I have 4 nights booked in Bath, 3 Nights booked in Winchcombe and 3 nights booked in Windermere. I am starting to wonder if Windermere is too far up and I am going to be spending lots of time on trains getting from place to place. If I cancelled the time in the Lake District what other places would be good to spend 3 nights? Somewhere with easy train access, walkable, and safe--this trip is less big city and more countryside peaceful. Any suggestions? Traveling in early July.
Posted by
2403 posts
On your other post - someone has responded with the suggestion of going to the Dorset coast. Direct trains to Weymouth (Dorset) do pass through Cheltenham - BUT this involves you double-backing & going through Bath on the train to continue south - on a slow train - to Weymouth.
If you did like the coastal suggestion, I think the easiest way of doing it would be to go from Cheltenham to Teignmouth / or Dawlish in south Devon. A direct train does leave Cheltenham at 10.26am for either of these coastal towns and arrives just after 2 hours later. The 1 way adult fare for this train today is £28.30. (Please note that schedules may be different on your date). *Other trains from Cheltenham pass through these coastal towns but do not stop. That means that you would have to change to a stopper - probably at Exeter (St.David’s). The walk on fares for *these trains are much more expensive - so advance booking would get the price down. Also check for split ticketing this route at Taunton or Exeter (St.David’s).
https://www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk/places/teignmouth-p187813
http://www.loveteignmouth.co.uk
Most of this trip would be on > www.crosscountrytrains.co,.uk
Here is a map of the area:> (I suggest you zoom down and have a look on streetview to see if you think it is right for you).
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.4737733,-3.6208674,11.7z
Frequent local trains run along this section of coast. This means that you can easily visit other places - such as Totnes - which has an interesting main street full of old buildings. If going to Totnes, you might as well try and do a circular trip that involves going by normal train to Paignton and then catching the steam train to Kingswear - ferry to Dartmouth (have a look around) and then another ferry up the estuary to Totnes - from where you catch a normal train back to your start point. Which way around you do this depends on the tides on day of travel as Totnes is not accessible at low tide. https://www.dartmouthrailriver.co.uk/tours/round-robin
Another steam railway goes from Totnes to Buckfastleigh:>https://www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/timetable/
Posted by
3122 posts
I realize one-night stays are against the usual RS recommendation, but since you have an odd number (3) nights to work with -- what about spending 1-2 nights in Stratford-upon-Avon and then the remaining 1-2 nights in Oxford?
What's your destination after these 3 nights: Are you flying back to USA from Heathrow or Gatwick, or going to London, or...?
Posted by
OP
45 posts
These three nights will be at the end of the trip--we will leave Heathrow around 3pm to head back to California.
I will have to look into the idea of the coast/Dorset area...I had not considered that. I think staying in one spot for the 3 nights might be easier than dragging luggage too many places (it will just be me and my daughter and so I'll basically be carrying everything).