Yes, you could definitely do Salisbury/Stonehenge enroute to Bath.

But in that case I probably wouldn't bother w/ trains at all. I'd go out to Heathrow early AM and collect my car there. Visit Avebury, then Stonehenge and Salisbury and then drive on to Bath that afternoon. Just make sure your B&B or hotel in Bath has parking.

Thanks janisj. I knew you would know the answer! How hard is it to get the car at Heathrow? Is it outside of the terminal building? I assume the taxi would know how to get us there. We just don't want to drive in London proper. First time driving on "wrong" side of the road, need a little open space to become adjusted.

" Is it outside of the terminal building? I"

All the rental agencies are just off the airport mostly off the A4/Bath Road.

"We just don't want to drive in London proper."

That is why I suggested LHR - it is one of the VERY easiest places to start out from. MUCH easier for your first few miles to be on the motorway out of the LHR area than from/in Bath.

" I assume the taxi would know how to get us there. " Don't take a taxi. If you take the tube to LHR the rental agencies have shuttle buses. Or if you want to spend a bit more, you can book a car service like justairports.com to take you from your hotel right to the rental office.

Thanks so much for your help. You seem quite familiar with everything "UK". Do you live there or just visit often? You probably have answers to questions I haven't even thought of yet! Would you mind telling me what you think is worth seeing in Bath, as we have limited time there. We'll be there for only one night and only the remainder of the day we arrive there. The following morning we leave for The Cotswolds. Open to any suggestions for there as well!

soodson Dec 26, 12 at 7:01pm


Thanks so much for your help. You seem quite familiar with everything "UK". Do you live there or just visit often? You probably have answers to questions I haven't even thought of yet! Would you mind telling me what you think is worth seeing in Bath, as we have limited time there. We'll be there for only one night and only the remainder of the day we arrive there. The following morning we leave for The Cotswolds. Open to any suggestions for there as well!

I went to Bath as a daytrip from London and thought the Roman Baths were fabulous. After the Baths, you could have something to eat in the Pump Room. I recommend a visit to Bath Abbey, which was beautiful. There is a Hop On Hop Off bus that will give you a good overview of the city. The ticket is good for 24 hours so if you arrive late afternoon, you will still be able to use it the next morning. We had dinner at Sally Lunns, one of the oldest houses in Bath. There’s lots more to do, but these are the only things I can comment on.

http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/default.aspx
http://www.bathabbey.org/
http://www.city-sightseeing.com/tours/united-kingdom/bath.htm#tourlandingposition
http://www.sallylunns.co.uk/
http://visitbath.co.uk/

Soods, I agree with Lovs2travel about the HOHO bus in Bath. There are two routes – one in the city (which stops frequently) and one around the adjoining country side which is beautiful – lush, green, upmarket homesteads amid gorgeous farms and pastures.

You will love Bath…

hi,

No, I live in N. California - but I did live in England for about 5 years and try to get back there as often as I can.

The Roman Baths are THE 'must' but just the city itself is a major attraction. I've taken folks on the H-o-H-o bus but I might not in your situation. After the Baths/Pump Room and Abbey (all next door to each other) IMO the biggest bang for your short time would be just to walk. The pedestrian precincts, the Circus, the Royal Crescent, Royal Victoria Park - just strolling is the way to see things.

If you had another day - then the H-o-H-o might make more sense.

Budget your time well - touring the Baths takes quite a bit of time. Then you exit through the Pump Room and the Abbey is just across the plaza.

Thanks everyone. I will check out those websites!

janisj...we happen to be the walking types, never ever been on a HOHO bus anywhere in Europe. Glad to hear that that will serve us well in Bath too. Wish we had more time there, but we're off to The Cotswolds, The Lake District and then on to Scotland. Thanks for the insite about the Tatoo, can't wait to see it, been telling everyone!

One more question...when we are talking about the baths, are we referring to just touring them, or is everyone recommending spending some time IN the Therma bath too? I see the Pump Room serves lunch or afternoon tea? Is the tea "experience" as good as having lunch there? Thanks

The modern Thermae baths/spa are in a different building (the spa's website seems to be down).

Just touring the Roman Baths can easily take 2 hours or more. IMO you really don't have time for a spa experience too.

Depending on your timing - afternoon tea in the Pump Room would be fun. If that doesn't work you could go to Sally Lunn's http://www.sallylunns.co.uk/ Touristy but for a reason - they do a nice afternoon tea.

janisj, if you don't mind me picking your brain a little...wondering your thoughts on the highlights in the Cotswolds for sight seeing as well as meals. We'll be staying in Burton on the Water but are willing to be very mobile. Only there for 1 1/2 days and 2 nights. Appreciate your insights!

Everyone else as well!!

There are no 'highlights' in the Cotswolds really. Just being there is the thing. It is an area of lovely villages/towns/churches/marvelous walking. But no knock you socks off WOW's.

From Burton there are a lot of lovely places w/i a short drive.

• Lower Slaughter would be a 'must' - park near the church and walk along the river up to the mill.

