Rick Steve’s recommends beginning your UK trip in Bath by training there directly upon landing. We could follow this advice and spend our first day and night here before picking up a car and heading into the Cotswolds - but that’s the only way we could tie in Bath that makes sense really as we would skip the hassle of driving/parking this way. >>

alternatively get the bus from LHR to Oxford - if as you say your DH has no interest in Bath, you're giving yourselves quite a bit of extra driving just for one night there. Oxford is much closer to where you want to be, and it takes about 90 mins from the Heathrow central bus station:

https://airline.oxfordbus.co.uk/time...rline-heathrow

>>Rick Steve’s recommends beginning your UK trip in Bath by training there directly upon landing.<<

VERY first thing to do is discard your Rick Steves guide to the UK. He is good, very good, or OK for many other places. But he really doesn't like the UK (in comparison to say Italy - I've met the man and that came out of his own mouth) and some of the suggestions he makes re the UK are head scratchers. Like he blithely recommends "Take a train from LHR to Bath" -- not explaining there <i>is no train from LHR to Bath</u> It is either a train east in to London and then a train west to Bath, or a schlep on a coach to Reading and a train to Bath. If one DOES want to go directly to Bath on arrival -- there is an express coach from the central bus station right into central Bath. No changes, no schlepping.

Re the Yorkshire Dales and the Cotswolds -- they are entirely different experiences. The Cotswolds are mostly gentle scenery, lovely 'chocolate tin' villages, some amazing 'Wool Churches' and great walks. The Dales are much more wild, with narrower roads (yes really ) fewer villages, amazing ecclesiastic ruins.

I would not substitute one for the other.

Re York -- it can get really overrun with visitors -- but the Minster, the Shambles (NOT on a weekend -- WAY too crowded), one of the best railroad museums in the world, and the York Castle Museum (one of the best in the country) - I'd give the city at least 1.5 days

"Rick Steve’s recommends beginning your UK trip in Bath by training there directly upon landing."

You can't train there "directly". Maybe he says to take the National Express coach? That is direct, although there is only one every two hours.

I love Oxford, but it was packed when I was there last year in August. Lot of day trippers, though. Note that in the university vacations you can stay in the colleges - see http://www.universityrooms.com/

" I thought the Marches area would be a nice reprieve" - yes. I did not feel that Gloucester, Worcester or Hereford were at all crowded. Shrewsbury and Conwy were busy and Chester was packed.

Highly recommend Worcester:

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...-by-worcester/

>>You can't train there "directly". Maybe he says to take the National Express coach? <<

Nope -- He actually advises 'Take a train from Heathrow to Bath'. That is just lazy research and shows he's never done it himself.

(Sorry about all the <i>italics</i> in my earlier post . . .)

@janis - looks like we were posting at the same time. If only Preview still worked....

"Rick Steve’s recommends beginning your UK trip in Bath by training there directly upon landing."

Nope -- He actually advises 'Take a train from Heathrow to Bath'. That is just lazy research and shows he's never done it himself.?

He does not say direct - even though those with high dudgeon to prove Rick wrong what he says is perfectly possible - Heathrow to Paddington in 20 minutes then about 90 minutes once on a train to Bath.

Or take Heathrow Connect to some station on Paddington-Reading line and go to Reading to catch trains to Bath - but going to Paddington and back out may be better.

Again training there directly upon landing means I am sure -right away upon landing and not direct.

>>He does not say direct - <<

In the first edition he actually did say to take a train from Heathrow to Bath (and also said it in one of his Rick Steves Europe PBS shows)

I would <i>hope</i> he had revised latter editions. Just shows he can learn

Again janis you can "take a train from Heathrow to Bath" -he did not say direct as much as you want to have it sound.

You can take a train from London to Amsterdam you know, via Brussels, etc.

He DID in the first few editions of the book. But drop it OK -- A lot of RS advice for the UK is pants (look it up). Let's not derail yet another thread . . .

Well, I was afraid that bring up RS may not be the best, he seems pretty divisive when mentioned on other threads I've read through. Anyways, as I've harped on students to always cite sources, here it is as written in my 2005 edition "...consider a gentler smaller-town start in Bath, and visit London at the end of your trip. You'll be more rested and ready to tackle Britain's greatest city. Heathrow Airport has direct connections to Bath and other cities." However, his day to day itinerary has arriving in London then busing to Bath recommended so maybe his advice is indeed pants. Anyways, moving on with no more RS references...

Chgogal, Thank you for the options and your experiences. We wave a NT pass so I'd like to make good use of it, so I'm looking for good suggestions of which properties are worth visiting. We could easily take the train and pick up a car in Chester which seems like it might be best. It doesn't seem to bad of a drive, but I'd really not like to risk it being our first time left side driving and sleep deprived.

annhig, I have thought of beginning in Oxford because of it's proximity to the Cotswold's and maybe a stop by the Pitt Rivers or Ashmolean.It seems like a better fit for us maybe than Bath.

Janisj, you mentioned narrow roads in the Dales which brings up another question - is one part our trip better to get a feel for the roads the first few days? I assume Yorkshire to be less congested, but maybe that won't necessarily mean easier driving? The Dales area is really appealing to me, but it seems best for meandering and I'm just not sure how much time we'll have to do it justice - not enough I'm thinking...ugh, tough choices!

If going to Oggsford and driving I'd suggest hitting Blenheim Palace - Churchill's palatial family's ancestral home and one of the nicest palaces and surrounding parks I've seen - en route to Cotswolds.

