Limited travel time - driving from London to York (staying one night). Is it worth the longer route to drive thru the Cotswold or take a faster route and spend more time in York?
Posted by
7634 posts
How much time do you have?
We are planning to spend about a week in the Cotswolds and four days in the York area.
Posted by
Troy, Oh, USA
2774 posts
IMO the Cotswolds is worth seeing, I love the Cotswolds. Really, it's an individual decision if it's worth it.
Posted by
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
2708 posts
It sounds like you only have one night allocated for York. If so, it probably doesn't make sense to detour to the Cotswolds on the way to visit for a few hours. There is a lot to do in York; you'll need the time there. If you can spend two nights in York or one night each in the Cotswolds and York, then it might make sense.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
The drive from London to York is quite dull - the M1 or the A1 - and the journey is best done by train.
The Cotswolds are off route and you ideally need more than one night in York, so I would suggest that you visit Rutland instead of the Cotswolds. It's just as picturesque, with chocolate box villages, but without all the crowds, plus if you drive up the A1, it's not much off route. Hambleton is a pretty village plus the towns of Oakham or Stamford are worth exploring and if time permits, you can take a boat trip on Rutland Water.
You need a full day to explore York and visit the Railway Museum.
Posted by
Camano Island, WA, usa
1446 posts
We stayed in a timeshare on Rutland Waters and really enjoyed the area but you really need more time to visit sites in this area as they are not as packed together as the Cotswold towns. So if you only have one night I would stay in Woodstock and visit Blenheim Palace and then drive around all the scenic towns the next day. Or if you go to York it might be better to take the train. You don't need a car; especially since they don't let you park the center of town anyway. You can visit York Minster, visit the Train Museum and walk the Wall around the town. Take a tour out to Castle Howard.
Posted by
2394 posts
If you are going to York for 1 night - go by train from London Kings Cross. To get cheapest fares - pre book about 11 weeks in advance specific services.
www.nationalrail.co.uk KGX > YRK
Driving to the Cotswolds on the way to York is out of the question. Driving from London to York direct is pretty boring and on very busy roads. Train will be shooting along at 125mph for much of the journey.
If you do wish to make a detour en route (by car or train), I would suggest Cambridge. With train, you would have to split the journey tickets and it might work out cheaper to do say YRK to Peterborough (where you change trains); Peterborough > Cambridge and finally Cambridge to KGX.
Posted by
Troy, Oh, USA
2774 posts
Not sure where you plan to pick up a rental car, this is just to give you an idea of times.....if you pick up car in Slough and drive to the Cotswolds, say Chipping Campden it's a 1 hour 45 minutes drive. Then from Chipping Campden to York would be a 3 hr drive.
Posted by
4509 posts
It may work out to spin over to the Cotswolds for an hour drive and then up to York but it may also wear you out. York has plenty to enjoy however. Cotswolds is sheep and cutesy cottages if that interests you, me not much.
Drive London to York is boring but short, 3 hours? It's similar to many US drives of the same length.