Hi, I think this can be done avoiding London and missing out York altogether. You will have to travel very light, because it crams a lot in and involves a few train rides - the longest is about 6.5 hours. If you're young, or a student, or retired, you can get heavily discounted railway tickets. In fact, the railway companies are desperate for passengers at the moment. Also the tourist hotels, bed & breakfasts etc. are also desperate for business, so you should be able to get heavy discounts on overnight accomodation. Day 1. Arrive Heathrow Travel directly to Windsor, which is very close to Heathrow. Overnight in Windsor Day 2. See Windsor. Tea and custard creams with HMQ. Train to Oxford. Overnight in Oxford. Day 3. See Oxford. Solve genteel murder mystery and receive honorary degree. Overnight in Oxford. Day 4. See more of Oxford. Train to Bath. Overnight in Bath. Day 5. See Bath. Gossip. Dress like a fop. Fight duel. Overnight in Bath. Day 6. See more of Bath. Train to Carlisle via Bristol or Oxford (6.5 hours). Overnight in Carlisle. Days 7, 8 & 9. Train to Settle. Spectacular journey through the Lake District and North Yorkshire. Eat sandwiches in the rain and wonder why there are no sheep. http://www.btinternet.com/~lake.district/carlset/csstn.htm Overnight at the small towns on the way and explore the area. You can get a 3-day ticket for unlimited travel on this line for not much money. Day 10. Train from Settle to London via Leeds (4.5 hours). Tube to Heathrow. --- Bob mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Friday, August 03, 2001, 10:22:03 PM, you wrote: > Frankie goes to London: >>I will have a trip in UK at the end of September and wish to take some >>beautiful photos (slides) for scene and old buildings in this trip. My >>trip begins from London and I will visit York, Lakeland, Bath, Oxford and >>Windsor. > If you are just using London as a base, this is doable BUT- > 1. You have got to be in love with railways > 2. Enjoy walking at a quick trot > 3. Stop only for bathroom, Big Macs (faster), and a couple of hours in > the night > 4. Shoot at 1000th of a second and ABOVE. > Joking aside, if you seriously are just using London as a base: > 1. Train to York - half a day travel and rest. Two nights in York, > return. One night in London. > 2. Train to Bath - what, 2 to 3 hours travel, possible one night in Bath? > 3. Windsor - day trip no problem - back in time for tea. > 4. Oxford - ditto - but don't get the train, get a coach service oddly > enough called 'The Oxford Tube', departs every ten mins during the day, > travel time 1.5 hours plus depending on traffic (air con, toilet). Leaves > Grosvenor Square, Victoria and via Park Park Lane and Shephard's Bush. > Not a plug (!) I use it cos it gets deeper into London than the train > (Paddington Stn) and it's a LOT cheaper: British train fares are pretty > steep... > 5 Lakeland - could incorporate this with York, but assuming from London - > half a day travel and rest, 2 overnights at least - public transport > needs research as it's a big area to cover - how about hiring a car from > York and driving there and back?? > *** > Couple of things to do in London: Go on the 'London Eye' massive ferris > wheel, go at dusk when all the lights are coming on....go on a one hour > river cruise on the Thames (Westminster Pier - various) great > views...avoid tourist traps like Madame Tussauds etc - just full of > tourists and wax - see the indigenous stuff like Crown Jewels (if you > must). Bus down Millbank (North bank of Thames from Westminster) to the > Tate British, shoot the architecture - there's some amazing new buildings > up...MI5 across the river there, and what about a cab up to Portobello > Road market on a Sunday afternoon? Cab over to Westbourne Grove in an > evening and have an Indian meal at Khan's (was in there 3 or 4 times a > week 20 years ago...ahhh). Plenty to do.. > You'll have a great time, but it *is* a little hectic, what you want. If > I was gonna cut one venue in order to give a little more time to the > others, it'd be York. The Lake District *is* pretty stunning (even though > I prefer the Yorkshire Moors), so keep that one if you can. Oxford and > Windsor as day trips, Bath as a medium excursion, Lakeland as the piece > de resistance. Hey, you think that's nice, go to Yosemite in California > and you won't know what's hit you! > Put a search in for English Tourist Board and check it out. > Oh, and by the way, end of September, you'll need a jumper (pullover) for > the evenings, and don't forget something to keep the rain off! > Good luck, > Cotty > PS If you do an overnight in Oxford, let me know and I'll pop into town > and take you for a pint in The Eagle and Child... - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
