United Kingdom. [What are the things not to be missed?]

[Walter_Plinge]

Re: United Kingdom. ["things not to be missed"]

York yes / Manchester no / Sheffield no

Why not Manchester? I'm planning on spending three days there next year. Looks interesting to me -- birthplace of the industrial revolution, MOSI, John Rylands Library, and so on. I believe it's the second-most popular destination in the UK after London. Happy to reconsider however -- itinerary isn't finalised by any means.

Agree about York -- have 3 days there too. Second visit after a l-o-n-g break.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Re: United Kingdom. ["things not to be missed"]

Yes to the Cotswolds and York.

I finally made it Chatsworth on my last trip. Jaw-droppingly impressive. It was an all day outing for me and I still didn't even see everything I wanted to in the grounds.

I have been in the peaks district several times (just never to Chatsworth), and I highly recommend it - lush green fields, rocky outcrops, dramatic skies...just beautiful.

 

[sinophile888]

Re: United Kingdom. ["things not to be missed"]

I did a fantastic day trip from London a little while back. The itinerary was Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath. I hadn't realised that Windsor Castle is now open to the public after their terrible fire. It was such a bonus to spend so much time inside the Castle, when I thought I would just be walking around the town. Stonehenge and Bath were also fantastic. I booked at an agency opposite King's Cross station.

 

[NM]

My favourite Must-Visits include:

• Whitby (the harbour and Abby)
• Durham (Castle and Cathedral)
• Beamish museum
• Duxford (for obvious reasons)
• Loch Katrine (cruise on Sir Walter Scott steam ship)

 

[TonyHancock]

Re: United Kingdom. ["things not to be missed"]

Oxford and Blenheim Palace are always worth a visit. (If you go to Blenheim take time to visit the tiny village of Bladon, next door, and Winston Churchill's grave - a very modest affair and rather surprising for it's simplicity.)

If your thing is engineering history then Ironbridge and The Black Country Museum give an excellent glimpse of industrial times gone by.

In just about any county you can find a small peaceful village with a fabulous traditional pub serving decent beer. (Cask conditioned beer is as varied in taste and body as wine is.) Pub food is OK and has improved quite a bit over the last couple of decades.

York is also home to the National Railway Museum.

You are never far from an historical site wherever you finish up.

.....and having just seen NM's post another thumbs up for Whitby.

 

[alieninperth]

Re: United Kingdom. ["things not to be missed"]

+1s for Manchester (went to uni there so I'm a bit biased), York, Whitby

 

[Walter_Plinge]

Re: United Kingdom. ["things not to be missed"]

+1s for Manchester (went to uni there so I'm a bit biased), York, Whitby

Great - three of my choices confirmed. While at Whitby I'm going to walk the coastal trail to Robin Hood's Bay. I'm told it's very picturesque.

 

[VPS]

Re: United Kingdom. ["things not to be missed"]

+1 for Cotswolds and Yorkshire especially the view from Suttonbank and York
Chester is another alternative - walled city and lot of black and white buildings
Snowdownia National Park in Wales is beautiful
Ludlow near the Welsh border - quite a foody place and good market
Also very impressed with Chatsworth
I have spent quite a while just cruising around and often end up in places that aren't well known but fascinating and if it's not high season it's easy to find a pub or a B&B
Enjoy - love cruising the UK

 

[ckelly10]

Re: United Kingdom. ["things not to be missed"]

Have to say York and Manchester but for different reasons...

York - Nice peaceful place - very relaxing
Manchester - Not peaceful but there are a lot of interesting sites to see, great city to visit.

Also people have recommended the Lakes - this is one of my favourite places and is a must if you can get there. It is probably one of the closest places in England that can compare to the beauty that is seen in Scotland.

Blackpool is an acquired taste. Some love it while others hate it. If you like the seaside and amusement parks etc you may like it.

 

[drron]

Thanks for all of the suggestions.Now have Chatsworth house,York,the Lakes district and Hadrian's wall as the northern part of the trip pencilled in.Still deliberating what to do between LHR and chatsworth house.

 

[legroom]

Slightly hijacking drron's OP here if I may

Going to have one week in London next April with +1

For a day trip from London, where would you suggest ?

I have been reading up on Bath as a possible day-only train trip.

Your recommendations ?

Scenery, history and ... foods would be the boxes to tick here

Thanks

 

[Walter_Plinge]

Slightly hijacking drron's OP here if I may

Going to have one week in London next April with +1

For a day trip from London, where would you suggest ?

I have been reading up on Bath as a possible day-only train trip.

Your recommendations ?

