LSab

My husband and I our taking my sister to Spain (one week) and then to my favorite country England (two weeks) She has never been to Europe so I am really trying to make this trip special.

Three years ago we stayed at Hanbury Manor in Ware (I know Ware is not an exciting area) but we had a lovey time there. We have a beautiful watercolor of the Manor on our travel wall and my sister asked if we could take her there so we will use it as a base to go to St. Albans, Cambridge and then to York for two days.
I would like to spend a day going to Rye and Canterbury (can it be done in one day and is it an easy drive from Ware or should we wait until we are in London and go by train?

In London we are planning a side trip to Hampton Court, Bath and Chartwell (I am fascinated with Churchill). Any other suggestions or is this too much already? Thank you.

janisj

Rye and Canterbury are not an easy drive from Ware (assuming you mean the one in Herts and not the one in Kent)

By &quot;<i>a side trip to Hampton Court, Bath and Chartwell</i>&quot; I hope you weren't being literal and mean this as a single days trip. Simply not possible. But assuming you mean 3 different day trips - that will take a lot of time away from London.

Since Chartwell, Rye and Canterbury are all in the same general part of the country - it would be MUCH better to stay a night or two in the Kent/East Sussex area and visit all three from there.

You could stay in Ware (it is <u>all</u> your fault since you talked up the hotel to your sister ), go up to York, then head down to Kent to visit Canterbury/Rye/Chartwell (and other wonderful sites).


Are you flying in/out od London. If it were me I'd do it this way:

First up to York on the train. Pick up a rental car there. 2 days in York.

Then drive down to Ware for 2 days/nights.

Then to Kent/East Sussex for 2 days/nights

The drop the car at Gatwick and take the train into London for the rest of your visit.

This would eliminate backtracking. Chartwell is not an easy day trip from London by public transport so doing it bay car is best - and you don't want a car in London so it is best to do London at the end of your itinerary.

janisj

sorry about the typos . . . .

LSab

so Rye and Canterbury are out from Ware - we will save that for when we are in London or after we visit York
We don't plan on trying to visit more that one place per day.
We will have a car for the first week and will drive to York (I know it's faster by train) The reason we are staying in Ware for the whole week is I have a hotel award for one week there ( you can't split it up) and one week award for a London Hotel.

Thank you for the advise !!!

londonengland

Hanbury Manor is a lovely hotel and a good base to discover St Albans and Cambridge. You might also want to look at Hatfield House (where Queen Elizabeth I was living when she became queen).

Also don't neglect the villages of Little and Much Hadham which are only a couple of miles from Hanbury Manor. A little piece of undiscovered English beauty with thatched cottages and charming village pubs - to find out more check out this link http://www.thehadhams.com/

LSab

Went on the Little and Much Hadham website - we'll have to stop by since it's so close to Hanbury. Hatfield House is a must see - I am getting so excited about this trip. Thank you for taking the time to give us much needed advise.