# England



## bumpynappy (Oct 30, 2016)

Traveling to England in August can't decide if we want to be in the Lake District  or the coast of Cornwall. I follow Rick Steve travel guide book and he doesn't even mention Cornwall or Devon  and only recommendS Keswick in the LD. II tends to have timeshares in weird areas. Thoughts??


----------



## SMHarman (Oct 30, 2016)

We were in Dorset this summer. I recommend it.


----------



## Conan (Oct 30, 2016)

I'm just back from the Lake District (we were lucky in October weather-wise). We stayed at Thurnham Hall timeshare--gorgeous but not the best location for the Lakes since it's in Lancaster, about a 45 minute drive to the Lakes in no-traffic October. Sorry I don't have Lake District pictures of my own to post, but I can lift a few via Google.

The timeshare that's in the center of the Lake District is Quaysiders Club in Ambleside practically on the shore of Lake Windermere. We took a look at it when we were there--it's quite modest with only a small indoor pool, but the TripAdvisor reviews are good. You'll find availability sometimes in RCI (#1465) and often in Dial-An-Exchange. http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/qua...um=photo;utm_term=hotel-250633_photo-11313544

The Lake District is super-scenic, and there are also interesting homes, castles and gardens in the area (Sizergh, Brackhole, Dove Cottage, Rydal Mount, Brantwood, Beatrix Potter). The difference is even in summer it's not a beach vacation.





*Lake Windermere*





*Sizergh Castle





*Beatrix Potter's Hilltop Farm


----------



## beejaybeeohio (Oct 31, 2016)

*3 T/S Weeks in England*

#1: Osbourne Club in Torquay, very close to Cornwall with day trips to Dartmouth via a steam train, Totnes a medieval market town, Cockington a thatched cottage village, Dartmoor Nat'l Park and further to Bath (should have gone east and explored the Cornish coast.
#2: Sutton Hall in Thirsk, great for exploring the Yorkshire district including York, a must-see city, Fountains Abbey, Howard Castle and a steam train to Whitby from Pickerington
#3: Whitbarrow Village near Penrith (north Lakes District): liked this location as it was far from the madding crowds elsewhere in the area over during a bank holiday at the end of May, took the Ullswater steamer, hopped off for a hike, drove Rick Steve's driving tour of the western mountains, stopped in Grassmere for that wonderful gingerbread.

One suggestion is to make dinner reservations for weekend evenings!  Thanks to Richard & Krystyna, who own at Sutton Hall, we did so for our Saturday night arrival there, but when we arrived at Whitbarrow the following Saturday there was no availability at the resort restaurant, nor at the restaurants in the two nearby villages.  By the time we found Brantwood Tavern about 10 miles from the resort, we were starving!!


----------



## Laurie (Oct 31, 2016)

We have exchanged thru RCI to both Quaysiders Club in Lakes District (hi Conan!), and Tregenna Castle in St. Ives, Cornwall. Both locations are beautiful and worthwhile, and we were quite satisifed with both resorts - but I would choose Lakes District over Cornwall. I'd wished we'd had 2 weeks in Lakes District. 

I don't know II resorts (yet - just have my first membership!) but in Lakes District, best locations are northern like Whitbarrow, or central like Quaysiders, rather than southern (which probably has more timeshares) for more dramatic scenery and fewer crowds.


----------



## Pompey Family (Oct 31, 2016)

bumpynappy said:


> Traveling to England in August can't decide if we want to be in the Lake District  or the coast of Cornwall. I follow Rick Steve travel guide book and he doesn't even mention Cornwall or Devon  and only recommendS Keswick in the LD. II tends to have timeshares in weird areas. Thoughts??



What's weird about the locations where II has timeshares in England?

I don't understand this apparent obsession with Rick Steves that many American's have. It's almost as if Rick doesn't recommend somewhere or hasn't written a guide on it then it isn't worth visiting. Personally I'd give him a miss when it comes to the UK. There are so many great guides available, many better than Rick's.

The Lake District is superb for hiking, it's one of the primary reasons for many people visiting there. The scenery is spectacular, probably more so than Cornwall.

Cornwall (and Devon) has more to offer than the Lake District. There are fantastic beaches and gorgeous coves and fishing villages, plenty of historic sites and the place has more of a beach holiday feel.

Both places will be very busy in August. If you want to retain your sanity avoid driving to or from Cornwall around the August bank holiday.


----------



## Pompey Family (Oct 31, 2016)

SMHarman said:


> We were in Dorset this summer. I recommend it.



Lulworth Cove is a fantastic place. It's only a 1hr 1/2 drive for us and the kids (and me) love to go fossil hunting there. They also like to stop off for a run around Corfe Castle on the way back.


----------



## SMHarman (Oct 31, 2016)

Pompey Family said:


> Lulworth Cove is a fantastic place. It's only a 1hr 1/2 drive for us and the kids (and me) love to go fossil hunting there. They also like to stop off for a run around Corfe Castle on the way back.


