julia_t

<<however i'm not sure that it works with Julia's suggestion to do Bath as a day trip by park and ride - you'd really need the whole day for Bath>>

I meant that if Tom left Tetbury fairly early, say 9am, drove the 30 minutes to the Park-and-ride car park then got the bus into the city centre (which takes 10 minutes)he'd be able to spend 6-7 hours there.

The free walking tours are at 10am and 2pm but one can easily do one's own. I don't suppose many of the attractions open before 10am though the Abbey will be and is worth a peek inside.

annhig

I meant that if Tom left Tetbury fairly early, say 9am, drove the 30 minutes to the Park-and-ride car park then got the bus into the city centre (which takes 10 minutes)he'd be able to spend 6-7 hours there. >>

Julia, i didn't mean that your suggestion to do Bath by park and ride didn't work - it was Gwendolyn's later one to combine it with a trip to Wells that I felt was a "bridge too far".

sorry I wasn't clear - I thought the park and ride suggestion was an excellent one.

maitaitom

Tom's Trip Revision #123...Thoughts?

First of all, Kim and Mary have jumped on board for yet another trip (obviously gluttons for punishment). Mary is studying up on her medical skills to make sure we make it back alive.

Day 1 - 7 - London (with day trips..Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, Kew is on the cusp)
Day 8 - early tube to LHR - pick up car - drive to Winchester Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral up to Stonehenge and stay in Wells (possible?...3 hours of driving is nothing to this crew).
Day 9 Drive to Bath - check out Bath - stay Bath
Day 10-12 - Drive Tetbury (with diversion to Lacock and Castle Combe) and explore that area
Day 13 -15 - Chipping Campden (Oxford, Blenheim Palace, Hidcote Gardens...)
Day 16 - drive to LHR and get out of England before the authorities catch up to us.

Thanks!

janisj

Looks quite reasonable (though I'm sure it will change )

That LHR > Wells day would have about 4+ hours 'car time' plus the many stops. A very full day for sure.

maitaitom

"That LHR > Wells day would have about 4+ hours 'car time' plus the many stops. A very full day for sure."

Welcome to our bizarre travel world. I'm a sucker for big cathedrals, and since I doubt we would ever travel in that direction again, I thought one crazy day wouldn't kill us. Plus, there's always a pub waiting for us when we get to our final destination. Thanks.

jerseysusan

I am following this thread with great interest as I am planning a similar trip in September. Of course I am very excited about going so it's fun to read about your ideas and decisions.

annhig

tom - i think that your Day 8 is mad. you are squeezing into it 3 cathedrals plus stonehenge plus 4+ hours driving [including the madness which is the M25 early in the morning].

i suggest borrowing a day from London, and doing this leg over 2 days. That way you could fit in another cathedral [Glastonbury - though technically it's an Abbey] and Glastonbury Tor as well!

maitaitom

"i suggest borrowing a day from London, and doing this leg over 2 days."

Hi annhig, should I do that, where would be a good place to stop? Salisbury? Maybe we could see Old Sarum after all. Then on to Glastonbury, Wells and Bath the next day?

I know, I'm impossible. Think what it's like for the poor people who have to travel with me...

annhig

yes, i was thinking to stop in Salisbury. That way you have a nice stop in winchester, [recovering from the rigours of the motorway!] and have the evening and as much of the net day as you want to see Salisbury.

The next day is still quite full - with Stonehenge, Glastonbury and Wells. then into Bath the next day. this gives you this for the beginning of your trip:

Day 1 - 6 - London (with day trips..Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, Kew is on the cusp)
Day 7 - early tube to LHR - pick up car - drive to Winchester Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral.
Day 8 - drive to Stonehenge, Glastonbury and stay in Wells
Day 9 Drive to Bath - check out Bath - stay Bath

this has the disadvantage of reducing your time in london to 6 days but you could see Windsor as your first stop after picking up your car at LHR instead of doing it as a day-trip from London.

janisj

"<i>Hi annhig, should I do that, where would be a good place to stop?</i>"

See, I told you it would change

I'd modify annhig's suggestions just a little bit. I too would stay in Salisbury. But since Stonehenge is so close to the city I'd checkout the big rocks after Winchester then finish up for the afternoon/evening in Salisbury. Not much in it but this change would save you an hour+ the next day.

Next morning head over to Glastonbury, then Wells and finish up in Bath for the night. This would still get you to Bath by the afternoon of day 9.

janisj

>>would still get you to Bath by the afternoon of day 9 . . . and keep the 7 days in London.<<

maitaitom

Change is good. I like the plan to keep 7 days in London, stay in Salisbury and get to Bath the next evening. That way, we only have one stop that's only one night.

And, since I know how the trip will end (well, where it will end, I never know what's going to happen with us), I have booked three nights at the Bramley House in my favorite named town of Chipping Campden for our final three nights.

I owe all of you at least a pint or two for your help...and patience.

annhig

shame that you won't get to stop in Wells. I could have suggested a very good gastro-pub to eat at!

anyway, it's here:

http://www.thefountaininn.co.uk/

perhaps lunch there if you get through Glastonbury early?

shame it's such a long way for me to come for a pint!

maitaitom

I'm letting my loyal travel subjects ponder the question of whether they want six or seven nights in London, so Wells might not be out yet. I don't want to get overthrown before we leave.

gertie3751

You have to see the front of Wells cathedral. Frozen music. Has someone already said that??

maitaitom

" Frozen music." ????

janisj

'Chipping Campden' ain't nothing (I mean name wise, it IS a very nice place to stay)

How about Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury, Lower/Upper Slaughter, Upper/Lower Swell, Brokenborough, Dumbleton, Bishop's Cleeve, Oddington, Sibford Ferris, Nympsfield . . . all are Cotswold villages.

michele_d

Ann,
We loved the Fountain Inn restaurant in Wells. I was going to recommend it also but had to look back through my pics to get the name. We loved the great food and the great staff. We ran into our waiter the next day, Sunday, on the green in front of the cathedral with his family. Families and children gather round the green to play and enjoy the day. We spent hours just sitting and people watching. It was a great day.

Tom, I'm so glad you got rooms at the Bramley House in CC. We stayed at the Canon Grange B&B in Wells. Their site is no longer up but here is a link to the B&B through another site. Maybe you can try to contact them if you need a place to stay there, if they are still in business. It is right on the green and a lovely place to stay.

The Fountain Inn is a great place to eat. I think all of you will really like it. Our waiter used to live in Santa Monica before he moved to Wells. He went to Wells to visit and decided to move there, that's how great a little town it is. The Inn is located right behind the cathedral. Stay to the right alongside the cathedral and then it turns into Saint Thomas. The Inn is on the left just down a block or so.

maitaitom

michele..thanks for the Bramley House suggestion. We have emailed back and forth, and Jane seems very nice. It looks terrific.

Still figuring out the 6/7 nights in London. Trying to find an apartment.

traveller1959

Hi, bloody Tom,
you might like this bloody trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...of-england.cfm