Intermediate stop between Troon and London???

Hello all:

I am travelling to Scotland at the end of May with my father for a
week or so of golf. We are then planning on driving from Troon in
Ayrshire, Scotland to London to meet my wife. I thought driving would
allow us to see a little of Northern England along the way. I'd like
to break up the trip and stay a night somewhere between Troon and
London, preferrably within a few hours of London (we will need to meet
my wife at Heathrow at around 11:30 am the next day).

Any recommendations for an intermediate stop? Neither of us has been
to the UK before. We are interested in local culture, history,
scenery, and meeting nice people.

Thanks for your ideas!

Bill


P.S. If you think driving is a bad idea, let me know that, too.

(Bill Levenson) wrote in message . com...
Hello all:

I am travelling to Scotland at the end of May with my father for a
week or so of golf. We are then planning on driving from Troon in
Ayrshire, Scotland to London to meet my wife. I thought driving would
allow us to see a little of Northern England along the way. I'd like
to break up the trip and stay a night somewhere between Troon and
London, preferrably within a few hours of London (we will need to meet
my wife at Heathrow at around 11:30 am the next day).

Any recommendations for an intermediate stop? Neither of us has been
to the UK before. We are interested in local culture, history,
scenery, and meeting nice people.

York is wonderful - it has a great cathedral and many other remnants
of the Middle Ages.

In article ,
says...
Hello all:
We are then planning on driving from Troon in
Ayrshire, Scotland to London to meet my wife. I thought driving would
allow us to see a little of Northern England along the way. I'd like
to break up the trip and stay a night somewhere between Troon and
London, preferrably within a few hours of London (we will need to meet
my wife at Heathrow at around 11:30 am the next day).

The problem with the drive is that there are often traffic stopages on
the motorways around London and leading to Heathrow. And security delays
at the airport.

You would need to be nearly in London the night before, in order to get
to the airport by 11:30am.

Are you going to Heathrow to pickup your wife and then continue your
trip in the UK, or to join her to fly out of Heathrow?

According to Mapquest, the Troon - London drive is nonstop 6hr 45 min
using high speed motorways past Liverpool and around Manchester.

I have driven from Newmilns Scotland (not too far from Troon) down to
Lower Brails (near Stratford-upon-Avon)in one go. It was a long drive.
Mapquest said 5 hr 36 min, but actual time was closer to 7 hr due to
traffic around Birmingham.

We stayed overnight in a quaint 12th century coaching inn called The
George Hotel ( http://www.cotswold-hotel.com/default.htm ) in Lower
Brails where we got to meet the locals and watch them play an outdoor
ball game called "Aunt Sally". Good food and local beer.

The drive from Lower Brailes to London is 1hr 30 min according to
Mapquest.

As to places to see...for a one stop educational experience into the
history and people of the UK, visit "Beamish - The North of England Open
Air Museum" located near Durham. Their website is
http://www.beamish.org.uk/

You can see highlights of the exhibits in several hours and have lunch,
or spend a whole day. Beamish is 3-1/2 hr drive from Troon.

York is 1-1/2 hr drive from Beamish and 3-1/2 hr drive from London area.
If you choose to visit York, be aware that the tourist sites close
early. Around 4;00pm, it seems like everyone who works in York cues up
at the bus stops and go home. The pubs and restaurants do stay open,
however, so you won't go without sustenance.


Richard Antsidel
Owings Mills, MD USA

"Bill Levenson" wrote in message
om...
Hello all:

I am travelling to Scotland at the end of May with my father for a
week or so of golf. We are then planning on driving from Troon in
Ayrshire, Scotland to London to meet my wife. I thought driving would
allow us to see a little of Northern England along the way. I'd like
to break up the trip and stay a night somewhere between Troon and
London, preferrably within a few hours of London (we will need to meet
my wife at Heathrow at around 11:30 am the next day).

Any recommendations for an intermediate stop? Neither of us has been
to the UK before. We are interested in local culture, history,
scenery, and meeting nice people.


Driving isn't a terrible idea, but if you are going to need to be at
Heathrow at 11.30am the next morning I wouldn't recommend staying anywhere
else but London (preferably at Heathrow) or nearby.

In either case, a couple of hours from Heathrow isn't really going to stay
somewhere in Northern England, that's more like 5 hours away, depending on
route and how fast you drive.

In any case, Troon to London is going to be around a 7 hour drive and pretty
much entirely motorway. Myself I would just get in the car and do the trip
in one day, couple of hour long stops along the way, then crash in a hotel
near London. Not a lot of time to do anything else at all really.

If you are wanting to see Northern England, you could stop at Manchester or
Liverpool, but I wouldn't suggest doing that unless it's part of a two day
trip, staying overnight both there and in London.

Do you really need to go to London? BA runs a regular shuttle service
between GLA and LHR, price GBP£63.40 return.

In article ,
says...
Hello all:

I am travelling to Scotland at the end of May with my father for a
week or so of golf. We are then planning on driving from Troon in
Ayrshire, Scotland to London to meet my wife. I thought driving would
allow us to see a little of Northern England along the way.

P.S. If you think driving is a bad idea, let me know that, too.

I wouldn't recommend travelling from Scotland to London by car unless
there's a good reason. Even with an overnight stop you won't have time
to see much on the way. I would suggest you spend some extra time in
Scotland and fly to Heathrow in the morning.

