Driving help in Leicester and surrounding area Please

Have you checked on Google Maps how far your hotel is from the church? Is it walkable? Public transportation? Worst case, you could probably take a cab.

For that matter, how will you drive into and around Leicester for your lodgings? Think about that. I don't know how big a city it is.

There should be RC churches in smaller towns. It might be fun to search online.

Alternatively, could you attend an Anglican service? I know it's not technically the same, but actually the order of service is almost identical, and I bet God wouldn't mind. Just a thought. But you know best what you'd prefer. I bet you can find a RC church somewhere.

Good luck and enjoy!

"If we want to visit Stonehenge after picking up the car in Bristol, will we have time to drive to Oxford the same day" - Yes.

"Can someone recommend a good central location to stay for visiting the Cotswolds, Wales, Oxford" - It is too large an area for one base.

"found several in Leicester" - it's been many years but Leicester was one of the least attractive cities I ever visited.

My wife is a practising Catholic, she attends masses of other Christian denominations when travelling, one is no better than the other. Chipping Campden has an attractive church, I remember. I spent quite a bit of time around Nottingham as a young man, Southwell Minster is a real gem, as well as Southwell being a nice market town.

"How easy will it be to find a Catholic church in the rural areas?" - As suggested, just do an internet search. There are numerous Catholic churches in Oxford, as well as elsewhere. Bourton on the Water has one.

Cirencester would be a good central location for you to visit Oxford, The Cotswolds, Bath but not Wales - although you could reach the lower Wye Valley area around Tintern relatively easily. Cardiff - is also doable - just about. Make sure that any place that you intend to stay has free parking. Consider the Travelodge in Cirencester unless you want something more upmarket. See map :> https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Cirencester/@51.7009719,-2.0082449,12.11z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x48711100b7a975e9:0x34b6b38422d604bb!8m2!3d51.718495!4d-1.968243!5m1!1e1

If you want somewhere as a base more handy for southern Wales as well as The Cotswolds, Bath and at a push Oxford, consider the Chepstow area:> see map :> https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6282419,-2.7223259,12.32z/data=!5m1!1e1
From here, you could consider driving to Severn Tunnel Junction and taking the train to Bath. If driving to Bath or Oxford, consider using the edge of town Park & Rides. (Google to find locations). These are places where you dump the car & take a shuttle bus into the congestion centres - which have limited/expensive parking.

Another vote for Cirencester as a base.

I have just tried googling RC churches and lots are popping up in Leicestershire. They aren’t as common as Anglican churches, which can be found in most villages, but there are plenty and many are in more rural areas. Leicester has an awkward one way system, so I would avoid driving in the centre, although the bypass is easy to navigate. It’s not the prettiest city in England, but it seems like one of the windiest whenever I have been!

Bristol - Stonehenge - Oxford is possible in one day, although it won’t give you long to explore Oxford. Parking in Oxford is limited and expensive. Try to avoid driving in the city centre.

What do you want to see in Wales? It takes about 5 hours to drive north - south in Wales, as there are no motorways, so one base isn’t feasible.

Firstly I am in Leicester right now, a few hundred metres from a Roman Catholic church as it happens.

However the only hotel I can find easily with an address of 39 High Street in Leicestershire is the Bluebell Inn which is in Desford, not Leicester itself.

Plenty of stuff worth seeing in the City itself if you want to change your plans a bit. The road system though is not the easiest for a visitor to comprehend.

Cirencester is an excellent place to visit. We stayed in Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds to visit Oxford, Blenheim Palace and Stratford Upon Avon, as well as the Cotswolds.
Driving in Oxford is not wise. The only place to park is outside the city center.
We took the train into Oxford.
Bath is a great place to visit, especially to see the Roman Bath Museum.

Driving on the left takes some getting used to, but have someone in the passenger seat helping you navigate. Also, have a nav system on your vehicle or GPS. Best to rent an automatic.

Have coins for parking and the public toilet.

British drivers are polite and follow the rules of the road, unlike places like Italy.

Use TripAdvisor to check for B&Bs or hotels near the city center that offer parking. Leicester is not a huge city like Manchester, Birmingham or London, but it may be crowded.

I have cancelled the hotel in Leicester and we will not go there. Since we will have a car, we will find a RC church. We are staying in Bath before we pick up the car and once we pick up the car, we are staying in Stratford upon
Avon. Thanks everyone