• Burford is a lively small town w/ a wonderful 'wool church' (be sure to go inside) and lots of shops/pubs/restaurants.

• Minster Lovell Old Hall is nearby w/ its curious doocot (Dovecote) and riverside setting. Park in the small free car park and walk up the lane to the church and the Old Hall ruins and then through kissing gates and around a farm yard to the doocot.

There are many other places just a little farther away: Stanton - a small village climbing a steep hill w/ a pub at the very top w/ views forever. Snowshill - a VERY curious collection of 'stuff' in a manor house w/ lovely gardens. The beautiful ruins of Hailes Abbey and a remarkable ancient church just across the road.

There are more -but you'll do well getting to just some of the above.

That all sounds amazing! That's exactly the type of"wow" I was hoping to find. There will be enough big highlights in London I'm sure! Thank you for sharing. The woman who runs the guest house named 3 restaurants locally and asked if I wanted her to make us reservations. My "reservation" about that is having to be somewhere at a certain time. Can we just eat where we end up, or do we need to have a reservation somewhere??

... do we need to have a reservation somewhere??

Generally no - I imagine the B&B owner was just trying to be helpful (and maybe drumming up a bit of business for friends running these restaurants). The Cotswolds is generally a day-trip sort of place and is much quieter in the evenings when the coach party hordes have left. One exception when you probably would need to think about dinner reservations would be bank holiday weekends. When is your trip?

Another obvious Cotswold attraction not mentioned above is Hidcote Manor Garden - http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hidcote/

By the way, it's "Bourton-on-the-Water".

"By the way, it's "Bourton-on-the-Water"."

I know that

Was just posting fast and forgot to preview.. . .

And yes, Hidcote Manor is fantabulous. I didn't mention it because the gardens take at least 2 or 3 hours and you may not have enough time.

But if you are into gardens -- they are a must.

Thanks for all of the info. You all have been so much help!

Wondering if anyone has an opinion on London Walks tours. Is it worth doing a "royal" or other tour the first day we are there. It that a good substitute for HOHO bus, or should we do both or neither?

London Walks are very long established and are probably the best company for walking tours. I've never been on a bad one.

For the ££ LW's can't be beat. But I might wait til you are there to decide if you want to take one on your arrival day.

The H-o-H-o is an entirely different animal, w/ entirely different objectives, at much higher cost.

Second what Janis says about making sure your hotel in Bath has sufficient parking if you go by car.

I very much enjoyed the walks that I have been on with London Walks. Print out the schedule to take with you instead of trying to find one when you get there. Walking helped with the jetlag.

You seem quite familiar with everything "UK". Do you live there or just visit often? You probably have answers to questions I haven't even thought of yet! >>

actually, soods, JJ's information is probably a lot better than much of that from those of us who live here as she comes at it from the angle of the traveller rather than the local - for example, that there was a best place to collect a hire car would never have occurred to me had it not been for reading threads like these.

I'm just amazed by how much I can learn on these forums whether from travelers or locals! I thank you all for helping me plan my trip!!

I did check with the B&B before I booked about the parking issue. Actually, I did print out the walking tour schedule. I usually plan everything ahead, so it makes me a little nervous just to show up for a tour, but I understand that London Walks expects that. Did everyone just show up and not make a reservation? Is there anything I should purchase tickets ahead for? I did take car of everything for Bath, the baths and pump room. But I didn't do any pre purchasing yet for London. I did a lot of that for Paris and it saved us hours of standing in line! But since the museums are free in London, I don't know what will require tickets. Can you all help with that? Thanks.

But in that case I probably wouldn't bother w/ trains at all. I'd go out to Heathrow early AM and collect my car there. Visit Avebury, then Stonehenge and Salisbury and then drive on to Bath that afternoon.>

Though that is possible it seems awfully rushed - you will see little in Salisbury - I think you could maximize time by taking a train to Salisbury - an early train, see the cathedral, pick up your car and go on - Avebury is better than Stonehenge to many people though both to me are awesome as is Bath - to me the prettiest town in all of Merry Ole England.

Getting to Heathrow can take almost as long as trains to Salisbury and getting out of the often congested airport may take time as well and do not airport car rentals add a surcharge - perhaps not but check on that.

actually, soods, JJ's information is probably a lot better than much of that from those of us who live here as she comes at it from the angle of the traveller rather than the local - for example>

I have said this before as well - thru the eyes of a visitor or tourist and what they have found useful is often better than locals who do not always put themselves in the shoes of a foreign visitor and what they want to see, do and experience in the U K or any other country for that matter.

That said locals like annhig and flanneruk and Parick London just to mention a few do provide a different angle at times and insights only a local could give - this is why Fodor's is so great for countries like the UK - you have janisj types who actually study things in detail when planning their own trips there (locals may rarely plan but just travel - like most of us do at home - we just go to SF but do not spend hours researching about it) and also locals so the blend of info is very useful and often unique for a tourist planning a trip.