David

(Iceman) wrote in message m...

York is wonderful - it has a great cathedral and many other remnants
of the Middle Ages.

Thanks, I'll check into York.

Bill

Thanks to all of you. I always marvel at how great Usenet is for
getting friendly advise.

Based on some of the responses, I may not have provided enough info
(it's always a challenge to provide info but not bore the reader ;-).

First, getting from Troon to London is necessary. My wife and I are
planning another week in London, while my father will leave from
London the day after my wife arrives. So, my dad and I have to get to
London by car, air, or rail.

I figured that a car would allow us to stop along the way. And, it
seems to me that by the time we schlepp our bags and clubs through the
airports (or train stations), check and claim them, turn in the rental
car, and get to the aiport with enough time for security, it may not
be that much slower to drive.

I also left out our travel days; we will set out from Troon on a
Saturday, stay the night somewhere, and pick up my wife at Heathrow at
11:30 on a Sunday. Does that change the traffic situation? Several
people implied that I would need to stay near Heathrow to get there by
11:30. I had imagined that I could stay 2 to 4 hours away and set out
early straight for Heathrow. Is that impractical? On a Sunday?

I may be leaning toward driving all day with 1-2 hour stops for lunch
and dinner, and crash at a hotel near Heathrow. For the following
night(s), we already have a place near Chelsea.

Or, maybe lunch in the lake country, stop somewhere like York or
Oxford for the night, get up early and go to Heathrow.

OK, now I'm rambling. Thanks again for any further info.

Bill

antec wrote in message ...
The problem with the drive is that there are often traffic stopages on
the motorways around London and leading to Heathrow. And security delays
at the airport.

You would need to be nearly in London the night before, in order to get
to the airport by 11:30am.

Are you going to Heathrow to pickup your wife and then continue your
trip in the UK, or to join her to fly out of Heathrow?

According to Mapquest, the Troon - London drive is nonstop 6hr 45 min
using high speed motorways past Liverpool and around Manchester.

I have driven from Newmilns Scotland (not too far from Troon) down to
Lower Brails (near Stratford-upon-Avon)in one go. It was a long drive.
Mapquest said 5 hr 36 min, but actual time was closer to 7 hr due to
traffic around Birmingham.

We stayed overnight in a quaint 12th century coaching inn called The
George Hotel ( http://www.cotswold-hotel.com/default.htm ) in Lower
Brails where we got to meet the locals and watch them play an outdoor
ball game called "Aunt Sally". Good food and local beer.

The drive from Lower Brailes to London is 1hr 30 min according to
Mapquest.

As to places to see...for a one stop educational experience into the
history and people of the UK, visit "Beamish - The North of England Open
Air Museum" located near Durham. Their website is
http://www.beamish.org.uk/

You can see highlights of the exhibits in several hours and have lunch,
or spend a whole day. Beamish is 3-1/2 hr drive from Troon.

York is 1-1/2 hr drive from Beamish and 3-1/2 hr drive from London area.
If you choose to visit York, be aware that the tourist sites close
early. Around 4;00pm, it seems like everyone who works in York cues up
at the bus stops and go home. The pubs and restaurants do stay open,
however, so you won't go without sustenance.


Richard Antsidel
Owings Mills, MD USA

"Bill Levenson" wrote in message
om...

First, getting from Troon to London is necessary. My wife and I are
planning another week in London, while my father will leave from
London the day after my wife arrives. So, my dad and I have to get to
London by car, air, or rail.

I figured that a car would allow us to stop along the way. And, it
seems to me that by the time we schlepp our bags and clubs through the
airports (or train stations), check and claim them, turn in the rental
car, and get to the aiport with enough time for security, it may not
be that much slower to drive.

Agree. Cars are usually more convenient when you have luggage to consider.

I also left out our travel days; we will set out from Troon on a
Saturday, stay the night somewhere, and pick up my wife at Heathrow at
11:30 on a Sunday. Does that change the traffic situation? Several
people implied that I would need to stay near Heathrow to get there by
11:30. I had imagined that I could stay 2 to 4 hours away and set out
early straight for Heathrow. Is that impractical? On a Sunday?

Saturday and Sunday will be quiet on the roads. Especially Sunday morning,
probably the few times of the year when you can get a clear run on the M25.
That of course is an advantage for you.

I may be leaning toward driving all day with 1-2 hour stops for lunch
and dinner, and crash at a hotel near Heathrow. For the following
night(s), we already have a place near Chelsea.

Or, maybe lunch in the lake country, stop somewhere like York or
Oxford for the night, get up early and go to Heathrow.

The Lakes is a nice idea but you have to actually get into and out of them,
that's going to take about 30 minutes each way, from the M6 so you've added
an hour to your journey before you've even stopped for lunch. Lakes AND York
isn't really realistic, they are opposite sides of the country, and starting
from where you are, I wouldn't recommend the east coast route it will take
you may miles away from the most direct path. Having said that there are
many nice villages on the edges of the Lakes which would be very nice places
to stop. Best thing is to get a road atlas and have a look before you set
out.

I wouldn't like to stay as far away at York (3.5 hours drive) if you are
picking someone up from Heathrow. But somewhere of the distance of Oxford or
Cambridge would be fine, especially on a Sunday morning. I've stayed in
Aylesbury before and then caught a flight from Heathrow the next morning.