10-Day UK Itinerary

2024 has been about new experiences and adventures.  When we were brainstorming on what to do or where to visit this summer, we landed on the UK.  Many of our favourite TV shows and movies have been filmed in the UK, so we were excited to try and incorporate them into our 10-day UK itinerary.

We all need to get a balance between action and reflection. With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock… Queen Elizabeth II

How our brainstorming began:

1. Pick our length of visit and what areas we wanted to explore
2. Book our flights
3. Book the rental car
4. Begin our search for accommodations in the areas we were going to visit via www.booking.com. We booked 6 of our 7 stays through this app. The other one – our first 2 days in London – we booked direct.

Areas or Sites We Wanted To See:

• London – Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Westminster Abbey, Notting Hill
• Oxford
• Diddly Squat Farm – Clarksons Farm TV show
• York
• Liverpool
• Wrexham – AFC Wrexham Football Club – series on TV (Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney purchased the team and have documented it)
• Hay on Wye
• Stow on the Wold
• Richmond (on the Thames) – Ted Lasso TV show filming location
• Any ‘off the beaten path’ castles or sites we could find

Our Itinerary for 10 Days:

Day 1: Fly out of Montreal direct to Heathrow Airport in London via Air Canada.

Day 2: Arrive in London. Take the Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station for a 2-night stay in Paddington at the Mercure London Hyde Park Hotel. See the local sites near the hotel (Hyde Park, Kensington Palace and Notting Hill).

Day 3: Take the tube to London city core to see Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and to take in a London theatre show.

Day 4: Take the Heathrow Express train back to Heathrow Airport to pick up our rental car from Hertz – a Toyota Corolla – then head to Chipping Norton to stop at Diddly Squat Farm then onto Oxford.

Day 5: Drive to York – making a stop at Nottingham Castle.

Day 6: Drive to Liverpool – making a stop in Skipton to take in the beautiful countryside.

Day 7: Drive to Wrexham Wales – watch a football match and take in the area which the TV show has documented – note; we spontaneously changed the itinerary to stay in Wrexham and not head to *Hay on the Wye.

Day 8: Drive to Stow on the Wold – stopping at Stokesay Castle.

Day 9: Drive to Richmond – taking in the filming sites of Ted Lasso.

Day 10: Leave UK via Heathrow Airport

Day 1:  Flight to London Heathrow via Air Canada

We flew Air Canada again and it was great.  Going there, it was not a full flight, so we had the row to ourselves which made sleeping more enjoyable.  We decided to travel with carry-on luggage again to prevent any possibility of lost luggage.  Packing was a cinch and we were able to roll right onto and off the plane.  A handy tip would be to take pictures of your outfits so you know what you have and what you can mix and match with.

Tip: We had booked the basic fare on Air Canada, but soon learned that booking the standard fare (or higher), allows you the possibility of upgrading. Unfortunately, we could have upgraded to a sleeping pod for the overnight flight for only $300 (instead of up to $2500). 

Day 2:  Arrival in London

Our flight was an overnight – so we arrived by 10 am the next morning – London time.  We departed the plane, headed through security – which was seamless with their electronic security system, and followed the colour coded airport markings for the Heathrow Express – the 15 min express train to Paddington Station.  We purchased a return ticket (because we would be heading back in a couple days to pick up our rental car at the airport).  

Sites Included:

• Mercure London Hyde Park Hotel in the infamous Talbot Square – a short walk from Hyde Park
• Hyde Park
• Kensington Palace
• Notting Hill
• Little Venice

Arriving at Paddington station was simple and easy to navigate.  We easily found our way around and out to street level to follow the walking directions to the Mercure London Hyde Park Hotel – a brief 5 minute walk away. 

The Mercure London Hyde Park Hotel was fantastic.  A 4-star boutique hotel situated within minutes of Paddington station and Hyde park.  We stayed here for 2 nights to take in the sites of London and the Paddington area.  It is a quaint inn type hotel and our package included breakfast at their attached restaurant.  The property consisted of multiple floors and room descriptions.  Ours was quite spacious – perfect for a 2-night stay. 

