And you can daytrip from Oxford to Blenheim Castle.

It would be a shame to give up Barnsley House. However, there are other interesting places in the Cotswolds closer to towns with transport options. I'm thinking of Sudeley Castle, on the edge of Winchcombe, a relatively short bus or taxi ride from Cheltenham station.

Here's the castle website: https://www.sudeleycastle.co.uk/

Accommodations on the castle property: https://www.sudeleycastle.co.uk/cottages/

Getting there by public transport: https://www.sudeleycastle.co.uk/visit-us/find-us/

Winchcombe is a very nice small town on the Cotswold Way with interesting places like Hailes Abbey (Cistercian, beautiful ruins) 2 miles walk to the north,
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/v.../hailes-abbey/ and other walks, listed here: https://www.winchcombewelcomeswalker...-guided-walks/

I've visited Winchcombe several times and like the area very much, all but 1 visit by public transport or on foot along the Cotswold Way.

Just in case this is of interest

http://www.traveline.info/ links all the UK's public transport details together and yes there is an app

If you want to do these type of walks you might find this a useful tool

http://footpathmaps.com/ just plug in the hotel's post code and you are away. It is still Beta and no way as much fun as buying the paper map and spreading it out on the hotel bed but for planning purposes great fun. :-)

Thank you so much everyone! I'm using this excellent information to research an alternative base. I really appreciate your help and I'll report back!

Eeyann's husband

https://www.mrandmrssmith.com/luxury...barnsley-house


Planes

London Heathrow is the closest major airport – it's around an hour and a half from the hotel, following the M4 west to Swindon, Cirencester and eventually Cheltenham.

Trains

The nearest train station is in Kemble, around 20 minutes from the hotel. Direct trains go from here to London Paddington in an hour and 20 minutes.

Automobiles

Driving distance from London is 80 miles. From the M4, exit at Junction 15 and use the A419 towards Gloucester, exiting when you spot the B4425 for Bibury. Alternatively, you’ll need to take the A40 towards Cheltenham once you’ve left the M40 at Junction 8.

BTW the hotel looks amazing.

Eeyann and hubby: Are you thinking of cancelling your stay at Barnsley? I would take the train to Kemble (20 min from hotel) and ask the hotel if they have a shuttle. From the looks of it - they probably would be able to give you advice or provide a service. I would call them directly as they probably deal with this issue constantly.

Thanks again for all your suggestions. We've booked our hotel stay at Barnsley House and have arranged for a driver to take us there from Heathrow (reasonable price for 2 people). The hotel has suggestions for short trips, walks and bike rides to the surrounding towns and they recommended a tour guide with a car that we'll hire for one of the days. We're hoping to take our first few days in England at a slow pace without a car and this seems just our speed.

I really appreciate the detailed advice, especially MdmePerdu's encouragement to not give up on Barnsley House.

Tonight at dinner here in California, the restaurant served a "Barnsley chop" of lamb and described how that particular cut had it's traditional origins in Yorkshire. A a good omen!

Sounds like you managed quite well in solving any perceived problems. The Cotswolds are lovely and with your own driver/ guide you should have a excellent trip,

I'm glad to hear you booked your hotel stay at Barnsley! I hope you will post back with a trip report.

I'm very glad to hear it, sounds like a perfect beginning for your stay in England. I hope you let us know how you like the hotel.

MP, also in California.

Now don't get confusing Barnsley (a destitute town in the north with more collapsing (coal mine) holes than a swiss cheese) and Barnsley House :-)

We did the Cotswolds last year for a week without a car. We took the train from Gatwick to Kemble and hired Omega Taxi to pick us up and take us to our hotel in Tetbury. We did some terrific walks and after a few days, Omega Taxi drove us to our hotel in Chipping Campden, where we spent a few more days. From CC, we took an easy bus ride for a day trip to Stratford-upon-Avon. To get home from CC, we took a taxi to the Moreton in Marsh station, and trained back to Gatwick. Everything worked like clockwork, and we had a beautiful, active break. I'm sure you'll enjoy that part of the world, even without a car.

Tonight at dinner here in California, the restaurant served a "Barnsley chop" of lamb and described how that particular cut had it's traditional origins in Yorkshire. A a good omen!>>

well I hope that it is, but as bilbo says, the Yorkshire Barnsley of chop fame has nowt to do with the location of Barnsley House in the Cotswolds. [I was lucky enough to go there to visit the garden before it changed hands - lovely]

hope you have a great trip. Having just returned from a holiday where we used no cars at all, and relied entirely on public transport, I can confirm how relaxing it is. [mind you, it was public transport of the Swiss variety, which turned out to be even more reliable than its reputation would have us suppose, if that's possible].