Hello! We are finishing up a June 2022 hiking trip in Bath, and are planning our final 5 days June 24-28. We will be visiting London on the front end (and have been there multiple times before), so would like to spend the remainder of our time exploring other areas. We are renting a car to leave Bath, so have driving flexibility. Here are two possible routes. Feedback is much appreciated! (And apologies in advance that one of the routes includes Wales even though this is the England forum - wasn't sure where to put this question.)
- Option 1 - Bath-Cardiff-Portsmouth-London: Leave Bath and travel to Cardiff, spending 2 nights in Cardiff. Possible sites to visit include Caerphilly Castle, hiking the Wales Coast Path, and Tinturn Abbey (I love the Wordsworth poem). Return to England driving east to Portsmouth, stopping in Stonehenge (possibly doing a guided walking tour there). Spend two nights in Portsmouth. (My husband is very interested in the naval history so Portsmouth is high on his list.) Stay in London (or Heathrow area) 6/28 prior to flight. I know this route includes some backtracking but I've always wanted to see South Wales.
- Option 2 - Bath-Portsmouth-Canterbury-London: Leave Bath, and travel to Portsmouth stopping at Stonehenge on the way. Spend two nights in Portsmouth, then drive East, visiting Seven Sisters, Beachy Head, possibly doing other hiking on the South Downs Way (and maybe also fitting in the cliffs of Dover). Either stay one night in Eastbourne and 1 night in Canterbury, or two nights in Canterbury. Return to London to stay evening of 6/28.
Thank you in advance for your help! I think I am a little out of the habit of trip planning, but what a wonderful problem to have.