We came from the other direction from Lyme Regis. Didn't make it to Corfe this trip. 

Did make it to Stonehenge on the way down.  Instead of sitting in the traffic jam we went to see the rocks. 






Went back to Herts via the cotswolds A4/M4 rather than a Southamptonly way.


----------



## cafeirene (Oct 31, 2016)

Agree that the Lake District is a great place for walking. Seriously tried to work Whitbarrow into current trip plans and will definitely consider it as it is one of the more useful locales.  We have found also. That in busy seasons and especially on Bank Holidays, planning meal reservations can be very handy. Cornwall is lovely, but different, and probably more travelled.  We've never regretted making time to spend inthe Lake District. Great walks and hikes, and it has a wild beauty. We've visited all times of year.


----------



## Bill4728 (Nov 6, 2016)

We visited the west coast of Cornwall last year   WOW    loved our visit  

Also we follow two TV shows filmed there   Doc Martin  and now Poldark  

They were the main reason we went there

One word of warning, the roads are often really narrow  and not just a little narrow but crazy narrow.  white knuckle every time we past a car. Thankfully not often.


----------



## Timeshare Von (Nov 8, 2016)

bumpynappy said:


> Traveling to England in August can't decide if we want to be in the Lake District  or the coast of Cornwall. I follow Rick Steve travel guide book and he doesn't even mention Cornwall or Devon  and only recommendS Keswick in the LD. II tends to have timeshares in weird areas. Thoughts??



Rick Steve is a moron!

We did a timeshare in the Yorkshire region and loved it!  Sutton Hall was a nice central location to see the historical sights that were of interest to us.

Here is my IgoUgo travel journal/blog on our stay (Nov. 2006):

_Sutton Hall is located about three miles outside of the market village of Thirsk in North Yorkshire. An old Victorian mansion built in 1700, the property has been purchased and converted into a timeshare ownership resort. Back in the early 20th century, the owner of Sutton Hall purchased neighboring farmland, orchards and several cottages with make up what is today Sutton Hall at Whitestonecliffe resort. The main house has eight apartment type units with another six contained in the three cottages on the grounds. We were very happy to find out that we had exchanged into one of the one-bedroom cottages.

The main house was very stately and furnished as you might expect an old Victorian mansion to appear. All of the public areas were open to all guests even those of us not staying in the main house. Also within the main house was a lovely sitting room, with a billiard table for guests. Amazingly, this stately home also had an indoor pool complete with a hot tub. All visitors in residence were also welcomed to enjoy this resort amenity.

Our unit was very comfortable, with a spacious sitting area where Mom’s pull-out sofa bed was also located. The bedroom, while small, was comfortable providing for a good night’s sleep each night. We enjoyed the two side-by-side single beds allowing for maximum sleeping space. There was also a full kitchen with dining table which we did make good use of one evening when we cooked and dined in. The bathroom was more than adequate, to include one of those really cool towel warmers in the bathroom. I really think we need one of them in Casa Bennett back in the USA.

Like other timeshares in Europe and particularly the UK, we had to pay for our utilities. Here they ran just under £18 or around $5 per day. With heated oil radiators, we probably used less electricity to keep the cottage warm. Besides electric for the lights and tellie, the only other power we needed was for the hot water heater which would only be on for heating water for morning showers. If you wanted or needed more hot water during the day, you had to push the “hot water booster” to turn on the heater for an additional hour (or two).

All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed Sutton Hall as our home base for our week in England. It provided us with an ideal central point to visit throughout the Yorkshire area. We enjoyed our day trips to York, Richmond, Skipton and Helmsley from Thirsk. With a flight out of Bradford-Leeds less than an hour away, it really was the best location for our week’s holiday in jolly ole England_.


----------



## Timeshare Von (Nov 8, 2016)

Pompey Family said:


> I don't understand this apparent obsession with Rick Steves that many American's have. It's almost as if Rick doesn't recommend somewhere or hasn't written a guide on it then it isn't worth visiting. Personally I'd give him a miss when it comes to the UK. There are so many great guides available, many better than Rick's.<<SNIPPED>>.



He's ALL ABOUT whoever is paying him to promote their area or attraction.  I wouldn't take his advice on where to walk my dog!


----------



## beejaybeeohio (Nov 8, 2016)

*Not a Moron, but not a bad resource either!*



Timeshare Von said:


> Rick Steve is a moron!
> 
> We did a timeshare in the Yorkshire region and loved it!  Sutton Hall was a nice central location to see the historical sights that were of interest to us.
> 
> Here is my IgoUgo travel journal/blog on our stay (Nov. 2006):.





Timeshare Von said:


> He's ALL ABOUT whoever is paying him to promote their area or attraction.  I wouldn't take his advice on where to walk my dog!



As you can see by my post earlier on this thread, we too stayed at Sutton Hall and had a great visit.  Rick's Durham pimping led us to a disappointing day there, but OTOH we enjoyed our backroad driving tour from Whitbarrow in the Lakes District, that we'd not have known about without his suggestion.

