herb

Just returned from a vaction in the UK, thanks for everyone's help. If there are any questions I can answer I will do my best. We visited Edinburgh, York, Northern Wales and London. From London we did day trips to Warwick & Stratford, Greenwich and Paris.

Kate

Herb- for the day trip to Paris did you take the Eurostar? If so, did you purchase the tickets when you got to London or in advance from US? How much was roundtrip fare? Note the question I posted "Eurostar Fare - London to Paris". Thanks!!!!

Mia

How was Stratford? I get the impression that it is a small town and most everything is walking distance. Is this true, or do you need to get around by public transportation? Thanks for any info.

kam

Stratford could easily be walked, but they also have a "Guide Friday" bus that takes you from one point to another and you can get off anywhere and then back on. Very easy.

herb

Kate, <BR>We purchased our Eurostar tickets at the Waterloo Station. They are running a special for a 1 day return at 50 GBP ($75). I would suggest purchasing tickets in London. <BR> <BR>Mia, <BR>Stratford is fine if you are into Shakespeare. Most of the attractions are within walking distance but the Anne Hathway Cottage is about a mile out of town and the Mary Arden House is not, in my opinion, walkable. Both are very worthwhile attractions even without the Shakespeare connection. The Guide Friday bus, while a little expensive, is a good alternative.

Fred

What did you think about York? We are planning a day trip from London. Booked the tickets already. Will be there from 10:30 to 7:30. How walkable of a city is it? What are some of the must sees / dos? How would you approach visiting now that you've been there? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks! <BR> <BR>

Kathy

Herb, <BR> <BR>We are also doing a Stratford and Warwick trip. What do you feel is the best way to travel between the two towns? Also, about how much time did you spend in each place? I would really appreciate some advice and insight from someone who was there so recently. <BR> <BR>Thanks you in advance.

herb

Fred, <BR> <BR>York is a great city and you can easily walk everywhere. However, the tour buses (Guide Friday etc) were having a price war when we were there. The all day tickets were 3 GBP. At that price take the buses it's worth it. The best attractions are the York Castle Museum and the Minister. The Jorvik Center is ok if there is not a long que. It's not worth a long wait. We really enjoyed the free walking tours. These are given by local volunteers and are really well done. They do not accept tips so it really is free. These are near the tourist information center. <BR> <BR>Kathy, <BR> <BR>We left London from Marylebone at 8:00 AM and arrived in Warwick at about 9:30. This got us to the castle before the 10:00 AM opening and the masses of bus tours. We finished at Warwick at about 12:30 and headed for the Warwick TI. They gave us the bus schedule and directions to the bus. There were two buses hourly to Stratford. We spent the rest of the afternoon in Stratford until things closed between 17:00 and 16:00. We then returned to Warwick to get the train back to London. We could have just as easily returned from Stratford at a slightly higher cost.

Kathy

Herb, <BR> <BR>Thanks so much for the info. We are taking the same train out to Warwick that you did. What time was the train that you took back to London? When you say you could have gone back from Stratford for just a bit more, would it have been on the same line. I am wondering if I need to make a change to a later train going back to London, and I might as well look into leaving from Stratford. How long was the bus ride between towns? <BR> <BR>Thanks for your help.

herb

Kathy, <BR> <BR>My memory isn't always good but I'll do my best to remember some details. The return fare to Warwick was 27 GBP, the one way fare was 20. I would assume that the fare from Stratford to London would be close to 20 GBP so there is some savings doing the return from Warwick. The cost of the bus from Warwick to Stratford was 2.90 return. There are two buses per hour the X18 and the X16. One is a more 'scenic' route and takes about 45 minutes. The other about 30 minutes. We took the 19:45 train back to London. This left us plenty of time to make our way back to Warwick after the attractions had closed. Be sure to check with the TI in Warwick after leaving the castle, they will be able to give you the most up-to-date bus information.

polly

Herb - We (2 teenagers, husband and self) are leaving for UK in a week. How did you arrange sleeping spots in northern Wales? We are torn between planning our exact route now, and making reservations at B&B's, or just winging it and finding places as we go. This being the busiest season, we are confused... any advice would be appreciated! Polly

nickie

What did you enjoy in North Wales? Did you find the scenery pretty?

herb

Polly, <BR> <BR>This trip to UK we made all of our reservations in advance, mainly because we were traveling by train and had our itinerary planned ahead. On a previous trip we went by car and made bookings as we went. We had a great time on both trips. You shouldn't have a problem finding a room although you may not always get you first choice. My wife usually would make a call to the next B&B a day ahead; this seemed to work well. As a lot resort you can always go to the local TI, they will almost always find you a room. <BR> <BR>Nickie, <BR> <BR>We stayed in Conwy and really enjoyed it. It was especially nice in the evening after the our buses had left. It also has a very cool castle. The scenery is beautiful particular in the Conwy Valley and thoughout Snowdinian (sorry spelling?) National Park.

Polly

Thanks Herb! We'll try the call ahead a day approach.... Polly