Cotswolder Travel Guide

I have been shopping for our trip! And organizing our current warm/wet weather gear.

Keeping warm and dry when hiking

Most likely we will get many cold, wet and damp days, but we want to do as much walking/hiking as possible, so we got the following to keep us warm.

• Smartwool “Next to Skin” midweight wool long underwear (new for this trip) and very light wool shirts (bought earlier this year for the Switzerland hiking trip).
• Light weight silk long underwear (pants and top). I love the wool long underwear, but am going to do a warmth comparison of wool vs. silk. Our friend Joan recommends the silk long underwear.
• Gortex quality rain jackets with hoods. Steve got a new one from REI for the Switzerland trip and I got a new one for this trip from LL Bean.
• Gortex rain pants from LL Bean. Completely water proof. Wear them with long underwear for warmth.
• New water resistance back packs and waterproof covers for Steve.
• Waterproofing for our hiking boots. Last summer in Switzerland, we were in a downpour and the water leaked in through our books.
• Wool socks. We have been wearing these in our frigid Santa Fe winter and they work well.
• Fleece, fleece, fleece. Vests, sweaters, shirts, hats, gloves.
• Hand knitted wool caps. I am starting to knit again and made us hats. I am bringing wool and patterns for hats, mittens, socks.

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Trip planning almost done - still the car rental to book. After two nights in Bath, we will pick up a rental car and drive up to the Nailsworth cottage.

I started looking up rental and leasing prices and WOW! Expensive! I decided to book without insurance since it is about half the price. I have done this before. We charge the car rental to our AMEX card and AMEX provides the coverage. Then Chris started a thread about car rental insurance and someone pointed out that AMEX does not cover you for more than 30 days (or maybe 45). I knew that - but had forgotten.

I did a bunch of searching, looking at car rental agencies and leases and buy-backs. To make a long story short, I found a rate on Enterprise that was almost half the AutoEurope rate. Because I have read on the message board about people getting AutoEurope to meet a competitor’s rate, I decided to give it a try. And they did! So, I have booked our car with AutoEurope, with full coverage (and a $1300 deductible). Below I show all the different prices I found and compare renting to leasing.

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We are spending January and February in a cottage in the Cotswolds!! Yes, I realize the weather will be cold, wet and damp, but I have purchased warm clothing! :) Steve and I are both excited about this trip. We spent the fall and winter in England in 1988/89 and enjoyed a cozy cottage on the wet days and exploring the countryside on the good days. For the last few years, we have spent a month each year in England, either in May or September.

Itinerary Summary

• January 1: Fly Albuquerque to Dallas to Gatwick, arriving in Gatwick at 7am local time the next day.
• January 2: Car service (Drive-U) meets us at Gatwick and drives us to Bath.
• January 2 - 4: Haringtons Hotel in Bath, 3 nights (booked for night before early morning arrival).
• January 4: Pickup rental car from National in Bath (booked through AutoEurope) and drive to Nailsworth (45 minute drive).
• January 4 - February 28: Eight weeks in Eastview Cottage in Nailsworth, just south of Stroud, in the southern Cotswolds.
• February 28 - March 4: Not booked yet.
• March 4: Fly home (Gatwick to Dallas to Albquerque).

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