DIY UK Tour after Greek Cruise

Thanks JB for the advice. I have already contacted 3 tour companies; and the quotes are less than train tickets!!! It makes sense for 7 people.

 

So, next question. I am looking into a home/apt rental. What area(s) should we look? We want to centrally located to Windsor and Heathrow. The tour companies will pick us up for the stonehenge and Bath trip.

 

Thanks again!!!

I suggest a property within easy walking distance of a rail or tube station. I'm 99% sure that any rail or tube station you pick will give direct access to central London.

And make it within easy walking distance of the centre of a town, village or district. That usually but not always goes hand-in-hand with a rail station. That takes care of travel into London, and handy to a decent range of shops, pubs, restaurants & other services. If you're going to rent a car from your base you'll also need to be sure of handy & easy parking.

Heathrow airport

The area bounded by Bath Road to the north, the M25 orbital to the west, and the A30 London road to the south & east is bland airport hotels in a sea of parking lots - OK for an overniter, pretty awful for a longer stay. I doubt there'll be any apartments there anyway.

BTW if a hotel is within about 8 miles of Heathrow (including Windsor) they tend to call it an airport hotel.

Windsor or Datchet are ideal. Attractive little towns on the River Thames & handy to routes to the south & west. And Windsor has its famous castle

But the prices may make your eyes water.

Staines, Chertsey, Shepperton are all possible & not so expensive.

Slough is a mix of residential & industrial, I'd be inclined to give it a miss though others might disagree.

Maidenhead is quite handy, or further out to Wokingham, Bracknell or Reading, or to the south Bagshot/ Lightwater or Woking.. All quite bland and "ordinary", but prices are likely to be lower.

In Greater London itself, Brentford does tick the boxes but it just doesn't have a feel to it. Kew or Richmond would be a lot more suitable.

Or mebbe it'd be easier if you checked out properties & prices that interest you within striking distance of Heathrow & the motorway system, and put them up on this thread for us all to argue about.

(I won't be joining the discussion this side of Christmas, we're off to a cruise on Friday)

JB :)

Edit re your last post - Staines (spelling) yes, Twickenham mebbe (the home of English rugby), mention "West Drayton" and most folk will respond "Heathrow", Slough is very handy but not a town I'd choose

.

JB - Safe travel;s!!

Here are the places I am considering:

Windsor

1. 13 Church Street, Windsor, SL4 1PE, United Kingdom

2. Parks Farm in Windsor

Old Windor

I found a Cottage next to Windsor Great Park

Royal Berkshire

I found a Victorian Home for rent in this area as well.

Heathrow - West Drayton

1. B&B: on Swan Road

JB - Safe travel;s!!

 

Here are the places I am considering:

 

Windsor

1. 13 Church Street, Windsor, SL4 1PE, United Kingdom

2. Parks Farm in Windsor

 

Old Windor

I found a Cottage next to Windsor Great Park

 

Royal Berkshire

I found a Victorian Home for rent in this area as well.

Heathrow - West Drayton

1. B&B: on Swan Road

JB - I went ahead and booked the property across from Windsor. My DH's request.

Thanks VMax - this is the info I am looking for regarding driving in Dublin.

 

We booked a B&B in Cashel. I am considering cancelling it.

 

How long does it take to get from the airport hotel to Dublin?

It would take about 45/60 minutes to get to city centre from airport.

Thanks VMax - this is the info I am looking for regarding driving in Dublin.

 

We booked a B&B in Cashel. I am considering cancelling it.

 

How long does it take to get from the airport hotel to Dublin?

There are 4 or 5 hotels in the immediate vicinity of the airport, but each would require the use of the courtesy bus back to the terminal as buses leave directly from the terminals and do not have any other stops within the airport compound.

Here is a link to information about a Leap card which can be used for bus, luas, and airlink bus to/from airport. It is considereably cheaper than paying individual fares

https://about.leapcard.ie/leap-visitor-card

and here is a link to details about the airlink buses

https://dodublin.ie/airport-transfers/airlink-express/timetables/route-maps

Is there a site I can go to see where all the tolls are along our route? We are driving Dublin-Cashel-Killarnay-Cliff of Mohars- Shannon.

here is a link to details of the toll roads https://www.eflow.ie/driving-in-ireland/

What time does your flight arrive in Dublin?

What time does your flight arrive in Dublin?

We arrive at 1230.

JB - Safe travel;s!!

 

Here are the places I am considering:

 

Windsor

1. 13 Church Street, Windsor, SL4 1PE, United Kingdom

Castle Studios? Very very convenient location, but will be quite busy day & evening. Very good reviews on Booking.com

 

 

2. Parks Farm in Windsor

Is that Park Farm? Pleasant residential area on the edge of town, on quite a busy little road into Windsor (but only one lane e/w & slow traffic), a pub & a shop or two nearby but about a mile-and-a-half from the centre. So mebbe a healthy walk or perhaps a direct local bus into town for dinner, and a taxi back. Also very highly-rated on Booking.com

 

Old Windor

I found a Cottage next to Windsor Great Park

The clue is in the title - it can be anywhere from 3 to 6 miles from the town centre. Rural & mostly very up-market. If it's actually in the Park, your landlady will be the Queen. :cool:

Very doubtful there'll be any amenities at all in walking distance, but might be a gloriously quiet location. You'll need transport but might be well worth it.

