Well, it might have looked this way in Wordsworth's time but not today! Although a number of historic buildings remain, like the Church and Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford has morphed into a modern tourist haven. 
It's easy to get away from the city for a day and visit one of the smaller but very interesting towns. You also get to see the English countryside on the way.
There are two good ways to do this. One is to take a motorcoach tour - we like Golden Tours. The other is to take the train. The coach tour takes you to more places, and can be a bit rushed, but is a good way to begin. The train allows you to spend more time in one place.
Here are a few of our favourite places for daytripping.
Well, it might have looked this way in Wordsworth's time but not today! Although a number of historic buildings remain, like the Church and Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford has morphed into a modern tourist haven.
We came to Stratford as part of a motorcoach excursion that also took us through the Cotswolds and to Oxford - and we were happy we did. It is worthwhile visiting Shakespeare's birthplace - the classic Tudor townhome has been restored lovingly to the way his parents would likely have kept it. It's also nice to drive by Anne Hathaway's cottage. But unless you want to see a play at the theatre or browse through endless souvenir shops, it's probably not worth spending a day here.
The tour is a better value if you want to see where it all began for the Bard of Avon.
Now Canterbury, that's a different matter altogether! You'll want to spend a whole day there, so take the train. If you have one of those 6 zone London Travelcards you get a nice discount on the journey from Victoria station. It's a leisurely trip out to Canterbury East, passing through some pretty towns and changing at Faversham.
After leaving the station, the first thing you see is a restored section of the old Norman town wall. Just walk along the path, follow the signs and soon you are on a pretty street heading straight for the cathedral. Enjoy looking at the Tudor buildings and shops, but save the actual shopping till later. Have some quality spiritual time first.
You can feel the divine presence at Canterbury Cathedral in a very special way. It's the resting place of two saints (Anselm and Thomas Becket), the seat of Anglicanism, and a special place of Ecumenism. Some of the highlights are:
The close or grounds surrounding the cathedral are also very beautiful, especially the memorial garden.
After all the history and holiness, maybe you're ready for a change of pace. There are lots of restaurants and teashops just outside the cathedral gates. Then you'll be fortified and ready to spend some time in the many interesting shops as you slowly make your way back down to the station for the journey back to busy London.
There's a fast and convenient train from King's Cross Station, London directly to Cambridge, and you do get a discount if you have a 6 zone travel pass. You zoom through lots of scenic country on the way and in an hour you are at the town station.
If you don't feel particularly energetic, there are buses and taxis to take you to the centre of town. It's a brisk walk and make sure you have a good map or an understanding partner, because it's easy to make a wrong turn on the way. (We did but just followed our noses!)
Once you do make it to the colleges the experience is unforgettable. Make sure to pay the admission fees to visit King's College Chapel. It's called "the noblest barn in England" because Oliver Cromwell apparently kept his horses here at one time. The fan vaulted ceiling dates from 1515 and is unbelievably beautiful. The massive dark oak screen was donated by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn (his queen of the moment.) There's a wonderful museum which shows the Catholic piety of Henry VI, the founder of the college.
Afterwards be sure to tour the grounds of the college, then cross a bridge to the other side of the Cam river. Here you may see the Backs (of the colleges) and later on view the Mathematical Bridge at Queen's College. Newton built it originally without nails. Later on some other scientists took it apart but could not put it back together without fasteners.So much for scientific advancement!
Carry on with a visit to St. John's College where you can view their chapel (It's neo-Gothic and Victorian but has some interesting stained glass windows). Next you can see the famous Bridge of Sighs which connects the "old" and "new" sections of the college. That's the bridge above on this page.
Other famous college grounds you can visit for free include Trinity, Pembroke, Gonville and Caius, and Jesus. There's also a beautiful circular Norman Church of the Resurrection, just down the street from St. John's. It's tiny but massive, like St. James chapel in the Tower of London.
Add in the opportunity for some shopping and souvenir buying and Cambridge makes an ideal day trip. But you'll walk and walk, so take some comfortable shoes.
Maybe you won't meet Jane Austen in Bath, but it's easy to imagine you could. It's one of those places that seems to be rooted in the late 18th century, what with its gorgeous achitecture and wonderful history.
Bath goes back a bit before Jane's time of course. The Romans were bathing here 2000 years ago, and the Abbey was the site of a great Norman Cathedral. But I digress...
It's a rather expensive trip by train, but if you go on a Monday to Thursday, and leave after 9:30 AM you can save a few pounds. You don't get a discount on your London Transport Pass at Paddington station if you take the Great Western Railway, but it will be worth it. Trust me!
The trains are fast and you follow the famous line designed by Isambard Brunel of Turner fame. There are some long dark tunnels and generally the roadbed is level. Soon you find yourself at Bath Spa and ready to explore the town. Just walk out of the station and head for the Abbey. You can't miss it.
The Abbey is a place of serenity in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Bath. It has fan vaulting like King's College chapel, but it's much later architecture. The great stained glass windows at either end of the Abbey fill it with light, so that it deserves its nickname, "Lantern of the West". In the Abbey crypt is an interesting museum with friendly local guides. They give an excellent presentation on the history of the old Cathedral and the Abbey itself.
Of course, the star attractions of Bath are the Roman temple and baths, right next to the Abbey. The lead lined bath fed by hot springs and the original Roman drains are in view, as well as many artifacts from the original Temple of Sulis Minerva.The columns and statues around the bath area date from Victorian times, when the baths were re-excavated after centuries of neglect.
Other interesting things to see in Bath are Pultney Bridge with its shops lining the passageway, and two magnificent pieces of Georgian architecture. The first, called the Circus, was designed by John Wood the elder. The second, known as the Royal Crescent, was designed by his son, John Wood the younger. Both are not to be missed!
Top it off with cream tea at one of the many shops in and around North Parade, and then shop till you drop. Then it's back to the train, exhausted!
This page last modified on June 19, 2001.