We quickly freshened up from our overnight flight and headed out to explore the area.  We walked towards Hyde Park and took in the beauty of this massive park.  Walking towards Kensington Palace, we were in awe of standing before this royal palace – the birth place of Queen Victoria – amongst the vastness of the beautiful park.  From the palace, we walked to Notting Hill.  An eclectic village decorated with colourful brownstone type buildings, a market and quaint shops and restaurants.  We were in search of the Notting Hill bookstore location from the movie Notting Hill and low and behold, we found it.  Another surreal moment.  Finishing up in Notting Hill, we walked to Little Venus in Paddington. An area along the Thames river where boats and delectable restaurants are located for a delightful meal before heading back to call it a night.

Tip:  Stay awake as long as you can without sleeping on that first arrival day.  This will allow you to aclimatize to the local time zone.  It may mean you are in bed by 8am, but you will wake refreshed and on the current time zone.

Day 3: Exploring London

After an amazing, but long previous day, we slept like a dream. Our hotel package included breakfast so we headed to the attached bistro for a fabulous breakfast to start our day. 

Tip: Try to book accommodations that include breakfast. It is a great way to get a nourishing meal in to provide you with an abudance of energy for your adventures of the day. 

We wanted to begin our day with seeing Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. To get there we hopped on the tube (their subway/ train system) and arrived just outside Westminster Abbey. 

Tickets (for Westminster Abbey) were required to be purchased in advance prior to entering so we needed to buy those and the next time slot was 2 hours away. So, after completing the online ticket steps, we decided to walk over to Buckingham Palace to view another royal masterpiece. 

Tip: We needed wifi to buy the online Westminster Abbey tickets. The building across the street – Queen Elizabeth building – has complentary wifi and it is accessible from the street. 

Our walk to Buckingham Palace was a peaceful walk through a gorgeous park ending with the magnificent palace in full view. Walking past this famous royal structure seemed surreal as I can picture the royal family standing out on the balcony that I have witnessed many times on TV. Being in awe simply does not see describe it.

Back at Westminster Abbey, stepping inside this historical cathedral where royal weddings and the recent coronation had occurred – was spectacular. The vastness and architectural beauty was picture perfect. 

After walking around London taking in the views, Big Ben, the London Eye, and tourist shops – we decided to hit the theatre district for a show. Stumbling upon the last minute Ticket Booth, we found great tickets for Book of Mormon. All in all, the Book of Mormon was not a favourite of ours to partake, however, the experience of seeing a theatrical play in London was extraordinary. We were confused with which ‘tube/subway’ to take back to Paddington in the evening – so we paid a Rickshaw biker to get us to the correct station. Always an adventure.

Day 4: Journey to Oxford:

Wednesday had arrived which meant we were leaving London and heading into the country side. We ate our terrific breakfast, checked out of the Mercure London Hyde Park Hotel and walked to Paddington station – heading back to Heathrow Airport to grab our prearranged car rental at Hertz. On previously trips to Ireland, we have booked though Avis. We looked into UK Avis however with CAA, we were able to get a great deal via Hertz. 

Sites Included:

• Diddly Squat Farm – Clarkson’s Farm (TV show)
• Oxford University
• Malmaison Hotel – a previous prison
• Turf Tavern

On route to Oxford, we decided to take a detour and head to Chipping Norton where Diddly Squat Farm is located.  This farm is featured on Prime and is a  TV Show about Jeremy Clarkson and his Cotswold’s Farm.  It is an amazing series to watch – outlining farming in the UK, its struggles and how he learned to operate a farm along side some great farm hands.  This stop was a highlight of our travels as we got to wander the farm shop property, eat a bite from their amazing food truck and experience a pint of their home-made beer and cider.  

We were now off to Oxford to stay at the infamous Malmaison Oxford which is established within an old historic prison. Pulling up to this magnificent building was glorious.  We were greeted by the valet and ushered into the hotel for an efficient check in.  

Our room was in the cell block section situated in their original cells. Overlooking the old prison courtyard, there was a slight eerie feeling knowing prisoners were once locked in these rooms. Yet, the striking architecture of the building captured an old world charm of peace.  Again, our package included breakfast which was located in the downstairs restaurant offering a variety of continental and hot options.  

