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Guest post by rlienhard
The weather for most of our trip was sunny and beautiful except for a few moments in the Lake District where we experienced rain showers. Since my husband and I have family in the London area were able to combine a visit with them and take a coastal road trip.
Days 1-2: London
- Big Ben
- St. Paul’s Cathedral
- Royal Albert Hall
London is an exciting and busy city. We were happy to visit many of the tourist sites including Big Ben and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Our favorite experience was the visit to the Royal Albert Hall where we watched the Royal Ballet’s performance of Romeo and Juliet. If you don’t have time for a performance I highly recommend a look inside.
Days 3-4: Bath
- Thermae Bath Spa
- The Circus
- Royal Crescent
- Prior Park Landscape Garden
- The Holburn Museum
- The Jane Austen Centre
Hotel: Dukes Bath
Departing Paddington station, we took the train to Bath. It is only an hour by train, but it makes you feel as though you have gone back in time. It is truly a walking town. Bath’s exquisite stone buildings such as the Circus and Royal Crescent are worthwhile to view. The Spa is an essential experience for that is the city’s namesake. Our favorite and unexpected experience was Prior Park Landscape Garden. We did get a bit lost so make sure you take a map if you go outside the city center.
Days 5-6: Cornwall
- Village of Mousehole
- St. Michael’s Mount
- The Minack Theatre
Hotel: The Old Coast Guard
The Cornish coast is beautiful with turquoise water and lovely villages to explore. The only exception to this idyllic destination are the seagulls who try to steal your ice cream.
Days 7-8: Family Time in London
Days 9-11: York and Yorkshire Dales National Park
- City of York
- Yorkshire Dales National Park
Hotel: The Red Lion Manor & House
We were based in Burnsall at the Red Lion which was a good location for several walking trails in the Dales. We arrived in the late afternoon and had a few hours before sunset to explore the foot paths and nearby villages including Grassington. On our second day, we drove an hour east to a different part of the park. We randomly chose a hike starting in the tiny village of Askrigg. On our hike we shared the paths and fields with sheep, cow and a working Shepard dog.
Days 12-13: Lake District National Park
- Grassmere Village
- Lakes of Derwentwater
- Towns and villages of Windmere
Hotel: The Drunken Duck Inn
The Lake District was lovely, but our entire visit was accompanied by rain. Due to the weather, our outdoor explorations were not as varied as in the Dales. We did stop at Beatrix Potter’s world which was a bit too touristy, but I bought a copy of the Tale of Peter Rabbit for my nieces. We stayed at the Drunken Duck in Cumbria which was a good location, but a bit difficult to find at first. I recommend a visit to the Lake District as long as the weather permits or you enjoy the day in a pub!
Day 14: Lancaster in route to London
- Lancaster Castle
I highly recommend the Lancaster castle. Nicknamed “the Queens Prison”, it was a working prison up until several years ago. We had an excellent guided tour.
Traveled in June 2014
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