Is Rutland only one hour from Cambridge? I'll have to take a look at that a bit closer. I've been to Stamford which I enjoyed, but I found it similar to Ely.
Thanks again!
Hi Odile,
Odile,
Which would you recommend seeing? Lavenham and the suffolk villages or Rutland and its villages? I feel seeing both could be an overkill.
Thanks!
Apologies in advance if this is too much information. I'm trying to balance between answering your post and not being too much of a geek, and failing miserably.
Definitely another vote for option 2, and I'd switch it around a little based upon the logical driving route...
7-day trip with hotels in Cambridge and Oxford
Day 1: Cambridge
Day 2: Area around Cambridge (tour given by a friend)
Day 3: Ely, Lavendam and other Suffolk villages
Day 4: Stratford Upon Avon
Day 5 & 6: Cotswolds
Day 7: Oxford
Day 8: Return to London via Windsor and fly back
A good stop for lunch on the way to Stratford would be Saxon Mill https://www.saxonmill.co.uk/ It's quite a pretty little spot, with a bridge over the weir and views of the Guy's Cliffe ruin.
If your group are interested, and English speaking, I'd definitely book for an RSC performance in Stratford. I took my OH to see Hamlet there as a surprise (not knowing if he'd love or hate it), and he loved the whole experience. It's a real 'bucket list' thing to do.
My long time favourite lunch spot in Oxford is The Head Of The River http://www.headoftheriveroxford.co.uk/ It's 5 mins walk from the city centre, on the same road as Christ Church College, and has 20 bedrooms if you'd like to consider staying there. I'd also recommend visiting Magdalen College. It's stunning, with extensive grounds, colonades and a deer park.
For a group, I'd recommend the Oxford Spires Hotel https://www.phcompany.com/principal/oxford-spires/ . It's got good parking if you have a coach, is about 10-15 mins easy walk along the river to the centre, and there are horses in the paddocks alongside the hotel. You could stay in the city, but you'd pay a lot more and parking is a nightmare.
However, if you want something a bit more quirky and the budget would stretch to it, how about the Malmaison Oxford? https://www.malmaison.com/locations/oxford/ It's a coverted prison, right in the city centre, and the Brits here will know it as where the original tv series of 'Porridge' was filmed.
If possible, try to visit Windsor on the way back to the airport. It's only 15mins drive from Heathrow, and you could stay at Oakley Court the night before so that you don't get delayed by traffic on the return to the airport. This is one of my favourite hotels in all of the UK. It's right on the banks of the River Thames and was used as the base of the French Resitance in WWII. Then it became a film studio where 'St Trinian's' and 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' were filmed, and it's supposed to have 2 ghosts. https://www.oakleycourt.co.uk/
We lived in a tiny village just outside Windsor for 2 years and never got bored of the place. The castle is so compact that you can view everything in 2hrs without feeling rushed, and St George's Chapel is a must see, for me at least. It's a very intimate place.
Sorry for babbling
Ely and Stamford are totally different Stamford is 100% made out of stone and very Georgian- and with Burleigh and the George Inn- so very quintessential English - and yes, 1 hour from Cambridge, directly north, M11, A14, A1 - all Mway and dual carriage way- easy peasy. I am totally biased (surprise ) but for me, Rutland + Stamford- with perhaps a visit to Rockingham Castle- for the medieval bit. For Cambridge and Rutland, Stansted with EasyJet is our best bet, as Cambridge is almost on doorstep. In Cambridge, time your visit to King's Chapel for Evensong (normally 17.30) - free entry and that amazing experience with candles, King's Choir, etc, and for free.
One of our young ex EF member and OH now lives in Cambridge, could ask her if she can do you a guided visit- depending on the day. Her OH teaches at one of the Colleges there, so might be able to help with a visit. Off to East Mids we go tomorrow, so might not be able to reply to posts next 2 weeks- but happy to help after that.
There isn't much to see in Rutland apart from fish. Most of it was flooded to build a reservoir, leaving a school, a couple of houses and a brewery to justify its resurrection as a zombie county.
It's a very pretty reservoir, though.
Oh dear DB- yes a small valley was flooded to make Rutland (rote land = mellow golden stone) Water- and it was VERY controversial at the time- but I do not know a single person alive today who regrets it. Amazing walking, superb Brid reserves with Ospreys, cycle hire, and great pubs (including Michelin starred ones like the Olive Branch), great gardens (like Barnsdale) and boutiques, etc. Rolling hills are still there, and so are the lovely town or Uppingham and Oakham- hardly changed since medieval times - quintessential English- and hardly any tourists. Hurrah.
And it is 'schools' both Oakham and Uppingham have very posh ancient 'Public' (eg NOT public at all) schools.
If you want to go a bit further out from Cambridge/Ely you could do Sandringham queen's residence and then maybe head out for Wells-next-to sea and back in a day. Plenty of pubs along the way too :-) But otherwise I'd agree it's probably not worth re-basing to Norwich.
Don't forget Duxford museum - depending on what your crew is interested in...
Duxford War Museum, that is just out of Stansted.
dandi, I was under the impression we were trying to make the trip a bit more 'compact'. I absolutely love the north Norfolk Coast, Blakeney and the seals, (boats from Stifkey and Morston- depending on tides) the massive expanses of Holkham beach (remember it perhaps from 'Shakespeare in Love) - and the flint covered villages. Sandringham is magnificient with the 1000s of Rhododendrons, but depending on when in May, too early. But that would be for another trip I'd say .
Back to Burleigh in Stamford - it has a teashop in the Orangerie for that typical cream-tea, and a great sculpture garden and deer Park, with Haha- typical of Capability Brown's work- some of you may know it from the Burleigh Horse Trials. It also has the best souvenir shop I know- full of really good quality things. Stamford is, I believe, the English town with the most Churches- due to all the sheep and wool money (they must have felt a bit guilty about the Enclosures that forced the peasants into town to be replaced by sheep). But for tea- I'd choose the George Inn- which was one of the main stops on the Great Northern Road (A1) from London to the North- now that is quintessential English too.
I would definitely give Norfolk a chance.
Just a brief report on our trip. It was fab.
Transportation for our group of 15: We used Carriageways out of Landbeach near Cambridge. Wonderful woman and a professional company. I'd hire her again in a minute.
Hotels: Premiere Inn City East in Cambridge and Premiere Inn Duke Street in Norwich.
Day 1: Arrival in Cambridge and tour of the city
Day 2: Morning jaunt through St. John's and a stroll through the town market, which has the best choice of food I've ever seen at such a venue.
Afternoon: Ely and Cathedral
Evening: Willingham Pub Quiz
Day 3: Suffolk Wool villages with a tour of Lavenham
Day 4: Stamford and Burghley House
Day 5: Bury St. Edmunds
Day 6: Norwich city tour and an afternoon with pub and paddle
Day 7: Blakeney Point with Beans boats, Wells for lunch and then Cromer
Day 8: Shopping in Norwich and then back home.
It was a great tour and the food was delicious!
Thanks for all your help.
I have been to Cambridge Massachusetts and Norwich Vermont, if that helps.