London to Bath

Hi Fran,

You can do a day trip to Bath from London. The train ride is only 1 hour and 30 minutes. You can also opt for Stratford - upon - Avon for a day trip as well. While in London, visit the British Museum and take flight on the London Eye to get a panoramic view of the city. Take a nature stroll in Hampstead Heath, one of the largest parks in London and sits atop of one of the highest points.

It is an easy train ride from Paddington Station to Bath if you wish to have time there. Other places you may enjoy in London are the Cabinet War Rooms where Churchill worked near St. James's Park, or tea at the Orangery in Kensington Gardens, or getting half-price tickets to one of the London theatre productions. You will love the Tower of London and Windsor Castle. Have a great trip!

Is that a true 4 days or does it include your arrival and departure? When are you going? This summer? Fall?
Asking because Summer is a mad house and tickets to the Tower, the Abbey and even St Paul's should be booked in advance. You should also see if you can qualify for the 2 for 1 deal by reversing the itinerary I've suggested below and taking a train on Day 1 to either Bath or Windsor. https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

Day 1:

Tower of London. Opens at 9am. Get there a minimum of a 1/2 hour earlier to get your tickets and snap images of the venerable Tower Bridge. Once through the gate go past the Ravens to the Crown Jewels exhibit. Then see the rest of the Tower. Beefeater tours always a plus. Very knowledgeable.

After visiting Tower start walking towards The Gherkin. Once you see it (or Google it) you'll know which skyscraper I'm referencing. Nearby is the futuristic LLoyds Bank building and it butts up against the historic (14th century) glass covered Leadenhall Market for lunch. Quite the architectural dichotomy. From the Tower of London to Leadenhall is a 15-20 minute stroll. Have lunch there. If Harry Potter fans look for the entrance to the Leaky Caldron.

From there its another 20 minute walk to St Paul's Cathedral. Expensive admission. Now it's mid afternoon so time for a pint or late lunch at the art deco Blackfriar Pub which is 10 minutes from St Pauls. Right across the road is the Blackfriar train and underground station to get you back to your accommodation or if still up to exploring you could walk along the Thames path as the sun goes down and the city lights go on.

Day 2
After confirming that there aren't any special events happening at Westminster Abbey. Tube to Westminster. Exit and wander about Parliament Square. Consider a Verger's Tour of the Abbey. Worth the money IMHO. After seeing the Abbey walk across the road to Birdcage Walk and meander through St James Park up to Buckingham Palace. Double check the timing of the Changing of the Guard and try to avoid it as crowds can be massive and unless right in front you won't see squat.

After seeing the Palace walk down The Mall passing the Clarence House (behind gates) heading towards Admiralty Arch, walk through it and onto Trafalgar Square. Have lunch in the Crypt at St Martins of the Fields or at Punjab at the adjacent Covent Garden. Afterwards visit the free National Gallery.

Day 3
Train to Bath. Explore Bath. Train back to London.

Day 4
Train to Windsor. Visit the castle. return to London.

GREAT city. Enjoy your time there.

If going to Bath by train, it will be more expensive if you just show up at Paddington station and pay on the day = on weekdays £82.30 return or £61.40 return for departures at 10.30am or later or all weekend. I would advise that you may therefore wish to advance book with the cheaper tickets for specific trains being loaded around 11 weeks ahead which should get you to Bath & back for around £35.https://www.gwr.com

All! Whenever I travel I always rely on the Forum here!

Wonderful advice and really puts us on track. We have a total of 5 days on our own, but first day might not count. We are arriving in London on Tuesday, September 10. The first day is a kind of "wash" so want to rest up and go out in the afternoon. We are on our own on Wednesday, September 11, and Thursday, September 12. The tour is arriving on Friday, September 13, but will not have a tour going on, so we are traveling around on our own. The tour company is meeting us in the evening for dinner on Friday, but the afternoon is on our own. On Saturday, September 14, the tour company will take the travelers around in a bus. This is something we will NOT want to do, therefore we will use that day to travel to Bath. In realty, the tour company isn’t doing much of anything to show us London. On Sunday, September 15 we are leaving for Scotland.

James, thank you for the train information leaving for Bath. We will certainly want to have advanced tickets for that.

Fran

It’s your trip, but I’d suggest keeping it to one day trip as there’s so much to see in London itself and too many day trips can tire you out right before a tour. Windsor is great. I’m not sold on Bath, although I know Rick loves it.

Out of all of my UK friends, only two of them have been to Bath and that was a romantic weekend getaway for them.

I love Bath but I am a big fan of novels set in the Regency period and it just appeals to my fantasies to walk around there with the Georgian architecture! However, looking at your schedule I’d probably skip Bath unless you love Georgian/Regency/Roman stuff as there is so much to see in London.

If Bath is a must for you, I’d usually recommend a weekday over a weekend EXCEPT for the Saturday you might go. The Jane Austen Festival starts the 13th and the Grand costume parade is Saturday the 14th. I’ve been before and it is such fun seeing people walking around in Regency costume!

http://www.janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk/