Here's a tip when planning a UK visit: In the States, if someone asks how far it is from A to B, the answer will be in "TIme" rather than "Miles." Not so in the UK, where we first calculate "Distance" via a specific route, then the "Time" it will take. 100 miles in the US is NOT the same as 100 miles in the UK. I often travel a particulary journey of 120 miles. Depending on the time of day, the season, the weather and the road conditions, it will sometimes take three hours, while at other times it can take up to six hours. With that in mind, you may not see as much as you planned, so the key to enjoying your trip is to check out your maps and routes, the time you want to spend at any location, with the distance between being a major factor. Visiting all of those villages in the Cotswolds will take your entire day, and even then, you may not see as much as you expected. Most main roads ("A" roads) have a speed limit of 60mph - that does not mean you can travel 60 miles in one hour!! You would be lucky indeed to cover much more than 45 miles at best. Our motorways (M1, M4 etc) have a 70mph speed restriction, which can drop to 20/10mph in certain places, or even a dead stop due to traffic/weather conditions. So be circumspect in your planning. If you're not accustomed to driving on the left, you can expect to take much longer to travel. In the US, most of the roads are straight-ish; in the UK, the roads are mainly full of bends (curves) that were constructed in ancient times around farms and estates. City travel can set you back hours! If travelling to Glasgow, Scotland from say London, you need to think at least 6-8 hours, and that's not taking refreshment/nature breaks into account. Motorway service stations are not always the easiest places to get in and ouf of, and they are the most expecive places to eat and refuel. You have a lot to think about, so do your research thoroughly! Do your visits leisurely!
@@adamdyson3977 Nothing wrong with it but it is just a generic town. These people have 2 weeks. I guess they want to see picturesque scenery and ancient architecture
If you are visiting the UK, travelling around, and like historic sites, you may find it a good idea to buy a National Trust membership or a two-week Touring Pass, which gives you free entrance to many hundreds of locations. English Heritage also run a similar scheme for their sites.
The National Trust also have a specific version of their membership designed for Americans who visit - I believe it's called the Oak Leaf Foundation. I think it's less cost than a full UK National Trust membership but may not cover all their sites, as it's focused on the most popular/high-profile ones.
Whitby on the Yorkshire coast is well worth a visit. It’s where Bram Stoker was inspired to write ’Dracula’ because of the strange graveyard on the top of the cliffs. It’s a beautiful little harbour town and has some fantastic beaches on the North Sea. 🥰
I live in Oxford and highly recommend you travel through here on your way to the Cotswolds rather than Swindon. I’ve lived in several countries (including USA) and Oxford is one of my all time favourite cities - it’s totally unique. Within the Cotswolds I recommend: Broadway, Burford, Bourton o-t-W, Cirencester
If you enjoy yourselves in June and want to return the the UK again for a second vacation, then definitely do Cornwall and the south west and Jurassic coast. It might be slightly out of the way but it's worth it - watch the BBC / Netflix series Poldark to get an idea of the Cornish countryside and history around there. There are loads of seaside villages, sandy beaches, and beautiful scenery and good weather. Also, Plymouth is down that part of England, so you could visit where your forefathers sailed off to the new world.
I'm watching this from the Cotswolds!! Bourton-on-the-Water is lovely, there's a maze and a model village and some great sweet shops. There's a nice walk from there to Lower Slaughter which is equally stunning. Hope you enjoy wherever you choose to go.
I grew up in Northenden, Manchester until I was 14 then moved to Mississippi US and have been here since. I did go back to England from 1994 until 1997 after Princess Diana died. I had my daughter with me who was 14 at the time. She was miserable because she missed her friends etc. I do miss England sometimes but at my age now plus a disability it’s impossible to go back as I would need someone to help me etc. Thankyou for making me homesick lol. Enjoy yourselves if you go. Best wishes from Mississippi.
I live in Cheltenham which is on the edge of the Cotswolds. It's so easy to walk the Cotswolds because of the public footpaths. Bourton-on-the-water has penguins and a place called the Cornish Bakery which I love to go to. Winchcombe is also a great place with a wonderful castle called Sudeley which is a combination of ruins and newish builds. Also Kathrine Parr (Last wife of Henry 8ths) Burial site is there. 😊
I live in Cheltenham too 🙂. Winchcombe is where I’d say most Americans pick to stay when visiting the Cotswolds because it’s pretty central to all the surrounding areas worth seeing such as Chipping Campden, Broadway, and Northleach
You will have to come back another time to see the Lake District too!! In my opinion the most gorgeous place in the UK (York a close second). It’s in the north west so not on your route but is amazing for outdoorsy people!!
Churchill is buried in Bladon and I wept visiting his grave. Much lesser men have much grander burial places; it's very touching that this great man has such a simple resting place. And, if you go to Bladon, you are a stone's throw from Blenheim Palace in Woodstock - if you want to be impressed by the sheer size and grandeur of a British country house, visit Blenheim, ironically, where Winston Churchill was (accidentally) born. It is the home of the Dukes of Marlborough, the only family outside of the British royal family whose line can go to female family members, so the title will last in perpetuity. Not only are the Dukes related to Winston Churchill, they are also related to Diana, Princess of Wales, the former Lady Diana Spencer, the Marlboroughs' surname is Spencer-Churchill.
Travel from London to Oxford, on the M40 (motorway/freeway) avoiding Swindon, and then go through Burford. There are many beautiful villages and towns in the north Cotswolds. I can see the Broadway tower from where I live, about 6 miles away. You can travel north to the Peak District highly recommended, and up to York (visit the National Railway Museum and the Jorvik Viking Center) and on through Northumbria, take a look at Hadrian's Wall (remains of a Roman wall that went right across the country from East to west, to keep the Scots out), then on to Scotland. I recommend using the Motorways (freeways) as much as possible, you will find them easier. Some of our country lanes are way more narrow than the one you commented on. Most of our Country Parks have ordinary people living and working in them, although houses and prices can be very expensive.
You are so right. Down the road from me is Britain’s most haunted village, thatched cottages, an underground shell grotto, Canterbury, an underground catacombs full of skeletons, some beautiful walks, castles, I just never realised what was on my doorstep.
Churches in the countryside are often very old. Castles get knocked down by wars - and the stone gets pinched for other buildings. That menu is expensive but it’s posh. It’s in one of the most expensive areas in the country, so prices are high.
Castles in this country were slighted mostly during the English Civil war to reduce their value. A lot of our castles were damaged deliberately for that reason.
I’m from Ke t. I thought that menu was actually very reasonable, almost cheap. Then again, Kent pubs and restaurants do charge quite a lot. I wouldn’t consider it ‘posh’. It’s fairly standard pub fare.
In rural districts (such as the Cotswolds) there are very few train stations and the bus services are infrequent, if they exist at all, so you WILL need to drive! Not mentioned in the video - Burford has England's oldest pharmacy shop and it still retains all the original interior fittings. It's free to go in to look around.
If you're going that way you might want to check out Cheddar (just google: Cheddar, Somerset) (its where the cheese came from) just click "images" you'll see what I mean. Also, when going up north you could go through Barnard Castle (my home town) and check the bowes museum, they have a 1772 automata (a swan made of pure silver that dances and eats tiny silver fish) Author Mark Twain wrote about it: "I watched the Silver Swan, which had a living grace about his movement and a living intelligence in his eyes, watched him swimming about as comfortably and unconcernedly as if he had been born in a morass instead of a jeweller’s shop."
I agree wholeheartedly. I live in Weardale not far away. Barny is one of my favourite 'afternoons out'. I've been to see many a band or production at The Witham as well.
@@coolmum47 Speaking of witham reminds me of the last time I was there for a comedy night. my nan got called on "whats your name, love?"... for reasons no-one ever found out, she said "john".. brought the house down, so the comedian just kept coming back to her for more laughs "what kind of phone do you have, john?"... she pauses... "...mobile" :D
I live in Hamsterley... about 14 miles away..😂Barney is a great town and my mum and I used to work in Artisan the gift shop. ( above the castle tearooms as was ) ♥️
The cotswolds are extremely expensive place to live as many properties are second homes to the rich and famous. There's been an issue with locals getting priced out in many of the most popular cotswolds villages and towns. Even a small 2 bed terrace (row house) can go for $1m in some places!
I remember going to York. I walked into a bakery and with my Home Counties accent I asked for two cakes. Every head whipped around to look at the ‘stranger’. The words ‘this is a local village for local people, there’s nothing for you here’ came straight to my head.
Hint : When driving on really narrow country roads, take notice of any 'passing spaces' (wider bits of road) you may need to reverse back to one to let someone else pass . It's kinda like an unspoken agreement, you may do it for someone, and someone else might do it for you.
There is a fabulous museum in Cirencester, the Corinium Museum. The town was the second most important Roman town in Britain and the museum would give you a much greater appreciation of the history.
Hi from The Cotswolds! I was born in the north of The Cotswolds and now live in the south. Castle Combe and Dyrham are just up the road! I used to go to Bibury and Burford when I was younger - it’s so beautiful. My ancestors have lived in The Cotswolds for about 300 years so I reckon it’s in my blood 😂. So expensive to buy a house now and I had to move away from where I grew up as now full of Londoners with ‘weekend homes’…sad really. Although we are a small island, travelling takes a lot of time as the roads are busy! I’ve been to the U.S. and it’s utterly different here. Give yourself plenty of time to get anywhere with nearly 70 million people on and island 600 miles long 😂. June is a great time to visit with lots of daylight hours….hope you have a lovely time 👍🏻🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
It’s extremely expensive! I wouldn’t bother tbh, you’ve seen it from the video. If you’re going to the Derbyshire Dales you could visit Chatsworth House, have a look on google. It’s huge and has childrens park etc Definitely visit York! We go once a year. It was the capital of England at one point before London. While near York you could visit the seaside town Whitby and Robins Hoods bay next to it, that’s where pirates and smugglers use to dock etc the moors and Peak District/Dales are similar to your landscapes so you wouldn’t gain much from it. But, York, Whitby 👌🏻 you’ll love
In my opinion the Cotswolds is far more picturesque than the Peak District and quite unique. There are so many beautiful villages that it would take weeks to see them all. A lovely area and definitely should not be missed.
You both should check out "Fountains Abbey" Founded in 1132 its a national trust site in North Yorkshire, It is one of the largest ruined monasteries in England.
If you do drive to Edinburgh I would suggest going up the A1 if you can keeping an eye out for the Angel of the North at Gateshead (near Newcastle). Further up break at Lindisfarne (where the Vikings supposedly landed and killed all the monks). You will find this road to be easy to drive on.
The different rural areas of the UK have different characteristics. The Cotswolds and a large area around Stamford have sandstone housing. In large parts of Essex and Suffolk the old houses are frequently timber framed (timber is black and the plaster infill is usually white or pink). Go to the Peaks or Lakes and the old houses are stone-built, as are Devon and lots of Scots homes, but with different stone. Cob is also traditional in Devon. The old towns and cities have often retained lots of traditionally-built buildings - Oxford, Cambridge, Colchester, Norwich, Lincoln, and so on. You could spend a year travelling the length and breadth of the UK and still be amazed at the variation in scenery and architecture - I am a 63-year-old Brit and still am. We have buildings and roads still in use after well over 2000 years since their building............................................. Monuments and man-made landscape features go WAY back before that. And that all ignores the natural landscapes - we have no deserts or tundra, or vast tracts of forest, but we do have a trully green and pleasant land.
Some years back, I was following a Floridian CZcamsr and thinking how so far away he was, and then, the next thing, found out he'd just visited the UK and travelled by train up to Scotland, passing just a few miles away from where I live. And now, if you guys travel on that road route from London to Edinburgh, just before drawing level with Newton Aycliffe, you'll be passing just eight miles away from me! Amazing! 😀
I recently read an account of recently arrived GIs in WW2, and they were transported in the dark by train and truck to a Cotswolds village. They saw nothing on the journey. After a long sleep, a young American soldier woke up and decided to walk outside down the street in the morning. He encountered what he described as a 'Disney Film Set'. We're more used to it, but his description was quite typical. When you come, you are so enthusiastic that you must ask, ask and ask to clarify anything you understand. 95% of people won't mind at all.
