If you want to see beautiful scenery, you could always get the train to Kyle of Lochalsh.
You are sitting, but you can walk around, go for a pee or have a cup of coffee.

"are you saying Blenheim is not worth it? Somewhat surprised from what I've read it seems really neat, but maybe I'm missing something."

No. I just think the dump should never have been built.

Hundreds of acres of lovely, publicly-owned, countryside, and a seriously historic palace, were destroyed for this tasteless monument to 18th century corruption to be built and the public kept out unless they contribute to the 'Keep the Feckless Churchills in the Manner They Feel Entitled To' Fund.

But if you idea of good taste is the same as Liberace's, you'll no doubt think it worth the time and money.

"<i>Other note--I've been using Rick Steves 2011 . . . to help research and plan this trip</i>"

I'd <u>seriously</u> recommend you forget about the RS guide. RS is good to really good for a lot of countries. Unfortunately -- the UK isn't one of them. I've met him and he is very open saying England is not his favorite destination and it definitely shows. Some of his advice is downright silly.

As for the Blenheim 'issue' -- flanner lives practically next door to Blenheim so he is coming from a different perspective than most visitors. You will either think Blenheim is fabulous -- or a ghastly over indulgence. But in either case IMO it shouldn't be missed when one is in the area. Unfortunately -- you won't be in the area. To visit Blenheim from Bath will involve approx 6 hours just for the travel -- and you'll go through Oxford yet not see a bit of it.

If it was me I'd spend a night IN Oxford and use 1/2 a day for Blenheim and most of a day for Oxford. I would not (ever) try to visit Blenheim as a day trip by public transport from Bath.

Your tweaks/changes here an there are not solving the basic problem that you want to cover a LOT of territory in very little time.

"<i>I'm thinking London is a lot bigger and more spread out than Paris.</i>"

Yes -- London is many times larger than Paris. About 85% of Paris' major attractions are basically w/i walking distance of each other. That isn't the case in London.

"are you saying Blenheim is not worth it? Somewhat surprised from what I've read it seems really neat, but maybe I'm missing something."

"No. I just think the dump should never have been built."

Flanner is entitled to his opinion, he just doesn't like someone else having a house nearly as big as his. :-)

Personally I like Blenheim, its a fascinating place, great for photographing and well worth the visit. IMHO.

Muck

So, you get train to Chesterfield and then take the bus to Bakewell, Chatsworth being a few miles up the road? You can get a cab Bakewell or of course the half hr from Chesterfield for a price. The bus is pleasant and runs several times a day from the station.

Some of those Chatsworth Estate lodgings looked attractive, and not THAT crazy expensive. You can get afternoon tea at the Rutland Arms in Bakewell, where Austen is said to have stayed, or of course at the shop behind Chatworth. The grounds are wonderful there.

For my money, I'd tour Haddon Hall in preference to Chatsworth. As bonus literary tie-in, the recent Jane Eyre was filmed there, and so was the BBC one a few years ago, because the spooky tower there is a natural. There's a nice garden on a much more modest scale than Chatsworth, and it's much older.

sorry, to clarify: You can get a cab from central Bakewell the few miles to Chatsworth. Not sure what a cab from Chesterfield would cost. The owner of the clean but modest B&B where we stayed in Bakewell also runs a van cab: http://www.evertonbandb.co.uk/, and arranging for him to meet the train might be less expensive than getting a cab.

For more than one night it's nice being within walking distance of pubs and restaurants, and not to mention bakeries that compete for title of Original Bakewell Pudding.

Sorrier and sorrier! I mean cheaper than getting a cab in Chesterfield.

You might also consider going to Lyme Park, the home that was used for exterior shots of Pemberly in the BBC Pride and Prejudice. It is near a train station (Disley) on the Manchester to Buxton line with courtesy shuttle service

Thanks for the replies! Janisj--we are taking your suggestion and going to plan on staying in Oxford. Thank you for the help there! Very interesting about Rick Steves...I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan. I rarely watch any of his shows. I do like the way he writes his guidebook, it's easier to read than other ones I've looked at. But he does leave out a lot of stuff in his Great Britain book that I'm interested in doing...specifically Austen and Bronte things. :-) My impression would be he isn't into that type of literature. :-) Kind of sad he isn't a fan of the UK...I'm totally thrilled with the idea of visiting!

stokebailey--thanks for the suggestions. We are really excited about the idea of Chatsworth, I did read about Haddon Hall, but I'm more interested in Chatsworth. Although, for the record, I am a fan of the 1995 BBC version of Pride & Prejudice... I've only seen the 2005 version once, but I may watch both again before I leave. :-)

Thanks again all!

