janis

From your posts is sounds like you will be travelling solo. if so, don't let the posts saying you need a navigator put you off. Of course it is easier if you have a companion who will navigate - always having the road atlas at the ready.

but it is also perfectly doable on your own. One thing that really helps - each evening (or over breakfast) in the B&B pull out your Road atlas -- AA, Michelin, Ordinence Survey or another -- and mark the day's route with a highlighter. Underline the main villages' names.

Then lay the atlas open on the passenger seat so it is always there at a glance. You can pull over anywhere except on double yellow lines to take a quick look at where you are and where your next turn is.

And don't worry at all about getting lost. There are several routes to get anyplace in the cotswolds - and sites off the planned route will be some of your best finds/adventures. The road atlas will be a huge help and a lot easier than trying to use a fold out map. You can buy one at any garage, book store, newsagent, tourist office - just all over. Sometimes the rental agency will provide one - but don't count on it and buy your own.

jsmith

The Budget rental in Oxford is practically on the A420 which takes you directly out of town to the ring road - very convenient. Hertz is in an industrial park in Kidlington, north of Oxford, and handy to Woodstock (Blenheim Palace).

I don't think it would cost much more to take the train to Oxford than to get to Heathrow and would get you 40 miles closer to where you want to be. There might also be a saving on the car rental - most pickups at airports have an extra charge.

You may have a problem returning the car on a Sunday - double check. You may find it desirable to spend Saturday (or Thursday) night in Oxford.

There is direct, frequent bus service from Oxford to Heathrow which may avoid a trip back into London if you are leaving on Sunday.

andy

Isabel-
I said to take the car to AUTO EUROPE's Heathrow spot from London BY taxi...
I felt that to haul luggage on the tube to Heathrow, then stand in line at the airport was kind of crazy and a waste of time if one was heading out to the Cotswolds...I much prefer a taxi or car direct to AUTO EUROPE to cut down on the time involved...actually cut out a step where there is a lot of walking and waiting....I prefer the quick-get there fast routine....

After I posted, I remembered that we had a car service take us direct from the hotel to the AUTO EUROPE Counter and NOT to Heathrow...Sorry for my screw up....Apologies!!! As I meant Heathrow LOCATION not the airport in general....

Jenson

WOW! All the quick help is unbelievable. Many thanks. I still have lots of questions though...so hopefully you can help.

My husband and I will have already spent a week in London so we'd like to spend the last 3-4 days outside of the city in the Cotswolds. We will be leaving the UK to return home on a Sunday from Heathrow -- so once we leave London for the country -- we won't need to return to the city.

All the helpful posters here have convinced me to rent a car -- despite my reservations about driving ... I'll take the advice given here and make sure we rent an automatic car and get a good map. With that being said, maybe the group could comment on the following plan ---

I'd prefer we not have to drive until in the country, so I'm thinking we could take a train to Oxford. (Unfortunately, we'd have all our luggage from entire trip with us.) Rent a car in Oxford and drive to Blenheim Palace. (Is this definitely worth it?) I've already been to Oxford so don't want to spend any time there.

After visiting the Palace, follow map to Cotswolds. (Of course, now I've got to begin research where to go and what to see!!) Spend weekend in Cotswold, return car in Oxford, then take train to Heathrow. How does this sound?

And a few other questions...
-- I have a driver's license in the States, so is it necessary to get anything in the UK to rent a car for the weekend?
-- Is purchasing extra insurance necessary? In the States, my credit card insurance and my own car insurance usually covers rental car. But, perhaps I'd better check with my agent...
-- Even with a car in the Cotswolds, do you recommend we still sign up for some group walking tours once we arrive? We prefer touring on our own, but with just three days, we want to use our time wisely and not waste time trying to figure out where to go or getting lost. But perhaps it's possible to research walks ahead of time so we can do this on our own?
-- How many towns it is reasonable to see in three days? I'm guessing we'd prefer to stay in a different town each night, so we can continue to drive and see different areas.

Thanks in advance -- as I know this is A LOT of questions!!

BrimhamRocks

I posted this reply earlier...

