London Day Trip: Amazing or Ambitious?
May 5th, 2013, 05:48 PM
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London Day Trip: Amazing or Ambitious?
Me and my wife have an extra day to "kill" in London that we really want to use to spend outside the city. We really want to see Stonehenge even if its only worth 15 minutes, we feel its one of those places we just must see.
My wife would really like to sneak Bath in there in between Stonehenge and Cotswolds, but I feel realistically we would have to rule out Cotswolds all together if we actually wanted to get some time walking around at Bath.
Please let us know if this is an amazing trip or a little too ambitious. Also let us know if sneaking Baths in is do-able as well.
We decided to plan this day trip by car rental as it gives us more flexibility to do what we want when we want to unlike coach tours.
1. Car Rental @ LHR
2. Windsor Castle
3. Stonehenge
4. Chipping Campden
Optional: Pass by Oxford for Dinner if time allows it
5. LHR to drop off car > Hotel via tube
Thank you!
My wife would really like to sneak Bath in there in between Stonehenge and Cotswolds, but I feel realistically we would have to rule out Cotswolds all together if we actually wanted to get some time walking around at Bath.
Please let us know if this is an amazing trip or a little too ambitious. Also let us know if sneaking Baths in is do-able as well.
We decided to plan this day trip by car rental as it gives us more flexibility to do what we want when we want to unlike coach tours.
1. Car Rental @ LHR
2. Windsor Castle
3. Stonehenge
4. Chipping Campden
Optional: Pass by Oxford for Dinner if time allows it
5. LHR to drop off car > Hotel via tube
Thank you!
May 5th, 2013, 06:56 PM
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If you try to do the above itinerary, then Bath is definitely out IMO. Are you experienced driving on the left? If not, the adjustment might slow things down. Also, travelling to Heathrow (from London center?), finding the car rental desk, waiting in line however long, and finally picking up a car will take longer than you think. My advice would be to plan to tour Windsor Castle and Stonehenge then, time permitting, drive to Chipping Campden for a quick look before returning to Heathrow. Do-able? Maybe -- if you start early, if you don't encounter traffic snarls, etc. Just be flexible and know that all of it might not be possible.
May 5th, 2013, 07:04 PM
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Well, you may get "you're crazy" replies and you may get "ambitious but doable" replies.
I think you need to really think this through (I think it's WWWAAAYYY too much to half-way enjoy any of it)
1.When you look at map sites, you should multiply times suggested by at least 1.5, and in this area (in summer?) I'd double the times suggested.
2.It will take a good bit of time for car-getting--there's the getting out to LHR (an hour maybe from some places?) and then all the paperwork, etc.
3.What time does Windsor Castle open? With any sort of visit, even if timing was perfect, are you going to be done there before 11 or 12?
4. The you drive to Stonehenge--and it is way cool and worth effort. But you probably want to spend more than 15 minutes there if you buy a ticket and don't just drive by it. And I'd never suggest that. I mean, it's "seeable" from the road and you can't touch stones even when you have a ticket to get on site, but they're certainly worth seeing as close as you can.
5.I'd never even go to Bath if I didn't have at LEAST a good portion of a day. The baths themselves are 2-4 hours worth, then just a walk around the city for a bit. You don't wanna try to drive in it yourself probably.
6. And Oxford is not a Passby sort of place. Can't find parking very easy there, either! It's a day trip too!
I think you really have about 4 ideas here (well, 3.5)
Maybe Windsor and Stonehenge. (Or Salisbury and Stonehenge). Or go to Bath. Or go to Oxford. Or go to Chipping Camden etc.
Enjoy whichever you choose but don't just tick off several and not really see any and have a long harried day. Just because some commercial tour says A B and C on our tour doesn't mean that such a plan is actually good or even doable on your own. Believe me, I KNOW the attraction of day trips--everything looks so close and so fun!--but in my experience the best day trips have just one main destination, 2 at the most if they are close to each other.
I think you need to really think this through (I think it's WWWAAAYYY too much to half-way enjoy any of it)
1.When you look at map sites, you should multiply times suggested by at least 1.5, and in this area (in summer?) I'd double the times suggested.
2.It will take a good bit of time for car-getting--there's the getting out to LHR (an hour maybe from some places?) and then all the paperwork, etc.
