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Suggestions please, 2 extra nights in UK
Question:
We disembark at Dover from a port-intensive (thus tiring) European cruise on a Thursday morning and our flight back to US is midday Saturday. I’d like suggestions on where to visit in UK those 2 nights that is easy to get to via public transport from Dover and, in turn, that destination to have easy access to Gatwick. My husband would prefer to be near the water with cliff/rocky views rather than flat sandy beaches. Internet sites don’t give me a lot of information on topography. I have found some information on the area around Eastbourne (Beachy Head). What about Rye? Or east of Dover? Or perhaps a suggestion on someplace inland to use as a base and then day trip to coast? We’d like a spot with quaint town atmosphere and country views rather than family/holiday beach resort. Does this knock out Eastbourne? We plan on London and Canterbury for pre-cruise. We could, however, revise our plan to pre-cruise 2 nights London, 2 nights *New Destination* if easy access back to London/Dover for cruise – and change Canterbury to post-cruise. In this scenario, perhaps Wales? Again, I’m not familiar with topography. We’ve already decided against ferry or Eurostar back to Europe due to time constraints,transportation logistics and carting the luggage. Upon checking rail sites, it seems most destinations require changing trains. How difficult is this with, say, 2 large pieces of luggage and 2 small pieces – all on rollers? I haven’t been in UK for several years but all I can remember from then is *quickly* hefting luggage onto the train. Our 2 large pieces will be fairly heavy – and I’m not as young and strong as I was then! Are there other options? Bus/coach, taxis, etc. Or am I making too much of this? It’s also hard for me to get a feel for how far or close towns are to each other. I’d also appreciate information on probable fares for trains and other transport options. Any help you can give me, I’d truly appreciate! Denise Before you buy.
Response:
>My husband would prefer to be near the water with cliff/rocky views >rather than flat sandy beaches. Internet sites don’t give me a lot of >information on topography. I have found some information on the area >around Eastbourne (Beachy Head). What about Rye? Or east of Dover? >Or perhaps a suggestion on someplace inland to use as a base and then >day trip to coast? We’d like a spot with quaint town atmosphere and >country views rather than family/holiday beach resort.
Rye sounds as though it’ll suit you better than Eastbourne: it’s more of an attractive, quaint, town close to the sea. The immediate surrounding area is quite flat, but towards Hastings it becomes more undulating. It’s also well served by trains, though I think it would still be quite a long ride to Gatwick. Is midday your check-in time at Gatwick on your last day, or is it when your flight actually leaves? If it’s departure time you might have more peace of mind if you spend your final night very close to Gatwick. > We >could, however, revise our plan to pre-cruise 2 nights London, 2 nights >*New Destination* if easy access back to London/Dover for cruise – and >change Canterbury to post-cruise. In this scenario, perhaps Wales? >Again, I’m not familiar with topography.
Wales (depending exactly where in Wales) is feasible, but seems a long way unless you have a very specific reason to go there. One thought if you like coastal scenery and quaint villages is to go to the Dorset coast, but again given your time constraint I wouldn’t really recommend it. >Upon checking rail sites, it seems most destinations require changing >trains. How difficult is this with, say, 2 large pieces of luggage and >2 small pieces – all on rollers? I haven’t been in UK for several >years but all I can remember from then is *quickly* hefting luggage >onto the train.
Railtrack’s web site, and I *think* also the Train Line at http://www.thetrainline.co.uk/ , offers you the option of specifying extra time whenever you change trains. Given the amount of luggage you have, I suggest that you do choose this option > Are there other options? >Bus/coach, taxis, etc.
Buses will sometimes take you directly between destinations where a rail trip would require a change of trains. > It’s also >hard for me to get a feel for how far or close towns are to each >other. I’d also appreciate information on probable fares for trains >and other transport options.
Do, if you haven’t done so already, check your plans on the Train Line website (see above) which will also tell you the fares available. Distances between towns in miles aren’t a very accurate guide to the travelling times by train (or for that matter by road) Martin — City University Business School, London, UK Fax (020) 7477 8628 http://www.city.ac.uk/martin
Response:
Rye is a delightful town, though as noted rather flat. However, two years ago when I was there it still had a small train station with an outdoor bridge (accessed by stairs) over the track. On either your inbound or outbound trip you will likely have to lug the bags up the stairs. If you have time to take the bags one at a time and it isn’t raining buckets this is not too much of a hardship. However, coming out of London it seems to me we changed at one of the Eurostar stations which also involved stairs. We are, ironically, spoiled in the US because of the Americans with Disabilities Act — there is access for rolling things to nearly any location. Britain is NOT the same. The worst system in this respect is the London underground. I don’t envy the engineers who ultimately have to figure out how to retrofit it with elevators(lifts), ramps, etc.! Back to Rye: I loved it in ‘95 (stayed at Jeakes House — Delightful) and wend back on a day trip from London in ‘97 just to wander the streets, gape at the sugar mice in the candy store, eat at the pub just below the tower, and buy a hand-knit sweater. I would go there again, for much the same purposes. The "beach" is a little way out of town, and I recall it as being rather stony and narrow. There’s a somewhat bleak nature reserve out there, garnished by a WWII pillbox. With shifting clouds, the light on the sea and dunes was occasionally very lovely.
: My husband would prefer to be near the water with cliff/rocky views : rather than flat sandy beaches. Internet sites don’t give me a lot of : information on topography. I have found some information on the area : around Eastbourne (Beachy Head). What about Rye? Or east of Dover? : Upon checking rail sites, it seems most destinations require changing : trains. How difficult is this with, say, 2 large pieces of luggage and : 2 small pieces – all on rollers? I haven’t been in UK for several : years but all I can remember from then is *quickly* hefting luggage : onto the train. Our 2 large pieces will be fairly heavy – and I’m not : as young and strong as I was then! Are there other options?
Response:
>We disembark at Dover from a port-intensive (thus tiring) European >cruise on a Thursday morning and our flight back to US is midday >Saturday.
A couple of things to add to my previous reponse One is that if you ruled out a trip to the continent because of the time taken, you should probably rule out a trip to Wales on the same basis. London to Paris or Brussels is three hours by train, and so is London to Swansea in West Wales. >Upon checking rail sites, it seems most destinations require changing >trains. > Are there other options? >Bus/coach, taxis, etc. Or am I making too much of this? It’s also >hard for me to get a feel for how far or close towns are to each >other. I’d also appreciate information on probable fares for trains >and other transport options.
I didn’t mention taxis before as they’d be ridiculously expensive for long journeys. But you could think about taxis to cut out some of the shorter rail hops and reduce the number of changes of train. In particular if you do choose Rye, a taxi to or from Ashford (which is a major rail junction) shouldn’t cost more than around