I live in the Yorkshire Dales (Wensleydale a few miles from Masham) and whilst there are indeed narrow lanes (as there are in many other areas of the country) you really shouldn't let this put you off if the area attracts you.
The Dales road network also caters for caravans, lorries, school buses, tractors and all manner of other large vehicles - so please don't envisage nothing but tiny lanes with sheep wandering over them. It's just not true!
Fountains Abbey for instance (just outside the National Park) is a World Heritage Site and you can imagine the amount of visitors it receives each year - impossible if it was down a narrow lane! Access is easy and straightforward.
If you DO decide on the Dales (and you mention Helmsley which isn't in that area) then I'd be happy to assist with an itinerary to make the most out of a short stay in the area.
Early June is a lovely time to visit by the way.

Thursdaysd, I was able to browse through your blog a bit, great pictures and details!

Morgana, maybe you would be able to advise on this. The main canundrum with York/Yorkshire - and the reason I think I'm having difficulty easily incorporating it is that it doesn't tie in easily with the Cotswold area in terms of transportation. We can easily train from Manchester to York or London to York, which would work well if we just did York itself then moved on. However, if we want to explore the Dales at all, that means renting a car. If we picked up our car in York in order to see any of the Yorkshire countryside the drive to either Chester/ the Marches or the Cotswolds seems pretty uneventful, longish, unscenic, and would take up a good portion of one of our days without really seeing or doing much. Unless there is a nice scenic drive between York and anpther area we're cosidering that I should consider? I'm not sure if a one day rental makes much sense, we could pick up in the morning and drive around for one day dropping the car back off in York, then taking the train and moving on that way. Any thoughts on how to make this work? I have seen tours that do very full day trips all over the Dales - Mountain Goat, Grand Yorkshire, etc. they seem kind of pricey and I'm not sure about the whole tour group experience, but it may be the easiest thing.

The reason I mention Helmsley is it's proximity to Rievaulx and it looks like a nice town. Because of time we could just visit Fountains, as it's closer to the actual Dales and is NT property.

OK -- not Morgana but . . . If it was me, I;d train from MAN to York, spend a couple of days (really 1.5 days) car-less, collect a car and explore the Dales for 2 or 3 days. The roads are mostly narrow but - if you can work out your itinerary so the Dales days are not on a weekend - they will not be crowded.

Then bit the bullet and drive quick and dirty straight to the Cotswolds. There are lots of areas you could divert through but I wouldn't to maximize your time in the Cotswolds. OR - you could drive from the Dales to Warwick/Stratford-upon-Avon which are a good stop w/ lots to see and are just north of the Cotswolds.

From say Harrogate to Chipping Campden would be a 3.5 or 4 hour drive. Diverting through Warwick/Stratford would add barely 10 miles. So if you wanted to take a morning to get to the Cotswolds ASAP just drive it straight through. Or -- 2 hours for Warwick/the Castle, and a couple of hours in Stratford would still have you in the Cotswolds well before dinner time.

Oh - Meant to add -- I would NOT bother w/ a one or even 2-day rental. You will definitely want a car in the Cotswolds too, so just rent in York and keep the car for the drive south.

Re Helmsley -- if you also wanted to explore the Moors area you'd need to add another day at least.

Can't disagree with Janis and her suggested plan for Yorkshire.
Definitely no car needed in York itself. Then I'd pick one up at the end of my York stay and drive to the Dales where I'd stay for a couple of nights.
Masham would work well - the road into Wensleydale isn't narrow at this point and is easy to drive on (I do it most days!).
Masham has a good website plus there's a small Tourist Office in town with a good selection of maps/leaflets and (free!) advice if you should need it.
http://www.visitmasham.com/
Millgate B&B in the centre of Masham is forever winning awards.
The town has 2 breweries you can visit too (Black Sheep and Theakstons).
https://www.blacksheepbrewery.com/
Masham is pronounced Mass'um and not like mashed potatoes!
A 2 day itinerary for the Dales could be -
Day 1 - Ripon and Fountains Abbey/Studley Royal Water Gardens. Allow plenty of time for this UNESCO site as the Estate is huge and includes the deer park, Fountains Hall etc as well as the Abbey and Water Gardens
Day 2 - a drive in the opposite direction deeper into Wensleydale - maybe going as far as Hawes and Askrigg.
A few miles outside Masham you will drive right past Jervaulx Abbey which could be the 'replacement' in your itinerary for Rievaulx.
Jervaulx is beautiful, independently owned and well worth an hour to explore. Free to enter but honesty box in the car park.
http://www.jervaulxabbey.com/
Middleham, further 'up Dale' as it is known has a ruined castle which was the childhood home of Richard the Third. You can visit, or just admire from the outside.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/v...dleham-castle/
The Wensleydale Heifer at West Witton does excellent food. Or you could stay there!
http://www.wensleydaleheifer.co.uk/
If you like waterfalls you could stop by Aysgarth. And a short detour would take you to Bolton Castle.
http://www.boltoncastle.co.uk/
Loads to see and do - and just stop and admire the scenery of course.
Hope this helps your research.

Janis - meant to mention to you, the Yorke Arms is up for sale!! Frances Atkins is moving on. We are going next week for dinner as we aren't sure how many more times we'll get to do so.
Got a couple of million spare?
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/...-75m-1-8604772

>>the Yorke Arms is up for sale<<

Oh, wow! A chance for an up and coming chef to take over -- but very big shoes to fill. I'll be interested to see what happens. Enjoy your dinner.

litchickmi: Rievaulx is lovely but I don't know that I would add time to squeeze it in or skip the Dales. There is PLENTY to fill several days in the Dales.

You can also take the train from Oxford to York. Yorkshire is a favorite and Morgana has given you some great suggestions.

I really enjoyed basing in Harrogate - a kind of spa town -great for going to Bronte country - Haworth and adjacent moors - nice walks from Haworth and also to Fountains Abbey -yes awesome - and Studley Royal - the vast park surrounding it.