I would like to rent a cottage for 2, reachable by train/bus from London in an area good for day hikes. Pub and a shop to buy milk and bread required. I would prefer being at least 2 hours out of the city. "Pretty" is important! Maybe north? Recommendations for a village? Over the past 35 years have traveled to England 5x; Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Posted by
Eugene, OR
53 posts
Years ago we used Hideaways for self catering. https://www.hideaways.co.uk/ You can sort to be close to pubs or shops and all the other settings. In my experience they have some pretty unique properties. There's now lots of sites to sell you places to stay, and we've gone more with Homeaway our last few times. https://www.homeaway.co.uk/
We've stayed several times in Oxfordshire in the spot between Oxford and Banbury... Wroxton, Shutford, Hook Norton. Very scenic. Hook Norton had a small market and a butcher along with pubs. That area is poorly served with public transportation (though there is infrequent bus service). We had a vehicle every time. There were footpaths all over.
Perhaps somewhere just north of Oxford (like Woodstock) would have better bus service.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
Why 2 hours + out of London? That puts you beyond Manchester and York. There are plenty of places closer to London.
Most villages don’t have a railway station and these days are poorly served by bus and overlaid by your requirements of pretty and a walking area is a conundrum! The Lake District and the Cotswolds are pretty, but lack transport links.
My thoughts were:
Hebden Bridge - plenty cafes and independent shops and a great base for walking to Hardcastle Crags.
Skipton or Settle as a base for the southern part of the Yorkshire Dales.
Malton as a base for the Howardian Hills walking and Castle Howard.
Oakham or Stamford in Lincolnshire - both pretty with plenty of facilities and countryside walking plus Rutland Water reservoir for walking and boat trips.
In the south east - pretty Wye near Canterbury, Lewes and the South Downs National Park, historic Rye on the coast, Whitstable on the coast and known for its oysters or Arundel with its castle.
Posted by
Missouri, USA and Essex, UK.
991 posts
Try Homeaway.com. I have used then a lot throughout England for cottage stays. There are many pretty villages to stay in throughout England. Most will require a car. Yorkshire is one of my favorite areas. Areas around Cambridge would also be a possibility. (1-2 hour travel time to London). Thaxted, Finchingfield, Saffron Walden come to mind. With a car, you could explore into Suffolk. Villages such as Lavenham come to mind here.
Margaret
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
In addition to Homeaway, try English-country-cottages.co.uk, who have a collection of good quality cottages. Sykes Cottages are more basic and old fashioned properties.
Posted by
Missouri, USA and Essex, UK.
991 posts
Jennifer,
I did not know about English-country-cottages.co.uk,
Thanks, I have bookmarked for future reference.
margaret
Posted by
OP
Chicago, IL, USA
14 posts
Thank you everyone! I'm sure we will find what we are looking for. Thanks!
Posted by
Narberth, PA
1226 posts
I have been on this mailing list for years. Have not had the opportunity to stay in any of the cottages, but it is still on my dream list: Grove Cottages, Suffolk and Essex.
Posted by
392 posts
Have a look at Wiltshire. Great Bedwyn is an hour direct train from London and on the Kennet and Avon Canal. Village shop, pub and train station but not much else. Example airb&b https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/29588088?adults=1&source_impression_id=p3_1578773176_SycCzsSi%2FEDbZBmx