England Itinerary

Where are you flying from? If it's a long haul flight then I would seriously discourage you from considering driving 5 hours straight after the flight, it's simply too dangerous. An unfamiliar car, unfamiliar roads, possibly driving on the other side of the road than you're used to and navigating rural roads all whilst tired and jetlagged is a recipe for potentially catastrophic disaster, do yourselves and you're fellow road users a favour and spend the first night in London.

If the Lake District is your goal have you thought of looking into Manchester flights? Years ago I explored Yorkshire by car. I flew into Manchester from Chicago I think. I'd check that out and make your drive time MUCH shorter at beginning of trip. You could still fly out of London and get your days there. For Westminster Abbey service I would suggest Evensong. It is so lovely I try to attend every time I'm in London.

It will be a long flight from the East Coast, USA, and my husband was also in favor of spending the night in London first.

I have looked a little into flying into Manchester-I'll check that out some more.

British Airways also has flights from LHR to Manchester. You could book this as one ticket from the US with a connection at LHR, or book it as a separate ticket. The only catch with booking a separate ticket would be if you missed the connecting flight, you would have to re-arrange things and book another at perhaps a walk-up rate. It maybe best to make the connection in the US first.

What you really want is an open-jaw flight (often also called multi-city on airline websites) - fly into Manchester and back from London. You can get a direct or one simple change train from Manchester Airport straight to either Windermere or Penrith for Keswick. then hire a car from there on day 2 if you wish. Doing open-jaw also means that you save one long drive or train ride south, both saving money and time. Or you could do the open-jaw the other way round starting in London and ending in Manchester.

Should we drive that distance the day we arrive

It depends on your attitude towards serious road traffic collisions.

Fly into Manchester and drive the next day.

We are also All Creatures Great & Small fans and I'm wondering if we could do a day trip to that area from the Lake District?

Assuming you are talking about the most recent series on TV, 'Darrowby' was filmed in Grassington with various other
locations around the Dales.

This would be more manageable (less far to drive) from a base in the Southern Lake District. You could have a lovely day out just enjoying the scenery of the Yorkshire Dales, which is very different to the Lake District. Consider a circular route out along the A65 to Skipton and then cut north along the B6265 to Grassington, where you pick up the B6160 to Aysgarth where you pick up the A684 back to Sedburgh and onto the lakes. Check out the film locations from the website and plan detours to include some of them eg Arncliffe. Driving is slow so allow plenty of time and do stop off to enjoy places like Asygarth Falls and Hardraw Force too.

I agree with wasleys about getting to Grassington. For example, if you stay in Keswick, it would be a very-long 2+ hour drive. And speaking from experience, the drives can seem even longer than they are.

One other alternative would be to stay where you want in the Lake District but towards the end of your trip, drive down to Grassington and spend the night there. Here is a post from my trip earlier this year when I spent some time visiting the various ACG&S buildings in the town. Then drive to the nearest city (probably Leeds - about an hour from Grassington), drop off your rental car and take the train to London. Or continue to drive to London if you prefer.

5 hours is extremely optimistic from London to the Lake District.

I live here and know only too well how often you can add 2 or 3 hours and more to that. The record is about 10, and that is not an isolated instance.

I've literally just come up through the Central Lakes. One set of temporary lights at roadworks caused 20 minutes of delays on a non schoolday in mid winter due to volume of traffic.
Between exits 36 and 40 of the M6 (Kendal to Penrith) 18 months of roadworks are about to start. That is the stretch where people try to make up lost time further south, and put their foot hard down. Fat chance if we have major roadworks.
That is also the motorway stretch where we have had 3 FATACS in 6 weeks. The first one was wrong side driving on the motorway, and was horrendous.
Whatever Google maps tells you allow at least 7 hours for the journey.
The train from London Euston takes 3 hours. Rent at Kendal (use Oxenholme station) or Penrith.

Grassington from Windermere or preferably Kendal would be best.

Also Edinburgh airport is as close as Manchester, at least for Keswick. And Newcastle airport is closer still (connect on BA through Heathrow).

We also have Choral Evensong every day at Carlisle Cathedral on the edge of the Lake District.
And Carlisle Cathedral is free to enter dating from as early as 1122, with both Civil War and Jacobite History

I have previously spoken feelingly about the M6 from its beginning near Coventry, up through the Midlands and Birmingham and Wolverhampton and up past Crewe, Manchester and Liverpool, then Lancaster up into the Lake District, particularly in conjunction with incessant road works and speed averaging cameras.

To say it is no fun whatsoever is typical British understatement.

I am glad that Stuart (isn31c) and I agree in this case.

oh, and please reconsider driving any distance after getting of a transatlantic flight. You may do less experiencing "the English Countryside" and more the English traffic jam - and we hope not the inside of an English Accident and Emergency hospital. Or anybody else on the road with you

Avoid travelling on a Friday or weekend. The traffic to the Lakes will be much worse on those days. I agree that under any conditions 5 hours is extremely optimistic.

Having a son living in east London we have a number of times driven from Preston down there. (We usually take the train which is a lot quicker but sometimes we have too much stuff to bring e.g. Christmas presents!).

It is very rare that we can beat 5 hours on the journey. It can easily be longer. And the additional mileage to the Lakes will add at least an hour, maybe another one depending where you go.

If you are thinking of the Lake District as your first stop, don't drive from London. Options include:

• train London to Lake District and rent car there
  • fly into Manchester and rent car at airport
  • fly into Manchester, train to to Lake District and rent car
  • fly into Glasgow and and rent car at airport
  • fly into Glasgow, train to to Lake District and rent car

The road from Glasgow is major highway and not as crowded as the roads around Manchester. I have driven Glasgow from Keswick and it is easy. You can also stop in Dumfries, add a day and see Hadrian's Wall, or visit Glasgow. The first day in Glasgow would allow you to get over your jet lag.

Whether you use Manchester or Glasgow may be determined by whether you stay in the south lake district or the north. Rick Steve likes Keswick, which is the north and a very nice little town.

As for driving to Grassington, I love the Yorkshire Dales and think the visit is worthwhile, BUT the roads are either 1 lane or narrow 2 lane. They are hilly and twisty. You don't want to do it as a day trip.

BTW one route is though Hawes, the home of the Wensleydale Creamery. If you know Wallace and Gromit, you will know the Creamery. Their cheese is good and the tour is fun.