As someone else said, Lyme Regis also has Jane Austen associations. It's a pretty little seaside town in Dorset. To read more and see a picture of it, see here: http://postcards-pfte.blogspot.com/

Also, there is a live streaming webcam of Lyme Regis here:
http://www.checkitlive.com/camera/949

There's a room or so at Chatsworth devoted to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and the pretty good Kiera Knightly film about her. They have letter written in blood to her son and some of the movie costumes.

I'm with Gordon -- I just looked at that Highlands Tour itinerary and it is absolutely awful. You need to rethink that ASAP and get a refund.

Here's what you do: drive PAST one of the most impressive castles in the UK to STOP at a wool mill in Kilmahog so they can try to sell you sweaters. Then you drive past the Massacre of Glencoe site (that's the Clan MacGregor reference) and drive to Ft. William for lunch (Janisj can rail on about Ft. William here).

After that, more time in the bus -- drive some more to Loch Ness where they try to sell you an expensive cruise on the lake or pitter about the ruins of Urquhart Castle (which should be do-able in 45-60 minutes, not two hours -- my wife and I are castle FREAKS and we skipped visiting Urquhart). But wait, there's still more driving through the whole of the Grampian Highlands in late afternoon so you can stop for dinner at tourist-trap town (aka Pitlochry). Then home.

This one has the worst of all tour tropes: too much time in the bus, stops designed to have the captive audience buy useless goods so the company can get a cut of the sales, and skipping important or notable sites (you drive past Stirling Castle, Scone Palace and avoid the Falkirk Wheel). Rethink it.

I wasn't going to say much/anything about the Timberbush tour -- mostly because there were enough other problems w/ the plan and I didn't want to pile on :)

And Timberbush <i>is</i> a decent tour company. But yes -- this particular tour is dreadful. If it is pre-paid, maybe they'll let you apply the ££ to a different tour.

For instance -- this one lets you actually get off the bus and visit Stirling castle http://www.timberbush-tours.co.uk/ed...ch_lomond.html

[One little clarification -- "<i>Then you drive past the Massacre of Glencoe site (that's the Clan MacGregor reference)</i>" the Clan MacGregor reference was re the drive past - but not TO - Balquhiddar where Rob Roy is buried. Glencoe is the Clan MacDonald bit]

Thanks for the information, we haven't booked the tour yet and will think about everything you've said. Our current thought is to skip York, and stay closer to the Bronte area and do something over there when we finish at Chatsworth. Does that sound like a better idea? Will we regret it the rest of our lives if we skip York? :-)

I see the same tour company offers this tour which (as I said above) is a more sensible itinerary though still a full day out:-

Loch Lomond, The Trossachs National Park & Stirling Castle
http://www.timberbush-tours.co.uk/ed...ch_lomond.html

Just curious, has anyone tried either of these tours before and have any thoughts on them?

Gordon_R: That's the same tour I linked earlier today.

JAustenfan: I haven't done any Timber bush tours (or Rabbie's which is another and probably slightly better tour company). But I have reviewed most of their itineraries for others (I do trip planning and lots of folks ask about one day tours if I can't persuade them to hire a car). Both companies are long-established and well thought of.

It is REALLY important to understand 'tour-speak'. "See" or "Pass" means viewing from inside the moving bus - not even a photo op slow down.

"Pass" Stirling castle means you would not '<i>see</i>' anything since the view from the nearest highway is of the castle sitting high up on a distant outcropping and everything interesting is hidden inside high castle walls.

But in essence -- Stirling Castle is very similar in size/scope to Edinburgh castle so w/ your very limited time I'd opt for one or the other.

janisj--do you think if we changed our schedule to: overnight in Oxford, see Blenheim, then afterwards head to Bath, for nights 6, 7, 8, then on day 9 leave for Chatsworth, tour the property that afternoon, stay the night there. Then on day 10, head to West Yorkshire area (I haven't determined a location yet) focused on Bronte, and something else in the area for day 10 & 11, then we left on day 12, for Edi. Would that work out better? It seems a little more doable to me leaving out York, my only concern is if we'll regret that decision down the road.

Thanks for the clarification on the tours...we are looking into the one mentioned.

Chawton was one of my favorite stops on our trip to the UK in 2007. :-) You can read my trip report and see pictures by clicking my screen name and looking for the report.

Lee Ann

Unfortunately you are semi-stuck because of the public transport requirement. If you were just visiting cities or major transport hub towns it would be easier. But you are going to some very rural areas and the buses/train service will be limited/time consuming.

You really do need to assume you'll get back to the UK again and not try to do <i>everything</i> this trip.

I personally LOVE York and have visited it many times. Even being a Jane Austen fan -- you really don't need 3 nights in Bath. So cutting Bath back to 2 nights would give you a bit more wiggle room and you could manage a day/night in York