Hi,
I know this is along way for a day trip. I'm taking my 84 year old mother to London for 2 weeks. She loves Beatrix Potter . I've done the Hill Top tour on my own with husband 3 years ago, stopping off rail from Edinburgh .
MY QUESTION: I think it would be easier on Mom if we take one of the Day trips through a company.
I have read about everyone I could find. AAA agent suggested Viator, from what I've read they are just a booking company , so you don't know who you will actually end up with. Also looked at Grayline, Golden, Premium, Evan Evans and City-Discovery. We are staying in London close enough to walk to Euston station where they all leave from.
Would appreciate any advise!
Also even though close to hotel thought we better get taxi back to hotel at night. Is it easy to get taxi at Euston station at 9:30 at night?
Thanks so much,
Sharon
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Bits and pieces only:
It's going to be a long darn day. Oxenholme (a couple miles south of Kendal) is probably the starting/disembarkation point. Euston to Oxenholme is probably about a three-hour ride.
From people in a bar who were just finishing: Individual/separate train tickets not part of the deal, tour started and ended at the station, they were happy with what they did, the tour logo on a brochure was a light blue snake/road/river on a gray oval, the name could have been something real clever like 'Lake District Touring/Tours'. This dates from about three years ago and is subject to memory failure, but I was sober.
The taxi rank at Euston Station is under the station. You can see the elevator and stairs from the ticket office. There's no reason to suspect a taxi would not be available.
Posted by
OP
Maryville
58 posts
Thanks so much , will look up logos, and good to know where taxi is!
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3391 posts
You have two weeks in London...why not take an afternoon train up to the Lake District and spend the night at a nice inn in Grasmere. Take a taxi out to Hilltop the next morning and spend a leisurely morning at the house and gardens. Then you can either spend the afternoon...maybe take a boat launch around Derwentwater from Keswick, see the stone circle at Castlerigg, visit Dove Cottage, or any of the other beautiful places in the Lakes. OR you could just catch an afternoon back to London. Don't wear out your mom! Trying to go to the Lake District in a day would be an absolutely exhausting day...personally it would kill me to pop up there for a day and see nothing more of the area besides Hilltop.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
Our staff would also prefer a 3 - 4 hour train ride each way (direct from Euston station to Penrith, or change at Oxenholme for Windermere) with an overnight stop at the Lakes, versus a full day of bus travel. For some local tour options after you arrive at the lakes, see www.mountain-goat.co.uk (28 pounds per person for a half-day) or www.showmecumbria.co.uk ( 30 pounds per hour for your group).
Posted by
OP
Maryville
58 posts
Thanks for all the very good advise. I would love to be able to go spend night in Lake District. I stupidly made nonrefundable hotel reservations in london. Spent weeks looking for good price and good transportation. Let finding perfect location influence decision about hotel.
Will rethink , maybe too long a day for Mom. Spending 2 weeks so some days we can just go sit in a park and watch people go by.
Appreciate your taking time to reply.