historytraveler

If a fan of Charles Dickens visit the Charles Dickens Museum, his London house, near the Russell Square tube station. They have a nice cafe with outdoor seating.

texasbookworm

Will look into those, Dukey1

historytraveler--DD and I enjoyed the Dickens museum; it's fun!

janisj

Just a few teensy comments: When you visit Tintern (a 'must') try to squeeze in Chepstow Castle -- it is only about 5 miles from Tintern.

In London -- a back stage tour. There are several including the National Drury Lane (probably my fav), ROH, and the Globe.

Spencer House (only on Sundays)

The Roman Amphitheatre beneath the Guildhall Gallery

Benjamin Franklin's House

The Physic Garden

texasbookworm

Thanks, janisj; I've long appreciated your help.

DD and I have enjoyed the Physic Garden and the Amphitheatre, but M likes Roman ruins, and he's read about Robert Fortune who has connection with the Physic Garden, so if he wants to go back to either or both, we might.

We won't be there on a Sunday. But I'd forgotten to consider Franklin's House, so it's a contender!

And I'd also not thought of a back stage tour at all--I'll investigate. Great ideas!

Chepstow is #3 on that day's itinerary, so we'll be sure and try to make that happen.

thursdaysd

This site sometimes has info on interesting things to see in the East End, although they are often hard to visit yourself:

http://spitalfieldslife.com/

If your husband is interested in Roman ruins you could put "roman" in the search box there, or there is this:

http://spitalfieldslife.com/2014/10/...-roman-london/

Could you possibly visit Fishbourne on your way west? It would add an hour and a half to the trip from LHR to Exeter, but it is a worthwhile sight.

https://sussexpast.co.uk/properties-...e-roman-palace

texasbookworm

Thanks, thursdaysd; great info on Roman "stuff," some we've seen but most we haven't. Will investigate those suggestions.

Trip from London to Exeter will probably be by train (still deciding), but in any case we will want to have as much time as possible in Exeter for our only day (half day) there. But I love adding things to my reasons to come back another time!

CarrieAnn40

I've only visited Exeter briefly on a university visit with my daughter.

We visited the Underground Passages https://exeter.gov.uk/leisure-and-cu...ound-passages/

And walked down to the river and sat outside a pub in the sun which was pretty. I seem to remember some little shops there to poke about in.

texasbookworm

Thanks, CarrieAnn; we'll pencil in those passages as they look intriguing. Hoping for a sunny day like you had, too!

thursdaysd

Fishbourne should definitely go on the list for next time. For a while I lived quite close, but of course never went.... I stayed in Portsmouth a couple of years back and was happy to revisit Chichester and just loved the villa. Arundel Castle is in the same general neighborhood, also the Weald and Downland Living Museum which seems to have grown enormously.

http://www.arundelcastle.org

http://www.wealddown.co.uk

PalenQ

Clovelly is about 50 minutes drive above Tintagel on the coast and it is famous if not infamous - very kitschy and touristy but really cool in its way even sans donkeys:

https://www.google.com/search?q=clov...w=1745&bih=863

http://www.clovelly.co.uk/ - kind of cool interactive map on this site!

texasbookworm

As Jim Croce said, "There never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do once you find them."

But I'm making a list!

Thanks, Pal; we won't have time to go north of Tintagel--this trip.

thurs--Arundel is STILL on my wish list!

texasbookworm

Topping this myself, hoping annhig sees and has time to comment on Cornwall portion--thanks, all!

northie

Just back from Eltham Palace - worth seeing - also Dennis Seivers house .

historytraveler

Sorry, not annhig, but I'm sure she'll be along soon. Don't know which route you'll be taking from Exeter to Tintagel but if traveling the A30, stop for a short visit at Okehampton Castle. The castle ruins are strung along a hill in a very pretty setting. I was there several years ago, and my friend and I were the only visitors. There's a pleasant little tea shop nearby.

texasbookworm

Thanks, historytraveler--just the sort of little detail we'd love to have as options!

And northie--will check that out

PalenQ

ah Eltham Palace -only went there because I was staying in a B&B nearby but was awed by it - not a palace really but a stately house and not the usual dry old art inside. Yes read on history of this sleek modern Art Deco wonder before and if going. Easy by Overground train to within a few blocks - nothing else noteworthy I saw in Eltham - a blah part of London with cookie-cutter row houses.

How about Crystal Palace Park and remains of old Crystal Palace and Paxton's famous lifeside statues of dinosaurs, etc.

I detail both in this old thread (that contains keen insights of many others).

cheers

Have a Cornish patsy in Cornwall: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasty.

northie

pal - Still the minstrels hall part of palace , moat etc - for me it was seeing even a part of Henry V111 s childhood home and the gardens are lovely .

texasbookworm

pal and northie(I assume you refer to Eltham palace)--more info to add to my list of reasons to return to London (not that I need much excuse!). Our day trips this time will be Windsor and Kew. Thanks

annhig

Clovelly is about 50 minutes drive above Tintagel on the coast and it is famous if not infamous - very kitschy and touristy but really cool in its way even sans donkeys>

well, I'm here, Pal ,and the first thing I'm going to do is to say that Clovelly is more than 50 mins from Tintagel. I note that google maps says that it's 59 mins but most of it is along the notorious Atlantic Highway the best bit of which is its name - it's simply an ordinary road with the added feature of frequent hold ups caused by cows going to be milked, sheep being herded and tractors being driven slowly.

and from Tintagel there are two much closer places which are worth exploring - Morwenstow, where the in/famous Reverend Hawker had his parish, and Hartland, where there is an interesting Abbey, and adjacent Hartland Point, which has some of the most striking coastal scenery and geology you could ever hope to see.

