London, Cotswolds, Cornwall in October

[Cecelia]

We arrive in London on October 14 and depart the 28th. We will stay 2 nights in London to get over jet lag, then we're thinking we'll rent a car and drive to the Cotswolds. After our time there we would head to Cornwall. We'd like to drop the car there and train back to London. Do we have enough time to do this? Any suggestions for the itinerary? The only thing we know is we have friends near Mousehole so we want to spend time there.

 

[Pauline]

You could take the train from London to either Bath or Oxford and pick up a rental car there for the Cotswolds. We used to get a car service from the airport to Bath, spend a few nights, then pick up a rental car. We've picked up a car in Oxford too.

Or pick up in Salisbury and visit Stonehenge and Avebury on your way to the Cotswolds.

For dropping off in Cornwall look to see where there are car rental offices. Maybe in St Ives? From there you can train back to London.

Have a look at other threads in this forum, where this topic has been discussed to see what was recommended.

Where are you staying in the Cotswolds? Have you seen this website - www.cotswolder.com (my site).

 

[Kathy]

We will be in Cornwall again in September/October. Our first two weeks will be a walk on the Southwest Coast Path, from St. Ives to Falmouth. (We're excited to meet up with Pauline and Steve during this time.)

I'm not sure if there is a car rental in St. Ives. But there is a Europcar rental office right by the train station in Penzance, at the end of the train line from London. This is where we rented our car last year. It's just a 15 minutes drive to St. Ives. (Penzance is just a few miles from Mousehole.) Are you planning to keep your car during your time in Cornwall?

 

[Cecelia]

Thank you Pauline and Kathy - great information. Pauline, your website is so good. We love the idea of contacting Tim Harrison to arrange a tour! We just emailed him.

I usually like to stay at hotels for our first visit somewhere. We like having hotel staff to get advice and we enjoy meeting other guests. Chipping Campden seems like a town we would love for our base. Do you have a favorite hotel there?

Kathy: We will keep our car while we're in Cornwall. At the moment, we're thinking that we'll return the car in Penzance and train back to London.

 

[Kathy]

Cecilia, my husband and I lead small group tours in the Cotswolds and we base in Chipping Campden. We just spent a month there, and we love it. Our groups stay at the Lygon Arms on the upper end of the beautiful High Street. It's a former coaching inn (the oldest in Chipping Campden), and run now by the same family for four generations. The pub/restaurant is great... very substantial breakfast too. And you would love the staff, many of whom have worked there for a long time. (Their website is very simple and hasn't been changed for years... don't let that mislead you.)

 

[Cecelia]

Thanks for that recommendation Kathy. Lygon Arms looks great. I wish you were leading a group tour in October!

 

[Cameron]

I was on Kathy's Cotswold Experience a few weeks ago. I highly recommend her choice of the Lygon Arms. Also, I fell in love with Chipping Campden and the surrounding countryside. I didn't want to leave!

 

[Cecelia]

I've been reading a number of trip reports - everyone seems to agree that Chipping Campden is wonderful!

 

[Pauline]

I'll jump in here for some of the other villages. Chipping Campden is great. It is off the main roads and not a tour bus destination. But nearby Broadway is also great. And Winchcombe. We have spent time in both of those market towns. Moreton-in-Marsh is excellent for people who don't want to rent a car because it has a train station and good bus service. All of the market towns in the Cotswolds are interesting and good places to base yourself - except Bourton-on-Water, which I really dislike (every tour bus goes there). The villages are also interesting places to stay.

Chipping Campden is always a good choice. It is close to the famous gardens - Hidcote and Kiftsgate - and in a beautiful rural area. I visited Kathy when she was staying at the Lygon Arms and it is a very nice hotel.

 

[Cecelia]

Thanks Pauline. We're staying at Lygon Arms in Chipping Campden and we booked a 6-hour tour with Tim. For our time in Cornwall we're staying here in Marazion: http://www.classic.co.uk/holiday-cottage/desc-3796.html The cottage is owned by our friend's cousin. There are no reviews but our friend says it's a beautiful place. Fingers crossed!