How to Get To Southampton from LHR in JUST THREE DAYS!

We are flying in three days pre-cruise and prior to our sailing on the maiden transatlantic voyage of Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas. We have secured a one-way rental car via National.

The only thing we have planned is a drive-by of Stonehenge. We are just doing a drive-by as we understand it to be one of the world's most overrated tourist destinations. We may also visit Windsor Castle.

What else should we do and see on the way to Southampton? What routes? We like scenic drives, hikes, history and LOVE antiques.

We are also looking for restaurant or hotel/B&B recommendations.

Thanks so much!

You can't just do a drive-by of Stonehenge. You have to park the car, walk to the visitor center and then take a tram to the site. IMO, it is worthwhile.

We just might do that. Thanks for the suggestion.

I would visit the new forest area and spend a night in either lyndhurst or brockenhurst.

Stonehenge is a major touritst attraction, it's on a lot of bucket-lists and folk are almost always thrilled to have been there.

But you are correct that there's little to see - if you go along just to tick it off the list, without knowing about its background, all you'll see are big hewn stones. The new visitor centre, plus the audio guides, will give you that background.

If you simply want a drive-by - the secondary road closest to the stones has been closed but you'll get a decent view from the main A303 road - you do need to research and understand the place before you go to make even that worthwhile. Bear in mind there 's no stopping on the main road, though you can use a roundabout less than a mile further on to reverse-course for a second drive-by.

IMHO if the place interests you as little as it interests me, don't go out of your way for a drive-by - do so only if other places take you within a few miles.

Windsor is a very different animal. Well worthy of a minimum two hours and preferably at least half a day. Windsor is very handy to Heathrow, ideal if you can tie the two together on your attival or departure.

The driving Heathrow (or Windsor) to Southampton isn't scenic. And the nearby alternates are slow main roads, clogged with everyday traffic and everyday suburbia.

You'll need to spread your wings a little and take a more circuitous route.

Perhaps blast west on the M4 as far as Bath, then south via Wells, Cheddar, Glastonbury, Sherborne, Bridport, Weymouth and the Jurassic coast. Overnite stops at Bath, mebbe Sherborne or Weymouth, and Poole or in the New Forest. Or skip Bridport, Weymouth and the coast in favour of Salisbury and Stonehenge before taking a New Forest route to Southampton.

(oops, this para should be later, can't move it, currently only have access to an elderly IPad)

Antique shops in most of those places, though they need to be sought-out so once you've chosen a route, google for antique shops or ask again here or on TripAdvisor. As with many parts of the world, best bargains are in out-of-the-way places and some markets, and at collectors' fairs.

Good hiking along the Jurassic coast and through the New Forest and elsewhere, though your timescale will limit what you can achieve.

Or strike south to Petworth and Arundel before turning west to Chichester and Portsmouth. Overniting at Arundel and two nights in Portsmouth/Southsea.

Google those places and the surrounding areas, see what you think.

JB :)

To see some of England's more attractive villages and countryside, I suggest that you swing a bit further North and visit the Cotswolds. Witney, Burford Chipping Norton, Stow on the Wold and Bourton on the Water are all richly endowed with ancient buildings, antique shops and excellent pubs for both meals and B&B.

Give Oxford a miss though as you can see little of 'the dreaming spires' while fighting traffic.

Going north to the Cotswolds sounds like something we might do. We'd then be heading south to Southampton via Stongehenge and perhaps Bath?

Loving all the suggestions. Keep them coming. Thank you.

Going north to the Cotswolds sounds like something we might do. We'd then be heading south to Southampton via Stongehenge and perhaps Bath?

 

Loving all the suggestions. Keep them coming. Thank you.

Certainly viable.

Past Oxford to Woodstock/Blenheim Palace, Chipping Norton and Shipston on Stour, to Shakespeare's Stratford upon Avon for the night. Mebbe a side trip to Warwick Castle.

To Bath via Moreton in Marsh, Stow on the Wold, Bourton on the Water and Burford. A night or two in Bath.

From Bath to Southampton via Salisbury. Stonehenge would cost a diversion of no more than about 4 miles total - with an early start could be done on your sailing day.

JB :)

If you do decide to stay in Stratford upon Avon, I suggest that you check out The White Swan Hotel. http://white-swan-stratford.co.uk/

It is very old (15th c) but fully up-to-date. The only downside is that it has no parking but there is a multi story nearby.

Not too far from Southampton; the historic city of Winchester is quite lovely, plus on the far side of Southampton is the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu (pronounced Bew-lee) if that sort of thing interests you.

If you're looking for classic B&B or pubs, the East End Arms (between Beaulieu and Lymington) has a B&B plus has been on the list of top 10 pubs in Britian, as well has being interesting as it's owned by the bassist from Dire Straights.

I think we will add Winchester to the itinerary as it looks to be an interesting town. Thanks for the great suggestions, everyone. We now need to make decisions and nail down the itinerary but while leaving some flexibility to make some unexpected turns.

I live in Winchester and think it is well worth a visit for you.... visit the Great Hall and the Cathedral and walk down the High Street into town. Take a right turning to The Square and the cathedral grounds entrance to the front of the cathedral. Walk round the side of the cathedral and past the green and Pilgrims school, through the gate and then left under Kings Gate. There is a delightful tiny church over the arch called St Swithun upon Kings Gate. Turn left into College Street past Jane Austen's last abode, Winchester College and Wolsely castle remains. Then follow the river walk back to the Mill and you will be at the bottom of the High Street and will see King Alfred's statue.

There is a very good Tourist Office at the bottom of the High Street at the Guildhall.

Sorry - I am getting carried away now. Hope you have a good trip wherever you find yourselves. :)

I live in Winchester and think it is well worth a visit for you.... visit the Great Hall and the Cathedral and walk down the High Street into town. Take a right turning to The Square and the cathedral grounds entrance to the front of the cathedral. Walk round the side of the cathedral and past the green and Pilgrims school, through the gate and then left under Kings Gate. There is a delightful tiny church over the arch called St Swithun upon Kings Gate. Turn left into College Street past Jane Austen's last abode, Winchester College and Wolsely castle remains. Then follow the river walk back to the Mill and you will be at the bottom of the High Street and will see King Alfred's statue.

There is a very good Tourist Office at the bottom of the High Street at the Guildhall.

Sorry - I am getting carried away now. Hope you have a good trip wherever you find yourselves. :)

A couple of things about King Alfred's statue, in the middle of Broadway / High St.

It's on a tall plinth, and unusually the plinth is broader at the top than the bottom. The reason? It was engraved by the stonemason while it was laid on its side, and before it was put in position. He accidentally engraved it upside-down. So it had to be erected upside-down. :rolleyes:

Many years ago Winchester College used to have an end-of-term Rag Week, a week of practical jokes and charity fund-raising.

One morning during Rag Week, Winchester woke up to find King Alfred-sized footprints leading from the statue, up the middle of the street to a pedestrian crossing, across the crossing to the sidewalk, and along the sidewalk to the public toilet. The footprints then returned same-way back to the plinth.

I guess when you've gotta go, you've gotta go. :D

The whitewashed footprints disappeared during the next spell of rain.

JB :)