Exploring Oxford was amazing.  The school is very regal and its history fascinating.  It is the 3^rd oldest university in the world – dating back to the 12^th century.  It is known and associated with many greats over its history – from Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll, and C.S.Lewis to even JRR Tolkien.  The property was even a setting in the Harry Potter films.  It was a site to take in – in complete awe.  Simply stunning.  

Walking around the town, we stumbled upon an alley with a sign stating St Helen’s Passage.  We decided to walk down the alley to see what it was.  At the end of the alley- it revealed a secret pub known as Turf Tavern. What an incredible find.  It dates back to the 1300’s where celebrities and famous authors including Elizabeth Taylor, Bill Clinton and Ernest Hemingway all sipped a pint back in the day.  

We only stayed in Oxford for one night, but it was a fabulous one!  

Day 5: Journey to York

We departed Oxford and headed towards York.  We decided to stop roughly half way at Nottingham Castle – known for its inspiration for Robinhood.  Initially reading about this castle, we were excited to visit. However, upon arrival and purchasing tickets, we soon learned that the ‘tour’ of the castle was only of a museum nature.  Four floors of displays and artwork. No actual tour of the castle itself.  Disappointed would be an understatement to how we felt.  As you may be aware from previous Ireland blogs, we love to find and view castles.  All in all, the outside beauty of this castle was stunning.  

Arriving in York, we were amazed by the large city stone walls that encompassed the inner medieval city.  York is known as the most haunted city in the entire world.  However, we did not encounter any strange beings.  We soon found our next boutique hotel – The Dean Court and took in the beauty of this establishment.  Situated across from the stately 13th Century York Minster Cathedral, it once housed the clergy men of the Minster and is also known to be haunted. 

Our room overlooked the York Minster Cathedral with a lovely bay window and a wonderful sitting area.  Again, our package included breakfast which offered a variety of continental and hot options to chose from.  Delightful.  

Wandering around York, we stepped inside York Minster Cathedral.  The structure reminded us of Westminster Abbey with the vast ceilings and outstanding architecture.  Stunning.  Leaving the cathedral, we found the infamous Shambles – a cobblestone walking area filled with shops and restaurants.  Known back in the day at Butcher’s Row, walking these cobblestone streets was picture perfect in medieval décor and it is speculated that the Shambles was the inspiration of Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series.  To top off our night, we decided on a walk along the city walls.  The entire wall is approximately 3.4 km, however, we only walked a portion of it to take in the view.  We definitely enjoyed this lovely evening stroll. A definite must-do!

Our stay was again, only 1 night, but it was an amazing one.  We would highly recommend York and the Dean Court Hotel to anyone travelling around the UK for some history medieval sites.     

Day 6: Journey to Liverpool

We departed York and decided to enter into our GPS/Waze app – the town of Skipton to allow us to take some more country roads towards Liverpool. We had been driving the M-highways – which are motorways and seeing the countryside was more of what we wanted to do.

Sites Included:

• Steppingstone Abby
• Abbey Tea Room

Heading this way allowed us to fall upon an adorable stone bridge and tearoom.  It was such a lovely find and we ended up having a delightful lunch in this adorable tea room.

We made our way to Liverpool and parked in the underground parking as instructed by our hotel staff via an email.  We stayed at the infamous Hard Days Night Hotel.  A hotel completely inspired by the Beatles and just around the corner from the world famous Cavern Club where the Beatles started out.  

The Hard Days Night Hotel was decorated beautifully in Beatles items and décor, as well as personal items from Paul McCartney and John Lennon.  Once again, our package included breakfast which consisted of a buffet type option.  Items included eggs, fruit, sausages and bacon, as well as a variety of cereals and breads.  