Scenery, history and ... foods would be the boxes to tick here

Thanks

I'm in the same position for my trip next year at around the same time -- a week in London. As it happens I am doing a day trip to Bath by train, not to see the baths, &c., but to hire a bike a ride the Two Tunnels trail:

Two Tunnels Greenway

I looked closely at other day trips from London -- Blenheim Palace and Cotswolds -- but the bus trip was so long there was little time for sightseeing. This is what reviewers on Tripadvisor indicated anyway. Wonderful scenery however. If any AFFers have positive experiences with bus-based days trip from London I'd like to hear about them and I would reconsider my plans.

Another day trip I have planned is the Bluebell Railway --

Bluebell Railway - 50 years of preserved steam in Sussex, UK

I was in London a couple of years ago and covered many of the well-known London-based sights then so this time I'm looking to get further afield.

 

[greenfish]

Slightly hijacking drron's OP here if I may

Going to have one week in London next April with +1

For a day trip from London, where would you suggest ?

I have been reading up on Bath as a possible day-only train trip.

Your recommendations ?

Scenery, history and ... foods would be the boxes to tick here

Thanks

Bath is gorgeous but quite a trek from London. Why not go to The Fat Duck for lunch and visit Windsor in the afternoon?

 

[greenfish]

I'm in the same position for my trip next year at around the same time -- a week in London. As it happens I am doing a day trip to Bath by train, not to see the baths, &c., but to hire a bike a ride the Two Tunnels trail:

Two Tunnels Greenway

If you're hiring a bike in Bath there is a really nice cycle path all the way from Bath to Bristol

http://www.bristolbathrailwaypath.org.uk/home.shtm

 

[funnymummy]

it is about 90mins by train to bath from London so the railways say - 2trains/hr. you can catch the national exp bus and if you prebook pay abt 5GBP, that takes a bit longer 2hrs 40min to 3.5hrs with the scenic route- but you could take the latenight one out and be ready for the first of the day and return the last one that night. my experience in the UK was that any travel over 30mins (unless you were going to London) was considered by locals too far to travel in a day.

 

[greenfish]

it is about 90mins by train to bath from London so the railways say - 2trains/hr. you can catch the national exp bus and if you prebook pay abt 5GBP, that takes a bit longer 2hrs 40min to 3.5hrs with the scenic route- but you could take the latenight one out and be ready for the first of the day and return the last one that night. my experience in the UK was that any travel over 30mins (unless you were going to London) was considered by locals too far to travel in a day.

Bath is definitely doable in a day - I'd often drive down the M4 to Ikea in Bristol which was hugely better (and quieter) than the closer (to me) Brent Park store... but there are closer options which are worth considering. Windsor Castle is definitely worth a visit and if you're a foodie and interested in having a Heston Blumenthal experience, the Fat Duck is quite different to the equivalent tasting / degustation meals you'll find in Oz.

 

[craven morehead]

Re: United Kingdom. ["things not to be missed"]

Why not Manchester? I'm planning on spending three days there next year. Looks interesting to me -- birthplace of the industrial revolution, MOSI, John Rylands Library, and so on. I believe it's the second-most popular destination in the UK after London. Happy to reconsider however -- itinerary

Perhaps I didn't give the place enough time but I thoroughly enjoyed the 3rd Ashes test at Old Trafford and a stadium tour at Manchester United. The rest of the place I found quite drab and uninspiring (the ibis in Portland Street got the worst Trip advisor review I have ever given).....but we all have our own tastes. :mrgreen:

 

[TonyHancock]

I looked closely at other day trips from London -- Blenheim Palace and Cotswolds -- but the bus trip was so long there was little time for sightseeing. This is what reviewers on Tripadvisor indicated anyway. Wonderful scenery however. If any AFFers have positive experiences with bus-based days trip from London I'd like to hear about them and I would reconsider my plans.

I don't have experience of coach trips but I'm surprised at the comments about Blenheim, by car it is about an hour and a half away from Central London. (About 90 KM's)

 

[funnymummy]

I recall that Stonehenge (IMO only worth a quick looksee-with windjacket and sand anchor) was about 30 mins or so from Bath - truly, next time i'd hire a car - you get to see so much more and much cheaper even for one person. park and rides into towns were good. LEGOLAND at Windsor is on my bucket list (plus CPH of course!)

 

[legroom]

I am thinking about a day in Bray after arrival (to acclimatize !) with dinner in Waterside Inn or Fat Duck and return to London the next day.

SQ arrival is about 7am.

Should I head off to Bray first thing or better off storing luggage in a station (? Paddington) to have lunch in London first ?

That way, I won't waste a London hotel night while traveling to Bray (check in / out is a hassle to me).

Sound reasonable to UK gurus here ?

.... if you're a foodie and interested in having a Heston Blumenthal experience, the Fat Duck is quite different to the equivalent tasting / degustation meals you'll find in Oz.