Daytrip to London from Oakham and/or Canterbury?

Oakham to London is 90 to 120 minutes by train: you have the option of going via Peterborough or Leicester. Looking at websites if you go from there tickets for immediate travel are quite expensive so you would need to pick your date for London travel in advance. Canterbury to London is about 90 minutes by slow train or under 60 minutes if you pick the more expensive high-speed route. Tickets for day of travel will be a bit cheaper, so if you don't want to try to guess the weather in advance I'd recommend going from there.

Hmmmmmm.... That's a tough one. Neither Oakham or Canterbury are situated conveniently to visit London in any detail, I'm afraid. Oakham is a small town in the smallest county in England. It is north of the Wellend River and near a fairly large reservoir, Rutland Water. The area is very rural. Rutland Oakham does have a rail station served by trains which travel east and west between Birmingham and Stansted Airport via Nuneaton, Leicester, Melton Mowbray (of Pork Pie fame), Rutland Oakham, Stamford (where the 3 Day Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials are held), Peterborough, Ely, Cambridge, and Stansted. In order to reach London from Oakham by train you have to go around the sun to get to the moon - either west to Leicester on the Cross Country train and change onto the East Midland Trains into St Pancras (pushing 2 hours) or east and change onto East Coast trains at Peterborough into Kings Cross (very nearly 2 hours). Not something I'd want to do if I wanted to see London. In Oakham is the European HQ of Lands' End with an outlet store (5 to 10 minutes walk from the station), a nice church, a nice town centre of a few streets. Not a lot else. Canterbury is about an hour to St Pancras International on the added fare Southeastern High Speed train or 95 minutes or so to Victoria Station or about 2 hours to Charing Cross. EDIT: I wrote Rutland for the station - of course it is Oakham. Changed above.

I was hoping to hear from a native. The news is not good though, is it? Nigel, your answer was so funny involving trips to the sun and moon. This Oakham location is not sounding like a good place from which to experience England. Oh, bother.

Respondents make this daytrip sound so unappealing! I think it would be a fine adventure. When I was younger and had more zip, I considered anything within 3 hours each way to be a candidate for day-tripping. It would pay to have the London part thought out, with a practical plan for getting around and what to see in 6-10 hours. The London Underground (aka Tube) is convenient for getting most places in London. Ride a double-decker bus at least once, and sit in front up top.

As you have a car and if you are interested in castles, cathedrals and old churches, country houses of varying sizes and ages (including roman villas), pretty country towns and villages , Kent and Sussex are excellent counties to visit. http://www.visitkent.co.uk/default.asp http://www.sussextourism.org.uk/alphalisting.aspx?ss=true This is one of our favourite days out. Apart from the beautiful setting in the South Downs National Park, you get to appreciate what it was like to live centuries ago. One of the things that has stuck with me is that everybody must have smelt of woodsmoke, the smell permeates everything in the houses where they have fires going. Maybe better than the smells that lack of bathing facilities would suggest! http://www.wealddown.co.uk/

Swan/Linda - thanks for a positive outlook on day trips. I recall reading that a trip from the Oakham/Rutland/Leicester area was about 90 minutes via train. We will have a car and can drive to the most convenient station. We've read about day trips from London to Canterbury and wondered if the reverse is true. But we are very interested in beautiful country and gardens, and not sure whether we want to spend some of our Canterbury time commuting to London.

Kay: We actually stayed at Barnsdale! We stayed in a coverted Mews...it had every modern convenience. Be sure to take a swimsuit as they have an indoor pool. You are near Rutland Waters which is great for Birders. Check the National Trust UK site for sights near you. I really enjoyed the Midlands...you really feel like you are in England. There are many great estates near and around there. London of course is a world class cosmopolitan big city...in other words not very English anymore except for the historic sights. I would stay in a B & B in a outlying London location and take the train in. I would not advise day trips to London from Rutland. Canterbury is feasible...but still I would tour more locally as there are many castles and fine houses nearby. You could go to Cambridge from there. My Husband and I have traveled in the UK twice together...I was there before traveling as a student. Driving was no problem after you got used to driving on the left and the round-abouts. We were always able to find B & Bs or small hotels in our budget at the local Tourist Information Offices I understand that most of the rental cars have GPS now.Bon Voyage. Private email for more ideas.

