Hi all,
We are arriving at Heathrow late Thursday evening (10:40) then will spend the weekend in London. We have to be in the York area Tues-Thurs, for my husband’s business. I’m free to explore and take day trips. We need ideas for Thursday evening through our departure on Sunday. Lake District? The trip is November 9-19 and came up suddenly. Recs for places to stay are welcome. We like a local feel. Thanks!!
Mary
We’re trying to use public transportation for the whole trip.
If you come over here to the Lake District it is about 3 hours by car from York.
To the North Lakes A1 and A66, to the South Lakes the A19/A65/A591 route.
The last train from York to the Lake District is about 5pm on a weekday, so you'd be travelling over on Friday.
From the Lake District to Heathrow it is about 5 hours by car or train, so you would have to travel down on Saturday. Thus by car you would have just over a day in the Lake District, by train maybe half a day on Friday and a few hours on Saturday.
Even if it is an evening flight from Heathrow it is too risky and too far, especially in November, to travel that far on the Sunday.
So the Lake District is really not worth it.
So stay on the East Coast for those 3 days- Northumbria, the Yorkshire Dales or the North York Moors.
The plan is perfectly doable without hiring a car.
London to York is an easy 2 hour train ride, regular service from King's Cross station. Buying the tickets now will get the best prices, especially as you can fix your train times now, which allows you to buy Advance tickets. Tickets are available now for the evening of Monday 13/11 for a little over £50pp.
There are plenty of options to explore for you whilst your husband works. You need a day at least to see York itself. then you may be able to find a tour that will let you see either the Yorkshire Dales NP, the North York Moors NP and the Yorkshire Coast, but at that time of year they may not be running. have a look at Mountain Goat tours.
Durham is an easy day trip by train. Edinburgh also doable but a much longer day. Manchester is a less well known destination for overseas tourists but has lots to engage you and is an easy day trip.
The Lake District is again doable for your time after York, although it's a bit more awkward to get to by train from York and November is not the ideal time to see the English countryside with possible poor weather and definite short daylight hours. Manchester and Liverpool would both be good city break locations, especially if you can fly home from Manchester Airport, saving the return to London.
The last train from York to Penrith which connects with a bus to Keswick is at 1623 (change Preston)- advance fare today £18.50 each. In November at that time of year I would really, really want to be on the 1523 if I was connecting into the last bus.
To Windermere (South Lakes) the 1723 is the last sensible train- arrive 2139 (change Preston and Oxenholme)- also £18.50 advance fare.
The 1818, also arriving at 2139, is far too risky with an 8 minute connection time at Manchester Oxford Road.
The 3 later trains connecting into the last Windermere train all have really tight connections.
Apart from potential weather disruptions one reason for me being slightly cautious is that Northern Rail are cancelling between 100 and 150 trains a day, the previous evening due to staff shortages. When that happens Northern Rail are legally absolved from getting you to your final destination unless it was the final train of the journey (Oxenholme to Windermere). Thus if they cancelled the 1623 to Preston (for Penrith) on the previous evening then you are stuck.
At the moment there are quite a few trains Windermere to Euston on the Saturday for £35- the last being at 1805, arrive 2140 then an hour to Heathrow.
Thank you for the suggestions. It sounds like the Lake District isn't a great idea for our time of year and itinerary. I like the day trip suggestions and the east coast national parks - we will look into touring those. We do fly back home from London so have to end up there on the 19th. One more thing: we are interested in checking out Oxford as well. Better to do that during our London stay 11/9-13 or after York and maybe some east coast exploring?
The beauty of doing Oxford at the end is that there is a 24/7 direct coach to Heathrow,
It is between 3 and 4 hours by train from York, changing at Birmingham New Street.
Although it is actually cheaper and faster to route via London (into Kings Cross and out of Paddington or Marylebone)
So you could leave York at 1710 and be in Oxford at 2116- £67.30 at tonight's advance (train specific prices) and as late as 21119, Oxford arrive 0146, with plenty of trains in-between.
Thus you get two full days in Oxford.
Get yourselves a Two Together Railcard for 34% off all off peak fares (anything except before 0930 on a Monday to Friday)
