My husband and I are traveling to England with our 15-yr-old daughter over the Christmas/New Years holiday. We’re spending two weeks with our 20-yr-old daughter who will be studying in England for the year. Our plan is to spend Christmas week in London and the second week, over New Years, in the country. This site has been very helpful in providing information for planning our London stay (especially how to work around the holidays when everything shuts down!)
For the second week, we’re considering renting a cottage in either the Cotswolds or Yorkshire, with the goal of having a completely different experience from London. I would appreciate any opinions as to what might be the best destination given the time of year. Is it better to visit the Cotswolds in warm-weather months when one can walk from village to village and enjoy the well-known gardens in the area? Would Yorkshire offer enough to do or see outside of York when it’s cold and gets dark so early? Should we expect to be limited to “inside” activities at this time of year? Is the New Years holiday a factor in considering either area? Are there other areas of England that we should be considering?
While my idea of a wonderful time would be to curl up with a good book in front of a fire in some remote cottage far from civilization, I’m afraid my girls would quickly get bored. Being within short walking distance of a town/village with some shops, tearooms, etc., is essential, along with access to some important sightseeing destinations.
Hello and Welcome, In haste as I am off to Wiltshire for a few days. I think I might go for accommodation with lots of facilities at that time of year in either destination like Beech Farm Cottages near to Pickering. Sorry I can't find their dedicated web site but The Good Cottage Guide is not a bad resource. We stayed in Beech Royd one October half term with our younger son who voted it a big hit. The indoor pool is lovely and the village nicely located. New Year will be quiet after the night itself so I think you will need some indoor entertainment and as you say the days will be so very short. Either destination is likely to get bad weather but the Cotswolds do have the advantage of being closer to London.Some of the Cotswolds tea rooms are seasonal and I might just favour Yorkshire a that time of year. We once stayed at at Ripley Castle for New Year which was delightful even in the snow as there are some good walks and attractions like Fountains Abbey close by which stay open through the winter. Bettys of Harrogate,a classic tea roomn, was also close by but note it closed on New Years day. There are many complexes like Beech Farm in the Cotswolds so if you run a search on Pauline's thread you will find some links there as well as to Rural Retreats who have a large portfolio of properties that fit the country cottage description. Back on Weds so I am happy to help then if you are still puzzling. Wendy
Posts: 2747 | Location: Lightwater Surrey U K | Registered: 30 March 2003
Bruern holiday cottages, in the Cotswolds are very much the "high end" of such complexes where you will find all sorts of facities on site including meals delivered to your cottage door. The swimming pool here is outdoor but there ar many other activities available for children during the months the pool is closed. Wendy
Posts: 2747 | Location: Lightwater Surrey U K | Registered: 30 March 2003
I had posted a similar question earlier this year, trying to help a friend who was thinking about a Christmas trip to London and a countryside destination. This thread may give you some ideas.
Our family has spent about four months total in England, but always in spring or summer. We love the Cotswolds and also spent a very enjoyable week in Yorkshire. Given your family's interests and the limitations of winter weather, maybe you should focus on larger places with shopping and perhaps a museum or two and some interesting stately homes/castles nearby. So, I wonder about Bath as a base? It's a big enough place to interest everyone in your group and several indoor things to do. There are also some great day trips within about an hour, and you could even get up into the southern Cotswolds.
If you are thinking of Yorkshire, something on the outskirts of Harrogate may fit the bill. Harrogate is a lovely spa town, quite chic and trendy at the moment, with a good selection of shops and restaurants, and of course Betty's tearooms. There is a good train service to Leeds, a place that will delight the heart of every fifteen year old - and the sales will be on at that time!
Harvey Nichols have their up north branch in Leeds.
We stayed here last March, very blustery but wonderful walking in Nidderdale, on Brimham rocks and around Fountains Abbey. The weather in Yorkshire can be dire in January, well, at anytime really. Equally it can sparkle like champagne, with blue skies, a glistening hoar frost and a covering of crunchy white snow underfoot. If we hadnt just endured nearly three weeks of rain, just thinking about it could make me look forward to winter.
The cottage we stayed at was here: it was nice, very friendly but I dont recall a log fire.
The most perfect log fire hotel is just up the road,in Ramsgill, but it is a fair old hike back down Nidderdale to Patelely Bridge and on to Harrogate. This is my favourite hotel in the Dales, ever.
We are off to Harrogate in September to stay at the Old Swan Hotel famed for being the place Agatha Christie was found when she DISAPPEARED presumed dead! it has recently been refurbished and you can stay in the suite Agatha used!. From there there are many lovely gastro pubs withlog fires! nearby
Posts: 1222 | Location: UK | Registered: 12 June 2005
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