Texasbookworm - excuse my absence - life has been intervening in a fairly drastic fashion, however I have thought about your queries.

First of all, the Queen's court is a great choice, but do try not to get a room on the top floor as the lift doesn't get that far and the ceilings are low. food is good if you want to eat in, or there are many restaurants right in the centre of Exeter. It's also I believe in a good position for renting a car as it's not too far to trundle your luggage downhill to Exeter St David's station to pick up a hire car, or a short trip in a cab. Then you don't have to fight your way through too much of the traffic to leave the city.

now, onto Cornwall:

<<Sunday—Exeter to Cornwall
• Drive from Exeter to Tintagel, see site, drive to Hayle. We have rooms at the Penellen BandB right on the beach for 3 nights. Settle in. (We chose not to be “in” Penzance or St. Ives, due to the priorities of what we wanted to see—Tintagel, St. Michael’s Mount, beaches)

Monday and Tuesday—Cornwall
• Depending on weather, tides, and such, we will go to Saint Michael’s Mount and Land’s End via Penzance one day AND St. Ives, along the coast, and Godrevy Lighthouse, etc., on the other day. I’ll look at 2018 Minack Theatre schedule when it’s posted. Spend both nights at the Penellen.

So any suggestions of “don’t miss” or “give it a miss” or where to eat in this area, especially in St. Ives and Penzance, where we will only have a few hours each?>>

Exeter to Hayle via Tintagel is very achievable with Tintagel being roughly half way in a journey which even on a Sunday should only take 2 ½ hours or so. I've never stayed in Hayle - I only live about 20 mins away to the north - so i can't recommend anywhere personally. However if you'd like to be by the sea, this looks good to me if only for the position and the views:

http://www.bedandbreakfasthotelcornwall.co.uk

A little further round the bay, the Badger Inn has a very good reputation for food and we have eaten there occasionally though the last time was probably over 10 years ago:

http://www.thebadgerinn.co.uk

and it's very convenient for the train to St Ives and/or bird watching on the Hayle estuary.

Honestly I think that your first day is very full, and possibly short-changes several of the lovely things to see along the way, especially if you intend actually to visit ST MM rather than just look at it. PZ can also take a couple of hours to see with Chapel street and the Newlyn School works in the Penlee Art Gallery which is in PZ, not Newlyn! [don't miss if you have any interest in art at all], then there is Newlyn itself [probably ok to drive through not stop, but drive slowly] Mousehole where you should definitely stop, and the Minack theatre which has quite a few day-time events in season and in any event needs at least an hour to explore the gardens and the theatre, and the Rowena Cade exhibition about how it was made very largely by Rowena herself and her gardener.

Land's End itself is wonderful but unfortunately the theme park round it isn't - once you've had a quick look you are better off moving onto Cape Cornwall which is pretty beautiful too. from there, it is actually quicker to get back to PZ to drive back to PZ via St Just [an "interesting" little place]. if you don't get that far, rather than retrace your route from Land's end to PZ along the south coast, it's quicker to drive up to Sennen [another gem with a fab beach and good pub] and drive back to PZ on the A30.

Sennen is also a good place to head for if you would like to walk to Land's End because it's a great walk and that way you avoid the extortionate car parking charges which are imposed at Land's End itself.

I was just checking back on what you'd posted and I see that my comprehension skills have been somewhat lacking - first of all you are already going to stay at the Penellen, and secondly, you were not trying to shoe-horn St Ives into the first day but had put it on the second. Sorry. Even though you are staying at the Penellen you might still like to get the train to St Ives [there are several stops between St Erth and the town though some of them are request only, and some are only intermittent stops - read the timetable carefully to make sure you understand what it means]. the walk there [or back] along that part of the coast is lovely or there is the walk round the island when you are there. Good restaurants are to be found on the beaches [Porthminster and Porthgwidden, at the Pedn Olva hotel just as you get off the train] and at various points around the town. Bad places are to be found too, and eating outside is to be avoided if possible due to the predations of the local seagull population which can spot a pasty or an ice-cream at 20 paces. In fact many businesses have got rich on selling their customers 2nd pasties and ice-creams to replace the ones they just lost, which are usually accompanied by an invitation to eat it inside the shop, which is never proffered when you buy the first one.

Godrevy has one of our favourite beaches and a very nice cafe [NT] which we've never tried. Also I think there may be a pop-up restaurant there but I'm not sure it's there this year.

In Hayle of course there is quite a wide selection. If you like Thai food the Thai chef towards the north of the town is very good and run by a Thai lady and her brit husband. It's a BYO if that's of interest.

please don't hesitate to let me know if I can help with any other queries. it may be a little while before I answer but I will come back to you when I can.

Tulips

Hi Texasbookworm, you probably know there's a huge Wholefoods practically around the corner, but for something special seek out Sally Clarke's store, just off Kensington Church Street.
There are also some shops on nearby Stratford Road, including a cake shop.

Also nearby, and something you have probably not seen as it's not been open long, is the new Design Museum. It's free, and worth a look for the building alone.