Highclerc Castle

I'm not sure what "plan it on your own" means to you exactly. Are you looking for a tour bus that takes you from London? When we went, we rented a car in London and drove to Highclere. Our tickets were for a general admission. Not sure if back in the day we went if there were guided tour options at the castle, which may be what you are referring to. We didn't see anyone on a group tour, but this was 8 years ago. We were free to meander through the castle at our leisure; (obviously some rooms off limits) as well as some of the grounds, and the basement Egyptian exhibit. There were employees at certain areas that would give explanations to us. It was all pretty wonderful. A guided tour would obviously provide more indepth information. Enjoy!

Nothing much to plan - just take the train from Paddington to Newbury and a taxi from the station to Highlcere Caste. It's worth either downloading the local taxi company (GoGreen) or calling for a return taxi. Certainly no need for a tour - it will end up taking longer by road, and there's nothing a tour will add.

You probably already know this, but just in case you don’t: Highclere Castle has very limited opening days and times so you will need to prebook, whether you use public transport or take a tour.

Some of the tours offer extras, like a visit to Bampton (the village used in filming). One even offers a quick visit to Oxford too! These kind of extras would be tricky to organise yourself via public transport.