Just to point out that a UK roundabout is NOT a rotary except in Massachusetts

In virtually every case in the UK the traffic entering the roundabout has to give way to traffic already on the roundabout whereas most rotaries give priority to the entering traffic.

As you can see the difference is somewhat significant

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...code/DG_070338

"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?"

No

You can go through the convolutions of what's open and what's not, when, for yourself.

But what are you going to see in the Cotswolds on Christmas Day? What - once you've been to morning service at Christ Church or St Aloysius - are you going to do in Oxford on Christmas Day? How did the Marches suddenly interject themselves?

As for getting to Portsmouth via Bath from somewhere in Shropshire: it took me two hours this morning to drive eight miles near Portsmouth. And on Dec 26/7, there's nothing to do along the M27 corridor but shop. Which, particularly around Chandlers Ford, is what about half a million people do all at the same time.

Find somewhere you can afford, preferably in Oxford. Potter around, preferably doing lots on foot. If you must go to Warwick Castle, do so on Dec 26. But halve the distance you're planning.

Better confiorm that the M&S at terminal three will bne open on Christmas Day - I've found evidence here from last year that only a minority of the cafes/restaurants were open there on Christmas Day 2006 : http://www.spcm.org/Journal/spip.php?article5666

I'm afraid your little itinerary is far too much. You could realistically get to Oxford on Christmas Day and daytrip to Warwick on Boxing Day - forget the Cotswolds. On the 27th pick one place to see - but be aware they're all a pretty long drive from Oxford, and will be really busy with shoppers. Plus you'll be paying the usual car parking charges, if you can find a spot. If it's a nice day I suppose you could have a drive into the countryside instead - the Cotswolds is probably too far to be reasonable, especially as you have to get to the airport for your flight to Dublin. Are you going from Gatwick? What time do you have to be there? It would make sense to pick somewhere to see between Oxford and Gatwick, but where exactly will depend on how much time you have. the roads are likely to be busy with the bargain seekers, so you'll possibly need more time than usual, especially if you're leaving a major town immediately before.

I really hope you're not going to end up disappointed with your Christmas experience.

I agree w/ the above - <b>no way, no how</b> could you drive that far in that short a time.

You are stuck w/ your flights to/from Ireland so make the best of it. Just go somewhere (booked asap) like Oxford or Stratford-upon-Avon or a country town in the area and stay there two nights. On Christmas day Walk around whichever town you picked and do a day trip to Warwick on Boxing day. Then spend the 27th fighting through traffic to whichever airport you are using for RyanAir.

That is about the best you can hope to accomplish. It won't be awful - a nice country walk on Christmas Day and Warwick Castle on Boxing Day will be quite nice. Just don't try to cram in anything else.

Thanks for the frank responses. I'm afraid that I have no idea what driving in the UK really entails. The distances do not seem far. I have a lot of experience on UK trains, coaches and buses (I once did a circuit of the whole island in 15 days), but this car thing is not something I was planning on. But considering the holidays, it is my only option.

I mention the Marches because I thought there would be less traffic there. It's also one of my favorite places.

I did the driving directions on Google maps and the circuit of Heathrow-Oxford-Warwick-Ledbury (Herefordshire)-Bath-Portsmouth-Heathrow shows 374 miles traveled and a duration of 8hr 7min.

I used to drive more than twice that distance from central New York to New Hampshire and back on a 3-day trip.

But, like you say, perhaps it's a very different experience driving in the UK.

I guess my question would be is: If you had three days, starting on Christmas Day, where would YOU go? To catch my flight to Dublin from Gatwick at 21:30, I should probably be back at Heathrow by dark (~4pm) on the 27th.

Since you need to fly out of LGW - I forget about Warwick, the Marches, Wales etc. And WHY do you want to return to LHR if your flight is out of LGW???

On Christmas Day you can drive to Avebury and walk among the stones, then drive by Stonehenge - the visitors center wil be closed but you can park on the road just next ro the stones. Then head south and drive through the New Forest. Nothing will be open but the scenery is open 24/7. I'd stay somewhere like Salisbury, Winchester or maybe Lymington both nights

Then on Boxing Day you could visit Beaulieu - it is open 364 days a year only closing on Xmas Day and has a LOT to fill at least 1/2 a day, then on to Portsmouth - not much to see though since the Historic Dockyards are closed on Boxing Day.

Then on the 27th, make your way to LGW.

Thanks for the suggestion. That sounds like a good itinerary. Perhaps I can see the Portsmouth docks on the morning of the 27th before driving to Gatwick.