 

Royal Berkshire

I found a Victorian Home for rent in this area as well.

Gonna need a lot more info than that - the whole county of Berkshire, which includes most of the places in my posts, is known as "Royal Berkshire". It's Berkshire if you're buying a property, Royal Berkshire if you're selling one. ;)

 

Heathrow - West Drayton

1. B&B: on Swan Road

Convenient to the M4 motorway & West Drayton rail station. I don't know the area but from google streetviews it looks like a very ordinary residential suburban road in a very ordinary suburban area. Nothing desperately wrong with the area, but I don't quite understand how it comes into contention against the other places you're considering cos it's not in the same league (and I didn't even feel the need to put in my usual "IMHO")

So that's one to strike & more definitive locations needed for a couple of others.

JB :)

Stonehenge has its limitations, you might be enthralled for a couple of hours or you might be bored after an hour. Bath has lots of places to see & it's a more interesting place to take a break for a coffee or a beer or a spot of lunch so there's no such thing as "too long" in Bath,.

 

JB :)

With someone else driving, you may be content with a drive-by. You can see it quite well from the road.

So that's one to strike & more definitive locations needed for a couple of others.

 

JB :)

Windsor

1. 13 Church Street, Windsor, SL4 1PE, United Kingdom

Castle Studios? Very very convenient location, but will be quite busy day & evening. Very good reviews on Booking.com

Hi JB - Yep this is the one I end up renting. It is Castle Properties - directly across from Windsor Castle. I was not sure what the rules are on CC about putting property names, etc...hence why I was not specific.

I like the convenience. I just hope there will be enough to do for 2 days there.

Day 1: Fly into Heathrow and shuttle to Windsor

Day 2: Private tour to Stonehenge and Bath

Day 3: Spend Day in Windsor and Rest

Day 4: Leave for Dublin

Thanks again! Have a great cruise!

We arrive at 1230.

OK, you mentioned already that you have B&B booked for Cashel. Do you have other accommodations booked? Days 5,6,7,8 where do you intend to stay?

OK, you mentioned already that you have B&B booked for Cashel. Do you have other accommodations booked? Days 5,6,7,8 where do you intend to stay?

Based on your recommendation, I booked the Red Cow Moran Hotel for an overnight in Dublin. I'm now researching on the logistics (roads from airport to hotel, and train to Dublin downtown).

Day 6 and Day 7: Old Weir's Lodge B&B. We will drive from Dublin and stop at Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle and Blarney Stone. Stay two nights here. Day 7 - Ring of Kerry....unless you have any other suggestions.

Day 8: Bunratty Castle Mews B&B - drive to Cliff of Mohars and then overnight in Bunratty.

I hope I am allowed to put on CC the names of hotels, etc.

Windsor

1. 13 Church Street, Windsor, SL4 1PE, United Kingdom

Castle Studios? Very very convenient location, but will be quite busy day & evening. Very good reviews on Booking.com

 

Hi JB - Yep this is the one I end up renting. It is Castle Properties - directly across from Windsor Castle. I was not sure what the rules are on CC about putting property names, etc...hence why I was not specific.

 

I like the convenience. I just hope there will be enough to do for 2 days there.

 

Day 1: Fly into Heathrow and shuttle to Windsor

Day 2: Private tour to Stonehenge and Bath

Day 3: Spend Day in Windsor and Rest

Day 4: Leave for Dublin

 

Thanks again! Have a great cruise!

Windsor Castle will take over half a day, then there's the town centre & riverside walks,

Mebbe a boat or punt trip on the Thames.

Cross the river on the pedestrianized bridge & carry on for a few hundred yards is Eton College main building on your right. One of the UK's top schools (the top school?) it has educated royalty, prime ministers, famous writers & personalities. Here's a few https://www.thefamouspeople.com/eton-college.php

The buildings straddle the road, but if you want a tour inside you have to book.

A short drive away at Runnymead, are the Magna Carta monument (where it was signed) and the WW2 Air Forces memorial.

If you're really desperate, LEGOLAND is under 3 miles from Windsor. ;)

No restrictions on naming hotels & such on Cruise Critic.

It's naming travel agents that's taboo.

Last post from me, early start in the morning

JB :)

Based on your recommendation, I booked the Red Cow Moran Hotel for an overnight in Dublin. I'm now researching on the logistics (roads from airport to hotel, and train to Dublin downtown).

 

Day 6 and Day 7: Old Weir's Lodge B&B. We will drive from Dublin and stop at Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle and Blarney Stone. Stay two nights here. Day 7 - Ring of Kerry....unless you have any other suggestions.

Day 8: Bunratty Castle Mews B&B - drive to Cliff of Mohars and then overnight in Bunratty.

 

I hope I am allowed to put on CC the names of hotels, etc.

I haven't forgotten you! Just a bit busy at moment with minding grand children. Sorry!

I am reconsidering going to Stonehenge and Bath. Any suggestions on cool not so touristy thing to do from Windsor?