London and Cheltenham

Paddington station in London, GWR railway (tautology) to Swindon (takes about 53 minutes), about a 13 minute connection, GWR to Cheltenham (takes just over an hour), around 2 and a quarter hours all in.

Buses or walk or taxi around Cheltenham.

Do you want to get to an outlying village or town, or will you be in Cheltenham? Can your friends collect you from the station?

I do not think our friends can get us at the station in Cheltenham. Any recommendations for accommodations there? What else can we see around Cheltenham?

Cheltenham isn’t that large and easy to walk around. There is a National Express bus (if I remember correctly) from Victoria Station to the bus stop in town. The two times I’ve been to Cheltenham, I stayed at the George Hotel, and Hotel du Vin. They are within walking distance to the bus station in town and a block from each other. I preferred Hotel du Vin. Other people from my company have stayed at Queen’s Hotel. Glad you have friends there, since there is little to do right in the town, other than walk around. Believe the train station is a little over a mile from the center of town.

When I was there on business, I had a rental car and was able to visit some of the Cotswold villages, as well as Stratford Upon Avon, and Tewksbury.

Emma, but they find any of Hillary’s missing emails? GCHQ isn’t in the center of town and would be a decent walk. It is an interesting looking building.

Pitville Park and the Pump Room are nice places too. It's a town for relaxing in really rather than seeing 'sites'. I agree with previous poster about taking a visit to Gloucester Cathedral. If you've seen Harry Potter films you'll recognise the cloisters.