England countryside

Are you principally after things to do and see outside of London rather than looking for attractive countryside to relax in? Or a bit if both? The last week of July will be particularly busy as schools will have finished. I'd personally chose East Anglia with stops at Bury St Edmunds and Norwich and some time on the Norfolk Broads or a beach but it depends what floats you boat.

The train from London to Winchester takes a bit more than an hour, and the city has lots to explore on foot. I have not stayed at the Wyckham Arms but it looks charming and is a short walk to the .cathedral. After Winchester you could continue by train to Portsmouth ...... much of historic interest there. I am guessing it would be less than 30 minutes from Winchester. Maybe someone can suggest a hotel or B&B.

In London July 14-20th, so hopefully will miss the school crowd. Appreciate that tip. I'm seeking some relaxing down time..thought about Cornwall as I'm a big fan of Doc Martin show, but unsure of how distant it is from London area. Thanks for the suggestions.

Not exactly contryside but Canterbury and Rye are smaller cities that are very accessible. About 50,000 and 9,000 population respectively. You could even day trip from one to the other by train. For real countryside a car is best.

I have just looked - my old school starts their summer holiday on 10 July, so you will find places busy.

Cornwall seems to be popular this year, thanks to Doc Martin and Poldark (although most of the latter was filmed in Dorset, I understand, although I have never watched it!). Cornwall is best reached by train, as the drive down is long and usually prone to traffic delays, then hire a car when you get there, as public transport isn’t that great in Cornwall. You are too late for the best choice of accommodation, being school holidays.

I like Norfolk and Suffolk. Plenty of interesting, historical villages, boat trips on the Norfolk Broads and some pretty coast in north Norfolk.

Rye as someone has suggested is also a good base.

We have rented a car and driven in Wales and England (twice in five years).

We haven't been to Cornwall, but are planning that trip.
The Cotswolds are very scenic, we stayed in Chipping Campden (stayed at the Volunteer Inn) and used it as a base to see Stratford Upon Avon, Oxford, Blenheim Palace and the Cotswolds. Bath is just south of the Cotswolds and should be included.

We loved South Wales as well, Tenby is great and St. Davids is not to be missed.

The North of England is amazing. York, Durham, Hadrian's Wall and the Lake District are other options.

Cambridge and Canterbury are great for day trips from London.

Sorry, if you don't rent a car, your options for visiting the Cotswolds is limited to taking tours. Public transportation is available, but not easy to arrange without loosing a lot of time.

Port Isaac is well worth a visit if you are a Doc Martin fan. I would suggest two nights; the town is very welcoming and it would be very comfortable and relaxing for a solo traveler.

To reach the town, we took the train from Paddington Station to Bodmin Parkway, a journeynof 3 hours 45 minutes. I pre-booked a taxi to pick us up there and take is to Port Isaac. Cost was £28.

We stayed at Orien House Bed and Breakfast, right in town, which I would recommend. Or you might like a room at the Schoolhouse up on the bluff---it gets good reviews and you could imagine you were Louisa!

Actually to give a more comprehensive answer to my previous one, schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland break up end of June. Private schools in England generally around the end of the first week of July and state schools from 20-27th July. Jennifer you must be well educated! Cornwall is very attractive but it will be heaving in July and without a car you'll struggle to escape the crowds.

Consider going to Bath. it is easily accessible by bus or train. In Bath you can book tours with Mad Max Tours. We took the Stonehenge, Avebury tour from them in 2016 and it was superb. Check their website they do several tours.

I'd look at a London Walks tour. I did the Rye and Battle Abbey tour and it was a nice way to see countryside and some thatched roof houses. I know they go to various cities in the summer. You can take a look at www.walks.com

A limited visit to the Cotswolds can be done without a car. Train from London to Moreton -in- Marsh .Either base there and use 1 of 2 bus companies ( depending on which town) to venture to such towns as Stow on the Wold or Chipping Camden. Or do as we did and take the bus (or taxi) to Stow and base there and/ or Chipping Camden. You can take limited bus rides from either to some of the other towns. We have done this twice but our orientation is to sample the various walking trails into the countryside and to other towns and then later in the afternoon hit a tea room for scones and evenings at the pub . We just loved it but many like to move around the area a lot and will go back again.. If your intent is to see many of the towns then the bus is too cumbersome. There is a Mad Max tour from Bath and you may be able to find other day tours from Moreton in Marsh. We also did a day trip to Oxford.

Day trips: Rye, Salisbury, Winchester, Canterbury, Dover, Brighton, Windsor, Stonehenge, Avenbury stone ring, Bath, Chester, St Albans

Cambridge is an easy and enjoyable day trip from London. You could also consider Cardiff, although the best sight in Cardiff (St. Fagans Museum of Welsh Life) requires a short additional bus ride from Cardiff.

All of the suggestions are good! I will just second Lola's advice about Port Isaac b/c you mentioned Doc Martin. We did drive to Port Isaac (from our base in Devon – about an hour's drive away), but we wanted to be back before dark, as the small country roads are very narrow and winding. Lola's plan sounds perfect.

We were there in November, so there were no crowds, but we found the town very welcoming and nicely "authentic" – i.e., no tacky tourist traps, just a small town that was glad to get visitors. The flyers for their village celebrations (I guess these would have been Christmas-themed) specifically said that out-of-town tourists were welcome to attend. What you may see in summer which we could not in November is (if the series or its specials are still in production) the cast being filmed around town. We loved just poking around the narrow streets, admiring the views of the cove and fishing boats, eating fresh seafood, looking for places that feature in the show like the pharmacy and schoolhouse and of course Doc Martin's house (you can stand outside and take a photo; you shouldn't go up onto the porch as it is a private residence), and walking up onto the hill with an amazing view of the sea to watch boats come and go. Great memories!

If there is any way to stay in Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds for a night or two, it would make it possible to visit. As someone else, suggested, this is not an easy train/bus experience, as our time there proved. However, York is ideal for a day trip-- take the fast train! Such delightful curvy streets, and old cathedral, and walking on top of the old walls. Plus, the Nat'l Railway Museum was the best I've ever experienced, along with an eatery right on the old platform!
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