I’m Australian, have never been to UK, but watch on tv and CZcams the Uk tv show - Escape To The Country. I love the look of the Cotswold and so many other places. Also learned far more history than I already knew.
A few years ago the American editor of a "I love England and everything about it and would like to live there" website announced that he and his wife were going to do a car tour of England. I got excited and sent some info about the North and a suggested itinerary, including a book written in 1910 (approx) by two Americans who did a proper job of it. Instead they went to Cornwall where they had some friends, then Castle Combe, then York then home. Sounds familiar? All they really saw were motorways. Pointless trip. See the undocumented England. See where real people live and work. Look at the history of England. Don't just look at the oft-visited tourist traps. I've been to most regions of England. Lived in the s...hole of London. Been to York several times. Watch the youtube videos then go elsewhere to get bragging rights. See Blenheim, see Speke Hall, see Lyme Park, see Tatton Hall, see Dunham Massey, see Quarry Bank Mill, see Chatsworth House, See Hardwick House, see Buxton, Bakewell, see Holmfirth (on a train to Holyhead I met two Americans on their way back from there), see Beamish, see Durham Cathedral., see the Lake District, see the north of the Pennines, travel through the Peak District on the thrill-a-minute A6 (which I do frequently), Just get off the American tourist trap motorway trail. Be adventurous, go to Holyhead and take a day-trip by ferry to Dublin (bus from the ferry, wander round, bus back to ferry).
You have to visit Snowdonia (Wales). The views are unreal. Paddleboarding on the Llyn Padarn Lake - Llanberis or zip lining through the mountains (velocity 2) will make some amazing content.
Llechwedd slate caverns. Lake railway. Electric Mountain. Snowdon Railway and summit. Climbing lessons. Dry stone walling lessons. Pete's Eats. Plenty to do in Llanberis.
I used to live in a town called Banbury in North Oxfordshire which is on the edge of the Cotswolds, it’s a beautiful place to live but always annoyed me whenever I went into the villages as all you see are tourists even though it’s completely understandable! Bourton-on-the-water is one of my favourite places in the Cotswolds and Stow-on-the-wold is always full of tourists. Haven’t finished the video so if they aren’t on this you should look them up!
A few suggestions, in the Peak District visit Bakewell to try Bakewell Tart and Bakewell Pudding, and vist two historic and very different houses very close together, Chatsworth House home of the Dukes of Devonshire and the model for Pemberley the home of Jane Austen's Mr Darcy. Plus Haddon Hall a tudor house, little altered and used for many films including A Princess Bride. Between York and Edinburgh consider stopping off at Durham, wonderful city centre with its castle and cathedral. Then at Alnwick Castle, home of the Dukes of Northumberland, used as Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films. Or Bamburgh Castle, great Castle on the coast in a little village with great cafes, and beach.
Castle Combe has a good hotel with a Michelin star restaurant. Also very near is Lacock which is worth a visit. Both could be visited en-route to Bath which is close to the second recommendation of Dyrham Park. Parking at Castle Combe is free, though on a sunny day there's plenty of competition with dog walkers for spaces. Lacock and Dyrham Park are both National trust properties. If you are interested in these, it may be sensible to get a National Trust tourism pass.
Living in the Greatest University City in the world, the City of Oxford (sorry Cambridge, Harvard etc but I'm biased 🤣) Oxfordshire is the gateway to the Cotswolds from the South East! I adhore the Cotswolds! In Oxfordshire we have fabulous villages like Deddington, Bampton, Burford, Broughton, Kelmscot etc and towns like Witney, Chipping Norton and of course Woodstock (home of the unesco world heritage site that is Blenheim Palace- birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill 👍 and the largest non Royal Palace!) The Cotswolds are second to non! My Sister got married in Moreton-in-The-Marsh in Gloucestershire which is also beautiful, plus Boughton-on-The Water and Stow-on-The Wold...so many beautiful places! Have a wonderful time!👍
Oxford is my place of birth. I still live within 40 miles and only 4 miles away from the village where I grew up. I don't think that there's any need for holidays abroad when we live on such a beautiful island. I'll never move away from here now. (I did but came back when the kids were all done with school/college.) Stratford upon Avon is also a stone's throw away, and a walk along the river with benches to sit on beneath stunning willow trees should you need a rest in the shade.
York, the 'northern jewel' which is the best destination the UK has for visitors wanting a full-on British experience. Give yourself a minimum of 2 full days (sleep there for 3 nights) to have the time to walk to all the attractions. Jorvik Viking Exhibition, York Minster, the medieval city walls, the Shambles, National Railway Museum, these are just the beginning of a long list. Founded in 71 AD, its history dates from the Roman occupation.
Yorkshire is perfect if you like the outdoors, you should also head across to Whitby from York, you can get a train there. It's a beautiful little seaside harbour town, with the best Fish and Chip restaurant called Trenchers. It is also the place where the boat came in from the novel Dracula
If you are going through Yorkshire, it might be worth popping in to Harrogate and definitely Whitby. Harrogate is a wealthy spa town and Whitby is a fantastic seaside town with a connection to Dracula!
If you do decide not to drive on your visit but still wish to go to both York and Edinburgh the train is your best option. Get the train from King's Cross (which will endear you to Harry Potter fans) alight at York and spend as much time as you wish in that beautiful city. Thereafter you can continue to Edinburgh from the same station. During that journey you will pass through Durham and the view of Durham cathedral That you will see from there has to be amongst the most beautiful views in the world. However you choose to get around, I sincerely hope that you really enjoy your time here.
You probably know this, but just in case some advice from an Australian. As Americans I presume driving is usually seen as the default choice when touring a country. In Europe it often may not be. Roads can be very busy, fuel is expensive, driving in big cities you don't know stressful, parking very hard, hiring an automatic can add 50% to the price etc. Sometimes it works out better to catch a train to a city/area first, and then just hire a car for the days you need to if you want to explore surrounding countryside. For example, you can do a fantastic trip by train from King Cross station in London to Edinburgh with stops at York, Durham and Newcastle Upon Tyne. Every stop is walkable from the train station. Kings Cross, London York York is fabulous! Go to the train museum. It is incredible. Also go to the open-to-the-public Evensong in York Minster and listen to the choir from the ancient choral school across the way fill the Minster with glorious singing. I would stay in York for at least 3 nights. It's really great. York Durham Durham is a beautiful 800 year old Cathedral used in Harry Potter. I proposed here. You can walk up to it from the train station. You could just do this and get back on the train later in the day or stay one night. Picnic on the river below the cathedral can be lovely. Durham Newcastle Upon Tyne Newcastle Upon Tyne is a lovely northern town with a stunning inner city core next to its famous set of bridges along the Tyne River. It is easy to walk around from the train station. Great place to have some nights out in the great pubs and bars. The people are friendly and the accent is great. For outdoor experience catch local metro a few stops to Jesmond and walk to Jesmond Dene. Beautiful old park, stream, nature area. The football stadium is right in the city so good place for a tour of one. The roar washes over the city when their team scores. Newcastle Edinburgh The train stops in the middle of Edinburgh and you can walk to all the main city attractions. All times from memory so wont be exact. If you read this and want more information let me know and I'll help you. A great place to start for train trips in Europe is www.seat61.com. He has a great page on buying cheap tickets in Great Britain. Pre-booked trains in the UK are far, far, far cheaper than buying them close to the date of travel. Look up when tickets go on sale and then set calendar alerts and buy your tickets on the first day that the special ADVANCE tickets for a specific seat on a specific train go on sale. Unless you need the flexibility of any train, DO NOT buy the standard flexible tickets (ANYTIME or OFF-PEAK) which sometimes come first. These are much dearer. Note that as well as the tube, London has a series of major train stations that are the departure stop for mainline trains that head off into different directions across the country. So for example to go north-east to Edinburgh you start at King Cross Station. To go to Europe you start at neighbouring St-Pancras Station. Paddington Station for south west I think. etc. The tube gets you to all these mainline train stations. So, for example, you'll have a Kings Cross tube station plus a Kings Cross mainline train station which will be connected. You should consider pre-purchasing before you leave a Two Together Railcard from www.railcard.co.uk to get 1/3 off each train trip. Also note you can get discounts at London attractions (Tower Of London etc) if you arrive at the attraction/London by national rail train. See here: www.daysoutguide.co.uk
Costs will very much be up in the air over fuel prices. Though, if they're coming with other family members all squeezing in to a hire car is likely to be cheaper overall. Agree shopping around online & booking well in advance is a must. Using public transport to get in to cities & some touristy venues makes sense even if you have a car.
I live in Swindon (Bibury is not far but a very small village), used to live near Burford and worked in Oxford. Highly recommend you visit Oxford for the museums and architecture, but then pick one village/small town to visit in the morning, have lunch then move onto another village for the afternoon. You won’t need to spend all day in these villages. Just a few of the beautiful villages/small towns are Burford (called the gateway to the Cotswolds), Bourton on the Water, Stow on the Wold, Moreton in the Marsh, to name a few. You could go further west depending how much time you have. Or you could then drive out of the Cotswolds and north towards Stratford upon Avon (home of Shakespeare). The Cotswolds is just a collective name for a region, not a county (it’s spans parts of a few counties). Hope you have a fabulous touring holiday (vacation) xx
Hey guys! I’m from Poole, near Bournemouth on the South coast. As a Self employed electrician for most of my career I’ve travelled up and down the country, and there’s not a single bad village, town or city. I would urge you to try the “Jurassic coast” and check out the New Forest. I’m bias, but have a look. The New Forest is great for outdoorsy types, and the Jurassic coast spans from Dorset and through Devon, packed full of seaside towns, beaches and fossil hunting spots. Check it out guys, happy travelling!
I live in the middle of the Cotswolds, just outside the small village of Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire... its surprising how much I take my surroundings for granted, so nice to see the place through your eyes
aawww, love your excitement, like a couple of kids, with ooohhh, and ahhh, Ethan saying wow cool, and Angela getting excited about the sweeties, where ever you go, you unfortunately will miss out on quite a few country villages, and hamlets, but that will just make you guys want to call again!, won t it..keep doing what your doing guys
My advice would be 3 main places which you have already picked London, York and Edinburgh. Once there go on trips to nearby places. Eg. From London you could go to Brighton. From York you could go to Whitby or Scarborough on the coast or the Dales. From Edinburgh you could go north to Inverness and the highlands. You're in serious danger of trying to fit too much in and spending all your time travelling. And don't just use the motorways if you want to see our countryside. Use the "A" roads that the motorways replaced.
Hi, from Oxfordshire here - Oxford has Christchurch, which is in the Harry Potter films and is on the way to Bladon! Bladon has a history of Stone Masons and Glovers, they would have provided a lot of the stone used in Cotswold and Oxfordshire houses, lots of stone masons in my family from the 1800's. I can't remember if Bladon is in the Cotswolds or just the border, but if not, a little detour is Burford which is in the Cotswolds and a very pretty village. Also very close to Blenheim Palace in Woodstock - Churchill was born in the Palace built 1705 to 1722. Beautiful gardens!! Driving from Oxford to Bladon to Blenheim to Burford and back to Oxford is around 48 miles. London is around an hour to 1.5 hours from Oxford. Wow, sorry so long! Lucy x
I’d recommend the Cotswolds but I’m biased as I live there. Depending on the length of your holiday I’d say not to spread your time too thin by travelling about too much. If you’re going north, Yorkshire and Derbyshire have stunning scenery and many great historic houses to visit.
As you guys have mentioned that you like being outdoors i would recommend: The Lincolnshire Wolds, Blankley Point there you can take a boat trip and you can see seals and it is really cool there I would 100% recommended it and if you are looking for beaches I would recommend: Well-next-the-sea, Whitby, Skegness and Cromer hope you have fun coming to the uk.
