Question about The Cotswolds/England Itinerary

Look at the "Treasure Houses of England". The Cotswolds are charming; but Chatsworth is Fantastic! What time of year are you going? Are you thinking about Spring Flower Gardens? April was a little early for that when we were there. Bath is worth a visit. Stratford is good if you schedule a play. Oxford has some world class Museums. 5 nights in London is good. Paris can be expensive, but worth it if you take day trips to Versailles and Chartres. Here is a great site for planning your trip: www.nationaltrust.org.uk

We are planning on going in October! I have never heard of Chartres before, so I will have to look that up!

You can't go straight to Bath by train from Heathrow.

Yes I'm aware! Just meant we would travel straight to Bath as soon as we left the airport.

Responding to something Kathleen said… Paris is not any more expensive than London. And Paris is fantastic on it’s own without going to Chartres or Versailles.

You can go from Heathrow to Bath by train but you need to change twice. Go to the following website and put in for HXX to BTH and click ‘Advanced Options’ and tick box ‘Avoid London’. (Going into Paddington & back out involves one change but is more expensive).https://www.traintickets.com/?/

The Great Western line from Paddington to Great Malvern passes through both Oxford and Moreton-in-Marsh. Neither are more than three hours from London.
I'd agree with others in saying I'd rather go north than to the Cotswolds. There are many places which have the same things as the Cotswolds, many even better.
You will pass through Reading and see why we think you are joking. That is, if you are lucky enough to escape it in the first place ;)

If you do drop Chatsworth, replace it with Blenheim Palace - they are both astounding! Blenheim will fit in with the Cotswolds part oif the trip.

Another vote for Chatsworth and the north and dropping Bath and the Cotswolds.

I think we were thinking Basildon Park in Reading but if it's a garbage town we can skip it! Thank you all for your votes on the North--will get to researching! :)

I'm late to the party here, but do want to chime in.

Best way from Heathrow to Bath is by coach (bus). Heathrow airport has two coach stations. The coach to Bath picks up from both. We usually arrive at Terminal 5, and walk down the hallway, following the signs that lead you to the coach station. Buy a ticket from the worker in the ticket booth, then wait outside the sliding glass doors for your bus. Easy. The coaches are very nice, with clean, comfy seats (better than most seats on a plane) and WiFi. Large bags are put under the coach in a locked compartment. Carry on bags go with you onboard the coach. You will arrive in Bath at the station that serves as coach station and train station. You can probably walk to your hotel from there unless staying in a remote location.

When you leave Bath by train and go to Moreton-In-Marsh for your Cotswolds visit, your train will pass through Oxford. I advise coming back to Oxford for a day or two after your time in Moreton-In-Marsh. Oxford is lovely, with several excellent museums.
Walking tours by university students (free but please tip) are available at the Tourist Information office.

Just north of Oxford is one of England's most beautiful estates/country houses, Blenheim Palace. You can travel to Blenheim by Oxford city bus. It's a very short ride.
Blenheim is lovely, opulent, and you will see the bedroom where Sir Winston Churchill was born.
https://www.blenheimpalace.com/
This is giving you a house that is a stone's throw from where you will already be, making it easy to get to.

Blenheim was mentioned up this thread by wasleys.

If you take the train north from Oxford, you can reach Warwick (Warwick Castle--beautiful) and Stratford-Upon-Avon.
Stratford-Upon-Avon is a lovely old town. A stay there overnight (or for 2 nights) is needed in order to be there before and after the tourist crowds come in the middle of the day from London for a day trip.

It's easy to return to London from Stratford-Upon-Avon. Take the train to Oxford and onward to London.

Very sensible suggestions from Jennifer. If in Oxford, don't miss the Pitt Rivers Museum. It is fantastic a very eclectic collection of archaeological and anthropological finds of a Victorian explorer... Also in Statford upon Avon, there is MAD (the Mechanical Art and Design museum - another weird and wonderful collection.

Rebecca, your advice and instructions are always so good, so helpful. I’m making a note of your info here, thanks!

Susan, thank you! Glad to know someone finds my suggestions to be of some use.

TravelBrooke, I'm giving this thread a "bump" so others might comment with recommendations for your trip.

Since the re-start of National Express after Covid, and on reduced schedules, the Bath direct coaches from Heathrow only pick up at Central Bus Station Terminals 2 and 3. Those from Terminal 5 are currently change at Bristol, or in some cases is a coach from T5 to T2/3 (!), then change for Bath!

Thank you isn31c!
Great information added by you, as always!