Sites to visit east of M3 on the way to Heathrow

[spongerob]

In the past we have booked a private car service for the return from Southampton to Heathrow, disembarked early, and used the time to visit historic sites before going to the airport. We're looking for some ideas for our next visit where we plan to do the same thing: Early disembarkation, touring, and then to Heathrow for late-afternoon flights home.

 

We've been to Stonehenge, Salisbury, Windsor, Winchester, etc. and would like some new ideas for places to visit between Southampton and Heathrow, perhaps places east of the M3. I have considered Portsmouth and Brighton, but would welcome any other suggestions or ideas.

[cindep]

I'm not quite certain if it is East of the M3, but while we were in the UK last summer, our friends who live near Poole took us to Studland and then on to Corfe Castle. I'm sure one of the "locals" can straighten out my geography of the UK if this is not feasible. We really enjoyed the castle and the village associated with it. They have a lovely restaurant at the castle to get a bite to eat as well. We did this on the first day -- right after our cruise in Southampton, and were back at their home early afternoon, so it could be entirely possible.

[Onelung]

How about Oxford? If you haven't been before its a wonderful city to visit, lots of beautiful architecture and good restaurants. Then its just down the M40 to Heathrow.

[bsquare12]

I agree Oxford is nice, but have to say I love Brighton myself.

 

If you want a look at some great old architecture, and a feel of just how the English used to holiday, then Brighton is great for that.

 

It also is very contemporary too with some nice restaurants etc. for lunch. Hove is much less commercial and also worth a look and it is just a mile or so from Brighton.

 

One thing to bear in mind in Brighton, it is the Gay capital of the UK so if men kissing offends you, you might want to give it a miss.

 

Enjoy your trip.

 

Beverley

[spongerob]

Brighton would have been my first choice (and we've been to San Francisco a couple of times and love the city, so no worries) but I think it's a bit too far away for others in our group who have earlier flights. Oxford does sound nice, and I'll google Studland (boy, I could have some fun with that name given the comments about Brighton :D, all in good fun of course) to see if that might fit.

 

We're staying near Heathrow Saturday night, so maybe we could go to Oxford on our own that evening, instead of going into London. Thanks for the advice.

[bsquare12]

Brighton would have been my first choice (and we've been to San Francisco a couple of times and love the city, so no worries) but I think it's a bit too far away for others in our group who have earlier flights. Oxford does sound nice, and I'll google Studland (boy, I could have some fun with that name given the comments about Brighton :D, all in good fun of course) to see if that might fit.

 

We're staying near Heathrow Saturday night, so maybe we could go to Oxford on our own that evening, instead of going into London. Thanks for the advice.

 

Oxford the evening before is do-able, but it's an hour each way.

 

There is a Jamie Oliver restaurant in Oxford (are you familiar with him in the US??) It opened last year.

 

You may be familiar with this site, but I'll give it to you anyway www.theaa.com

 

It's the best way to check distances between locations by road.

 

Beverley

[John Bull]

The suggested Corfe Castle sadly is about 30 miles west of Southampton, Brighton 60 miles east (but bookmark it for anytime your return flight is from Gatwick rather than Heathrow).

PORTSMOUTH is well-worth a visit, about 20 minutes along the M27 motorway - in the visitor's part of the navy dockyard are Nelson's flagship HMS Victory, remains of Henry V111's flagship Mary Rose, super naval museum. On the seafront, Southsea Castle & adjacent D-Day museum. Great views across the Solent here, but way better from Spinnaker Tower (near navy dockyard) and, if you depart Portsmouth over Portsdown Hill on local roads, great views from there over the city & coastline. Also a chain of 19th Century forts on Portsdown Hill.

 

Then down the back of Portsdown Hill, past Southwick House (Eisenhower's HQ for D-Day) & pleasant Meon Valley road (route A32) north thro villages to Alton (Jane Austen's home, now small museum is less than a mile off your route at nearby Chawton), then depending on time, north to hop onto M3 at Junction 5 or NE to Farnham & over the Hogs Back to Guildford (cathedral truly ugly pre/post-war exterior, beautiful interior). Then easiest to Heathrow by A3 north out of Guildford to M25. Wisley Royal Horticultural Sociery Gardens just before you reach the M25 if that's your scene

 

Loads of other options - what are your interests? ........John Bull

[spongerob]

Thanks for the ideas. We have visited the dockyard in Portsmouth previously. I wish that we had time to visit again. I still have a divot or two in my head acquired while trying to get around the interior of HMS Victory.

 

Our group consists of 5 women and two men. Obviously I am part of the minority. I have come up with a plan that takes us north along the M3 to Bagshot, leaving the motorway there and going east toward Ascot to join the old London Road. We can do a bit of a drive through the parkland south of Windsor and perhaps a stop at Savill Garden as soon as it opens. From there, a pub lunch and a pint or three in Egham, then back on the M25 to Heathrow.

[handfordr]

Thanks for the ideas. We have visited the dockyard in Portsmouth previously. I wish that we had time to visit again. I still have a divot or two in my head acquired while trying to get around the interior of HMS Victory.

 

Our group consists of 5 women and two men. Obviously I am part of the minority. I have come up with a plan that takes us north along the M3 to Bagshot, leaving the motorway there and going east toward Ascot to join the old London Road. We can do a bit of a drive through the parkland south of Windsor and perhaps a stop at Savill Garden as soon as it opens. From there, a pub lunch and a pint or three in Egham, then back on the M25 to Heathrow.

 

When you come off the M3 and go along the A30 (London Road) its mostly affluent suburbia until you get to Virginia Water. Being sexist here but on the left are the gardens and lake of Virginia Water (an extention of Windsor Great Park), on your right is Wentworth golf course, a private estate where the British Open is often held.

Another mile further on is Saville Garden.

Egham itself is not a particularly inspiring place for a pub, but just north of it is Runymede (signing of the Magna Carta). There is a riverside (Thames) pub called the Bells of Ouzely along the road here from Runnymede to Windsor, just past Runnymede meadow in Old Windsor. You can walk your meal off by wandering over to the Magna Carta memorial. There is also an acre of land given to the US from Britain in the 60's commemorating President Kennedy with a memorial here.

An off beat place jus a mile further up the road is the Queen's Farm Shop on the road from Old Windsor to Datchet in the grounds of Windsor Castle. As its the Queen's Farm Shop its quite upmarket, all her farms tend to have the exotic or organic produce - at the moment there are really fancy Royal Estates Easter Egg's.

 

The parkland you mention (Windsor Great Park) is not really on this route, you go along the perimeter of the park on this route.

[John Bull]

The Virginia Water area is more HandfordR's patch than mine - its a very affluent area but although there are some important places, such as Wentworth Golf Course, Royal Ascot Racecourse, Sandhurst Military Academy or RAE Farnborough, they're not really suitable for visiting. Savill Garden rather naturally leads towards Windsor and Eton, which you've already visited, or Runnymede, important but little-enough for you to see. Perhaps you might look to the east after SAVILL GARDEN to :

BROOKLANDS

http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/

Britain's first motor-racing circuit, now a motor-racing & air museum, incl a Concorde. And a Mercedes visitor centre next-door

or

HAMPTON COURT PALACE (Henry V111's favourite palace) http://www.hrp.org.uk/hamptoncourtpalace/

What think you, HandfordR ?

John Bull