I have an American wife of 20 yrs and sister in law, and we live in the city of Leeds an York respectively. I would highly recommend a visit to York, loads of history and a Cathedral. Also there are loads of pubs hundred of years old, and you can visit the home of Guy Fawkes! Leeds is 30 mins away by train and has canals and a royal Armoury.
If you're going to visit any number of National Trust or English Heritage properties , I would suggest getting a membership for each . The National Trust are mostly intact furnished properties and English Heritage are mostly castles and ruins . As you head up on the east side towards Edinburgh , Bamburgh is an amazing place to visit you have the castle , RNLI Grace Darling museum and a few miles up the road Lindisfarne island the first place the Vikings landed in Britain . Then just to the left of Edinburgh you have the Falkirk wheel , the Kelpies and below Edinburgh you have Rosslyn chapel as in the Da vinci code .
If you come to swindon, let me know. The roundabout is fun, but the town is a dive!! However I live about 10 miles south in Avebury. I recommend you look it up, we have an ancient stone circle, the summer solstice, Avebury manor, Silbury hill and west Keennet long barrow. I live on a farm there...., I can guide you.. By the way, I think your missing a lot by focussing on the North...Edinburgh and York yes, Leed, why??? In Scotland have a look at the falkirk wheel and the kelpies, you'd love em.....
You seriously need to visit Durham (town, castle and cathedral), Alnwick, and Bamburgh on your way to Scotland. In Scotland you should arrive via Gretna Green. Then make sure you visit Loch Tay. Certainly include Oxford and Hever Castle (house and gardens) in Kent. Make sure you go inside a proper English village church along the way.
I don't know if it's still your intention but you mentioned in the livestream that your brother wanted to go to Bladon to see Chruchill's grave. Bladon is in the Cotswolds very close to the town of Woodstock and is easy to get to by public transport (London to Oxford train then a bus to Woodstock). As that is somewhere you wanted to see I would focus on that area of the Cotswolds. Woodstock is also Home to Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill and home of the Duke of Marlborough. If you thought the mansion on this video was big you 'aint seen nothing yet! You can visit the room Chruchill was born in and small exhibition about his life. I live about 10 miles south of Swindon which is near the southern edge of the Cotswolds. There isn't anything exciting to see there but if you did want to do a quick stop so you can experience the magic roundabout I'd be happy to drive you over it a few times! I could then take you on a rambling drive up to Woodstock, stopping at a few places of interest along the way. It would only take a few hours and you would get to see some of the Cotswold countryside without stressing about the roads! You could maybe spend the night at Oxford before continuing north. That way you get to see a bit of the Cotswolds. I fear that you could have a very full itinerary as you're packing in quite a lot for 13 days and you might end up spending as much time travelling as exploring. I know we are all throwing ideas at you but don't lose sight the main points that you want to do and allow time to just be in an area. Although we are a compact country we also packed in so it can take longer than you'd think to get places. I worked in tourism in England for 10 years and have seen many people do this. Oh and 20p does indeed mean 20 pence. You will find that lots of public toilets have a small charge which goes towards their upkeep. Ethan - most of the houses in the Cotswolds are built out of local stone known as Cotswold stone. It has a distinctive colour.
Lake Windermere is nice in the Lake District. The Low wood hotel I stayed at. Little Gatcombe Farm is really nice too on the Isle of white. It’s a little 4 star family run cottage in a valley. You’ve got hunting dogs just over the road, you get to collect fresh eggs in the morning from the hens, little bit of fun for the kids or yourselves, it’s just a pleasant place to be 👍
Id say Cambridge is a good place to visit of you are making your way up from London, Its only about 40 Mins on the train north. Also, en route to the Cotswolds, go through Oxford rather than Swindon hahaha
If you’re going to Edinburgh, you will pass Alnwick in Northumberland where there is a huge castle where they made some of Harry Potter films. They also have magnificent gardens with fantastic water features, and the only garden in the UK where they are allowed to grow poisonous and cannabis plants. They are only viewed by organised tour. Just north of Alnwick is Bamburgh where there is another Castle right on one of the most beautiful beaches in our country. The village of Bamburgh is very much like the villages in the Cotswolds. There is also Durham Castle and Cathedral in Durham City, County Durham, just below Northumberland, where they also filmed some of Harry Potter. The Cathedral and Castle are World Heritage sites. Hope you love our country.
I live north east of the Cotswolds - about 20 miles away. Going from London via Woodstock (Bladon) to Peak District over just a few days, a good itinerary is: Witney, Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower and Upper slaughter, Stow-on-the-Wold, Broadway, Evesham, Alcester, then the A435 up to the M42/A42 east around Birmingham and up to the M1, turn off for Alfreton on the A38 then Matlock, Bakewell, Ashford-in-the-Water, Chesterfield and bomb it up the A1 for York/Yorkshire Dales. There's loads to see there too - I'd recommend York, Knaresborough, Harrogate, Ripon, Layburn west to Hawes then back to Layburn, on to Richmond and up the A1(m)/A1 taking in Durham, Alnwick, Bamburgh, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Kelso, Edinburgh.
Ive actually been to the pub in Castle Combe and it is expensive , as for the cottages all are lived in and residents go about daily routine as tourists ( I was one) stare and take pictures. The South West has so much to offer as well as the places in your video there is Bristol ( Home of Banksy , The Suspension bridge The SS Great Britain and the pirate Blackbeard ) Stonehenge , Avebury , Bath the list goes on. Im really excited to watch you guys on this journey in June .. P.S a Folly is a fake castle put up by rich people in the past to show off.
I believe that a "folly" is not necessarily a castle, just any fanciful structure that appears to be from another time or place. They're often very pretty and I guess "fake" is an appropriate term but can also be applied to many buildings that wouldn't be considered "Follies", for example, Tower Bridge or the Houses of Parliament
Why does everyone think it’s expensive? Where do you all live? Where do you go out to eat? I’m in Kent and that is a very reasonable price being shown. We have higher prices in our pubs and restaurants. We go out for an evening out and one drink is £8.50. We can easily spend over £100 on a two course meal for two people and a couple of drinks each.
@@NailHeavenAshford Yes, "fanciful" but not necessarily a castle. I'm well aware that they have no purpose and were the "folly" of wealthy people but many of them are very pretty. I'm not wealthy at all but I don't begrudge rich people their structural vanities when they're pretty and harmless 😉
Rather than a zig-zag it would be better to go north on the east side on the A1/M1, and then come back on the west side on the M6 then M5. That puts you in close proximity to all of the places, and it’s basically a gateway to Wales, north and south. The M5 is basically the route to the Cotswolds. Once at the end of the M5 it’s about two hours to the amazing far west tip of Cornwall if you avoid the busy tourist hours. I live here and can advise you on the best quieter parts that are not overrun by tourists. The route back to London will take you past Stonehenge, but that’s a bit Marmite! I live near St Ives, Cornwall and I lived in York for fifteen years. DM me if you want any advice.
On the way to the Cotswolds, just beside Oxford, is Blenheim Palace. It's one of the greatest of the grand houses in England and the only non-Royal house to be designated a palace. You do have to pay to get in, but it's worth it. Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds is lovely. It's fairly easy to go north from the Cotswolds to the Peak District. The town of Bakewell is worth a look. You can sample both the Bakewell Pudding and the Bakewell Tart here. Close by is one of the other great houses of England, Chartwell. If you've seen the 2005 movie of Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightly, this is the house that doubles a Darcy's Pemberley. I've visited it a few times and never tire of seeing around it. It really is glorious. From here to York is fairly straight forward. It's not too far and you're on motorway for most of it. From York to Edinburgh is a bit of a schlep, but not for Americans used to long distances I suppose. How long are you over here. If it's for two weeks, then you probably have time to fit in most of these.
if you are coming form London take the A40 to a village called Burford which is the gateway to the cotswolds. I live 2 miles away. Places to visit, Bibury (trout farm catch your own fish) also has parking down the back lane off main road. Bourton on the water, stow on the wold, Cotswold safari park, Upton Smokery great food, Blenheim Palace isn't far away, loads of little villages with great pubs.
Best if you do zigzag so you get to see not only the Cotswolds but also Warwickshire - for Warwick itself but also Stratford for a bit of Shakespeare history - and if you have time come to Birmingham, it's the second city for a reason and some great things to do here :) Deffo watch part 2 for Bourton on the Water! You'll never be able to see everything in the UK though, I've lived here for nearly 50 years and there's still so much to explore...
Bath, Cambridge, York, Northumberland coastline, Bambara Castle, Holy Island- Lake District (a must) Chatsworth House, London ( so many different areas) just so many, Devon Cornwall.. just loads of lovely amazing places here…not to mention Brighton…
I live close to the peak District where you have Bakewell ( where bakewell pudding was invented- but called Bakewell tart?) You can carry on and call in at Buxton( famous for its spring water) the locals fill there empty containers....it's free and its in the town centre,The Natural spring water made the town Famous and you can buy it from the supermarket. Buxton also as a Opera House( l live there for 2years whilst studying) Chatsworth House is still in the hands of the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire,all the cottages around the Estate are rented to the people who work at Chatsworth House. You have the scenario of a beautiful House, its surrounding Estate is equally beautiful. You can drive through the grounds, it can get really busy in Summer with Bus/ coach loads of tourists.
You need to visit Northumberland on the way to Scotland. The beaches are beautiful and Alnwick Castle was used in the Harry Potter films, well worth a visit 👍😉
I live in a small town north of Swindon which calls itself the Gateway to the Cotswolds. The Cotswolds villages and towns are lovely and the Magic Roundabout in Swindon is not as scary as its reputation, just point yourself towards the direction you want to go and you'll be right.
You are probably overrun with suggestions and "You must go to/see/avoid at all costs" comments, but I still can't resist adding my tuppence! If in the Cotswolds, I thoroughly recommend a tour of the Hook Norton brewery, a wonderfully traditional brewer dating back to the mid 19th century and still with much original equipment either present or still in use. I toured there last year and it was fantastic (lots of stairs, but a great tour). You'll get samples to try but even non drinkers will love the historical side.
The Cotswolds and the West/Southwest in general are great areas to visit for that traditional English heritage. I live in a historic Market Town 5 minutes drive from Castle Combe another historic village called Lacock, and several Manor houses such as Bowood House and Lucknam Park these villages are focused on tourism and the local residents enjoy telling visitors all about their village, theses locations have been used as film sets for many movies and TV Shows including Harry Potter and Downton Abbey there are many Manor houses, churches and cobble stone streets across the UK but although i may be bias im sure many people will agree that the Cotswolds and the West Country has protected its historic infrastructure better than other places in the UK,
Probably way out of your way this time around but definitely worth visiting Orkney in Scotland if you ever decide to come to Scotland again. It is an amazing place for outdoorsy people with lots of walks, fantastic views, and so many almost untouched prehistoric ruins and historical stone buildings. We live up in Orkney and there are few places in the world like it. It is definitely a place that time forgot.
100% agree with that last sentiment about putting the camera down. You can't live life through a lens. Contrary to popular belief, cameras are not for creating memories, they are for reminding you of your own memories . My advice would be try not to cram more in than you can manage. A few select places to visit and to really take in and absorb, would be better than many many hurried and rushed visits. After all there is always going to be something you wish you could've have done no matter how fast you go. Quality over quantity. It's going to be amazing 😀
Lake District is a must you definitely won't regret it. The lake District has the biggest mountains in England and there's so many of them and they are really close together being that they were formed by glacial erosion. It's so beautiful and full of history. Please make time to go it's miles ahead of the Yorkshire dales even though I love it there too.
I’ve just come back from 4 days in the Cotswolds, staying in Burford where there is plenty to see with lots of cafes and shops. Bibury was worth the visit because it is very pretty, also found Chipping Campden and Bourton on the Water really nice as well. You could spend several days in the area and not see everything. In the summer these places can become packed with tourists. Thankfully you are doing some research and can pick and choose your must visit places, I think your plan to visit York is a good one; very historic, very interesting!
