What to do before Heathrow?

[cruisen cracker]

We are on a TA in April and plan on spending three days in the Bath area, two in Wales and 4 in the Cotswolds. We will be leaving Moreton in Marsh on a Monday morning and have a flight out of Heathrow at noon on Tuesday at noon. Any suggestions on where to go, what to do? We will have a rental car that will have to be turned in to Hertz before the flight.

Thanks for your help.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Windsor is an easy drive from this neck of the woods and puts you on the doorstep of Heathrow to turn in the car in the morning.

 

Do you need any help with the Cotswolds days - I am a couple of miles from Moreton-in-Marsh :)

[John Bull]

Windsor & its royal castle, or Hampton Court (Henry V111's palace), or Oxford, or Kew Gardens.

 

Film studios, historic motors, historic aircraft, Harry Potter, Downton Abbey, Or do you have any other particular interests?

 

JB :)

[Cotswold Eagle]

Let's throw Blenheim Palace in the mix too!

[cruisen cracker]

Thanks for the responses. We've been to Windsor on our one previous trip. Oxford and Blenheim Palace we have not seen. Would we be pushing it to go from Moreton in Marsh in the AM to Blenheim and to Oxford, stay at a B&B near Oxford, turn in our car in Oxford at 8:30 am, take the train to Paddington Station and then to Heathrow and check in for a 12:50 flight?

[Cotswold Eagle]

Even with heavy traffic heading towards London in the morning, I think I would keep it simple and drive to Heathrow.

[Bob++]

If you want to leave the car in Oxford, there is an excellent bus service direct to Heathrow. http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx

 

There is a left luggage facility at Oxford Visitor Information Centre, 15-16 Broad Street. http://www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com/travel-information/LeftLuggage.aspx

[4774Papa]

If you want to leave the car in Oxford, there is an excellent bus service direct to Heathrow. http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx

 

There is a left luggage facility at Oxford Visitor Information Centre, 15-16 Broad Street. http://www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com/travel-information/LeftLuggage.aspx

We did three days after our cruise ending in Harwich in 2013.

We visited Windsor Castle, Salsibury, Stonehenge and Avebury.

 

We are planning a four week driving tour of Wales and England in October 2017, prior to our TA back to the USA, to include places were our ancestors came from three and four hundred years ago. We will likely visit Plymouth, Bath, (not sure about going to Cornwall), Cardiff, Cardiganshire in South Wales, then on to the Cotswolds, Nottingham, York, perhaps the NW England lake district and Hadrian's wall, then back down south.

 

Let us know how your motor trip goes.

 

After an unpleasant experience on the M25, we don't plan to come near London, except to fly in and pick up our car and see a family history site just a bit north of Heathrow.

Edited January 2, 2016 by 4774Papa
more info

[newport dave]

We did three days after our cruise ending in Harwich in 2013.

We visited Windsor Castle, Salsibury, Stonehenge and Avebury.

 

We are planning a four week driving tour of Wales and England in October 2017, prior to our TA back to the USA, to include places were our ancestors came from three and four hundred years ago. We will likely visit Plymouth, Bath, (not sure about going to Cornwall), Cardiff, Cardiganshire in South Wales, then on to the Cotswolds, Nottingham, York, perhaps the NW England lake district and Hadrian's wall, then back down south.

 

Let us know how your motor trip goes.

 

After an unpleasant experience on the M25, we don't plan to come near London, except to fly in and pick up our car and see a family history site just a bit north of Heathrow.

 

If you need any help with Cardiff and surrounding area give us a shout and will try to help.

[4774Papa]

If you need any help with Cardiff and surrounding area give us a shout and will try to help.

What are the key sites to see in and around Cardiff?

[newport dave]

What are the key sites to see in and around Cardiff?

 

Best site to start with is visitcardiff.com Otherwise here are a few things to be getting on with.

 

Cardiff City Centre

 

Cardiff Castle in the city centre - http://www.cardiffcastle.com/

 

National Museum and Gallery - http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/cardiff/

plus plenty of architecture in the Civic Area of Cardiff by the above Museum inc. Law Courts, Cardiff University, City Hall.

 

Bute Park (next to castle) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bute_Park

 

Cardiff HOHO Bus ( operates from outside the castle) - http://www.partner.viator.com/en/267...our/d6-2065CWL

 

Wales Millennium Stadium - http://www.millenniumstadium.com/197_211.php

 

If you fancy some shopping, Cardiff is now rated one of the top places to go shopping in the UK.