Well I used to run over from Warwick to Oakham to shop at Lands' End and back in half a day or so; so yes a day trip would work. Warwick is lovely, the Warwick Castle is a bit disneyish and expensive but well preserved and beautiful. Near the "back door" to the Castle is a great little garden on the river Avon with fabulous views of the battlements of the Castle. The garden is open year round, costs about £1 and is now kept by the widow of the garden creator in his memory. Lord Leycester Hospital is seriously old and really neat. Hospital in this case is an old word meaning something along the lines of an alms house. Have tea there. Climb to the top of tower of St Mary's Church for an unbeatable view. See the Castle, the Grand Union Canal and nearly Stratford-upon-Avon. The bells there are top notch. There are a "few" antiques stores in the town which still has the medieval street layout, and some of the streets are a bit "narrow". When you are in Warwick you are just a stone's throw from Kenilworth which has the evocative ruins of Kenilworth Castle and walks around it into the old Mere where sailing ships were sailed for the royalty.

This Oakham location is not sounding like a good place from which to experience England. Now, Kay, I never said that. What I did say is that daytripping to London from Oakham is a lot of work and seriously inconvenient, and that Oakham is a small town. There is certainly plenty of England to see in the vicinity and it is beautiful. Its just not London. I don't live a million miles from Rutland and, especially as you have a car, I could mention (especially as you love gardens, etc.,) several places nearby which would be really enjoyable. Rockingham Castle on a steep hill above the River Wellend. Stamford, a beautiful stone market town. Oundle, a gorgeous small market town on the River Nene. The Fen Country. Rutland Water for birding and cycling. Wicken Fen for fenland and birding and beautiful walking. Peterborough and its city centre and Peterborough Cathedral. Lincoln and Lincoln Cathedral. Ely and the Lantern on its Cathedral. The Grand Union Canal. Huntington has a lovely watermill which grinds wheat into flour.
Cambridge is both scenic and historic - visit the Colleges, walk along the Backs, visit the pubs where world famous discoveries were made, see Kings College Chapel. Fotheringhay and its Church (see who is buried there and look at the tombs rebuilt by Elizabeth the First) - exquisitely beautiful, and the ancient bridge across the River Nene, and see the Motte where the castle once stood where Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned and execu-ted. No, I never said you couldn't see England from there - just that London is inconvenient. While there aren't a lot of National Trust properties in the vicinity there are loads of private gardens open to the public - see the Yellow Book - and they are really nice.

National Trust:
Anglesey Abbey - fabulous gardens. Woolsthorpe Manor, birthpace of Sir Isaac Newton. Kedleston Hall - location for The Duchess - and real home of the Curzons since the 12th century, and they still live there. Eleanor crosses, two of them. The little village of Weekley with its tea room in the old post office (still sells stamps) and ancient "hospital". I could go on. It is a beautiful part of the world.

We stayed outside of Oakham in a farm B&B. It was such a pretty area. We saw many of the things that Nigel recommends - particulary liked Rockingham Castle. We did have a car.

Oh, Nigel, you are a dear and so patient with my misunderstanding of what you said. I'm beginning to be much more relieved about staying at Barnsdale. Other posters have also confirmed that we won't be unhappy with this choice. Is it realistic to day trip to Warwick? When I "google" the distance it seems a little over an hour. Thanks to everyone for your help. You are all so wonderful.

2 or 3 more words on Warwick, if you don't mind. When you google the route from Oakham to Warwick it will show the route via Melton Mowbray, Leicester and the M1, M69, A45, A46 to Warwick as the faster route. Don't believe it. And it is certainly not the most scenic. And you wouldn't be the first to get lost on that route. I'd suggest going south out of Oakham through Uppingham (nice place, excellent school), up the hill past Rockingham Castle, and onto the A14 towards Birmingham. Just a few minutes before you get onto the A14 detour towards the village of Geddington where you will find a beautiful Eleanor Cross. Follow the A14 west until it ends at the awful Catthorpe Interchange with the M1 and M6. Take the M6 a few miles west to the A45 to the A46 to Warwick. Count on at least 90 minutes, or a bit more if you go to see the Cross or drive a bit slower than me. We have loads of time to help you organize this trip - I enjoy it as much as you will. You have picked a lovely place to visit - the real England - many will wonder why you will skip London but my father lived into his 80s and never visited the tourist places in London despite growing up and living in the Cotswolds which some people try to "do" as daytrips from London. I mention that because I believe that the Shires of the Midlands, especially Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Warwickshire and Leicestershire are in many ways as beautiful as the Cotswolds of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire - - but without the tourist buses. Thatched roofs, slate roofs, sheep in the fields, stone walls, ancient churches, beautiful scenery - what do you want to see? Its all here.