Ten years ago I lived on the edge of the Cotswolds. At that time I visited some of the villages but without a car ( I don’t drive) it took some planning and not all are easy to navigate by rail. Things may have improved but it will probably take a bit more planning than other places you are likely to visit. If you are out that way then head back to your route north via Warwick Castle and Stratford Upon Avon. Also if you plan on visiting a number of National Trust properties or English Heritage sites it might be worth take a one year family membership with either or both. They will offer 50% off entrance to certain properties in Scotland (the Isle of Man and Wales although you aren’t visiting the latter two). For example English Heritage membership will get you 50% off entry to Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle. Whatever you do have a marvellous time.
A suggestion, as you're definitely going to York, just above it and to the right on the coast is Whitby. Really lovely seaside town, lots of little streets and shops and pubs, very good fish and chips, and an amazing old half destroyed abbey high above the town with a museum. You mentioned the Yorkshire Dales, to get to Whitby you would drive through the Yorkshire Moors which is to the right of the Dales, also very beautiful. Also has a goth festival every year due to Dracula links! Just before Edinburgh, the little town of Dunbar is also quite nice, nice beaches all along there. Finally, as someone in the comments also said, if you do go across to the Cotswolds, go through Oxford, not Swindon. Enjoying your videos from London :) Edit: Someone else mentions Whitby below- it's a good shout!
If you decide to see The Cotswolds, then you will need to drive. Make sure you book an auto. Cars are predominantly stick shift, and you're better concentrating on our narrow roads (they're not all like that!) than over which gear to be in (unless you have a manual in the States). I would strongly recommend a night in Bath (where I live) which is a beautiful Georgian city with fab pubs and great eating. You are straight into The Cotswolds when you drive north from here. You'll hear plenty of American accents here, as it's a favourite tourist stop.
Such a shame if you are heading west you could have popped into south east Wales over the Severn Bridge to see Tintern Abbey in the stunning Wye Valley😍- so beautiful! Somewhere like Longleat in nearby Somerset would be a good place to go as you can easily spend a day there - Longleat House is more interesting than the one in this clip- it's so old and filled with historic items and portraits. The Safari park around it is fun and there lots to see in the grounds- it would be a good break from driving. These places would probably be a little too far out though and you would end up rushing which is definitely not what you want to do getting used to driving here! I would try to avoid those narrow roads where theres loads of tourists - maybe just drop into the eastern Cotswolds shown at the end of the video- you don't want to put yourselves under pressure driving in difficult circumstances and getting flustered- you will want to take your time. The Cotswolds might be nice to look at but you don't want to end up wasting time there as other than being picturesk there's not really much to do. More a place to spend a chilled week long holiday wandering round. I think Warwick castle would definitely be a good stop as its on your way North from the Cotswolds- I think its one of the biggest castles in Britain- lots to see and explore, medieval shows etc.
Visit Bourton on the Water, Stow on the Wold. There is a cute little pub called The Fox at Broadwell, just off the Foss Way between Stow and Bourton. They play an ancient game out in the garden called Aunt Sally. Worth a visit. But I live in Yorkshire, God's own Country. The biggest county in England and arguably the best. Places you must visit... York, city walls, minster, Clifford's Tower, museums and the famous Shambles narrow streets of timbered buildings. Plus the York Centre, a museum that takes you back to Viking times in York as you travel on a little electric carriage. You even get the smells from each display. Also, Whitby on the coast has lots to see and do. The north York moors has a steam railway running from Whitby to Pickering. Gorgeous moorland views especially in early August when the Heather is in flower. Leeds has the Royal Armouries museum. I hope you have 3 months vacation. Why not come and live here? You would love it.
If you're outdoorsy types but don't want the full faff of hiking, have a read about the UK's Public Footpaths - legally protected pedestrian rights of way through the countryside. There's a wonderful circular route through a few Cotswolds villages that really lets you appreciate the landscape and architecture. When I walked it,I started at Broadway Tower: searching for that will probably be the best way to unearth it from the internet!
Part 2 I saw brum in the car museum, it was a kids TV show, the little car creeps out and has adventures and saves the day then returns home before they shut and the guy always finds something in the back, I've been watching it on BBC iplayer ❤
The Cotswold's is an area, not a county, it is also an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), I live very close. In fact there are several such areas just in the west of England. I would recommend going to Bath if you plan on visiting the west of England, perhaps visit the Roman baths? Bath was a very important Roman settlement, as was York. Two Roman emperors died in York, Septimius Severus & Constantius Chlorus.
Swindon’s “Magic Roundabout” may seem daunting when you’re on it, but you just treat it as a series of roundabouts - downside is this layout needs a lot of space, but if we had the space we could put them in everywhere for they work so well. True, one approach road is no longer a main route, but when it was it was still great - I used to work there. (Not on the roundabout - I mean Swindon). Some of our country roads are narrow. You get used to it; you just have to breathe in (lol). Castle Combe, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-water, Broadway (Burford is just antique shops and a traffic queue in summer) - sometimes it’s best to visit less touristy places to avoid the parking issues, crowds and prices. The Costswolds, I feel, are better experienced on a long hike - forget the car. Want to know the Costwolds? Check out the TV comedy This Country - as a local this embodies the Cotswolds. The chimney tops would be shared - a house each side, so count them as two houses. I’d recommend sticking to your plan to travel north up the country - it takes longer going east-west, so if you have time check out Derbyshire and the Peak District, as it won’t take you too much off your route.
the cotswolds has some really lovely areas and villages to explore. honestly there are just to many great places in the uk to visit in one trip but if you're outdoorsy people then you should 100% make sure you pass through the lake district on your way up to scotland. its easily some of the most beautiful countryside in england.
Can't go wrong with peak district- make sure you stop by in Castleton. Love it. Not sure Leeds is worth visiting if youre only vistiting a select few places- I'm from Sheffield so there could be loads I dont know about but from the few times I've been its a really nice city but nothing of note. Someone else said it below- if you can find time for Bath that would be a plus. Only small but nice
There are many pretty villages in the Cotswolds. These are very popular and are on the tourist maps for most visitors. It gets very, very busy. Some of the villages are extremely popular, Castle Combe, the Slaughters, Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold get very busy. Try watching the video’s of Dara & Ian, Magenta Otter Travel. I recommend these. P.S. if you are travelling to Edinburgh then you should be aware of the Festival and Tattoo. These are days to avoid without booking ahead for accommodation.
If you go up the west side of England (M6 Motorway) you go by the Peak District, go near Liverpool, (home of the Beatles) and then pass the Lake District, the nicest outdoors in England, full of lovely walks round lakes and up mountains. Then carry on to Glasgow, Scotland's second city before popping across to Edinbrough.
If you’re travelling up to Edinburgh, then you must make time and visit the Lake District in Cumbria. It has all the quaintness of the the Cotswolds, plus dramatic lakes and mountains. Only having two weeks here you need to plan your itinerary carefully. Although distances are not long by American standards, roads and traffic are a nightmare! You need to factor in plenty of travelling time. Good luck!
Cotswolds is an area, not a town. So there’s lots of quaint villages to see. Don’t go to Swindon!!! It’s sixties concrete, although the people are still nice. I’ve been around the roundabout several times unintentionally. Go to Oxford as a start.
Pretty though they are, they are still working living villages and towns! Residents go to work every day, as normal, village life itself usually revolves around friends, dinner parties etc. the Church, the schools, all the normal activiities. The pub is always the hub in the village ....
There is a well-loved UK sitcom called "Red Dwarf" with a sci-fi theme. At one point one of the leading characters dies, and is then restored to life. His companions ask: "What was it like?" He replies: "Well, have you ever been to Swindon?" Guys, the fact that you can google "Fun things to do in Swindon" and #1 on the list is a traffic junction tells you all you need to know.
Cant wait to see the itinery for your UK visit, you will never be able to see all you want to , but thats good it means you will come back again :) Be sure to try and stay in bed and breakfasts and smaller type accomidations than brand hotels, you will have a much nicer experience.
Regarding driving, some of those roads are very small and some are even single track. However most roads are ample wide enough so don't panic . You will probably encounter some narrow roads in some remote areas but they're not as scary as they look. The single track roads have passing places to drive into whilst people pass. And if you do encounter these sorts of roads you won't be on them for long. They're usually just connecting roads to wider roads within small villages.
My daughter had lived in that area (I live about 60 minutes from the Cotswolds) until last year , she now lives in Maryland and finds plenty to visit in the US, especially Washington DC.. With any travelling you will never have enough time, and it's almost enough to get a flavour of the area for perhaps a repeat visit at a later date. Almost any place in the UK you'll find a combination of castle, history, local foods and green scenery so you'll not be disappointed. Having driven on both sides of the road it's surprising how naturally is comes if the steering wheel is on the correct side, and with the size of roads change the GPS settings to ignore the "B" roads as much as possible, there are usually alternatives as Trucks need routes as well.
Ethan, I am always amazed that American houses seem to be made out of matchwood even though you get tornados and they burn down to literally nothing. Love you guys xxx
If you are considering the Peak District it might be worth a visit to Chatsworth House in Bakewell. It's closed right now but reopens March this year (2022) and you may have seen it in The Crown, The Duchess (with Keira Knightley) and various TV & Movie versions of Pride & Prejudice, perhaps because it was actually named in the original Jane Austin book. Peak District National Park, very close to where I live (it's the view from my window) close to Glossop... I walk to Kinder Scout often through the summer months (and then had a few cold pints in the pub upon my return, anyone who walks the Peak District knows that's a must at the end of the day), if you like very hilly views then you'll like it. I've visited many places across the UK myself, but never been to the Cotswolds, though I always loved the place ever since I did a jigsaw puzzle of some Cotswold cottages when I was young. Beautiful place.
Highly recommend you visit The Lake District which is there right before you get to Scotland. Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside are all real close to each other and easy to get to as they are roughly on your route to Scotland.. It's always as if you had walked into a picture postcard. Check out CZcams videos, numerous on the Lake district. Aside from that, save money and make up picnics etc. Some great little tea shops wherever you go in the tourist spots but generally they are expensive just like everything in the most touristy places. Most important of all....have a great holiday over here.
Here's a tip when planning a UK visit: In the States, if someone asks how far it is from A to B, the answer will be in "TIme" rather than "Miles." Not so in the UK, where we first calculate "Distance" via a specific route, then the "Time" it will take. 100 miles in the US is NOT the same as 100 miles in the UK. I often travel a particulary journey of 120 miles. Depending on the time of day, the season, the weather and the road conditions, it will sometimes take three hours, while at other times it can take up to six hours. With that in mind, you may not see as much as you planned, so the key to enjoying your trip is to check out your maps and routes, the time you want to spend at any location, with the distance between being a major factor. Visiting all of those villages in the Cotswolds will take your entire day, and even then, you may not see as much as you expected.
Most main roads ("A" roads) have a speed limit of 60mph - that does not mean you can travel 60 miles in one hour!! You would be lucky indeed to cover much more than 45 miles at best. Our motorways (M1, M4 etc) have a 70mph speed restriction, which can drop to 20/10mph in certain places, or even a dead stop due to traffic/weather conditions. So be circumspect in your planning.
If you're not accustomed to driving on the left, you can expect to take much longer to travel.
In the US, most of the roads are straight-ish; in the UK, the roads are mainly full of bends (curves) that were constructed in ancient times around farms and estates. City travel can set you back hours!
If travelling to Glasgow, Scotland from say London, you need to think at least 6-8 hours, and that's not taking refreshment/nature breaks into account. Motorway service stations are not always the easiest places to get in and ouf of, and they are the most expecive places to eat and refuel. You have a lot to think about, so do your research thoroughly! Do your visits leisurely!
Do not go to Swindon! But June is a great time to visit. The day-light lasts from about 5am to 10pm
What’s wrong with Swindon?
...and the School holidays haven't started so the aren't hundreds of kids running around. 😂
Nothing wrong with it but what's special about it?
I swear to god if you start talking about roundabouts I'll be swinging from the rafters.