I mistakenly reserved a car to be picked up to and from Heathrow, thinking it expensive to drop it off at Gatwick. It turns out that it is only about 25 pounds more. I think I will cancel my previous reservation and and reserve the new one.

What's better overall, a Fiat Punto or a Volkswagen Polo?

Can you cancel the car and rent a different one? because I've never had a drop off fee for pick up at one airport and drop off at another. Check autoeurope.com and see what their rates are.

I'd prefer a Polo - but its really 6 of 1/half dozen of the other. Besides, few if any rental agencies will guarantee a specific model. It is usually stated something like &quot;Fiat Punto or similar&quot;

I can cancel. Autoeurope.com shows a Rover 25 being available for about 75 pounds plus any applicable fees for dropping off at a different location.

I cancelled and re-reserved. It cost 25 pounds to drop it off at a different location, so the total is just over 100 pounds.

But you're right, this allows me another couple of hours not spent getting from Heathrow to Gatwick.

Google maps shows the drive from Portsmouth to Gatwick to be an hour and a half. I have no sense of the traffic there. What is a more realistic time?

It's not really important, but don't expect to rent a Rover 25. That model went out of production a long time ago. The usual phrase &quot;or similar&quot; applies.

I would advise you not to go for the cheapest model available. Some of the small rental cars are not well equipped and not comfortable. They are used as &quot;courtesy cars&quot; to replace insured private cars which are being repaired, and are specially built down to a price.

I'm guessing here, but to get into Portsmouth on the morning of the 27th might take some doing. Traditionally this is peak &quot;sale&quot; season, and many people might be decending on Gunwharf Quay to take advantage. Whether this will be offset by the reduction in traffic, I don't know.

Portsmouth can be a traffic blackspot. It is an island and there are only 2 main roads on and off. Any incident can make the queues huge. It frequently takes me more than an hour, and sometimes significantly more to drive off the island after a football match.

The Historic dockyard is well worth seeing but it is large, and there is a lot to see. In a morning you could probably cover HMS Victory, the Mary Rose, and the Mary Rose Museum.

lubeltri - for your next trip try europcar www.europcar.com, they don't charge an additional charge for dropping at a different location - they are showing their smallest automatic for $162.

I used them last month and chose the smallest automatic available (a Micra, same size as a Polo) but was given a Mercedes A Class instead. My husband chose a Vauxhall Astra and was given a 'Mommy Wagon' :-D

alanRow - even here in Massachusetts you are SUPPOSED to give way to traffic on the roundabout however this is probably a more accurate view of most drivers here in MA http://www.worcestermass.com/driving.shtml

Alya - who learnt to drive in England and would NEVER drive on the sideroads of Boston - I can manage the Pike though, thank goodness they have a direct road to the airport now :-) makes collecting visitors soooo much easier.

Thanks for the tips! I also would not dare drive much around Boston. It is a tangled mess.

I've decided to head to Bath via Salisbury on Christmas day (sleep in Bath). On the 26th, I will drive around the Cotswolds to Oxford (sleep in Oxford). I will spend the 27th in Oxford before driving down to Gatwick for my 21:50 flight to Dublin.

Google Maps shows it being an hour and a half to go from Oxford to Gatwick. What is more realistic?

Don't people here normally say it's dangerous to drive straight off an overnight flight ? I'd have thought there might be suggestions to get a taxi to somewhere not too far from Heathrow, like Winsdor or Marlow. The bus into London runs on Xmas Day too, doesn't it ?

Otherise I'd have thought it best to fly straight to Dublin, if it is possible.

You are right, I checked all these options. No buses or trains running, so a cab is the other option (less available and more expensive).

No flights to Dublin from the budget airlines on the 25th. The bigger airlines were asking too much (almost $200---the same as a Eurostar ticket to Paris).

Fortunately, I sleep easily on planes and have always gotten a full night's sleep on flights over. Plus I'm driving an automatic and the roads will be empty on Christmas day. Also, my big driving day is the 26th, not the 25th.

Of course, if perchance (however unlikely) I am tired, I will make necessary adjustments. I dislike driving, one of the biggest reasons being safety (environmental concerns the other) and would take the train if it were an option.

My question remains about the Oxford-Gatwick journey, though. On a Thursday afternoon (the 27th), how much longer would you expect it to be than the Google Maps estimate (1:30)? Are the M40 and M25 backed up on a regular basis or only at certain times (Friday afternoons, morning rush hour)?