We quickly settled our belongings in our room and headed out to explore – finding the Cavern Club.  We were hungry, so we received a tip from one of the Cavern Club security to head across the way to the Cavern Restaurant for dinner.  If you show your receipt afterwards to the staff at the Cavern Club, your entrance fee is waived.  Our meal was fantastic. I chose a local dish called Scouse – which quite possibly originates from Scandanavia, but is a dish frequently consumed by local fishermen.  It was a stew type meal, but so delicious.  Afterwards, we headed over to the Cavern Club to take in the amazing bands and see the site of where the Beatles first started out.  This was a fantastic night – bands sang covers of Beatles songs with everyone singing along and dancing.  It was a night we will definitely remember.    

Another one night stay on our journey, but definitely a highlight of our week.  

Day 7: Journey to Wrexham Wales

We were now on the leg of our vacation where we wanted to see Wales.  First stop was to be Wrexham – home of the AFC Wrexham Football club.  This club was purchased by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and documented on Disney.  A fabulous series to watch. We weren’t even ‘football’ (soccer) fans, but we were quickly immersed into series.

Sites Included:

• AFC Wrexham Club

This portion of our itinerary ended up getting completely changed.  We were to just have a stopover in Wrexham to see the stadium and head on the Hay on Wye (a quaint village in Wales consisting of 20+ bookstores).  However, our plans quickly changed.  Finding the stadium, we were walking around and stumbled upon a wonderful lady – Julie – Director of Operations for Wrexham AFC.  We were talking with her and telling her our story of why we came.  She asked if we were staying for their ‘friendly’ match later that afternoon.  

Aside: A friendly match is a game which is outside of regular regulation matches. 

We apologized by saying no – it was last minute and we didn’t think we could get out of our hotel reservation.  She understood, but immediately made our day by bringing us onto the pitch for a photo opportunity.  We thanked her for her kindness and we went on our way to see the front of the stadium and the pub next door called The Turf – which is also featured in the series.  

While walking, we decided to look into our cancellation policy.  Low and behold, it was the one reservation where we had until 2:00 pm that day to cancel.  So, we looked up on booking.com to see if the town of Wrexham had anything available.  It did – the Ramada Inn – a short 1 km walk away.  Immediately, we booked that and cancelled our other.  We found Julie again and she assisted us in purchasing tickets and also got us into the players lounge before and after the match.  We were so touched and overwhelmed by her generosity and kindness.

After purchasing some Wrexham AFC souvenirs, we quickly headed over to the Ramada Inn to check in and get settled.  Being a last minute decision, this hotel was actually quite lovely.  Their team was friendly and courteous, the rooms quiet and comfortable, and they offered dinner as well as breakfast.  Each meal was delicious.  

Back at the stadium, we headed over to the Turf Pub (featured in the series) for a pint.  It was so fun and busy with locals and fans pouring in to support the team.  While there, we had the opportunity to meet the owner – Wayne Jones, Shaun Winter – a young father /fan featured on the show, as well as the 2 sisters – Jacqui and Julie – often featured on the show with hearts of gold.  Just the experience there would have been suffice, but once we headed over to the players lounge, then into the stands, and watching the match was a moment that will last a lifetime.  Our favourite player – Paul Mullin was not playing, but there were other show features players on the pitch. They ended up winning their match and our day was fulfilled.  

Our one night stay (our only stay in Wales) and complete change in itinerary was definitely a highlight of our journey.  

Day 8: Journey to Stow on the Wold (Cotswolds)

We left Wrexham and headed towards Stow on the Wold – the famous Cotswolds.  We wanted to drive the more country roads again, so we put in a town half way (into our Waze App) that included a magnificant castle.  

Sites included:

• Stokesay Castle
• St Edwards Church
• The Kings Arms Inn

Along the drive, we happened to pass a stunning castle, so we quickly turned around to have a look.  What a find!  This 750 year old castle – Stokesay Castle – was outstanding. A small fee allowed you to explore and roam this magnificent structure – all while being basically alone.  We were not overrun by other tourists or patrons at all and we were given an audio guide so we can learn about the castle as we explored.  We stayed a significant amount of time exploring this masterpiece that we did not end up going to the planned castle we had originally thought about. We did not regret stopping here at all. A must-see! 