@@adamdyson3977 Nothing wrong with it but it is just a generic town. These people have 2 weeks. I guess they want to see picturesque scenery and ancient architecture
Completely agree, Swindon really isn't anything special. Hopefully they see the comment and change their minds
If you are visiting the UK, travelling around, and like historic sites, you may find it a good idea to buy a National Trust membership or a two-week Touring Pass, which gives you free entrance to many hundreds of locations. English Heritage also run a similar scheme for their sites.
Yes, good idea. A family membership will give you a good inclusive price. The English NT gives you free or reduced entrance in Wales and Scotland too.
The National Trust also have a specific version of their membership designed for Americans who visit - I believe it's called the Oak Leaf Foundation. I think it's less cost than a full UK National Trust membership but may not cover all their sites, as it's focused on the most popular/high-profile ones.
It's not free?? You've paid for a pass to visit them places..
Whitby on the Yorkshire coast is well worth a visit. It’s where Bram Stoker was inspired to write ’Dracula’ because of the strange graveyard on the top of the cliffs. It’s a beautiful little harbour town and has some fantastic beaches on the North Sea. 🥰
strange graveyard! why strange?
I live in Oxford and highly recommend you travel through here on your way to the Cotswolds rather than Swindon. I’ve lived in several countries (including USA) and Oxford is one of my all time favourite cities - it’s totally unique. Within the Cotswolds I recommend: Broadway, Burford, Bourton o-t-W, Cirencester
I think Oxford is a wonderful place,I’d love to be able to live there ,it’s my favourite place in the UK
What are you talking about Swindon's a beautiful place! With many scenic roundabouts. MANY scenic roundabout.
Like, so many roundabouts.
Oxford is so small and quaint. My favourite English city too.
I’m also from Oxford and I agree! Very proud to be from such a beautiful city and county
...& Witney!
If you enjoy yourselves in June and want to return the the UK again for a second vacation, then definitely do Cornwall and the south west and Jurassic coast. It might be slightly out of the way but it's worth it - watch the BBC / Netflix series Poldark to get an idea of the Cornish countryside and history around there. There are loads of seaside villages, sandy beaches, and beautiful scenery and good weather. Also, Plymouth is down that part of England, so you could visit where your forefathers sailed off to the new world.
Definitely visit Devon and the Jurassic coast!
Plymouth has soo much history and old buildings with a beautiful seafront, Cornwall is stunning to
Love Poldark 🇬🇧
Cornwall is my most favourite place, just beautiful
I'm watching this from the Cotswolds!! Bourton-on-the-Water is lovely, there's a maze and a model village and some great sweet shops. There's a nice walk from there to Lower Slaughter which is equally stunning. Hope you enjoy wherever you choose to go.
I came here to post basically the same comment :)
Ooh I didn’t know. I love a model village. I’ll suggest this to my husband. Maybe we could do a very long weekend there.
Have you been to Clarkson's Didley Squat Farm yet???
I grew up in Northenden, Manchester until I was 14 then moved to Mississippi US and have been here since. I did go back to England from 1994 until 1997 after Princess Diana died. I had my daughter with me who was 14 at the time. She was miserable because she missed her friends etc. I do miss England sometimes but at my age now plus a disability it’s impossible to go back as I would need someone to help me etc. Thankyou for making me homesick lol. Enjoy yourselves if you go. Best wishes from Mississippi.
I live in Cheltenham which is on the edge of the Cotswolds. It's so easy to walk the Cotswolds because of the public footpaths. Bourton-on-the-water has penguins and a place called the Cornish Bakery which I love to go to. Winchcombe is also a great place with a wonderful castle called Sudeley which is a combination of ruins and newish builds. Also Kathrine Parr (Last wife of Henry 8ths) Burial site is there. 😊
Bourton on the water is stunning
I live in Cheltenham too 🙂. Winchcombe is where I’d say most Americans pick to stay when visiting the Cotswolds because it’s pretty central to all the surrounding areas worth seeing such as Chipping Campden, Broadway, and Northleach
I’m in Cheltenham too! I’d definitely recommend Bourton-on-the-Water - we took American friends there when they came for a visit and they LOVED it!
@@juliemartin4267 Defiantly agree. Great bus links too. 😊
@@sarahv7113 The little village is always a good one to show people. Haha. 😊
You will have to come back another time to see the Lake District too!! In my opinion the most gorgeous place in the UK (York a close second). It’s in the north west so not on your route but is amazing for outdoorsy people!!
Base yourself in Oxford for a few days and do day trips to the Cotswolds/Bladon. Do not, I repeat, do not go to Swindon.
Churchill is buried in Bladon and I wept visiting his grave. Much lesser men have much grander burial places; it's very touching that this great man has such a simple resting place. And, if you go to Bladon, you are a stone's throw from Blenheim Palace in Woodstock - if you want to be impressed by the sheer size and grandeur of a British country house, visit Blenheim, ironically, where Winston Churchill was (accidentally) born. It is the home of the Dukes of Marlborough, the only family outside of the British royal family whose line can go to female family members, so the title will last in perpetuity. Not only are the Dukes related to Winston Churchill, they are also related to Diana, Princess of Wales, the former Lady Diana Spencer, the Marlboroughs' surname is Spencer-Churchill.
Travel from London to Oxford, on the M40 (motorway/freeway) avoiding Swindon, and then go through Burford. There are many beautiful villages and towns in the north Cotswolds. I can see the Broadway tower from where I live, about 6 miles away. You can travel north to the Peak District highly recommended, and up to York (visit the National Railway Museum and the Jorvik Viking Center) and on through Northumbria, take a look at Hadrian's Wall (remains of a Roman wall that went right across the country from East to west, to keep the Scots out), then on to Scotland. I recommend using the Motorways (freeways) as much as possible, you will find them easier. Some of our country lanes are way more narrow than the one you commented on.
Most of our Country Parks have ordinary people living and working in them, although houses and prices can be very expensive.
Thanks for sharing. I love that in Britain you don't have to ever travel far for that feeling that you are living in a massive museum.
You are so right. Down the road from me is Britain’s most haunted village, thatched cottages, an underground shell grotto, Canterbury, an underground catacombs full of skeletons, some beautiful walks, castles, I just never realised what was on my doorstep.
Not a bad description!
Churches in the countryside are often very old. Castles get knocked down by wars - and the stone gets pinched for other buildings. That menu is expensive but it’s posh. It’s in one of the most expensive areas in the country, so prices are high.
Castles in this country were slighted mostly during the English Civil war to reduce their value. A lot of our castles were damaged deliberately for that reason.
I’m from Ke t. I thought that menu was actually very reasonable, almost cheap. Then again, Kent pubs and restaurants do charge quite a lot. I wouldn’t consider it ‘posh’. It’s fairly standard pub fare.
In rural districts (such as the Cotswolds) there are very few train stations and the bus services are infrequent, if they exist at all, so you WILL need to drive! Not mentioned in the video - Burford has England's oldest pharmacy shop and it still retains all the original interior fittings. It's free to go in to look around.
Burford is stunning !!!
If you're going that way you might want to check out Cheddar (just google: Cheddar, Somerset) (its where the cheese came from) just click "images" you'll see what I mean.
Also, when going up north you could go through Barnard Castle (my home town) and check the bowes museum, they have a 1772 automata (a swan made of pure silver that dances and eats tiny silver fish) Author Mark Twain wrote about it: "I watched the Silver Swan, which had a living grace about his movement and a living intelligence in his eyes, watched him swimming about as comfortably and unconcernedly as if he had been born in a morass instead of a jeweller’s shop."
I agree wholeheartedly. I live in Weardale not far away. Barny is one of my favourite 'afternoons out'. I've been to see many a band or production at The Witham as well.
@@coolmum47 Speaking of witham reminds me of the last time I was there for a comedy night. my nan got called on "whats your name, love?"... for reasons no-one ever found out, she said "john".. brought the house down, so the comedian just kept coming back to her for more laughs "what kind of phone do you have, john?"... she pauses... "...mobile" :D
Barnard Castle. The resting place of the wonderful Hannah Hauxwell.
@@wacka. Your Nan sounds like my kinda person !!!
I live in Hamsterley... about 14 miles away..😂Barney is a great town and my mum and I used to work in Artisan the gift shop. ( above the castle tearooms as was ) ♥️
The cotswolds are extremely expensive place to live as many properties are second homes to the rich and famous. There's been an issue with locals getting priced out in many of the most popular cotswolds villages and towns. Even a small 2 bed terrace (row house) can go for $1m in some places!
York is a must. Beautiful and steeped in history....so many things to do when you get there.
+ Whitby and Robin Hood's Bay
And Chester.
Bloody loads of magical places north of Watford.
I remember going to York. I walked into a bakery and with my Home Counties accent I asked for two cakes. Every head whipped around to look at the ‘stranger’. The words ‘this is a local village for local people, there’s nothing for you here’ came straight to my head.
If you're going from York to Edinburgh, call in at Durham which has the best Norman cathedral in the UK.
This is the most excited I've ever seen someone when talking about potentially going to Swindon.
Just a suggestion. Book yourselves a one or two hour driving lesson as soon as you get here. It will help with your confidence on the roads.
That's a great idea 👍
I agree it's a great idea - just suggested it myself.
Hint : When driving on really narrow country roads, take notice of any 'passing spaces' (wider bits of road) you may need to reverse back to one to let someone else pass . It's kinda like an unspoken agreement, you may do it for someone, and someone else might do it for you.
There is a fabulous museum in Cirencester, the Corinium Museum. The town was the second most important Roman town in Britain and the museum would give you a much greater appreciation of the history.
Hi from The Cotswolds! I was born in the north of The Cotswolds and now live in the south. Castle Combe and Dyrham are just up the road! I used to go to Bibury and Burford when I was younger - it’s so beautiful. My ancestors have lived in The Cotswolds for about 300 years so I reckon it’s in my blood 😂. So expensive to buy a house now and I had to move away from where I grew up as now full of Londoners with ‘weekend homes’…sad really. Although we are a small island, travelling takes a lot of time as the roads are busy! I’ve been to the U.S. and it’s utterly different here. Give yourself plenty of time to get anywhere with nearly 70 million people on and island 600 miles long 😂. June is a great time to visit with lots of daylight hours….hope you have a lovely time 👍🏻🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
It’s extremely expensive! I wouldn’t bother tbh, you’ve seen it from the video. If you’re going to the Derbyshire Dales you could visit Chatsworth House, have a look on google. It’s huge and has childrens park etc
Definitely visit York! We go once a year. It was the capital of England at one point before London. While near York you could visit the seaside town Whitby and Robins Hoods bay next to it, that’s where pirates and smugglers use to dock etc the moors and Peak District/Dales are similar to your landscapes so you wouldn’t gain much from it. But, York, Whitby 👌🏻 you’ll love
In my opinion the Cotswolds is far more picturesque than the Peak District and quite unique. There are so many beautiful villages that it would take weeks to see them all. A lovely area and definitely should not be missed.
You both should check out "Fountains Abbey" Founded in 1132 its a national trust site in North Yorkshire, It is one of the largest ruined monasteries in England.
If you do drive to Edinburgh I would suggest going up the A1 if you can keeping an eye out for the Angel of the North at Gateshead (near Newcastle). Further up break at Lindisfarne (where the Vikings supposedly landed and killed all the monks). You will find this road to be easy to drive on.
The different rural areas of the UK have different characteristics. The Cotswolds and a large area around Stamford have sandstone housing. In large parts of Essex and Suffolk the old houses are frequently timber framed (timber is black and the plaster infill is usually white or pink). Go to the Peaks or Lakes and the old houses are stone-built, as are Devon and lots of Scots homes, but with different stone. Cob is also traditional in Devon.
The old towns and cities have often retained lots of traditionally-built buildings - Oxford, Cambridge, Colchester, Norwich, Lincoln, and so on.
You could spend a year travelling the length and breadth of the UK and still be amazed at the variation in scenery and architecture - I am a 63-year-old Brit and still am. We have buildings and roads still in use after well over 2000 years since their building............................................. Monuments and man-made landscape features go WAY back before that.
And that all ignores the natural landscapes - we have no deserts or tundra, or vast tracts of forest, but we do have a trully green and pleasant land.
