If Not Lincoln, Where Should We Base for 12 Days?
 

We'll be in England for 12 actual travel days in March. We originally were going to base in Lincoln for 7 days and 3 days in York and 2 in London - in the cities themselves.

Now, we're rethinking as I'm not finding adequate housing in Lincoln.

We want definitely to see:

Nottingham

Lincoln

Ely

York


And Maybe:

Warwick Castle

Chatsworth

Stratford-on-Avon

We originally thought we'd get a car for the 10 days NOT in London, but now I'm wondering if we can use public transportation. (The driver always seems to miss out on some sights.)

So, where would be a good place to base for using trains to get around? I'm looking for an apartment or cottage. I've found several in York that I like, but I don't think York is a good base unless we change our sightseeing focus - which we would consider.



Thanks

Why and what about Lincoln? Just curious as it just doesn't seem like a tourist spot. Same about Nottingham? Me, I would think about splitting time in York and perhaps Ely. Don't forget to check out a BritRail pass.

Given where you want to visit, the logical place to stay from a train travel perspective is Grantham. I've never been there but am led to believe that it is a fairly pleasant market town.

You can see the accommodation options here:

http://www.grantham-online.co.uk/tourism/

Thanks, roger - I've read your 2008 report with interest!

Daughter is attending Univ of Nottingham so we want to spend a day having her show us around her new digs.

Lincoln - my husband is interested in the cathedral (me too) and the Fens. I don't know why he is taken with this area but since I've never seen it either, I was gonna go with it.

York - Lots of stuff interests us about York so unless we decide to drastically change our itinerary (my husband threw out that maybe we should see the Cotswolds and Ludlow area instead) York is a definite.

Sorry I don't have more definite answers. I guess I'm looking for experiences and ideas to spark my itinerary. I am stalled in that regard.

I have been to England 4 times but I don't mind revisiting areas except the most recent ones of: Bath, Canterbury, Oxfordshire, London.

So I guess I just looking for more ideas.

ron - thanks for your suggestion and website. It will be useful.

hi soogies,

I too have a daughter at uni in Nottingham [actually, just outside] but as we have family in Coventry, we haven't tried to stay in teh area.

that said, the area west of Nottingham before you get to Lincoln looks lovely - you might look at Newark or Southwell.


but I think that I would change the lengths of stay a bit - longer in London and/or York than in/around Lincoln - unless you can't drag yourself away from your little darling of course!

to see WArwick and Stratford you'd want to be closer to Coventry - I prefer Warwick personally as somewhere to stay, but you might like to look at the following for a night's stay in the area:

www.coombeaddey.com

regards, ann

ps you'd definitely need a car to see this area properly.

The Lincoln Cathedral is well worth the visit. We stayed with family, and our friends stayed in a bed and breakfast. Said it was fine but quite close to a main road, so they got a bit of traffic noise. However, they were able to walk around town a lot and enjoyed that. Be sure to stop at Mrs. Brown's Pie Shop for a meal. It is about three-quarters of the way up Steep Hill (on the way to the cathedral). The food is wonderful! But watch your head, ceilings are quite low. Also a lot of nice little shops. Some pricey and some reasonable.

The Cotswolds are gorgeous, but you might want to do a separate trip for that. There is just so much to see. We based in Blockley in a lovely little cottage (Rose Cottage, Campden Cottages) and drove to different places. We did take the bus to some markets in villages close by so we would not have to deal with parking.

Thanks, ann!

It's making more sense that Lincoln is not where we want to be based.

I'll do some more research. sorry I'm not more specific, but I just cannot think about this trip anymore! Maybe once our youngest goes back to school tomorrow and the other one leaves Wed. for England - maybe, maybe I can get some thinking done, lol!

PS: It's not that we can't tear ourselves away from our daughter - she's got three weeks for break and we're "allotted" four days of them! She's already got plans for travel. She's just a chip off the old block - always interested in seeing something new... :D

Thanks again.

hi soogies,

I didn't read this properly the first time - I realise now that she's just starting at Nottingham.I'm sure she'll have a great time- my DD loves it.

do feel free to e-mail me direct if you'd like to know more/have any none general interest questions.

regards, ann

[email protected]

Thank you, ann, for your kind offer of email!

My daughter just left for dinner but I bet she'll have a couple questions for you. She is very excited, though. She's been to England before (we all love it) but not Nottingham.

Either she or I will be contacting you.

soog

In 2007 we toured north Yorkshire then drove down through Lincolnshire, staying two nights in Lincoln, very near the cathedral, at the White Hart Hotel.

It was a great location, literally around the corner from the cathedral and at the top of Steep Hill. The hotel had covered parking just across the street.

In Yorkshire we rented a cottage for a week in a small village outside Helmsley. This proved a great base for touring the area. We spent a day in York itself but you could easily spend two days, we had been before so didn't need as much time.

If we were to go again, I would choose a village with a few more services--there was a pub and daily bus service but that was about it.

We thought about taking the bus to York but the timing never was right. If you drive to York for the day, you can leave the car on the outskirts of the city then take a park and ride bus in (I think there are several locations depending on how you approach the city).

From Lincoln we drove down to Norfolk for a few days. It was a great trip and the driving wasn't too stressful.