Stratford-upon-Avon Travel Forum

We are headed to Stratford next weekend and have been several times before so we are trying to find things to do in the surrounding area. We were in the Cotswolds in April so not sure we want to go back - unless someone can recommend them in November?

Bournville has been suggested. We would probably give Cadbury World a miss (being a big Green & Black's fan I couldn't really show my face there!) but would the town itself be worth a visit? What about Warwick? The castle is waaaay too expensive to visit but what about the town?

I guess what I am trying to find is someplace that would be a nice day trip from Stratford where we can have a dander about and take photos and might have some lovely autumn colours. Any ideas?

Bourneville isn't a town as such: it's just part of wider Birmingham. I wouldn't recommend a viit, although you might have a special inetrest in seeing a 'model' village from the outside. It's not in the same league as Saltaire, I'm afraid.

As for the Cotswolds, they will be fine in November as long as you are happy to wrap up warmly & deal with wet weather (which you presumably are, as you are in the UK in November!).

Warwick is a lovely little town, and has plenty of interest apart from the castle (which is actually worth the money, imo). Have a look at the Warwick VT pages. Mine here: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/73696/4a16e/

Leamington Spa is also pleasant for a wander, and nearby Kenilworth Castle is very pretty (and not as expensive as Warwick):

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server.php?show=nav.16873

You could do Warwick, Leamington and Kenilworth easily in one day.

If you want to shop, you could do worse than pop along the M69 to Leicester and visit the brand new High Cross shopping centre. Leicester is an interesting place to visit (see my pages), with a lot of history and some of the best Indian food in the country (imo).

Worcester is reasonably near, has a stunning cathedral and lots of historical interest (and a river). Another place worth visiting (my pages have info/pics). Then there's Great Malvern, and the Malvern Hills.....Tewkesbury and the villages/historical sites around Cleeve Hill....Cheletenham.....you're sppoilt for choice really!

Personally, I'd do the Warwick, Leamington, Kenilworth thing if you haven't been before (and if you can possibly afford it, visit Warwick Castle).

I have some 2 for 1 entry vouchers for Warwick castle which I am more than happy to send on to you. They should be useable up to Christmas. If you want to send me your addy via my e mail I will send them on. I have plenty and they will just get binned otherwise.

Joolz x

You can get a reduction on the tickets to Warwick Castle if you buy them online. The link is on my Warwick page. I also think it's marvellous. I spent a whole day there and then another day in the town itself. It certainly is worth visiting too. Another place that you might like is Broughton Castle, not so expensive and you can climb the roof for a view of the area. I don't think I could ever have enough of the Cotswold villages. Surely you haven't seen them all? And how about the Rollright Stones? You can read about them on my page too.
Have a great time - this part of England is really lovely.

When we visited Warwick - and I agree that the Castle is well worth a visit - we also did a walking tour with a very knowleagable and amusing guide. I'm not sure if it was free but certainly if it wasn't, it was not at all expensive (or I would have remembered!). The tours leave from the Visitor Centre on the main street.

Bourneville [Cadbury World] is outdated and an utter dump - don't waste your time and money visiting it

As I said, Bourneville is really just part of larger Birmingham. The brown & cream coloured buildings are pretty but, as far as I know, there is nothing special about it apart from the fact that it is a model village. The historical info is within Cadburyworld.

Haven't been to Cadburyworld for donkey's years, so cannot express an opinion on what it's now like.

Thank you very much everyone for the helpful information. I have to admit Leicester was not on my radar as a possible place to visit but it does look very nice. We are flying into East Midlands and, if I remember right, drive past Leicester (or at least through Leicestershire) so it is definitely an option.

The English Heritage site is very useful, too. I had checked the National Trust site and found a few interesting places but I want to have a good selection of things to see as we don't really know yet how much time we will have to ourselves and how much time we are spending with the relatives.

You won't drive through Leicester itself (assume you'll take the M1/M69, which is the most straightforward route) but you will drive through a bit of west Leicestershire (East Mids is about 30 minutes from me).

If you are arriving in the rush-hours (4-6, roughly, and 7-9ish), expect some delays around the M1/M69 junction, and at the M69/ around-Coventry-to-the-A45-and-onwards area. Otherwise it should be pretty much ok.

I also agree that Warwick Castle is worth a visit, I found 1/2 price tickets on lastminute.com earlier this year, the only downside is that you have to select a date. With the coupons that someone offered you above, you can go any day.

http://www.lastminute.com/site/entertainment/event-product.html?eventID=450046269-1&catID=104475

We brought a picnic lunch in with us to the castle, that might also save you a few £ if you plan on staying the day.