Some years back, I was following a Floridian CZcamsr and thinking how so far away he was, and then, the next thing, found out he'd just visited the UK and travelled by train up to Scotland, passing just a few miles away from where I live. And now, if you guys travel on that road route from London to Edinburgh, just before drawing level with Newton Aycliffe, you'll be passing just eight miles away from me! Amazing! 😀
I recently read an account of recently arrived GIs in WW2, and they were transported in the dark by train and truck to a Cotswolds village. They saw nothing on the journey. After a long sleep, a young American soldier woke up and decided to walk outside down the street in the morning. He encountered what he described as a 'Disney Film Set'. We're more used to it, but his description was quite typical. When you come, you are so enthusiastic that you must ask, ask and ask to clarify anything you understand. 95% of people won't mind at all.
I’m Australian, have never been to UK, but watch on tv and CZcams the Uk tv show - Escape To The Country. I love the look of the Cotswold and so many other places. Also learned far more history than I already knew.
Glad you decided to go to the Cotswolds!!! It's insanely beautiful and such a beautiful village area
A few years ago the American editor of a "I love England and everything about it and would like to live there" website announced that he and his wife were going to do a car tour of England. I got excited and sent some info about the North and a suggested itinerary, including a book written in 1910 (approx) by two Americans who did a proper job of it. Instead they went to Cornwall where they had some friends, then Castle Combe, then York then home. Sounds familiar? All they really saw were motorways. Pointless trip. See the undocumented England. See where real people live and work. Look at the history of England. Don't just look at the oft-visited tourist traps. I've been to most regions of England. Lived in the s...hole of London. Been to York several times. Watch the youtube videos then go elsewhere to get bragging rights. See Blenheim, see Speke Hall, see Lyme Park, see Tatton Hall, see Dunham Massey, see Quarry Bank Mill, see Chatsworth House, See Hardwick House, see Buxton, Bakewell, see Holmfirth (on a train to Holyhead I met two Americans on their way back from there), see Beamish, see Durham Cathedral., see the Lake District, see the north of the Pennines, travel through the Peak District on the thrill-a-minute A6 (which I do frequently), Just get off the American tourist trap motorway trail. Be adventurous, go to Holyhead and take a day-trip by ferry to Dublin (bus from the ferry, wander round, bus back to ferry).
You have to visit Snowdonia (Wales). The views are unreal. Paddleboarding on the Llyn Padarn Lake - Llanberis or zip lining through the mountains (velocity 2) will make some amazing content.
Don't need the word 'lake' after it. Llyn means lake.
Llechwedd slate caverns.
Lake railway.
Electric Mountain.
Snowdon Railway and summit.
Climbing lessons.
Dry stone walling lessons.
Pete's Eats.
Plenty to do in Llanberis.
I used to live in a town called Banbury in North Oxfordshire which is on the edge of the Cotswolds, it’s a beautiful place to live but always annoyed me whenever I went into the villages as all you see are tourists even though it’s completely understandable!
Bourton-on-the-water is one of my favourite places in the Cotswolds and Stow-on-the-wold is always full of tourists. Haven’t finished the video so if they aren’t on this you should look them up!
A few suggestions, in the Peak District visit Bakewell to try Bakewell Tart and Bakewell Pudding, and vist two historic and very different houses very close together, Chatsworth House home of the Dukes of Devonshire and the model for Pemberley the home of Jane Austen's Mr Darcy. Plus Haddon Hall a tudor house, little altered and used for many films including A Princess Bride.
Between York and Edinburgh consider stopping off at Durham, wonderful city centre with its castle and cathedral. Then at Alnwick Castle, home of the Dukes of Northumberland, used as Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films. Or Bamburgh Castle, great Castle on the coast in a little village with great cafes, and beach.
Castle Combe has a good hotel with a Michelin star restaurant. Also very near is Lacock which is worth a visit. Both could be visited en-route to Bath which is close to the second recommendation of Dyrham Park. Parking at Castle Combe is free, though on a sunny day there's plenty of competition with dog walkers for spaces. Lacock and Dyrham Park are both National trust properties. If you are interested in these, it may be sensible to get a National Trust tourism pass.
Living in the Greatest University City in the world, the City of Oxford (sorry Cambridge, Harvard etc but I'm biased 🤣) Oxfordshire is the gateway to the Cotswolds from the South East! I adhore the Cotswolds! In Oxfordshire we have fabulous villages like Deddington, Bampton, Burford, Broughton, Kelmscot etc and towns like Witney, Chipping Norton and of course Woodstock (home of the unesco world heritage site that is Blenheim Palace- birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill 👍 and the largest non Royal Palace!) The Cotswolds are second to non! My Sister got married in Moreton-in-The-Marsh in Gloucestershire which is also beautiful, plus Boughton-on-The Water and Stow-on-The Wold...so many beautiful places! Have a wonderful time!👍
Oxford is my place of birth. I still live within 40 miles and only 4 miles away from the village where I grew up. I don't think that there's any need for holidays abroad when we live on such a beautiful island. I'll never move away from here now. (I did but came back when the kids were all done with school/college.) Stratford upon Avon is also a stone's throw away, and a walk along the river with benches to sit on beneath stunning willow trees should you need a rest in the shade.
York, the 'northern jewel' which is the best destination the UK has for visitors wanting a full-on British experience. Give yourself a minimum of 2 full days (sleep there for 3 nights) to have the time to walk to all the attractions. Jorvik Viking Exhibition, York Minster, the medieval city walls, the Shambles, National Railway Museum, these are just the beginning of a long list. Founded in 71 AD, its history dates from the Roman occupation.
Yorkshire is perfect if you like the outdoors, you should also head across to Whitby from York, you can get a train there. It's a beautiful little seaside harbour town, with the best Fish and Chip restaurant called Trenchers. It is also the place where the boat came in from the novel Dracula
If you are going through Yorkshire, it might be worth popping in to Harrogate and definitely Whitby. Harrogate is a wealthy spa town and Whitby is a fantastic seaside town with a connection to Dracula!
There's no "w" in Harrogate Bob.
Bugger Dracula, Whitby is the best town in England for fish & chips!
@@northnsouth6813 Yes, I thought it looked a bit odd. I was being lazy, using a dictation app.
@@northnsouth6813 What "w"? I've just changed it.😃
If you do decide not to drive on your visit but still wish to go to both York and Edinburgh the train is your best option. Get the train from King's Cross (which will endear you to Harry Potter fans) alight at York and spend as much time as you wish in that beautiful city. Thereafter you can continue to Edinburgh from the same station. During that journey you will pass through Durham and the view of Durham cathedral That you will see from there has to be amongst the most beautiful views in the world. However you choose to get around, I sincerely hope that you really enjoy your time here.
You probably know this, but just in case some advice from an Australian. As Americans I presume driving is usually seen as the default choice when touring a country. In Europe it often may not be. Roads can be very busy, fuel is expensive, driving in big cities you don't know stressful, parking very hard, hiring an automatic can add 50% to the price etc.
Sometimes it works out better to catch a train to a city/area first, and then just hire a car for the days you need to if you want to explore surrounding countryside.
For example, you can do a fantastic trip by train from King Cross station in London to Edinburgh with stops at York, Durham and Newcastle Upon Tyne. Every stop is walkable from the train station.
Kings Cross, London York
York is fabulous! Go to the train museum. It is incredible. Also go to the open-to-the-public Evensong in York Minster and listen to the choir from the ancient choral school across the way fill the Minster with glorious singing. I would stay in York for at least 3 nights. It's really great.
York Durham
Durham is a beautiful 800 year old Cathedral used in Harry Potter. I proposed here. You can walk up to it from the train station. You could just do this and get back on the train later in the day or stay one night. Picnic on the river below the cathedral can be lovely.
Durham Newcastle Upon Tyne
Newcastle Upon Tyne is a lovely northern town with a stunning inner city core next to its famous set of bridges along the Tyne River. It is easy to walk around from the train station. Great place to have some nights out in the great pubs and bars. The people are friendly and the accent is great. For outdoor experience catch local metro a few stops to Jesmond and walk to Jesmond Dene. Beautiful old park, stream, nature area. The football stadium is right in the city so good place for a tour of one. The roar washes over the city when their team scores.
Newcastle Edinburgh
The train stops in the middle of Edinburgh and you can walk to all the main city attractions.
All times from memory so wont be exact.
If you read this and want more information let me know and I'll help you. A great place to start for train trips in Europe is www.seat61.com. He has a great page on buying cheap tickets in Great Britain. Pre-booked trains in the UK are far, far, far cheaper than buying them close to the date of travel. Look up when tickets go on sale and then set calendar alerts and buy your tickets on the first day that the special ADVANCE tickets for a specific seat on a specific train go on sale. Unless you need the flexibility of any train, DO NOT buy the standard flexible tickets (ANYTIME or OFF-PEAK) which sometimes come first. These are much dearer.
Note that as well as the tube, London has a series of major train stations that are the departure stop for mainline trains that head off into different directions across the country. So for example to go north-east to Edinburgh you start at King Cross Station. To go to Europe you start at neighbouring St-Pancras Station. Paddington Station for south west I think. etc. The tube gets you to all these mainline train stations. So, for example, you'll have a Kings Cross tube station plus a Kings Cross mainline train station which will be connected.
You should consider pre-purchasing before you leave a Two Together Railcard from www.railcard.co.uk to get 1/3 off each train trip. Also note you can get discounts at London attractions (Tower Of London etc) if you arrive at the attraction/London by national rail train. See here: www.daysoutguide.co.uk
Costs will very much be up in the air over fuel prices. Though, if they're coming with other family members all squeezing in to a hire car is likely to be cheaper overall. Agree shopping around online & booking well in advance is a must. Using public transport to get in to cities & some touristy venues makes sense even if you have a car.
I live in Swindon (Bibury is not far but a very small village), used to live near Burford and worked in Oxford. Highly recommend you visit Oxford for the museums and architecture, but then pick one village/small town to visit in the morning, have lunch then move onto another village for the afternoon. You won’t need to spend all day in these villages. Just a few of the beautiful villages/small towns are Burford (called the gateway to the Cotswolds), Bourton on the Water, Stow on the Wold, Moreton in the Marsh, to name a few. You could go further west depending how much time you have. Or you could then drive out of the Cotswolds and north towards Stratford upon Avon (home of Shakespeare). The Cotswolds is just a collective name for a region, not a county (it’s spans parts of a few counties). Hope you have a fabulous touring holiday (vacation) xx
Hey guys!
I’m from Poole, near Bournemouth on the South coast.
As a Self employed electrician for most of my career I’ve travelled up and down the country, and there’s not a single bad village, town or city. I would urge you to try the “Jurassic coast” and check out the New Forest.
I’m bias, but have a look. The New Forest is great for outdoorsy types, and the Jurassic coast spans from Dorset and through Devon, packed full of seaside towns, beaches and fossil hunting spots.
Check it out guys, happy travelling!
Biased *
I live in the middle of the Cotswolds, just outside the small village of Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire... its surprising how much I take my surroundings for granted, so nice to see the place through your eyes
aawww, love your excitement, like a couple of kids, with ooohhh, and ahhh, Ethan saying wow cool, and Angela getting excited about the sweeties, where ever you go, you unfortunately will miss out on quite a few country villages, and hamlets, but that will just make you guys want to call again!, won t it..keep doing what your doing guys
My advice would be 3 main places which you have already picked London, York and Edinburgh. Once there go on trips to nearby places. Eg. From London you could go to Brighton. From York you could go to Whitby or Scarborough on the coast or the Dales. From Edinburgh you could go north to Inverness and the highlands. You're in serious danger of trying to fit too much in and spending all your time travelling. And don't just use the motorways if you want to see our countryside. Use the "A" roads that the motorways replaced.
