janisj:

where at Heathrow - thank you.

in the tourist information office . . . . .

You can also generally buy them at any place you can use them...

<You can also generally buy them at any place you can use them...>

i'm fairly sure that this is not possible and that you may be thinking of English Trust passes, which are far less encompassing than the Great British Heritage Pass sold only to visitors to the U.K. i believe and only in UK at BTA and Heathrow as janisj pointed out.

I could be wrong.

Yes - you are wrong. You can buy the GBHP at many of the covered properties (as long as you show your passport). But it is spotty - not every site has them. So waiting to buy could mean being shut out.

You can also buy them at LHR and GLA but not at other UK airports.

janisj - things have changed then perhaps from 5 years ago when i last had a pass and i asked at many of the 20 or so sights i went to if they sold the pass and all said no - many sold the English Heritage Pass

But i mainly went to ones in London (royal properties like Windsor now not participating), Stratford and Scotland - Edinburgh Castle and border abbeys.

I don't doubt your statement than many now sell it. Can you give some places where you know they sell it - so if these are places others are definitely going to first it would be far easier for them to just buy it at the first one than go thru the rigamorle of online ordering, mailing fees, etc.

Obviously can buy at Heathrow but folks coming into Gatwick no so please list as many of the major places you know where the pass is sold as this would be very helpful.

Just a few of the places I know sell the Pass IF they have them in stock (but as I said I don't recommend this since if they don't have them you are stuck) include:

Warwick Castle (private) Sissinghurst (NT) Stonehenge (EH) Edinburgh Castle (HS) Glencoe (NTS) Chatsworth (Private) etc etc (many others) But many do not sell it. These are only a few of the places where I asked or saw the signs.

Years ago they had to be purchased overseas. Then about 10-11 years ago they became available at LHR and in London. Other properties have been selling the passes for at least 5 or 6 years - probably longer.

Thanks janis

It seems they are moving to selling them on spot which would be great - especially for the folks who get to their first stately house or castle and see the $20 or more entry fee and then decide the pass is a better deal.

But i note the vagaries your research has shown about in stock, spotty, etc.

At Heathrow as Janis has said by at the tourist offices in arrivals halls.