Arriving in Stow on the Wold was like entering Dicken’s Village.  Quaint stone buildings, cobblestone walkways and historical landmarks make this village an extraordinary one.  Our 1-night stay was at the Kings Arms Hotel – a once coaching inn dating back to the 1600’s and has a legend that King Charles I once stayed here.  This Inn was outstanding.  Our room was up 2 flights of stairs – with the last flight being quite steep (however what a tale to tell), it’s décor and quaintness was picture perfect.  We would highly recommend staying at this fabulous inn as the team, dinner in their amazing restaurant (a traditional Sunday roast) and breakfast (a traditional English breakfast) were all fabulous.  

We couldn’t have asked for a better 1-ngiht stay in this amazing village. 

 

Day 9: Journey to Richmond (on the Thames)

Our drive to Richmond took us along the motor way – so not very scenic, but because we stayed a bit longer in the village of Stow on the Wold, we decided to take the faster route to Richmond.  Richmond is the setting for another favourite TV show of ours Ted lasso (on Apple TV).  

Sites included:

• The Prince’s Head Pub
• Richmond Green
• Paved Court
• The Thames River
• The Selwyn Inn

We arrived in Richmond to our lovely inn – The Selwyn.  Pulling up to their car park, we were happy we had a compact car as it was a bit of a tight squeeze parking.  Once parked, we headed inside this beautiful Inn to check in.  The Selwyn family dates back to the 16^th century and its once family home (now the inn) is stunning both inside and out.  Our relatively tiny room was situated on the second floor nestled in the back of the building.  Although on the small size, it did pack quite a punch in décor and comfort.  Our package once again included a splendid breakfast consisting of continental and hot options.

  

A short walk into the town centre, we quickly found the Prince’s Head pub – the inspired pub for the TV show (called Crown and Anchor on the series).  We stepped inside to enjoy some lunch and a pint to commemorate the show we so dearly love.  Next, we walked the area and found Paved court – filming location of Ted Lasso’s flat, Gents of Richmond – the barber shop Jamie (one of the main characters) gets his hair cut at, the park bench regularily featured on the show, as well as Richmond green – a lovely central park area also featured on the program.  We took in the area highlights including walking the Thames river to immerse ourselves in the Ted Lasso ‘local’ feel.  

Richmond was such a lovely town to have as our last stop of our trip and being able to experience some of the Ted Lasso sites was a definite bonus.   

Day 10: Departure from London Heathrow to Home

The drive to the airport was a short 30 minutes.  We left in plenty of time since the roads around Heathrow can be confusing and we needed to drop off our rental car.  

Tip:  We put in the postal code as instructed by Hertz into our Waze/GPS app however, it kept rerouting us and we ended up going through a toll type area where a 5 pound charge was apparently linked to our car – we had driven through a drop off zone and apparently it automatically charges.  Luckily, our shuttle driver told us about that onroute to our terminal and we called Hertz immediately. They gave us instructions on how to pay so it would not keep accruing as each day passed. We logged into Heathrow Dropoff payment and paid the fee.  We were grateful for this tip.  

The flight home was a full one, but we had no issues.  We arrived in Montreal ahead of schedule and we were on our way to our happy home.  

Some helpful tips:

• You need at least 9-10 days to get immersed in the UK culture.  More is obviously better and we wished we had of been able to see more of Wales and more off the beaten path castles or abbey’s.  Next time.
• YouTube, Pinterest and TikTok all have excellent travel tips, destination ideas and locations to learn about.
• If renting a car – opt for automatic.  You are already driving on the other side of the road, no need to switch your brain to shifting a stick with your left hand as well.
• The London Tube system is quite easy to use.  Don’t be afraid to use this to explore the city.  It is quite affordable.
• Heathrow Express is a fast and efficient way to get into the city – Paddington area – without breaking the bank. It cost roughly 95 pounds return for 2 adults, but a cab one way from Heathrow can cost up to 77 pounds.  
• Allow for some spontaneous adventure during your itinerary planning.  You’ll be surprise at what you come across during your travels.

Map of our Route:

If you are interested in more Europe adventures – Click the link below to watch a video on Northern Ireland containing travel tips and itinerary ideas or click HERE to read some blogs on Ireland (as well as Caribbean, USA, and local adventures)