3.What time does Windsor Castle open? With any sort of visit, even if timing was perfect, are you going to be done there before 11 or 12?
4. The you drive to Stonehenge--and it is way cool and worth effort. But you probably want to spend more than 15 minutes there if you buy a ticket and don't just drive by it. And I'd never suggest that. I mean, it's "seeable" from the road and you can't touch stones even when you have a ticket to get on site, but they're certainly worth seeing as close as you can.
5.I'd never even go to Bath if I didn't have at LEAST a good portion of a day. The baths themselves are 2-4 hours worth, then just a walk around the city for a bit. You don't wanna try to drive in it yourself probably.
6. And Oxford is not a Passby sort of place. Can't find parking very easy there, either! It's a day trip too!
I think you really have about 4 ideas here (well, 3.5)
Maybe Windsor and Stonehenge. (Or Salisbury and Stonehenge). Or go to Bath. Or go to Oxford. Or go to Chipping Camden etc.
Enjoy whichever you choose but don't just tick off several and not really see any and have a long harried day. Just because some commercial tour says A B and C on our tour doesn't mean that such a plan is actually good or even doable on your own. Believe me, I KNOW the attraction of day trips--everything looks so close and so fun!--but in my experience the best day trips have just one main destination, 2 at the most if they are close to each other.
May 5th, 2013, 07:37 PM
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Also depending on the time of day you get to Windsor, you may have a very long wait to get through security (which everyone goes through even if you have purchased a ticket in advance). The queue can be up to an hour just to get in. We waited a long time before entry. You have to factor that time into things as well.
May 5th, 2013, 08:51 PM
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It's virtually impossible to "pass by" Oxford for dinner (parking in the centre remains difficult until around 10 pm) - though extremely easy to eat the kind of food most people pay to avoid in one of the legoland hotels around its ringroad.
If you really want to drive to Stonehenge (it probably gets more "Oh. Is that all?" reactions from casual visitors than any other sight in Britain), the drive on to Burford is far, far shorter than to Chipping Campden.
Get lost along the backroads from Burford via Fulbrook, Swinbrook, Minster Lovell and Stonesfield to Woodstock and grab a bite there, or at any pubs advertising food along those roads (none are likely to get a Michelin star in the forseeable future, but no-one's died of food poisoning at any either). It's an hour's straightforward drive from Woodstock to LHR
If you really want to drive to Stonehenge (it probably gets more "Oh. Is that all?" reactions from casual visitors than any other sight in Britain), the drive on to Burford is far, far shorter than to Chipping Campden.
Get lost along the backroads from Burford via Fulbrook, Swinbrook, Minster Lovell and Stonesfield to Woodstock and grab a bite there, or at any pubs advertising food along those roads (none are likely to get a Michelin star in the forseeable future, but no-one's died of food poisoning at any either). It's an hour's straightforward drive from Woodstock to LHR
May 5th, 2013, 09:58 PM
#7
Besides the other issues mentioned above, 15 minutes at Stonehenge is impossible really - unless you just sty in the car and look through the windscreen.
By the time you park, buy tickets and walk to the stones you've already invested probably 15-20 minutes or more. You really need about 45-60 minutes there.
Windsor just doesn't work for a quick look see. Parking, walking quite a distance to the ticket hall, queuing for tix/security tales at least 30 minutes, and often more. Seeing anything inside takes a minimum of 2 hours.
By the time one either parks in the park and ride in Bath and takes the bus into town, or drives in to the centre and finds parking, you've used up at least 30 minutes before seeing anything. To see much in Bath requires at least 4 hours.
And so on . . . So no, your plan isn't remotely possible.
And that doesn't even consider the faffing about w/ the rental car at LHR. You need to get to the airport and then shuttle to the rental agencies and queue for the paperwork.
Do Windsor as a day trip from London by train. Then do either Stonehenge and Bath - or - the Cotswolds
By the time you park, buy tickets and walk to the stones you've already invested probably 15-20 minutes or more. You really need about 45-60 minutes there.
Windsor just doesn't work for a quick look see. Parking, walking quite a distance to the ticket hall, queuing for tix/security tales at least 30 minutes, and often more. Seeing anything inside takes a minimum of 2 hours.
