Car Hire Pickup Location Cambridge to: (Thaxted, Finchingfield, Long Melford, Lavenham)

Posted by Laura (California) on 07/29/19 10:03 PM

Thanks to great advice from this forum, I'm planning to rent a car to see some villages (particularly Lavenham).

I can hire a car from Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge and/or Stansted (I'll be staying in Cambridge prior, but would like to minimize challenging driving, so can train somewhere if that helps. I can even pickup in one location and drop off in another.

Is there a recommended location to start out from? I can drive on the left side fine, but really feel MUCH more comfortable with long site lines and wider (or less traveled if they are narrow) roads . :-). I'm fine on a narrow road if things are slow and minimal blind curves. Could be Cambridge to Lavenham is a breeze....I just wasn't sure. I did look on GOogle Maps to get the best views I could, but was looking for any advice as well from those who have tried it.

Thanks very much!

Posted by Dennis.Loline

United Kingdom

07/30/19 09:16 PM

119 posts

These are all very fine places to see, can I also add the small town of Clare to your list, this is not far from Long Melford, Saffron Walden too is worth seeing.

In Lavenham visit the Swan Hotel and the Airmen's bar, in wwii the US Air Force and Army were stationed in Lavenham, there is memorabilia and a wall with many signatures of servicemen.

I'm not familiar about hiring car, but I'd say that Stansted Airport might have more companies, at Stansted station there are trains to/from Cambridge/London and it's handy for access to the M11 motorway and A120 which has road routes to the places you've mentioned.

Drive on the signed A and B roads, be careful how any GPS is set up, it can still send you down single track roads.

I would stay over at least one or two nights, you need to walk round these towns and villages, call at the butcher, baker, candlestick maker, secondhand bookshop and tea room, see the nooks and crannies, otherwise you won't be doing them justice.

https://theswanatlavenham.co.uk/dine/airmens-bar/

Posted by mpaulynsettle

Missouri, USA and Essex, UK.

08/01/19 09:50 PM

1057 posts

Laura,

I Just got home from driving around this very area in a rental car. Are you going to stay in Cambridge the entire time or are you wanting to stay out of the town as your tour? Driving on the left is not difficult. The most difficult part of driving in England is the amount of traffic on the road and fast drivers. Roundabouts are OK but you need to get in the right lane before your enter otherwise you will cut people off and they tend to get mad quickly. (this happened more than once). Remember always give way to your right. Cars will come at your very fast. Rental cars will be all stick shift (manual) unless your order ahead. I used Enterprise and got the additional insurance and paid £200 for 6 days in a Vauxual Corsica. It was a nice sized car. Let me know where you plan on staying etc and I can give you more info on where to pick up the car. Stansted has many car hire places but its a very busy airport and I would steer clear of it. PM me if you need more help.

Margaret

Posted by mpaulynsettle

Missouri, USA and Essex, UK.

08/01/19 10:00 PM

1057 posts

Laura,

Just an additional thought

I would perhaps pick up a car in Bury St, Edmunds. Train there from Cambridge and spend the night. You don't want a car in Cambridge and it can be a pain getting in and out. The train station in Cambridge is a little out of the main area of town - but there are buses that frequently run to the station. There is an Enterprise in Bury St Edmunds. You could easily get to the places on your list.
Margaret