Thanks for the travel advice - I think we are arriving into rush hour traffic but we won't be in any hurry.

Thanks also for the Lastminute.com info. I had no idea they did things like that! I have only ever looked at flights and accommodation. :o)

How did you get-on? I am interested to hear!
(I live not far from Stratford)

We had a very nice time in the Stratford area. We spent one day wandering around Warwick, which was very nice. I couldn't bring myself to pay for the castle, though! It is a huge building and very well preserved but, well, we have plenty of castles here. I think they should do a separate ticket for the gardens - I would have liked to have seen them. I found a small garden at the base of the castle on the river that not only had nice castle-y views but was delightful from a gardeners point of view - lots of small, hidden spaces and different views everywhere you went.

We also spent a bit of time in Worcester. It was not quite as interesting as Warwick (maybe partly because it was raining.:P) but the cathedral was nice and they had people there to answer questions. As an embroiderer, I was fascinated by the alter cloth - very modern (70's) but very impressive stitching. It looked like a nice shopping town,too, though we just walked down the pedestrian area.

The drive to Worcester was gorgeous - we stopped several times to take photos of the autumn colour.

Glad you had a nice timr Jane. Where off to next ?

Glad you enjoyed it - shame it was raining some of the time.
Thanks for the update - it'slovely to hear back when people seek advice in here.

Agreed. It's a lovely part of the country...though I can't see the owners of Warwick (the Mme Tussauds people) ever offering 'gardens only' tickets, sadly.

For UK readers of this thread - I saved my T***o supermarket Deals Vouchers last year and got 3 tickets, for a quarter of the normal price0 for my daughter to take her son and a friend to Warwick Castle on his birthday (It would have cost far more than she could have afforded otherwise).
Admission prices there are horrendous and there is no reduction for children. Scandalous!

I too am a Tesco card deal user. We used them for Ladoon theme park up in Ayr, Liverpool on the Beatles tour and on the Mersey Ferry, Blackpool pleasure beach to name but a few.
I have saved them from last Autumn to fund this years outings. I also collect the 'Great day out' tokens from cereal packets and Tetleys tea and utilise any other freebie, discount options I may find. Wonder if there will be many ofers this year ?

Warwick is a lovely place, even without the castle (have a look at my Warwick pages). Join it up with a visit to Kenilworth Castle (beautiful place).

Would avoid Bournville entirely...nothing much there (it's really a Birmingham suburb), apart from Cadburyworld (to which I have not been for over a decade).

Worcester is entirely feasible (lovely cathedral, river) and Tewkesbury (ditto, except it's an abbey). Again, I have pages.

Or you could zip up the A46/M69 and explore Leicester, the 'forgotten city'....and maybe visit beautiful Bradgate Park (childhood home of Lady Jane Grey, poor girl). Yes, I have pages.

Will shut up now. :-(

Please ignore my enthusiastic posting above.

A momentary mental aberration...repling to the original posting yet again.

I blame it on new-grandmother-hood.

Sorry.

J, your a nana ! Is this grand child numbero uno ?

yee haa - more people who use Tesco vouchers for holidays rather than just shopping!
We go away somehwere every year on tescos......great value!

Yes...numero uno..hence the regular mental aberrations. :-)

This year they will be used to the max. New job and slightly less money starts tomorrow but on the plus side its weekend and prime holiday times off.
I quite fancy going down South and doing Stonehenge ans all that jazz, kids haven't been there as yet.

Ah bless, seems to have thrown you all into a tizzy !

O yes.......

Are the vouchers still good? Where can we get some? Will be at Warwick Castle in July

If you mean Tesco vouchers, these are the loyalty points that regular shoppers collect.
They are issued every quarter I think - and can be used at face-value against shopping or are worth more against entrance tickets to theme parks, days-out etc.
I use mine for holidays where they are worth FOUR TIMES their face-value aganst certain holiday companies (Cosmos and Virgin for sure, others I cannot remember I'm afraid).
There is a lead-time for ordering and receiving vouchers though - it takes a week or two to get them through. (and Tesco vouchers do have expiry dates)

You can sometimes see other promotions for Warwick Castle - worth checking out newspapers and magazines or stuff on supermarket shelves. (UK)

You collect vouchers when you shop at Tesco supermarket. The amount of vouchers you get relates to how much you spend.

I do not think this will be feasible for you.

To be accurate, the amount of 'Club-card points' you collect relates to how much you spend. You can then redeem the points for various discounts/items etc.

http://www.tesco.com/clubcard/clubcard/spend.asp

Sorry if you have been a little misled by one of the replies to your other thread.

Try lastminute.com for Warwick Castle, that's where I found a 2 for 1 last year. Had to pick a specific day though