London & Yorkshire
 

This is my first time ever on an "interactive" internet site, so pardon my computer illiteracy. My husband and I are planning a week in the U.K., approximately October 2-9. This web site has been VERY informative! However, I turn to you for answers to some specific questions. (1) Accommodation - narrowed down, I think, to the Thanet, the Travel Inn (Tower Bridge or County Hall) or the Ridgemount in Bloombury. Which would have the most character? Are they all centrally located? (2) Football - my husband's goal is to see a professional match. Is there a stadium we can get to? Any preferred matches we should buy tickets for? Should we buy tickets in advance or can we get them when we get to London? (3) Stone fences and sheep - my own goal is to see countryside just like the BBC TV series "All Creatures Great & Small". Problem is, we are not driving. Any suggestions as to how we can accomplish this? Where ARE the Yorkshire Dales, anyway? Thanks !! <BR>

No clue on the pro football or for that <BR>matter the hotels you listed. <BR>However, for stone walls, sheep old <BR>buildings and enjoyable countryside try <BR>Broadway in the Cotswalds and some of the hikes which are all quite easy. <BR>Have a great time.

I can give you some info on item 3. The Yorkshire Dales (National Park) is located NW of the city of York. I am not a James Herriot fan I cannot tell you exactly where in Dales the story takes place. We had to ditch the car because of the car trouble, so we went to Fountains Abbey near Yorkshire Dales as a day bus trip. The Tourist Info center in York had several day bus trips departing from York. I do not remember if they had any trips to James Herriot country. The TI telephone number for York I have is 01904-620557 from the Eye Witness Guide. <BR>None of the trip departed everyday so it would be vital for you to get to York on the correct day.

Since no one else has answered your London question , here is a partial. The Travel Inns are designed NOT to have character; they are plain, utilitarian, every thing works, budget accomodations. I have stayed at the Thanet; its in a 175 year old or whatever Georgian building, so in that sense I suppose it has character. None of that character remains inside, again plain and utilitarian. No elevators, by the way, unless they have been installed recently, so you may not want a room on the 4th floor (3rd floor in English english) <BR> <BR>Anything in Bloomsbury is central in that you can easily walk to Covent Gardens and the theatre district, as well as to Oxford Street. I would not consider the Tower Bridge location as central. County Hall is on the south bank, near Westminster, but most everything you will want to see in such a short visit will be north of the Thames, so I guess I would describe it as close, but not central. There is a Travel Inn in Bloomsbury, by the way, near Euston Station. <BR> <BR>Re "All Creatures Great and Small", you would probably want to get to Swaledale, the northernmost and most rugged of the Yorkshire Dales. Richmond is the town at the foot of Swaledale. The dales are a series of parallel valleys in North Yorkshire that run northwest/southeast direction. The names of the other ones have slipped my mind, save Wensleydale, because of the cheese. Exploring one of these dales is probably not sensible on such a short trip. The suggestion above to do a day tour into the Cotswolds is probably a good idea to get a taste of the English countryside.

Chelsea Football Club and Arsenal Football Club are probably the two biggest clubs in London (I think - I'm not too good with football!). Arsenal is located near Arsenal tube stop, Chelsea is located at Fulham Broadway stop. Both are very accessible from London (most supporters would go to an evening game after they finished work). Tickets for the bigger games can be hard to get, but there are usually ticket touts outside the stadiums. Do a search for these two Clubs websites, and I am sure it could tell you any upcoming games. <BR>Hope this helps. <BR>Good luck. <BR>Jo <BR>

Thanks for the responses. I found the Arsenal and Chelsea websites - I think we will pick up tickets after our arrival. Hotel now narrowed down to either Travel Inn (Euston Station) or Ridgemount. Anyone been to the Ridgemount? Any character?

From my research here and elsewhere, in September I will be staying in Bloomsbury at the Harlingford Hotel. They have a website. It is <BR>http://www.smoothhound.co.uk/hotels/harling.html <BR> <BR>I selected Bloomsbusy based on its locale and "relatively" less expensive accommodations. The Harlingford is $127 (US Dollars) for a twin, including full English breakfast and private bath.