We have stayed many places in Europe that he doesn't cover, but I do find his guides very helpful for places he writes about. E.G.: his Cruise Port Guides have led me to some options I'd not have known about such as visiting Cap Jean Ferrat out of Villefranche on our next fall's Med cruise. This cruise also has a stop in LaSpezia from which Rick is dead set against daytrippers from a cruise visiting the Cinque Terre while in port.  Thanks to him, we decided to stay 3 nights in Monterosso rather than attempt to go there while in port.

To dismiss him entirely misses the plusses of his guides.


----------



## Laurie (Nov 8, 2016)

beejaybeeohio said:


> To dismiss him entirely misses the plusses of his guides.


I agree. I do use and appreciate his guides, but would never rely on them alone. He has certain priorities and leanings that I already know don't match my own, so I read his recommendations with that understanding, and always do my own independent research, as well as invest in a couple of other guides such as Michelin and/or DK Eyewitness.


----------



## beejaybeeohio (Nov 9, 2016)

*Lonely Planet, too!*



Laurie said:


> I agree. I do use and appreciate his guides, but would never rely on them alone. He has certain priorities and leanings that I already know don't match my own, so I read his recommendations with that understanding, and always do my own independent research, as well as invest in a couple of other guides such as Michelin and/or DK Eyewitness.



I used to avoid borrowing Lonely Planet books from the library thinking they were geared to the hostel crowd, but found they have changed to include better lodgings and restaurants. They've been very useful in planning our travels, especially to places like New Zealand & Iceland.

I subscribe to the Lonely Planet travel mag, but have been disappointed in the content save for their brief city guides.


----------



## Timeshare Von (Nov 12, 2016)

Point taken on Mr. Steves.  My "moron" comment is more than just his travel shows, books and/or advice.  It's a bit personal too, because I witnessed his use of a copyrighted photograph taken by a good friend of mine at the Iditarod.  The subject of the photo was his sister Jan Steves, as she has mushed the famed race several times.

He stole the photo, posting it on his Facebook page and his travel blog.  No attribution to the photographer who OWNED the photograph.  She she wrote him about the use (and probably invoiced him for doing so), he came across as a real jerk . . . mea culpa . . . "I didn't know."

Had anyone violated his copyrights on content (books, video, photos, etc) I'm sure they would have had their hands full with his legal team.  For him to say he didn't know is B/S!  He KNEW he didn't take the PHOTO and he KNEW someone else did.  NUFF SAID.

All of that aside, I will admit I will watch his travel show series from time to time, mostly to feed my wanderlust . . . but that's about it. 

Sorry for the rant, but seriously . . . he's a moron!


----------



## vacationtime1 (Nov 12, 2016)

Timeshare Von said:


> Point taken on Mr. Steves.
> 
> . . . .
> 
> Sorry for the rant, but seriously . . . he's a moron!



We have used his guidebooks twice:  Amsterdam and Portugal.

In Amsterdam, he got us lost* by the second turn on a walking tour.

In Portugal, we became so frustrated with his "guide" that we threw the book away halfway through our trip; we decided it wasn't worth the weight to carry it.


*  Not really lost; we had a map.  But completely unable to track his suggested itinerary.


----------



## c2kid69 (Nov 12, 2016)

Almost anywhere in England in August you will be very pleased IMO.  By the way the pictures that are on this thread is how we remember the summers while we lived there and one of the main reasons we plan on returning many more times in the future.  

We lived in East Anglia for numerous years and loved nearly every spot of the country we were able to visit.  So many areas of the country have a different feel to them but yet still have many of the same options.  Lake District could give you more scenic pictures of water, maybe a bit more in true hiking trails but Devon in its own right can give you unbelievable views and hiking trails also.  

I'm guessing you will love either location and find that you will want to go back another year to see what else it has to offer.  If your idea of a good vacation is day hiking, riding bikes, catching some historical locations followed by a trip to the local pub and having some good food, maybe a beer to quench your thirst then you are headed to the right country.

Not sure if the travel books will tell you, likely they do but don't forget to look at UK Heritage pass if you do enjoy visiting historical sites.  I believe they do a 7 day pass and more than makes up for the cost especially if some of the big ticket locations are on your agenda.

Best of luck and enjoy


----------



## RNCollins (Nov 13, 2016)

Bill4728 said:


> We visited the west coast of Cornwall last year   WOW    loved our visit
> 
> Also we follow two TV shows filmed there   Doc Martin  and now Poldark
> 
> They were the main reason we went there.



I love the show Doc Martin!  If you get a chance to see some of the series (it's on PBS and BBC I think) you will fall in love with Cornwall.


----------



## jfbookers (Nov 13, 2016)

*Moving timeshare*

I would suggest a canalboat exchange for constantly changing scenery. I have done two and loved them.


----------



## Timeshare Von (Nov 14, 2016)

jfbookers said:


> I would suggest a canalboat exchange for constantly changing scenery. I have done two and loved them.



I've always wondered about those!  They look very cool . . . sorta like RVing but on the water.


----------