Hi, from Oxfordshire here - Oxford has Christchurch, which is in the Harry Potter films and is on the way to Bladon! Bladon has a history of Stone Masons and Glovers, they would have provided a lot of the stone used in Cotswold and Oxfordshire houses, lots of stone masons in my family from the 1800's. I can't remember if Bladon is in the Cotswolds or just the border, but if not, a little detour is Burford which is in the Cotswolds and a very pretty village. Also very close to Blenheim Palace in Woodstock - Churchill was born in the Palace built 1705 to 1722. Beautiful gardens!! Driving from Oxford to Bladon to Blenheim to Burford and back to Oxford is around 48 miles. London is around an hour to 1.5 hours from Oxford. Wow, sorry so long! Lucy x
I’d recommend the Cotswolds but I’m biased as I live there. Depending on the length of your holiday I’d say not to spread your time too thin by travelling about too much. If you’re going north, Yorkshire and Derbyshire have stunning scenery and many great historic houses to visit.
As you guys have mentioned that you like being outdoors i would recommend: The Lincolnshire Wolds, Blankley Point there you can take a boat trip and you can see seals and it is really cool there I would 100% recommended it and if you are looking for beaches I would recommend: Well-next-the-sea, Whitby, Skegness and Cromer hope you have fun coming to the uk.
I have an American wife of 20 yrs and sister in law, and we live in the city of Leeds an York respectively. I would highly recommend a visit to York, loads of history and a Cathedral. Also there are loads of pubs hundred of years old, and you can visit the home of Guy Fawkes! Leeds is 30 mins away by train and has canals and a royal Armoury.
If you're going to visit any number of National Trust or English Heritage properties , I would suggest getting a membership for each . The National Trust are mostly intact furnished properties and English Heritage are mostly castles and ruins . As you head up on the east side towards Edinburgh , Bamburgh is an amazing place to visit you have the castle , RNLI Grace Darling museum and a few miles up the road Lindisfarne island the first place the Vikings landed in Britain . Then just to the left of Edinburgh you have the Falkirk wheel , the Kelpies and below Edinburgh you have Rosslyn chapel as in the Da vinci code .
If you come to swindon, let me know. The roundabout is fun, but the town is a dive!! However I live about 10 miles south in Avebury. I recommend you look it up, we have an ancient stone circle, the summer solstice, Avebury manor, Silbury hill and west Keennet long barrow. I live on a farm there...., I can guide you.. By the way, I think your missing a lot by focussing on the North...Edinburgh and York yes, Leed, why??? In Scotland have a look at the falkirk wheel and the kelpies, you'd love em.....
You seriously need to visit Durham (town, castle and cathedral), Alnwick, and Bamburgh on your way to Scotland. In Scotland you should arrive via Gretna Green. Then make sure you visit Loch Tay. Certainly include Oxford and Hever Castle (house and gardens) in Kent. Make sure you go inside a proper English village church along the way.
I don't know if it's still your intention but you mentioned in the livestream that your brother wanted to go to Bladon to see Chruchill's grave. Bladon is in the Cotswolds very close to the town of Woodstock and is easy to get to by public transport (London to Oxford train then a bus to Woodstock). As that is somewhere you wanted to see I would focus on that area of the Cotswolds. Woodstock is also Home to Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill and home of the Duke of Marlborough. If you thought the mansion on this video was big you 'aint seen nothing yet! You can visit the room Chruchill was born in and small exhibition about his life.
I live about 10 miles south of Swindon which is near the southern edge of the Cotswolds. There isn't anything exciting to see there but if you did want to do a quick stop so you can experience the magic roundabout I'd be happy to drive you over it a few times! I could then take you on a rambling drive up to Woodstock, stopping at a few places of interest along the way. It would only take a few hours and you would get to see some of the Cotswold countryside without stressing about the roads! You could maybe spend the night at Oxford before continuing north. That way you get to see a bit of the Cotswolds.
I fear that you could have a very full itinerary as you're packing in quite a lot for 13 days and you might end up spending as much time travelling as exploring. I know we are all throwing ideas at you but don't lose sight the main points that you want to do and allow time to just be in an area. Although we are a compact country we also packed in so it can take longer than you'd think to get places. I worked in tourism in England for 10 years and have seen many people do this. Oh and 20p does indeed mean 20 pence. You will find that lots of public toilets have a small charge which goes towards their upkeep.
Ethan - most of the houses in the Cotswolds are built out of local stone known as Cotswold stone. It has a distinctive colour.
Lake Windermere is nice in the Lake District. The Low wood hotel I stayed at. Little Gatcombe Farm is really nice too on the Isle of white. It’s a little 4 star family run cottage in a valley. You’ve got hunting dogs just over the road, you get to collect fresh eggs in the morning from the hens, little bit of fun for the kids or yourselves, it’s just a pleasant place to be 👍
Id say Cambridge is a good place to visit of you are making your way up from London, Its only about 40 Mins on the train north.
Also, en route to the Cotswolds, go through Oxford rather than Swindon hahaha
If you’re going to Edinburgh, you will pass Alnwick in Northumberland where there is a huge castle where they made some of Harry Potter films. They also have magnificent gardens with fantastic water features, and the only garden in the UK where they are allowed to grow poisonous and cannabis plants. They are only viewed by organised tour. Just north of Alnwick is Bamburgh where there is another Castle right on one of the most beautiful beaches in our country. The village of Bamburgh is very much like the villages in the Cotswolds.
There is also Durham Castle and Cathedral in Durham City, County Durham, just below Northumberland, where they also filmed some of Harry Potter. The Cathedral and Castle are World Heritage sites. Hope you love our country.
I live north east of the Cotswolds - about 20 miles away. Going from London via Woodstock (Bladon) to Peak District over just a few days, a good itinerary is: Witney, Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower and Upper slaughter, Stow-on-the-Wold, Broadway, Evesham, Alcester, then the A435 up to the M42/A42 east around Birmingham and up to the M1, turn off for Alfreton on the A38 then Matlock, Bakewell, Ashford-in-the-Water, Chesterfield and bomb it up the A1 for York/Yorkshire Dales. There's loads to see there too - I'd recommend York, Knaresborough, Harrogate, Ripon, Layburn west to Hawes then back to Layburn, on to Richmond and up the A1(m)/A1 taking in Durham, Alnwick, Bamburgh, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Kelso, Edinburgh.
Ive actually been to the pub in Castle Combe and it is expensive , as for the cottages all are lived in and residents go about daily routine as tourists ( I was one) stare and take pictures. The South West has so much to offer as well as the places in your video there is Bristol ( Home of Banksy , The Suspension bridge The SS Great Britain and the pirate Blackbeard ) Stonehenge , Avebury , Bath the list goes on.
Im really excited to watch you guys on this journey in June ..
P.S a Folly is a fake castle put up by rich people in the past to show off.
You're not kidding about the pub being expensive!
I believe that a "folly" is not necessarily a castle, just any fanciful structure that appears to be from another time or place. They're often very pretty and I guess "fake" is an appropriate term but can also be applied to many buildings that wouldn't be considered "Follies", for example, Tower Bridge or the Houses of Parliament
Why does everyone think it’s expensive? Where do you all live? Where do you go out to eat? I’m in Kent and that is a very reasonable price being shown. We have higher prices in our pubs and restaurants. We go out for an evening out and one drink is £8.50. We can easily spend over £100 on a two course meal for two people and a couple of drinks each.
@@nixpuk75 A folly is a costly ornamental building with no practical purpose. A tower, mock gothic ruin, shell grotto or similar.
@@NailHeavenAshford Yes, "fanciful" but not necessarily a castle. I'm well aware that they have no purpose and were the "folly" of wealthy people but many of them are very pretty. I'm not wealthy at all but I don't begrudge rich people their structural vanities when they're pretty and harmless 😉
Rather than a zig-zag it would be better to go north on the east side on the A1/M1, and then come back on the west side on the M6 then M5.
That puts you in close proximity to all of the places, and it’s basically a gateway to Wales, north and south. The M5 is basically the route to the Cotswolds.
Once at the end of the M5 it’s about two hours to the amazing far west tip of Cornwall if you avoid the busy tourist hours. I live here and can advise you on the best quieter parts that are not overrun by tourists.
The route back to London will take you past Stonehenge, but that’s a bit Marmite!
I live near St Ives, Cornwall and I lived in York for fifteen years. DM me if you want any advice.
On the way to the Cotswolds, just beside Oxford, is Blenheim Palace. It's one of the greatest of the grand houses in England and the only non-Royal house to be designated a palace. You do have to pay to get in, but it's worth it. Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds is lovely. It's fairly easy to go north from the Cotswolds to the Peak District. The town of Bakewell is worth a look. You can sample both the Bakewell Pudding and the Bakewell Tart here. Close by is one of the other great houses of England, Chartwell. If you've seen the 2005 movie of Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightly, this is the house that doubles a Darcy's Pemberley. I've visited it a few times and never tire of seeing around it. It really is glorious. From here to York is fairly straight forward. It's not too far and you're on motorway for most of it. From York to Edinburgh is a bit of a schlep, but not for Americans used to long distances I suppose. How long are you over here. If it's for two weeks, then you probably have time to fit in most of these.
if you are coming form London take the A40 to a village called Burford which is the gateway to the cotswolds. I live 2 miles away. Places to visit, Bibury (trout farm catch your own fish) also has parking down the back lane off main road. Bourton on the water, stow on the wold, Cotswold safari park, Upton Smokery great food, Blenheim Palace isn't far away, loads of little villages with great pubs.
Best if you do zigzag so you get to see not only the Cotswolds but also Warwickshire - for Warwick itself but also Stratford for a bit of Shakespeare history - and if you have time come to Birmingham, it's the second city for a reason and some great things to do here :)
Deffo watch part 2 for Bourton on the Water! You'll never be able to see everything in the UK though, I've lived here for nearly 50 years and there's still so much to explore...
Bath, Cambridge, York, Northumberland coastline, Bambara Castle, Holy Island- Lake District (a must) Chatsworth House, London ( so many different areas) just so many, Devon Cornwall.. just loads of lovely amazing places here…not to mention Brighton…
I live close to the peak District where you have Bakewell ( where bakewell pudding was invented- but called Bakewell tart?) You can carry on and call in at Buxton( famous for its spring water) the locals fill there empty containers....it's free and its in the town centre,The Natural spring water made the town Famous and you can buy it from the supermarket. Buxton also as a Opera House( l live there for 2years whilst studying) Chatsworth House is still in the hands of the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire,all the cottages around the Estate are rented to the people who work at Chatsworth House. You have the scenario of a beautiful House, its surrounding Estate is equally beautiful. You can drive through the grounds, it can get really busy in Summer with Bus/ coach loads of tourists.
You need to visit Northumberland on the way to Scotland. The beaches are beautiful and Alnwick Castle was used in the Harry Potter films, well worth a visit 👍😉
I live in a small town north of Swindon which calls itself the Gateway to the Cotswolds. The Cotswolds villages and towns are lovely and the Magic Roundabout in Swindon is not as scary as its reputation, just point yourself towards the direction you want to go and you'll be right.
You are probably overrun with suggestions and "You must go to/see/avoid at all costs" comments, but I still can't resist adding my tuppence!
If in the Cotswolds, I thoroughly recommend a tour of the Hook Norton brewery, a wonderfully traditional brewer dating back to the mid 19th century and still with much original equipment either present or still in use. I toured there last year and it was fantastic (lots of stairs, but a great tour). You'll get samples to try but even non drinkers will love the historical side.
The Cotswolds and the West/Southwest in general are great areas to visit for that traditional English heritage. I live in a historic Market Town 5 minutes drive from Castle Combe another historic village called Lacock, and several Manor houses such as Bowood House and Lucknam Park these villages are focused on tourism and the local residents enjoy telling visitors all about their village, theses locations have been used as film sets for many movies and TV Shows including Harry Potter and Downton Abbey there are many Manor houses, churches and cobble stone streets across the UK but although i may be bias im sure many people will agree that the Cotswolds and the West Country has protected its historic infrastructure better than other places in the UK,
Probably way out of your way this time around but definitely worth visiting Orkney in Scotland if you ever decide to come to Scotland again. It is an amazing place for outdoorsy people with lots of walks, fantastic views, and so many almost untouched prehistoric ruins and historical stone buildings. We live up in Orkney and there are few places in the world like it. It is definitely a place that time forgot.