By the time one either parks in the park and ride in Bath and takes the bus into town, or drives in to the centre and finds parking, you've used up at least 30 minutes before seeing anything. To see much in Bath requires at least 4 hours.
And so on . . . So no, your plan isn't remotely possible.
And that doesn't even consider the faffing about w/ the rental car at LHR. You need to get to the airport and then shuttle to the rental agencies and queue for the paperwork.
Do Windsor as a day trip from London by train. Then do either Stonehenge and Bath - or - the Cotswolds
May 6th, 2013, 10:46 PM
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How does this sound? Locals tell me if this is feasible, wise or not.
Go to Windsor, see it and rent the car there and return there, or at LHR. If there is a car rental, much faster and easier to deal with, no Windsor parking to worry about.
Go to Windsor, see it and rent the car there and return there, or at LHR. If there is a car rental, much faster and easier to deal with, no Windsor parking to worry about.
May 6th, 2013, 11:07 PM
#10
Renting in Windsor is fine - but there wouldn't be nearly enough time in a day to travel to Windsor, tour the castle, collect a car, drive to Stonehengs, stop in Bath, and on to Chipping Campden, plus possibly a stop in Oxford. That is really about 3 days worth.
Windsor and Stonehenge, then return to Windsor with the car and back to London is a full day right there.
Windsor and Stonehenge, then return to Windsor with the car and back to London is a full day right there.
May 6th, 2013, 11:50 PM
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I agree..I just meant for saving time by picking car up in Windsor after the castle.. avoiding the LHR car rental thing.. yes, it is a lot.. but can mostly be done "play it by ear". when they are tired they can just head back.
May 7th, 2013, 01:13 AM
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Agree that is WAY too much for 1 day - that is at least 3 full days worth so you will have to choose.
Options I would consider:
Train to Bath for the day
Train to Oxford for the day
Train to Salisbury to see the cathedral and then take the bus to stonehenge
Train to Windsor to see the castle
You could also get the car and do Windsor and Stonehenge, but I think you are underestimating how much time you will waste getting to Heathrow, picking up the car etc...
You could also check out the daytrips at www.walks.com I believe they have one that covers Oxford and the Cotswolds...
Options I would consider:
Train to Bath for the day
Train to Oxford for the day
Train to Salisbury to see the cathedral and then take the bus to stonehenge
Train to Windsor to see the castle
You could also get the car and do Windsor and Stonehenge, but I think you are underestimating how much time you will waste getting to Heathrow, picking up the car etc...
You could also check out the daytrips at www.walks.com I believe they have one that covers Oxford and the Cotswolds...
May 7th, 2013, 04:10 AM
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We easily filled a whole (winter) day with a trip to Oxford ex London.
Train up early, - wandered along the Canal, then into the town centre for a full English Breakfast a brunch.
A visit to the remarkable Ashmolean Museum, and a wander down Broad Street soaking up the atmosphere and viewing the buildings.
I had a commitment at Rhodes House, so while I was there the family continued their wanderings - I rejoined them and we wandered back to the train station in the deepening evening, before heading back to London.
It was a terrific but very full day - I had started with plans for hiring a car, spending the morning at Windsor, then driving up to Oxford and back - but changed plans as a result of receiving some good advice here. So glad we did - we missed Windsor, but got our Castle / Royal fix at the Tower of London, and had a terrific day at Oxford.
Although it took me 49 years to make my first trip to Europe, I don't think I'll be waiting that long again, so maybe we'll hit Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath then - but not as a day trip!
Train up early, - wandered along the Canal, then into the town centre for a full English Breakfast a brunch.
A visit to the remarkable Ashmolean Museum, and a wander down Broad Street soaking up the atmosphere and viewing the buildings.
I had a commitment at Rhodes House, so while I was there the family continued their wanderings - I rejoined them and we wandered back to the train station in the deepening evening, before heading back to London.
It was a terrific but very full day - I had started with plans for hiring a car, spending the morning at Windsor, then driving up to Oxford and back - but changed plans as a result of receiving some good advice here. So glad we did - we missed Windsor, but got our Castle / Royal fix at the Tower of London, and had a terrific day at Oxford.
Although it took me 49 years to make my first trip to Europe, I don't think I'll be waiting that long again, so maybe we'll hit Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath then - but not as a day trip!