You have me swooning and salivating over all the delicious little tidbits to tootle around in the Midlands. Just the sorts of things we want to see and do. I need to pull some things together and come back with specific questions. Thank you for your willingness to help!

We also stayed at the Barnsdale Country Club. I know I'm not directly answering your question, so apologies beforehand. We took daytrips by car to Warwick Castle, Stratford on Avon, and Chipping Campden. Another daytrip was to Oxford and Blenheim Palace. A third was back to some smaller villages in the Cotswolds. These days were long (driving on the left, unfamiliar roads, etc.) and often entailed returning in the dark. I wish we would have asked here for the nearby sites you are learning about. One can do those trips, just be prepared. Good luck.

Thanks for your reply, Galen. How did you know I was also thinking about the other places you mentioned, hmmmm? We have done those mammoth day trips before and they aren't particularly popular with the driver. The warning is appreciated. When did you stay at the Barnsdale? Did you like the location? Any other tips to pass along?

To turn the page to Kent, for your other week. I've never lived in Kent or Sussex but I have visited often. Some of our favourites nearby Canterbury = Leeds Castle - just yum Dover Castle - tunnels in the cliff, WWII hospital (EH) Hever Castle - Ann Boleyn's childhood home (wife of Henry VIII) Sissinghurst Castle - Elizabethan manor house and fabulous gardens restored and created by Vita Sackville-West (NT) Bodium Castle - exactly what you would expect a castle to be (NT) The steam railway next door to Bodium, Kent and East Sussex Railway which comes from Battle, where William the Conqueror won his battle Scotney Castle - stunning garden so picturesque (NT) Bluebell Railway ... more ...

... cont ... Nymans - our favourite garden (NT) Ightham Mote - 14th century (NT) Wakehurst Place - international seed collection and gardens, jointly run by the National Trust and Kew (NT) (joint with Kew) (both memberships provide entry) Sheffield Park and Garden - oh my - the lakes and acers and other trees and gardens - probably even more of a favourite than Nymans, especially as the leaves turn, there is nowhere more beautiful (NT) (a stop on the Bluebell Railway) I just don't know where to begin. Sussex is so beautiful and quaint, Kent ain't half bad. (NT) means National Trust. You might consider a short membership or joining the Royal Oak Foundation, the NT's US affiliate. (ET) means English Heritage. They also have a membership plan but I would expect that you may concentrate more on NT and private places.

Cheers to everyone; especially Nigel. You can get Overseas Tourist Passes from National Trust UK for 7 or 14 days...you really save a lot on admissions. Check their site for details for purchase.

Kathleen I don't have much to offer, but we stayed in London and took bus to Canterbury for day( it was cheapest option) and I thought it was an easy trip,, so can't imagine reverse being unreasonable. Also, we loved Warwick , we were there in summer and thought the views and grounds were nice, and my 13 yr old enjoyed the jousting shows etc. It is however rather pricey.

Kay, we stayed at Barnsdale in September, 2009. Our travel partners chose the location because of the timeshare exchange. I didn't particularly like the location, but we didn't have the information that Nigel is providing you. Simply put, its not convenient to the places I mentioned in my previous post or York which we had also considered (we didn't go) as a day trip. Tips? We spent part of a day in Oakham on market day. Stamford got part of another day; tea at the George(?) Hotel. I'm sure you'll have a great trip.

Leicestershire, Rutland and to a lesser extent extent Lincolnshire are under-visited by tourists, and there is plenty to see and do within those 3 counties.

Didn't finish the above and for some reason can't edit it. Leicestershire, Rutland and to a lesser extent Lincolnshire are under-visited by tourists, and there is plenty to see and do within these counties. Oakham Castle's collection of commemorative horseshoes is unusual to say the least and there are free guided tours in the summer. Other places not mentioned so far: Belvoir Castle, Bradgate Park, Great Central Railway ... and that is without touching Leicester (which I would suggest going to by rail rather than drving).

Thank you so much for these wonderful tips everyone. I will research them to the utmost and come back with more questions later. Cheerio!