"If you do decide to drive while in the UK, you may want to look into getting an International Driver's Permit, before you fly over here. Check with AAA. (As an example, see the following AAA Ohio website)

http://www.aaanwohio.com/travel/idp.htm"

Here are just a couple of the FAQ's from that website:

IDP FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How will I benefit by carrying an International Driving Permit on my next overseas trip?
The International Driving Permit (IDP) is a document that provides important information from your driver?s license in eleven different languages, including English. This document came into existence by virtue of a treaty signed in 1949 by the United States and other foreign countries. As an official document, the IDP is recognized in over 150 countries today. Carried in conjunction with a regular drivers license, the IDP can help break down language barriers when traveling in non-English speaking countries. In addition, the IDP provides an additional source of identification. The $10 charge for an IDP is a small price to pay for such peace of mind.

Am I required to have an IDP in foreign countries?
There are some countries that do not recognize a drivers license from the United States, but officially recognize an IDP (e.g. Hungary). There are other countries that honor a United States drivers license, but require a local language translation (e.g. Spain). The IDP can satisfy these types of situations. Keep in mind, however, that while a certain country?s government may not require an IDP, car rental companies located in that country, such as Hertz, may require an IDP to rent a car. Purchasing an IDP prior to departure can save a lot of potential hassles.

See the website for further information.

BrimhamRocks

Additional comment: I have only had an IDP when we were stationed in Belgium. It came in handy in Germany, when I was on a road trip and almost got a ticket (long story).

I don't know if you will decide you need an IDP for the UK, but it's just a suggestion. Perhaps some other Fodorites might give some insight into whether or not an IDP is necessary while traveling through the UK.

isabel

According to my local AAA office you do not need an international permit in the UK - the primary purpose of it is translation - and obviously that won't be an issue in England. And by the way, the cost is now $20 for AAA members and $30 for non members.

As far as I know you cannot take a train from Oxford directly to Heathrow. Trains from Oxford go into a station in central London. So if you return the car in Oxford you'd have to train to London and then tube, taxi or whatever to Heathrow. I think trains do stop in Slough (spelling?) which might be closer to Heathrow than central London. Anyway, by the time you return the car you'll be comfortable at driving so you could return it to Heathrow even if you don't feel comfortable about starting from there.

curmudgeon

If you are finishing the trip at Heathrow, just rent the car there. You won't run into the "oops, we don't have an automatic right now" situation that you might find at a smaller office. Traffic is not that bad by the rental lots, and it is easier to start your driving on roads with wide lanes and on-ramps etc than city streets.

flanneruk

Apropos points immediately above:

To return a car at Oxford and then travel on to Heathrow requires you either:
- to get a train to Reading and then catch the connecting bus to Heathrow, or
- to get the half-hourly bus from Oxford to Heathrow: disadvantage of this being that Oxford bus station is a tad inconvenient for car hire places. You don't need to go into central London, or face the local bus at Slough.

Personally, I wouldn't waste a nanosecond on Blenheim Palace: Vanbrugh should have stuck to writing plays, as the palace he designed is one of the least impressive of Europe's (IMHO far too many) Baroque extravaganzas. But its park is a great example of English landscape design. And Woodstock is an extraordinary example of how - well just pleasant - a tourist trap can be, even when the Palace is swarming with tourist buses.

Use the time you've saved, and the fact that you've had the sense to hire a car, to visit Bladon churchyard. Contrast how we buried the greatest man of the 20th century (at his request), with the way the French and Russians bury their failed, incompetent, leaders at Les Invalides and the Kremlin.

Then navigate your way to Coombe, about 3 miles away, and take a peek at the medieval paintings in the church there.

Now you've learned to ignore the guide books and just meander round the area, make sure you've bought a copy of Ordnance Survey map Explorer OL45: a 1:25000 (2 and a bit inches to the mile in real money) plan of ever field, house and public footpath in the Cotswold area.

MelissaH

Jenson - although I'm still planning (we're going in Nov), I have the same scenario of needing a car for the Cotswolds.

A couple of questions for you - what month are you going? If you are more than 60 days out, try British Airways for rental cars. You don't have to have your flight booked with them. The car can be done separately.

After a couple of months watching/surfing all kinds of suggested sites, I found the cheapest rates thru BA (which uses Hertz). We decided to rent from Heathrow for most of the suggested reasons above - automatic availability and limited hours of operation of the outer lying rental agencies (especially on weekends).

