datl

Hello - new to the board, but so glad I found it. Our family of four (children 10 and 12) will be in England mid-April. We have a cottage (in Hereford) for 3 nights when we arrive (we are planning on renting a car at Heathrow and driving to Hereford the morning we get in -). Any suggestions for our time there is very welcome. I want to get to Warwick Castle - anyone know how long a drive that might be? - and if possible, to spend a day in the Cotswolds (would it be possible to see the castle, spend the rest of the day in the area - then back to our cottage...). The rest of our few days there to see the Welsh border area, black and white trail, etc. Whatever we and the children are up for. AFter that we have a cottage for 5 nights hear Heeth in the Dales. Lots, of course, to see and do there. We leave there and drive back to London for 2 nights before we fly out - over Easter weekend. (btw, I optimistically sent for Ceremony of the Keys tickets - and rec'd them back in about a week's time!). One other thought - I would like to perhaps stop for a night on the way to London in Oxford...one other spot I would like for us and the children to see. Besides any general suggestions, Isuppose I am looking for anything more I should think about re the driving. I am trying to be realistic on the driving time...I was told 4-5 hours from the Dales to London? Thanks for any help - and I'll be happy to get back on when we get home and post any thoughts on our travels that might help others!

Xenos

Hereford to Warwick is about one and a half to two and a half hours, depending on the time of day and traffic conditions. So, since it doesn't start to get dark until about 8pm in mid-April it should be possible to see the castle and spend a few hours driving around the Cotswolds.

For the drive back from the Yorkshire Dales to London, 4-5 hours would be about normal, but it depends when exactly you are doing it. If it's anytime after the Thursday afternoon before Easter, you could quite well be looking at a much longer journey. (It's a long-standing, but all-too-true joke over here that we like to spend our Bank Holiday weekends sitting in traffic queues.)

Finally, if you want to spend a night in Oxford, you should really be looking for accommodation now. Speaking as someone who has on more than one occasion decided on the last minute to spend Easter in the countryside and ended up having to drive back home, I can tell you that most places get booked up months ahead for the Easter weekend.

Anonymous

My kids' favorite activity in the Hereford area was the National Birds of Prey Centre (perhaps technically it's in Gloucester). Their collection and presentations are simply extraordinary.

http://www.nbpc.co.uk/

janis

The drive from LHR to Hereford will be OK - IF you can get any rest on the flight. It is motorway most of the way.

A suggestion you might want to consider: The Cotswolds and Oxford is a reasonable day trip from Hereford. But Warwick might be a better fit on your travel day between Hereford and the Dales. You could leave your cottage early in the morning and be at Warwick at Opening time (10AM). Spend half a day+ there and then drive up to your 2nd cottage. This might make a better use of your limited time.

Then you could spend more time in London instead of staying in Oxford on the way back. it will be easier to find accomodations in London over the Easter weekend - which runs from Thursday afternoon through Monday.

Steve_James

Datl - There was a thread on tours from Herefordshire and lots of suggestions re places of interest within driving distance. I'll top it for you ...

Steve

datl

Thank you for thoughts and suggestions. And thanks for the Herefordshire thread - I'll check it out now.