Best Place to Rent a Car

South of London is Gatwick so you could pick up there and return to Heathrow.

You don't say where you are going "south", to be able to take a view. But coming back you could leave the car at Bristol Airport, train or bus to Bath, and then Bath to Heathrow.
To save the long drive west, and so maximise your time in Cornwall you could fly Gatwick to Newquay on Eastern airways and rent the car from there.

Ok, you asked if there are any must sees as you make your way to Penzance. Put simply there are 100s of places of interest between London and Penzance. Can you let us know what your interests are and I am sure you will then get some suggestions.

Daisy, we like picturesque towns, interesting museums, and house tours. We're also want to do a couple of vineyard tours/wine tastings. Thank you!

Agatha Christie fan?

Hi Susan

I suggest a few days in Dorset, roughly half way between London and Penzance. Perhaps base yourself somewhere like Sherborne, Dorchester or Weymouth.

For museums Dorchester has 3 great ones -
Dorset museum which tells the history of the county and has Roman mosaics you can walk on
The Shire Hall which used to be the court rooms
The Military Keep - plenty of WW1 AND WW2 history as well as other conflicts.

For picturesque towns and villages in the area (there are so many) but here are some - Abbotsbury, Burton Bradstock, Milton Abbas, Cerne Abbas, Lulworth, Corfe Castle.

For guided house tours (some will be self guided) Athelhampton house, Mapperton House Lulworth Castle, Sherborne Castle, Kingston Lacy.

For vineyards Langham estate, Bride Valley estate, Furleigh estate and Little Waddon.

This just scratches the surface of what the area has to offer. If you have any queries please just ask. Daisy

Thank you so much!

Agatha Christie fan?

guess not

Yes, I am! Sorry apparently I never hit the reply button on my answer.

if so, then in that part of the world you may want to see Greenway, her home, preserved just as it was when she died (and how the American forces left it after the war). One of my favourite National Trust properties.

You can arrive by old bus, or boat, or on foot or by steam train - or drive but because the carpark and lane are the size of a flea's leg you must reserve parking.

A truly fabulous property with a history to match. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/greenway

You can't currently arrive at Greenway by train because the steam trains are not stopping at any intermediate station on the line between Paignton and Kingswear- including Churston and Greenway Halt.

Because of the non stopping trains the connecting old bus service is also not operating.

Whether either train or bus returns for the 2024 season remains to be seen, but that is the status quo for the 2023 season. For once the National Trust website on transport to the location is correct.

I wouldn't rent a car from Gatwick or Heathrow as you usually pay a steep supplement to rent from an airport location. Depending where exactly you are driving to, I would take a train out to a suburban town and rent the car from there. A place like Reading, Guildford, Crawley or Maidstone (or really any mid-size town outside of the M25.