We will decline CDW with Hertz as our Platinum card covers everything but liability. The only thing to be aware of is that the rental agency MAY "temporarily" authorized a 500-800 pound charge for a deductible. If the car is returned without damages, etc. the charge will never go thru. Important though, if you plan to use the same card throughout your trip and you are close to your "max", this temp charge will count against your limit. Your regular car insurance probably WON'T cover anything outside the US.

Second question - if you are going later this fall, have you checked to make sure Blenheim Palace is even open? (I may have missed it if you gave dates - sorry if that's so)

SoloAlex

re: insurance - that depends on your own auto insurance and the policies of your credit card. Your policy at home may only cover you in your car and not a rental, and credit card claim procedures are byzantine at best. (card coverage always seemed more like a gimmick than anything else, since it usually only provides secondary coverage). Auto insurance coverage can have a higher deductible. read the fine print.

If your auto policy covers you no matter what and you haven't made any claims, you probably won't need much, if any, supplemental insurance. But if you've had several tickets or accidents, buy whatever supplemental insurance you can. The extra insurance is a lot cheaper than higher premiums for several years - or paying a $1000 deductible - should you have an accident.

andy

Jenson-
We ALWAYS take out EXTRA CDW thru AUTO EUROPE--

when I spoke to AX awhile back, they only cover a small portion of the deductible...leaving you open to paying in FULL for anything that happens in England (or elsewhere) and then coming home with all your paperwork and hassling with Insurance and AX from the states...Not a fun thing...

We also always get an IDP from AAA just to have it in case of an accident...We have never had to use it though....

Depending on how fast you are moving thru those towns, you can easily do 2 towns a day- they are super close to each other-UNLESS you are interested in tons of history etc...then probably one a day..Make sure you take time for lunch at a local tea house or pub and dine among the British-tons of fun....

We have never done a walking tour- we drive everywhere and manage to see everything-even taking in Antique markets and such...

jason888

Hi, Jenson!

1)I would add my voice to those that recommend getting the car at Heathrow.

It's much easier to get a car at the nearest location and just throw all your luggage into the car, rather than hauling all your stuff in and out of train stations, bus stops, etc. and THEN having to get to the car rental location. Believe me, we've done it both ways and much prefer getting the car as soon as is practical.

2)As for insurance, get the CDW. Besides here on Fodors, there are some good threads on Frommers (read horror stories) of getting nicked for hundreds of dollars for a mere scratch. It's so much harder to fight these things once you are across the pond. People's experiences range all over the map. So, I'd recommend erring on the safe side and getting the insurance.

3) Another insurance related thing: when you park your car, put all your stuff away and leave nothing in view. Lock the car. Cuts down the temptation of theft.

If we are going touring, we just stuff everything into the "boot", trunk, out of sight. Even maps and guide books go into the trunk, less evidence of this being a "tourist" car.

4) On driving in England:
a) if you get to a roundabout, (and there are so many of them all along the way!), remember this:

as you approach the roundabout, the LEFT lane is for making an IMMEDIATE left turn. So, if you need to exit after the first left turn, it's better to be in the RIGHT lane. This will put you in the inner lane on the roundabout. When you are ready to exit, TURN YOUR BLINKER ON and signal that you want to get into the left lane to exit.

My English friends go crazy when I drive, because I try to go around the roundabout while in the left lane. The left lane in the roundabout is for exiting only. The right (inner) lane is for going round and round and round.

It's one of the conventions of driving in England and, once you master it, you'll find that driving the roundabouts is a piece of cake.

b) One of the hardest things for me to adjust to every time I drive in a left-lane driving country is to MAKE ALLOWANCE for the width of the car on the LEFT side. I either end up on the curb or hear my wife screaming...

But...after driving an hour or two, you'll be an old hand at driving on the "wrong" side of the road. Have fun!

BrimhamRocks

Here's an interactive website that teaches you how to safely deal with roundabouts in the UK:

http://www.2pass.co.uk/roundabout.htm

jsmith

Obviously, many of the respondents are traveling on a much greater budget than I and are willing to spend when it isn't needed.

But-the International Drivers Permit is unnecessary in the UK.

My credit card brochure tells me specifically to decline the CDW when renting.

