Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

Manchester, Shropshire, and Truro....how to combine into one trip

Manchester, Shropshire, and Truro....how to combine into one trip

Old Oct 27th, 2012, 06:46 AM
  #1  
ltr
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 876
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Manchester, Shropshire, and Truro....how to combine into one trip

We would like to travel from Los Angeles to UK for about 10 days in March, (12 days including flights) and want to be in Manchester for the City match on March 9.

We would also like to spend about 3 or 4 days EACH in Shropshire and Truro Cornwall areas just visiting small villages, driving through the country side. These two areas both play big parts in my genealogy research so there are a few places we have in mind to visit. We just can't decide if we should combine both locations into one trip.

We could fly in and out of London or Manchester. Should we rent a car and drive to the areas or take a train and rent a car when we get there?

Is this doable in 10 days?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
ltr is offline  
Old Oct 27th, 2012, 06:58 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 57,091
Received 5 Likes on 3 Posts
Hi ltr,

well, it will be quite tight, but is doable, particularly if you stick to those 3 places and don't try to get London into the mix.

first of all, did you know that you can fly from Manchester to Newquay?

Here's the link for the flybe flights:

http://www.flybe.com/cheap-flights/newquay/airport/

if you arrived in, say Manchester in time for the match on March 9th, you could then fly to Newquay, hire a car [public transport doesn't really work from Newquay airport, sadly] spend 3 days in Truro/Cornwall, then drive to Shropshire, and after staying there, back to Manchester.

it would work even better if you flew straight to Newquay after arriving in Manchester and worked your way back, leaving all your days in Manchester to the end of the trip so that you don't break them up and you are in the right place to fly home, but that many not work with the match being on the 9th.

BTW, have you got a plan for getting tickets for the match? if not, I'd make that a priority!

please feel free to ask me any questions about Truro and/or cornwall - I work in Truro and live about 2 mins away so i should be able to answer most queries.
annhig is offline  
Old Oct 27th, 2012, 06:59 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 57,091
Received 5 Likes on 3 Posts
oops - that should have been "live about 20 mins away" sorry!
annhig is offline  
Old Oct 27th, 2012, 07:33 AM
  #4  
ltr
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 876
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Annhig, thanks for the quick reply. I did not know about the flight so I will check into that today. That will open some options up.

London is not going to be in the mix. We have been there and will go back, so I don't have that added pressure.

I will be asking you for some help in the Truro area. Actually is it is Blackwater and St Gluvias.
ltr is offline  
Old Oct 27th, 2012, 08:20 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 57,091
Received 5 Likes on 3 Posts
Blackwater and St. Gluvias? don't think they've ever been mentioned on this board before - they are well off the beaten track but none the worse for that.

They are both about 20 mins drive from Truro, but in more or less opposite directions. As the county record office is in Truro, and it is central for both places, I think that would probably make your best base.

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=14569

opening hours are 9.30 - 4pm Tues-Fri so if you can, it would be best to tie your visit to co-incide with those days.

[NB I'm assuming that this will be your first visit to Cornwall; forgive me if I'm "teaching my granny to suck eggs".]

it's pretty cold here today, 9C but with a cold northerly, so I'm indoors "playing" on fodors as my family describe it, hence my swift reply. I hope it'll be warmer for your trip [March this year was lovely] but there are no guarantees!
annhig is offline  
Old Oct 27th, 2012, 10:55 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,282
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We twice spent a week in Ludlow for the food festival (which is great fun, but sadly it's not in March), back in the day when there were three Michelin-starred restaurants there. We rented a cottage and really enjoyed it. One time DH was working in Manchester so he got the train there & back, between Manchester & Ludlow, & it was surprisingly quick & efficient (by British train standards). But I'm not sure how well you'd be able to explore other small places in Shropshire by train - a car is probably best. (You don't say where in Shropshire features in your genealogical research - the only time in those 2 weeks we left Ludlow was a day trip to Hereford, where the chained library is quite interesting.)

So what I might be thinking is: fly to Manchester, fly Manchester-Newquay, train to base in Shropshire, hire car for length of stay there if it seems necessary, train to Manchester, fly home. Or vice versa.
caroline_edinburgh is offline  
Old Oct 28th, 2012, 08:26 AM
  #7  
ltr
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 876
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ann, my son is in charge of the tickets for the match. We have been to a match before and he has some way of getting that handled.

Have not been to Cornwall before so any help would be appreciated. Thanks for the link to the Government site. They are closed the first full week of every month, so that was valuable info.

We do expect the cold weather and rain. It is the trade off for traveling a little off season...fewer tourists, but not as nice of weather.

Caroline, we are visiting Moreton Corbet and sites around that area, so Ludlow even without the Food Festival might be interesting. I have not looked into that area too much yet because it is the family of my friend I am traveling with. Her grandmother did a great job of documenting (before internet days) the family history back to 1200's.

Although this sounds like a big genealogy trip, it is really just an opportunity to travel through areas outside of large cities, with the added bonus that our families are from the area.
ltr is offline  
Old Oct 28th, 2012, 11:28 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,282
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ludlow is a lovely unspoilt small town (well, about as unspoilt as English towns get now) - very walkable, with a castle, mediaeval & Georgian architecture, lots of good pubs, nice food shops & a market - so if it's near where you are visiting, it would make a good base.

This is the cottage we rented the 2nd time which was lovely, and very central - http://www.ludlowcottages.co.uk/abalonehouseludl.html. We thought a few of the pubs would be good places to stay, too.
caroline_edinburgh is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Cavangal
Europe
14
Mar 17th, 2017 11:56 AM
Mlgriffi
Europe
16
May 27th, 2014 03:52 AM
TrisPrefect
Europe
11
May 23rd, 2012 09:19 AM
rog
United States
65
Sep 14th, 2005 07:30 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -