from the airport, though you should be able to find some places open on Boxing Day. I won't count on restaurants being open outside of London on christmas day proper, unless it's attached to a hotel. (Within London, your best bet would be ethnic restaurants).

Yes, I got an automatic transmission car. I can get by on manual here in the US, but I'd rather keep more of my attention on driving on the left side of the road---especially with rotaries.

Thanks. I looked and noticed there is a M+S in my terminal (3) at Heathrow. Better probably to get the day's food there than hope I find a place open.

I live in central Boston---I could use some peace and quiet, so perhaps a nice, serene couple days in the countryside will be fine. If there isn't a gale outside, it should also feel downright warm to me.

Hopefully I find a pub open on Boxing Day---I'm looking forward to getting some nice cask ales and scrumpy. I cannot tell you how much I miss those.

Does a circuit up through Oxford and the Cotswolds, then Warwick, then down to Bath and Salisbury (or Portsmouth; I have been to the former, but not to the latter) via the Marches and back to Heathrow sound reasonable for the 25th-27th?