North Yorkshire to Stansted

Why not take a look at the Gransnet Local pages covering the route, there could be some ideas there?

Sorry tiggybut you have reminded me of this
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm6VC5gdaFA

"If it's not in Yorkshire, it's not worth bl**dy visitin'"

I'm sure someone will be along with a more sensible suggestion shortly

Sounds like a nice idea to me Tiggy and the A1 is a good backbone to base your trip on. You will probably know York quite well but further south there is Melton Mowbray (nice pies!), beautiful Stamford and of course, wonderful Cambridge. All worth a visit and walk round and none too big to do so. Hope that triggers some ideas for route planning. Enjoy!

Stamford is a lovely place to visit and just off the A1. Cambridge will also be easy to get to from the A14 but you will need more time.

Audley End House is not far from the M11 and by then you're not far from Stansted so would easily be able to manage your time.

Hope the weather's good.

Lincoln isn't far from the A1.

Stamford is definitely well worth a visit. Burley House isn't far from Stamford.

If the weather is good there's Rutland Water.

St. Neots and the River Ouse, very pretty. The Wood Green Animal Shelter at Godmanchester near Huntingdon. Fabulous and heart-warming. Both very near to the A1 and Cambridge.

Thank you all for the suggestions. Some good ideas - just what I thought I would get from Gransnetters ! I shall look forward to visiting some of your ideas.

Don't apologise Jane ! I had seen that clip years ago but had forgotten it. It was today's best laugh !

Lots of good suggestions already. If you go to Rutland Water (near Oakham) you can visit Barnsdale Gardens, of Geof Hamilton fame, now run by son and dil. There is a coffee/lunch place there, but Bansdale Lodge just 1 mile away is much better.

Stamford is fabulous, as is Burleigh House, the grand place of William Cecil, Queen Elisabeth's adviser- there is a tea/lunch place inside- but the very old and grand George Hotel on the same side of town- is a magnificent experience.

And of course, the easiest would be a day in Cambridge, if you have not yet visited- wonderful. You can park and ride, much easier than parking in town.
If you do go there, find your way to the round Church, and ask them to put on the video on the history of Cambridge- then go and visit Kings College Chapel. If you can, wait till 5pm and go to Evensong there- free of charge, candle lit and with (pared during week days) Kings college choir singing. It only last 30 mins- then you still have plenty of time to get to Stansted and dinner at 8ish.

Watch out, Burley House is a privately owned mansion overlooking Rutland Water (now turned into 8 flats, 4 south and 4 north facing)- Burleigh House is the one you want, just a mile south-east of Stamford and the George Hotel.

Burghley surely?

oooops yes- you are right- Burleigh spelling also exists in the area. Sorry.

The house is still in private hands, and the home of Burghley House and grounds being the home of the famous horse trials. Great gardens with mordern sculpture too, and a good souvenir shop. so many films have been made there recently, including the Da Vinci Code, and Sense and Sensibility I think.

Ooh............ I'm getting excited now !
As our return flight does not arrive until early evening we have decided to stay the night at Stansted and then amble home the next day. Two days may not be long enough for all your suggestions though ! Many thanks.

have a grand time- and don't forget to tell us all about it when you get back

Well I am back after my friend and I flew to Spain from Stansted. On our way to the airport we went to Barnsdale Gardens and had a lovely leisurely afternoon there. We needed to be a bit quicker getting back home so only called at Lands End outlet at Oakham and picked up one or two bargains. Good cheap coffee and cake too !
The whole trip went without a hitch (we went to Galicia for the Christening of Spanish DGS3) until it took 50mins to get through border control at Stansted. After a similar bad experience at Heathrow a couple of years ago I MUST remember never to fly from London again !
Many thanks for all the suggestions. The area certainly is worthy of future exploration (as is Galicia).