100% agree with that last sentiment about putting the camera down. You can't live life through a lens. Contrary to popular belief, cameras are not for creating memories, they are for reminding you of your own memories .
My advice would be try not to cram more in than you can manage. A few select places to visit and to really take in and absorb, would be better than many many hurried and rushed visits. After all there is always going to be something you wish you could've have done no matter how fast you go. Quality over quantity.
It's going to be amazing 😀
Lake District is a must you definitely won't regret it.
The lake District has the biggest mountains in England and there's so many of them and they are really close together being that they were formed by glacial erosion.
It's so beautiful and full of history.
Please make time to go it's miles ahead of the Yorkshire dales even though I love it there too.
I’ve just come back from 4 days in the Cotswolds, staying in Burford where there is plenty to see with lots of cafes and shops. Bibury was worth the visit because it is very pretty, also found Chipping Campden and Bourton on the Water really nice as well. You could spend several days in the area and not see everything. In the summer these places can become packed with tourists. Thankfully you are doing some research and can pick and choose your must visit places, I think your plan to visit York is a good one; very historic, very interesting!
Ten years ago I lived on the edge of the Cotswolds. At that time I visited some of the villages but without a car ( I don’t drive) it took some planning and not all are easy to navigate by rail. Things may have improved but it will probably take a bit more planning than other places you are likely to visit. If you are out that way then head back to your route north via Warwick Castle and Stratford Upon Avon. Also if you plan on visiting a number of National Trust properties or English Heritage sites it might be worth take a one year family membership with either or both. They will offer 50% off entrance to certain properties in Scotland (the Isle of Man and Wales although you aren’t visiting the latter two). For example English Heritage membership will get you 50% off entry to Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle. Whatever you do have a marvellous time.
A suggestion, as you're definitely going to York, just above it and to the right on the coast is Whitby. Really lovely seaside town, lots of little streets and shops and pubs, very good fish and chips, and an amazing old half destroyed abbey high above the town with a museum. You mentioned the Yorkshire Dales, to get to Whitby you would drive through the Yorkshire Moors which is to the right of the Dales, also very beautiful. Also has a goth festival every year due to Dracula links! Just before Edinburgh, the little town of Dunbar is also quite nice, nice beaches all along there. Finally, as someone in the comments also said, if you do go across to the Cotswolds, go through Oxford, not Swindon. Enjoying your videos from London :) Edit: Someone else mentions Whitby below- it's a good shout!
If you decide to see The Cotswolds, then you will need to drive. Make sure you book an auto. Cars are predominantly stick shift, and you're better concentrating on our narrow roads (they're not all like that!) than over which gear to be in (unless you have a manual in the States). I would strongly recommend a night in Bath (where I live) which is a beautiful Georgian city with fab pubs and great eating. You are straight into The Cotswolds when you drive north from here. You'll hear plenty of American accents here, as it's a favourite tourist stop.
Such a shame if you are heading west you could have popped into south east Wales over the Severn Bridge to see Tintern Abbey in the stunning Wye Valley😍- so beautiful! Somewhere like Longleat in nearby Somerset would be a good place to go as you can easily spend a day there - Longleat House is more interesting than the one in this clip- it's so old and filled with historic items and portraits. The Safari park around it is fun and there lots to see in the grounds- it would be a good break from driving. These places would probably be a little too far out though and you would end up rushing which is definitely not what you want to do getting used to driving here!
I would try to avoid those narrow roads where theres loads of tourists - maybe just drop into the eastern Cotswolds shown at the end of the video- you don't want to put yourselves under pressure driving in difficult circumstances and getting flustered- you will want to take your time. The Cotswolds might be nice to look at but you don't want to end up wasting time there as other than being picturesk there's not really much to do. More a place to spend a chilled week long holiday wandering round.
I think Warwick castle would definitely be a good stop as its on your way North from the Cotswolds- I think its one of the biggest castles in Britain- lots to see and explore, medieval shows etc.
Visit Bourton on the Water, Stow on the Wold. There is a cute little pub called The Fox at Broadwell, just off the Foss Way between Stow and Bourton. They play an ancient game out in the garden called Aunt Sally. Worth a visit.
But I live in Yorkshire, God's own Country. The biggest county in England and arguably the best.
Places you must visit... York, city walls, minster, Clifford's Tower, museums and the famous Shambles narrow streets of timbered buildings. Plus the York Centre, a museum that takes you back to Viking times in York as you travel on a little electric carriage. You even get the smells from each display.
Also, Whitby on the coast has lots to see and do. The north York moors has a steam railway running from Whitby to Pickering. Gorgeous moorland views especially in early August when the Heather is in flower.
Leeds has the Royal Armouries museum.
I hope you have 3 months vacation. Why not come and live here? You would love it.
I'm orginally from Leeds but now live in Newcastle, Leeds has some great hidden gems :) and Newcastle is nice too and on the way to Scotland
If you're outdoorsy types but don't want the full faff of hiking, have a read about the UK's Public Footpaths - legally protected pedestrian rights of way through the countryside. There's a wonderful circular route through a few Cotswolds villages that really lets you appreciate the landscape and architecture. When I walked it,I started at Broadway Tower: searching for that will probably be the best way to unearth it from the internet!
Part 2 I saw brum in the car museum, it was a kids TV show, the little car creeps out and has adventures and saves the day then returns home before they shut and the guy always finds something in the back, I've been watching it on BBC iplayer ❤
The Cotswold's is an area, not a county, it is also an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), I live very close. In fact there are several such areas just in the west of England.
I would recommend going to Bath if you plan on visiting the west of England, perhaps visit the Roman baths? Bath was a very important Roman settlement, as was York. Two Roman emperors died in York, Septimius Severus & Constantius Chlorus.
Swindon’s “Magic Roundabout” may seem daunting when you’re on it, but you just treat it as a series of roundabouts - downside is this layout needs a lot of space, but if we had the space we could put them in everywhere for they work so well. True, one approach road is no longer a main route, but when it was it was still great - I used to work there. (Not on the roundabout - I mean Swindon).
Some of our country roads are narrow. You get used to it; you just have to breathe in (lol). Castle Combe, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-water, Broadway (Burford is just antique shops and a traffic queue in summer) - sometimes it’s best to visit less touristy places to avoid the parking issues, crowds and prices. The Costswolds, I feel, are better experienced on a long hike - forget the car. Want to know the Costwolds? Check out the TV comedy This Country - as a local this embodies the Cotswolds.
The chimney tops would be shared - a house each side, so count them as two houses.
I’d recommend sticking to your plan to travel north up the country - it takes longer going east-west, so if you have time check out Derbyshire and the Peak District, as it won’t take you too much off your route.
the cotswolds has some really lovely areas and villages to explore. honestly there are just to many great places in the uk to visit in one trip but if you're outdoorsy people then you should 100% make sure you pass through the lake district on your way up to scotland. its easily some of the most beautiful countryside in england.
Can't go wrong with peak district- make sure you stop by in Castleton. Love it. Not sure Leeds is worth visiting if youre only vistiting a select few places- I'm from Sheffield so there could be loads I dont know about but from the few times I've been its a really nice city but nothing of note.
Someone else said it below- if you can find time for Bath that would be a plus. Only small but nice
The Peak District is not a patch on the Cotswolds.
@@valeriedavidson2785 not been yet but I will be doing. Looks amazing
There are many pretty villages in the Cotswolds. These are very popular and are on the tourist maps for most visitors. It gets very, very busy. Some of the villages are extremely popular, Castle Combe, the Slaughters, Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold get very busy. Try watching the video’s of Dara & Ian, Magenta Otter Travel. I recommend these.
P.S. if you are travelling to Edinburgh then you should be aware of the Festival and Tattoo. These are days to avoid without booking ahead for accommodation.
If you go up the west side of England (M6 Motorway) you go by the Peak District, go near Liverpool, (home of the Beatles) and then pass the Lake District, the nicest outdoors in England, full of lovely walks round lakes and up mountains. Then carry on to Glasgow, Scotland's second city before popping across to Edinbrough.
If you’re travelling up to Edinburgh, then you must make time and visit the Lake District in Cumbria. It has all the quaintness of the the Cotswolds, plus dramatic lakes and mountains. Only having two weeks here you need to plan your itinerary carefully. Although distances are not long by American standards, roads and traffic are a nightmare! You need to factor in plenty of travelling time. Good luck!
Cotswolds is an area, not a town. So there’s lots of quaint villages to see. Don’t go to Swindon!!! It’s sixties concrete, although the people are still nice. I’ve been around the roundabout several times unintentionally. Go to Oxford as a start.
Pretty though they are, they are still working living villages and towns!
Residents go to work every day, as normal, village life itself usually revolves around
friends, dinner parties etc. the Church, the schools, all the normal activiities.
The pub is always the hub in the village ....
There is a well-loved UK sitcom called "Red Dwarf" with a sci-fi theme. At one point one of the leading characters dies, and is then restored to life. His companions ask: "What was it like?" He replies: "Well, have you ever been to Swindon?" Guys, the fact that you can google "Fun things to do in Swindon" and #1 on the list is a traffic junction tells you all you need to know.
Cant wait to see the itinery for your UK visit, you will never be able to see all you want to , but thats good it means you will come back again :) Be sure to try and stay in bed and breakfasts and smaller type accomidations than brand hotels, you will have a much nicer experience.
I live in the Cotswolds and it is beautiful, even just to drive through. I’m sure you’ll have a great adventure wherever you decide!
Can't wait to see your vlogs from the UK!
Regarding driving, some of those roads are very small and some are even single track. However most roads are ample wide enough so don't panic . You will probably encounter some narrow roads in some remote areas but they're not as scary as they look. The single track roads have passing places to drive into whilst people pass. And if you do encounter these sorts of roads you won't be on them for long. They're usually just connecting roads to wider roads within small villages.
My daughter had lived in that area (I live about 60 minutes from the Cotswolds) until last year , she now lives in Maryland and finds plenty to visit in the US, especially Washington DC.. With any travelling you will never have enough time, and it's almost enough to get a flavour of the area for perhaps a repeat visit at a later date. Almost any place in the UK you'll find a combination of castle, history, local foods and green scenery so you'll not be disappointed. Having driven on both sides of the road it's surprising how naturally is comes if the steering wheel is on the correct side, and with the size of roads change the GPS settings to ignore the "B" roads as much as possible, there are usually alternatives as Trucks need routes as well.
Ethan, I am always amazed that American houses seem to be made out of matchwood even though you get tornados and they burn down to literally nothing. Love you guys xxx
Yea ill have to do a video showing them. We do have codes to help prevent the spread of fire but yea they are made of wood.
If you are considering the Peak District it might be worth a visit to Chatsworth House in Bakewell. It's closed right now but reopens March this year (2022) and you may have seen it in The Crown, The Duchess (with Keira Knightley) and various TV & Movie versions of Pride & Prejudice, perhaps because it was actually named in the original Jane Austin book. Peak District National Park, very close to where I live (it's the view from my window) close to Glossop... I walk to Kinder Scout often through the summer months (and then had a few cold pints in the pub upon my return, anyone who walks the Peak District knows that's a must at the end of the day), if you like very hilly views then you'll like it. I've visited many places across the UK myself, but never been to the Cotswolds, though I always loved the place ever since I did a jigsaw puzzle of some Cotswold cottages when I was young. Beautiful place.
Chatsworth House: czcams.com/video/oCPgOvQAefY/video.html
I’m watching this on a family weekend in Chipping Camden in the Cotswolds and it is beautiful
Highly recommend you visit The Lake District which is there right before you get to Scotland. Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside are all real close to each other and easy to get to as they are roughly on your route to Scotland.. It's always as if you had walked into a picture postcard. Check out CZcams videos, numerous on the Lake district. Aside from that, save money and make up picnics etc. Some great little tea shops wherever you go in the tourist spots but generally they are expensive just like everything in the most touristy places. Most important of all....have a great holiday over here.