Greetings everyone,

I am arriving in Manchester from US 8:30AM on May 3rd and since I have a (one day) meeting in Leeds on May 7th .. I thought I would go ahead and go to Leeds and hub out from there. I have a few questions:

1) Can I take a train from Manchester airport to Leeds OR what would be my best way to travel to Leeds? OR should I spend a day in Manchester and then travel to Leeds?

2) I will be alone until my associate joins me on the 6th...so where would be a good place to stay...Hotel or B&B...in a way I think I might prefer Hotel...thoughts?

3) I have thought about day-trip to York as I have read that it would be beautiful trip this time of year.

4) Any ideas or itinerarys would be greatly appreciated...I have never been to the UK before.

Thank you!

Garry

Garry the train out of MAN airport station is easy (train often just goes into Manchester city and straight back to leeds but don't worry. Goes straight into Leeds main station which is right in city centre. For me Leeds is nicer (I've lived in both) and you can get rid of the lugauge.

York an equally easy trip about 45 mins.

Now the Bewley (too far out and almost in an industrial park) If your company can get you into 42 the calls go for it. The Queens is over the station and in the main square but I would not stay there.

I'll ask for rec from Mrs Bilbo in a minute.

May should be warmish. Leeds has a fine central museum and York is medieval and walled with the worlds biggest railway museum. If i came I would pop into tourist info in the station (very big and very helpful) and if nice take a day to visit the west yorkshire sculpture park. We also have the Brontes and Salts Mill in Bradford (get off at Shipley (world unesco site and another good day out)

But enough about Leeds, what do you like to do and maybe I can suggest areas

Mrs B says the Marriot is loved by Americans and it is pretty central, sound proofed etc.

42 is my favorite

Thank you so much for the information
Could you tell me if I can purchase train ticket to Leeds in advance and if so who should I contact. I am not very familair.

And As far as what I like to do.....I love archtecture and also hiking beautiful scenery.
Not much of a shopper, although I know Leeds has quite a shopping district.

I LOVE a good resturant at reasonalbe price's (....the type od place that a local would take me to) and also I don't mind splurging now and again.

Any other places you can suggest for day trip?

Thanks again!

The Armories Museum is just South of the river ( a short walk) and is where all the stuff they cannot fit in the tower of london has been put (in May there may well be jousting/archery/falconry etc). FREE

Train tickets there is a good US company called something like Brit Rail which may be a good deal or you can use www.thetrainline.co.uk which stores your ticket in a machine at your chosen station (just slip in your credit card).

Use search on fodors for train booking in UK should give you more details but is very easy. Henry Moore was a Leeds boy while David Hockney hails from Bradford so local art galleries will be full.

Lots of good restaurants in Leeds with Michelin one and two stars available. Strong Indian culture with even stronger one in Bradford. Aagrah is local very good chain (in Bradford). Anthony's is probably the best European in town at the moment (next to Marriot) but also some weird ones like Hansa's which is veggie Indian and an experience.

There are some fine country houses in the area and ruined Abbeys. The best of these is Fountains abbey but you will need a car (unless there is a bus)

Walking you are spoilt for choice. Leeds has a fine urban railway system which allows you to go out on one line and walk to a station on a further line. So many possibilities it is hard to describe. Good map needed as lots of paths available off the road. Last one I did was Bingley to Ilkley (about 4 hours) past a pub called Dick Hudsons then over Ilkley Moor which holds pre-historic stone objects

Mrs B feels you might like
http://www.leedscivictrust.org.uk which looks pretty good as it gives self guided walks as well as paid for walks.

She also feels you should look at our canals, there is a 5 rise lock at Bingley.

Do NOT use Britrail, an American company (no British involvement) single-mindedly committed to ripping off gullible Americans.

Go to thetrainline or www.nationalrail.co.uk, look at a Manchester airport to Leeds journey booked now for May via an honest site, and you'll see it costs about a third of what Britrail want to steal from you.

In fairness, Britail aren't trying to sell you that ticket. They're more ambitious than that: they want you to be so horrified at the prices they misrepresent for single journeys in Britain you'll buy a ridiculous overpriced pass for hundreds of dollars that lets you use the trains far more than you actually will.

I check out 42 the calls and it looked great! I think I might give it a try.

Thanks for train information (much cheaper than I thought...)

Ilkley and the Ilkley Moor looks interesting

Thanks again for advice....I'll be checking in from time to time as I continue planning.

If anyone thinks of any resturants that would be interesting (again....some place that local would take me) then please ley me know.

Regards,

Garry

Hi
Harewood House, one of England's greatest stately homes, is just outside Leeds and very easy to get to. Go to Leeds bus station, stand 23 and go on one of the red, black and silver '36' buses. This bus goes from Leeds to Ripon every 20 minutes throughout the day. It goes right through Harewood village by the gates to the house, and if you ask the bus driver he has half price vouchers to get in. here's the website, and one for the bus.
www.harewood.org
www.the36.co.uk
As mentioned the bus also goes to Harrogate - a lovely spa town with Pump Room museum, nice park, good shops, Betty's tea room etc. Further on it goes through Ripley, where you can go and visit a castle, and then finally onto Ripon with its cathedral.
www.harrogate.gov.uk/harrogate-215
www.ripleycastle.co.uk
www.riponcathedral.org.uk
If you like walking you can walk from Ripon to Fountains Abbey - it's a fair walk but I've done it numerous times (I live locally).
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...Yorkshire.html
I would definitely go to York but by train, and not bus.
My favourite restaurant in Leeds is Sous le Nez (famous for its early bird specials).
www.souslenez.com

Well flanner, another rant I see. Just leave it be please.

Well I have returned from Leeds.....

What a beautiful City....very easy to get to from Manchester just as you all had said.

At the last minute I ended up getting a great deal at the Malmasion 99GBP per night (not including breakfast) walked all around the city on my 1st day to get my bearings and then had dinner at 44The Calls....beautiful restaurant, great service and food!
I found a Jazz bar called SELA (located on Briggate downstairs from a Pizza Place of the same name) very nice , mixed crowd and absolutely free.

2nd day I took train to York...what beautiful scenery on the rife....fields of rapeweed in full bloom was absolutely amazing. While in York I visited a Pub on the river and watched teams in training rowing by...also visited the castle museum and wasn't real impressed but was alright.
Shopping was abundant.
Had meetings the next 2 days and then to Manchester for 1 night before my return...I stayed at The Palace (and it certainly was NOT!!!) Rooms were bleek and service in the restaurant was terrible AND my requested wake up call the next morning didn't happen.

Will write more later But THANK you all for your advice.

I certainly would like to go back again perhaps in late summer August or September.