 

 

Cardiff Bay, where you can find the

 

Wales Millennium Centre (spectacular modern building) - http://www.wmc.org.uk/,

 

Senedd (Welsh Assmebly, pronounced Seneth)(again another spectacular modern building) - http://www.assemblywales.org/sen-home.htm ,

 

Norwegian Church Arts Centre - http://members.lycos.co.uk/Norwegian...2/Cardiff.html

 

Techniquest - http://www.techniquest.org/start/

plus loads of restaurants and bars.

 

 

Outskirts of Cardiff

 

National Museum of Welsh Life (my favourite dayout in Cardiff) (will need car or taxi to reach) - http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/

 

Llandaff Cathedral - http://www.llandaffcathedral.org.uk/

Castell Coch - http://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/castell-coch/?lang=en

Caerphilly Castle - http://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/caerphilly-castle/?lang=en

Castles & Historic places in Wales - http://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/maps-and-itineraries/?lang=en

 

The following sites list the above plus extra stuff in the area and further afield - http://www.cardifflife.net/cardiffthingstodo.html

http://www.walesinstyle.com/things_t...n_cardiff.aspx

http://www.thingstodo.net/cardiff/ca...s-of-interest/

http://wales-travel.suite101.com/art..._do_in_cardiff

http://www.visitwales.com/explore/south-wales

 

Newport

 

Tredegar House Stately Home - http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index.....tredegarhouse

 

Fourteen Locks - http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index.....tredegarhouse

 

Newport Wetlands Reserve - http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index....naturereserves

 

Caerleon (site of Roman remains) - http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index....rleon.homepage

 

 

Outside of Newport

 

Blaenavon World Heritage Site - http://www.world-heritage-blaenavon.org.uk/

[4774Papa]

Best site to start with is visitcardiff.com Otherwise here are a few things to be getting on with.

 

Cardiff City Centre

 

Cardiff Castle in the city centre - http://www.cardiffcastle.com/

 

National Museum and Gallery - http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/cardiff/

plus plenty of architecture in the Civic Area of Cardiff by the above Museum inc. Law Courts, Cardiff University, City Hall.

 

Bute Park (next to castle) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bute_Park

 

Cardiff HOHO Bus ( operates from outside the castle) - http://www.partner.viator.com/en/267...our/d6-2065CWL

 

Wales Millennium Stadium - http://www.millenniumstadium.com/197_211.php

 

If you fancy some shopping, Cardiff is now rated one of the top places to go shopping in the UK.

 

 

Cardiff Bay, where you can find the

 

Wales Millennium Centre (spectacular modern building) - http://www.wmc.org.uk/,

 

Senedd (Welsh Assmebly, pronounced Seneth)(again another spectacular modern building) - http://www.assemblywales.org/sen-home.htm ,

 

Norwegian Church Arts Centre - http://members.lycos.co.uk/Norwegian...2/Cardiff.html

 

Techniquest - http://www.techniquest.org/start/

plus loads of restaurants and bars.

 

 

Outskirts of Cardiff

 

National Museum of Welsh Life (my favourite dayout in Cardiff) (will need car or taxi to reach) - http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/

 

Llandaff Cathedral - http://www.llandaffcathedral.org.uk/

Castell Coch - http://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/castell-coch/?lang=en

Caerphilly Castle - http://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/caerphilly-castle/?lang=en

Castles & Historic places in Wales - http://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/maps-and-itineraries/?lang=en

 

The following sites list the above plus extra stuff in the area and further afield - http://www.cardifflife.net/cardiffthingstodo.html

http://www.walesinstyle.com/things_t...n_cardiff.aspx

http://www.thingstodo.net/cardiff/ca...s-of-interest/

http://wales-travel.suite101.com/art..._do_in_cardiff

http://www.visitwales.com/explore/south-wales

 

Newport

 

Tredegar House Stately Home - http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index.....tredegarhouse

 

Fourteen Locks - http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index.....tredegarhouse

 

Newport Wetlands Reserve - http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index....naturereserves

 

Caerleon (site of Roman remains) - http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index....rleon.homepage

 

 

Outside of Newport

 

Blaenavon World Heritage Site - http://www.world-heritage-blaenavon.org.uk/

 

Thank you for all the great information.

I am particularly looking forward to visiting Llanddewi Brefi, in Cardiganshire, where my Welsh ancestors lived in 1716 when they left for America.

[newport dave]

Thank you for all the great information.

I am particularly looking forward to visiting Llanddewi Brefi, in Cardiganshire, where my Welsh ancestors lived in 1716 when they left for America.

Have you checked out Llanddewi on Google maps using street view. You can get a really good look at the place.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[4774Papa]

Have you checked out Llanddewi on Google maps using street view. You can get a really good look at the place.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

I did find the church that is still there.