I am starting on plans for our May 2019 trip, which will include time in the UK and Spain. We will fly home from Barcelona on British Airways but would like to overnight near London, as we will be using separate tickets for the two flights (Barcelona to London and London to Seattle).
We have done this for six years now and have made our overnight in London several times, as well in Windsor and Henley-on-Thames. Looking for a new place this time, with scenic walking possibilities.
We can fly into and out of either Heathrow or Gatwick, and I am leaning toward Gatwick as it would be new to us. Lewes has been suggested to me, but are there other good choices with direct train connection to Gatwick? Or someplace I have not considered near Heathrow, perhaps on the Thames?