Jenn

Please advise what the "average" time touring
Blenheim might be. Do you take a guided tour? How long does it take? Just trying to
plan out that day in our trip. Thanks for
the help.

rickmav

The Palace has a website so you can look at all the possible things to see both in and outside - http://www.blenheimpalace.com/. I think the guided tour inside takes about an hour. They move the groups through pretty smoothly, obviously they're used to having a lot of people visit.

For me, it was one of those places like Versailles that after a point you are almost nauseous with all the ostentation. But the setting is amazing, and the exhibit on Churchill is quite fascinating, if you're interested in him. He is, in fact, buried just down the road, or over the park, at Bladon near a simple country church.

You could spend a whole day exploring the grounds, but if you're just after the palace, leave 2 hours to make sure you budget time for waiting for the next tour to begin and seeing some of the Churchill exhibit.

Depending on your schedule, while in the area, you might explore Woodstock a bit. It's a fascinating village on its own.

Jenn

Thank you, rickmav. I had been giving it about 3 hours total and that sounds about right by your comments. Thanks.

obxgirl

I'd give Blenheim a half day to visit the house and the gardens. 3 to 5 hours depending on your stamina.

I think guided tours are the only option for seeing the house. When we were there two years ago our guide said the tour would take approximately an hour but the actual duration was an hour and 45 minutes.

I recall this because my young daughter (who had reached her limit on historic homes) timed the overage to the nanosecond. Our guide was a fascinating storyteller and the group had many questions, so our trip may not have been typical.

We spent another hour and a half looking around the grounds. And then an additional hour or so taking the mini train to the "pleasure gardens" which was a nice play area for children (and payback for the long tour of the house).

janis

It sort of depends on how busy, and how nice, a day you visit. The initial part of the house tour (after an introductory breifing/historical overview in the main entry hall) is covered at your own pace. This is through the Winston Churchill museum rooms and a hallway where you pick up the guided bit through the state rooms. If it is crowded or you take enough time to examine the many WS displays/letters this first leg can take 30 to 45 mins or more by itself.

Then the tour through the main rooms - about 45 mins, then walking through the Italian/Water gardens, getting a meal or tea in the restaurant, and if you are there a day when the private apartments are open another 30-45 mins there.

So 2 hours is probably the bare minimum w/o stopping to eat/drink - but if it is a nice day and you want to walk across the lake and out to the monument add another 45-60 mins. You can park on the grounds - but I usually prefer to park in the village and walk in through the town gate - the Palace coming into view across the lake and the bridge is one you won't soon forget.

janis

To clarify - My 2 hours minimum is just for the house and gardens immediately next to it. obxgirl is close to the mark w/ she says 1/2 a day if you want to explore any of the grounds. I've taken MANY folks there over the years and we usually spend between 3 and 5 hours there.

SandyBrit

Jenn:

Agree with obxgirl and janis - at least half a day. Many people do take a picnic lunch with them and enjoy in the lovely grounds. You are in for a treat. This is well worth your time.

Sandy

rickmav

I was under the impression that Jenn was just interested in the 'house'. But, if not, I agree with the others that it can take many more hours to explore the grounds, village, church, etc. Depends on your interests and schedule.

obxgirl

Is there an additional charge to view the private apartments? Tours were available when we visited but it wasn't in the cards for us.

Jeffrey

Is Blenheim possible as a day trip from London?

obxgirl

Jeffrey, It's a good a day trip from London, tho easiest by car. You can get a train to Oxford and a bus from there to Woodstock.

As rickmav and janis have noted, Woodstock is a very pleasant village.

rhkkmk

i would say that first of all it depends on the time of year...in cooler weather, like now, you would spend very little time outside...i warmer weather you could spend a whole day outside... as i remember the inside tour takes about 1 hour....the estate is a massive place and you could spend hours there....the town is lovely as well....it is small however...

Kayb95

We did Blenheim Palace as a daytrip from London. We took the Oxford Tube bus to Oxford, then took a local bus out to Woodstock. The bus drops you at the palace gates and it's about a 1/2 to 3/4 mile walk to the house.

We spent a good portion of the day touring the house, grounds, gardens and butterfly house. We then walked back into Woodstock, walked around the charming village for a while and had dinner at the Vickers Hotel (15th century) before taking the bus back to Oxford. It was a very nice day out.

Jenn

Thank you all for your help and info. My plan for that particular day is to
pick up our rental car at Heathrow and drive directly to Blenheim. Any estimate how long that drive will be in
June? From Blenheim we are off to Burton on the Water where we stay the night at the Dial House. Blenheim is our only real destination for that day.
I am really looking forward to the visit.

janis

It is less than 60 miles from LHR to Woodstock and will take about an hour, give or take - depending on the time of day and the traffic on the ring road around Oxford.

You'll have plenty of time and be sure to stop in Bladon after you leave Blenheim and visit the churchyard where Churchill is buried. It is a tiny village and you really can't miss the church (but be prepared for a narrow road up to the church).

rhkkmk

plan on an hour and 1/2....it takes a bit to get to the M40 from heathrow and there is currently lots of construction near heathrow....from blen., its not far to bourton....i love the bourton area....we often eat in the pub at near-by Naughton...it may take another hour to bourton from blen....
the grave site is interesting and very simple...a nice little jaunt...

do you have a good map book...i use the ordance maps which are available at any english book store or gasoline station...cost about 10-15 pounds...

be prepared for huge costs in england...i was there at the beginning of december and was turned off because of them....the exchange rate is bad now but generally everything is so expensive, even in the countryside....food improves all the time hoever...

Kayb95

Also, when we were there, they were offering a special tour of the present family's living private living quarters. For a few pounds (£3 I think) you could tour a few of the private rooms.

rickmav

My sister and I stayed in a cottage in Bourton for a week - absolutely crazy during the day with tour buses and then so lovely in the evening with the bridges and the river flowing through town and ducks on the banks.

If you have time you may want to visit the Slaughters - Upper and Lower - just down the road. Lovely little villages. We also fell in love with Chastleton House. Operated by the National Trust, and you have to book to get in, they only let so many people enter at a time. What's interesting about the place is that they've only restored it enough to keep it from falling down and so it has this fascinating faded feeling like Miss Haversham's wedding banquet.

Hope you have a great trip.

Joe_in_Silver_Spring

I visited Blenheim in '89. The private apartments were an additional fee but worth it. Still luxurious but not as ostentatious as the public rooms. As we were waiting in the hall to start the tour, the duke walked by and said hello--then came back in and said hello again.

elaine

I linked this to the London Superthread