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Cotswolds, Blenheim, Oxford, Lyme Park

Hello. First let me acknowledge that I am way late in the game for trying to do what I’m trying to do. Some tough life got in the way of planning. Now that I’ve acknowledge my predicament, I’m looking for help in planning some time in the Cotswolds, leaving London either the evening of 6/27 or morning of 6/28 (a Sunday, which evidently is a “don’t try to do the Cotswolds on this day of the week”) and staying in the Cotswolds until the evening of the 29th or morning of the 30th at which time we hope to go to Blenheim Palace. Not sure how long to allow for that sight – I’m thinking 4 hours? I would like to see Blenheim as early as possible in order to leave time in the late afternoon, early evening to walk around Oxford, where we would spend the night of 6/30 in order to catch a morning train to Stockport (I think that’s it) from which we’ll catch a bus to Lyme Park. After touring Lyme Park, we’d like to catch a train to Manchester where we’ll spend the night and catch a flight to Amsterdam the following day.

I don’t know whether this itinerary is even possible, and even if it is, I don’t know where to start to make it happen. Start with transportation? With lodging? With the flight out of Amsterdam? Also, as for the Cotswold part of it all, I’m wondering if I’m scheduling too much time there since we won’t have a car and will have to rely on public transportation, which is apparently non-existent on Sunday. A private driver is beyond our means. I'm thinking we would stay in Chipping Campden. Is everything closed on Sunday? We just want a couple of days to relax after London and do some light hiking in the area.
Any suggestions?

Posted by
8889 posts

The Cotswolds needs a car. Most of the public transport in that area is of the few buses a day (and never on a Sunday) variety. OK if you have lots of time and are back-packing, not good for a time-limited visit.
One of the nice things in the Cotswolds is finding your own route, and finding nice villages which are not one of the half dozen listed in the guidebooks.
Bourton-on-the-Water will be "open" on a Sunday, as will eateries and tourist shops in the more popular places, and pubs anywhere will be open for Sunday lunch.

Blenheim is easier by car. That allows you to get there before the tourist buses from Oxford and London arrive, and stay as long as you want. It will take at least 4 hours, especially if you go round the huge grounds. Visiting using the aforementioned tourist buses is also possible.

Oxford, on the other hand, is best on foot.

My suggestion, train from London to Oxford, pick up a hire car in Oxford. At the end, return car and spend time in Oxford.
And make a list of places you want to see in the Cotswolds, "musts" and "if have time" places.
And make sure you have a good map when driving around, one person driving and one navigating.

Posted by
17 posts

Hello Chris. Thank you for your input. The idea of driving on the left side of the road terrifies me. I'm not a particularly good driver on the right side, which I'm used to!

I could go from London to Oxford on Saturday afternoon, walk around Oxford til late evening and then spend the night. On Sunday morning, I could head to Blenheim Palace. Do you know what public transportation is available from Oxford to Blenheim that does not involve being part of a tour group? After touring Blenheim, I could go to Moreton-in-Marsh, taxi to lodgings and then have Monday and Tuesday to explore Cotswolds when there is public transportation, as infrequent and unreliable as it may be.

Any further comments?

Thanks again.

Posted by
8889 posts

Yes, there buses from Oxford to Woodstock, which is the small town on the edge of the Blenheim estate. You would have to walk about 1 Km from the centre of the town to the house, the grounds are that big! Look at this map, the squares are 1Km apart.

If you want to do the Cotswolds by public transport you need to do some series research and planning.
Start with this leaflet: http://www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk/userfiles/file/public-transport/explore-guide-final-dec-to-jun-15.pdf
and this site: http://cotswolds.com/
and this site: http://www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk/

Driving on the left isn't that bad, some of the back roads in the Cotswolds are single track, if you meet a car coming the other way one of you has to pull over. On the map link I put above, look for the thinner yellow roads, those are less than 4 metres wide.

Posted by
17 posts

Thank you, Chris, for your additional input and for the helpful links.
Alicia

Posted by
2773 posts

It looks like you are only giving yourself a day in the Cotswolds, that really doesn't give you time to see the Cotswolds. You wonder if you are planning two much time for the Cotswolds, with only a day you will only see a glimpse of the Cotswolds. You should plan to see only Chipping Campden and maybe one other close by village, I would suggest Broadway or Bourton-on-the-Water. As you won't have a car a taxi is the best transportion. You will take a train from Paddington Station in London to Moreton-in-Marsh, then taxi to Chipping Campden. As for Blenheim Palace, there is so much to see, it could take more then 4 hours, it just depends how much time you want to spend in the palace, gardens, butterfly house, etc. Have a great trip.

Posted by
17 posts

Hello. Thank you all for your suggestion. We've decided to drop Lyme Park, keeping the RS attitude that we will return to England another time. I think I have the Cotswolds and Blenheiim pretty much worked out, except for one thing: whether to spend a full third day in the Cotswolds before heading to Blenheim Palace on the fourth day; or spend only a half day on my third day in the Cotswolds in order to spend the other half in Oxford, spending the night there and touring Blenheim Palace the following day. I was hoping to figure this out by reading the section on Oxford in the RS Great Britain Guide (2014); however, I cannot find a section on Oxford. Today was a long day and it is now after midnight here so perhaps I'm just too tired to see it. Can someone comment on this, please? Whether or not there is info about Oxford in the RS guide, I invite comments and suggestions about spending an afternoon in Oxford.

Thank you!

Posted by
51 posts

RS only has info about Oxford in his England books.