where on a day trip outside London?
 

We are only in London for 4 full days but my husband insists on a ride out in the country. Where and how best to travel, train, private driver, rent a car?
Thanks

For me, my first choice would be Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, full of gorgeous Georgian architecture, the wonderful abbey and the fascinating pump rooms and Roman baths. I never get sick of it.

Failing that, Cambridge for the beautiful university. Both cities are any easy train ride away, I wouldn't bother to rent a car. A driver might be nice. Bath is about 1.5 hours from London Paddington station and Cambridge is under an hour from Kings Cross station. The train ride itself is an adventure.

Four days is not very many to spend in London and see all the sights there, but if your husband is insisting on a day trip I'd go by train. There are a zillion places to go, do some research on Canterbury, Bath, Salisbury, Cambridge, Winchester, Warwick Castle, ... there are so many choices and most all are very accessible by train. The ones I've mentioned range from 1 hr to 1.5 hours by train. You can also do a day trip by train to York and that takes about 2.5 hours via high speed train. Check www.thetrainline for fares and schedules. You can buy a "day return" (round trip) right at the station when you decide to go.

If you want your day trip closer to London (altho it is not "out in the country") I'd suggest Hampton Court (1/2 hr train ride) or Windsor (again not in the country). Greenwich is close to London and well worth a visit, but also not in the country.

Suburban London spreads quite a ways out into what was once the country but you can get to many places in about 1.5 hrs. that should satisfy his wish to see countryside.

Renting a car for one day can be expensive. Almost as much as rentign one for several days.

I found driving on the left side of the road while sitting on the right side of the car quite unpleasent the first time I did it.

Unless this is a repeat visit to London, it is a shame to take the time out of such a short visit, to see the country.

Keith

Does your husband just want to get out of London? It sounds to me like he might want a ride thorough rural countryside. If so a train trip to Bath or Canterbury really wouldn't fit the bill.

Both (and the other places already mentioned) are mostly busy towns/cities - though MUCH smaller/calmer than London.

If he just wants out of the hubbub of central London - Hampton Court Palace and Richmond, or spending the day in Greenwich which has a village-y feeling, or 1/2 a day walking in Hampstead and on the Heath might make more sense that going out of town.

Personally, w/ just 4 days you are probably better off just sticking to London.

(Bath is a terrific day trip - but wouldn't be a jaunt into the countryside)

I second janis's suggestions, or you could try

http://www.urban75.org/walks/
http://www.walkingclub.org.uk/book_3/index.shtml
http://www.country-walks.com/choose.html

all of which start from a point you can reach by train from London.