Though I do not do the type or style of travel janisj does I am in awe of her/his knowledge of practical things a tourist wants to know and I have learned loads of great if not esoteric stuff from Brits who contribute here, not the least annhig, one of Fodor's most polite and erudite members IMO.

PQ: "You have janisj types who actually study things in detail when planning their own trips there (locals may rarely plan but just travel - like most of us do at home - we just go to SF but do not spend hours researching about it) "

sorry but you really don't know what you are talking about. I don't plan out almost anything except booking flats, flights, and special events that require pre-booking (like some special exhibits or the Chelsea Flower Show, or the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, or being on the river during the Queen's Jubilee.)

Otherwise I pretty much decide on any day what I'll do that day. (The 'infamous' Book club trip was an exception because I was basically the tour director for a group)

Maybe I have an advantage because I can look at things as a 'sort of' local (I used to live in England) and as a tourist. But I definitely don't schedule things in detail - never taken any sort of spread sheet on any trip ever.

soods: "but I understand that London Walks expects that. Did everyone just show up and not make a reservation?"

Not only is pre-booking not necessary . . . It isn't possible.

PQ's suggestion of collecting a rental car in Salisbury is doable - as long as you can work it out time/day wise. For instance Avis doesn't have an actual rental agency in Salisbury but provides their cars (brought in from Portsmouth) at a local hotel. National has limited hours on Sat and is closed on Sundays

So yes, you definitely can rent a car in Salisbury - it is just more straight forward at LHR.

not the least annhig, one of Fodor's most polite and erudite members IMO.>>

!@£$%^%^^&**, PQ!

janisj - Q for you - are their surcharges for renting cars at Heathrow like at many airports?

If you decide not to drive to Salisbury, you can go with London Walks or do your own day trip. I did the London Walks tour in October and it was excellent. We spent the morning in the town and cathedral and in the afternoon took a minibus out to Stonehenge. In the darker months, you might do the reverse. I also stayed behind to attend Even Song at the Cathedral. The cathedral has a great lunch place where most of the tour ate with a variety of hot dishes, cakes, tea, coffee, etc.
There are a million places between Salisbury and Bath to visit. My friends in Bristol have taken me to Durham Park, Coombe Castle, Laycock Village, the Cotswolds, etc. You can't not find something great to see. Evaluate what interests you the most and go visit.

!@£$%^%^^&**,> to you too!

Back to prebooking...is there any museum or event(in August that you know of) in London that I need to prebook for?

What you need to do is . . . Later this spring check the websites of the V&A, British Museum, British Library, National Gallery, both Tate's, etc and see if any of them will be holding a major exhibit during your visit that sounds interesting. If so, you can book on-line.

Oh -and there are sites like London Town and Timeout that will list upcoming exhibitions - but I personally like to check the individual sites since it really takes no more time.

Oh -and the one thing you may want to pre-book if it interests you is a tour of Buckingham Palace

http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/buckinghampalace/plan-your-visit

i think we can agree that you get a much higher standard of repartee on the Europe board than you do in the Lounge.

"Later this spring check the websites of the V&A, British Museum, British Library, National Gallery, both Tate's, etc"

As well as:

The Royal Academy
The Courtauld Gallery
National Portrait Gallery
Wallace Collection
The Hayward Gallery
The Saatchi Collection

By and large, none of these places put their biggest shows on in August, saving them usually for when there's an audience (mid-Sept-July). But you never know.

All those flanner lists were sort of included in my >>etc.<<

Definitely check all of those as well.

"All those flanner lists were sort of included in my >>etc.<<"

I know. But I doubt the poster did.

There isn't a definitive guide to big exhibitions (and the sources occasionally quoted her are spectacularly deficient). Even Time Out often misses out the screamingly obvious, so janisj's advice to "Later this spring check the websites" of the exhibition hosts is spot on.

But it only works if the person advised is familiar enough with London to look up locations (like the Hayward or RA) that rarely get into guide books, but often host spectacular temporary events.

Just to be clear - I wasn't assumimg you should know of all those terrific galleries. I was just being lazy w/ the 'etc.' and the sites on flanner's list are also major venues

Lots of great info and advice here.

Just to add a couple of bits (my perspective here is that I'm local to Salisbury and travel to Bath fairly often).

It *might* be worth thinking about not picking up a car until you leave Bath.

Train and bus to Stonehenge is easy enough, and the rail journey from Salisbury to Bath is quite scenic. It's not the best road to drive on, but I really look forward to the train element.

While in Salisbury you might want to consider:

- the Doom painting at Saint Thomas' church http://www.stthomassalisbury.co.uk/content/pages/documents/1296212454.pdf
- Old Sarum http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Sarum
- the Magna Carta (in Salisbury Cathedral) http://www.salisburycathedral.co.uk/history.magnacarta.php

Also, I created a web page about getting from Salisbury to Stonehenge, which might or might not be useful:

http://salisburyandstonehenge.net/stonehenge/salisbury-to-stonehenge

Let me know if you need any more info on the Salisbury/Stonehenge leg of the journey - I hope you have a fantastic time!