I had no hassle collecting from Visa for an accident when renting from Hertz in the UK. The approximate charge ($950)for the damage was charged on my card when the car was returned to Hertz (in Oxford from Glasgow) but both Hertz and Visa were prompt and efficient in FULLY refunding the charge.

Blenheim Palace is open until Nov 1. (It does reopen Nov 21 until 23 for a Christmas fair. The website is http://www.blenheimpalace.com/
Anyone who recommends skipping it is definitely in the minority and the park is considered Capability Brown's masterpiece.

One other bit of advice when driving, on a multilane highway keep in the left lane except when passing. It is an enforced offense not to do so.

four2travel

If Blenheim Palace is open then don't miss it. Whole family enjoyed it. The park and the gardens are wonderful. It also boasts one of the best mazes in England.

Rent the car at Heathrow. Easy to get on the M series of highways and Heathrow Express gets you in and out of London with baggage very easily.

Round abouts are pretty simple... yield to the cars and trucks coming from the right. Turn signal left if you plan to take first exit. No turn signal if you are heading straight thru and right signal if you are going past second exit. Change to the left signal as you approach exit you want.

Rule number one. Left side of the car is always closer to the curb, rocks and walls than you think...

Check with your credit card, but if it covers you then waive CDW. Rented with National and I had to take their insurance since I did not put the full amount on my credit card. Cost 10 pounds per day and still had a 500 pound deductible.

Had fun with a standard. Stick is same as here, but in the other hand. That means first is up and away instead of up and in, while fifth is up and in. Found myself gearing down from 5th to reverse a couple of times. Makes really funny sounds when you do that ;-)

Jenson

This board is a great confidence booster! : ) I've gone from not wanting to drive at all to now deciding to rent from Heathrow. It really does sound like this will be the easiest. Easier, more convenient, and less expensive. You have all been so helpful -- maybe onto to the next set of things I'm wondering about...
-- Where would you base yourself in the Cotswolds? One place or drive to different town(s) each day and stay a night there? I have three full days and one half day to see the countryside. By researching this site, one poster suggested she would go to:
Castle Combe
Bourton-on-the-Water
Lower Slaughter
Stow
Broadway
Chipping Campden
Winchcombe
Painswick
Burford (Bleinheim)

LolaLasagne

If you intend to go straight across a roundabout, keep left and use your indicator (blinker).

mclaurie

Hi Jenson,

Everyone has their favorite Cotswold village. Where to go really depends on your interests-shopping, walking, stately homes, gardens, antiquing etc. & the time of year. Many of the stately homes are not open in the winter. Some towns are busy with shops etc. while others have nothing but private homes & perhaps a pub.

I would not personally bother to move accomodation in just 3 days as the towns are quite close. Where to stay depends on budget & accomodation likes. On my first trip to the Cotswolds we rented a car at Heathrow, then stayed in an inn-The Swan, in Bibury. It is CHARMING but has gotten expensive. Bibury is beautiful but is one of the places that has no shops etc. so we took all our meals at the inn. We were able to see 4 or 5 towns over a weekend (others we just drove through). We stopped at Blenheim (love it!) on our back to Heathrow where we dropped the car.

Some towns that have hotels, Inns, b & bs and shops, restaurants etc. are Woodstock (where Blenheim is-not Burford which you indicated), Burford, Stow.

There was an article in the NYTimes Travel section this past Sun that made a few suggestions. They offered www.the-cotswolds.org for info. Blenheim-www.blenheimpalace.com -the interior, is only open thru Oct.31.

Another good website for other National Trust stately homes is www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Hope this gives you a good start for your research. Post the dates you'll be going so we can offer more suggestions.

Jenson

Thrilled to hear that Blenheim is worth it -- it looks lovely. I plan to be in the Cotswolds from Oct. 23-26. Now that I'm planning to rent a car FROM HEATHROW thanks to all the help here, I've got to get busy finding a place to stay. Any recommendations on where to base ourselves in the Cotswolds if we stay in one town / one inn? We like gardens, leisurely & scenic drives, shopping, restaurants -- definitely don't want to have to eat where we stay for all our meals. Lastly, do you recommend we reserve a car at Heathrow in advance? THANKS AGAIN TO ALL!