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Day trips from London

Punting at Kings College, Cambridge

London has many redeeming features but there is so much more to England than its capital city. Using the decent rail network and a spirit of exploration there's no need to book expensive excursions to discover some of England's other great city treasures.

Inconveniently, there is no central London railway station; in fact there are 18 of them, in a ring around the centre and connected by the underground network. A day trip out of London is a breath of fresh air and an opportunity to see the countryside and explore some other towns and cities.

Travel after 9.30am and after 7pm on a "cheap day" or "off-peak" return ticket for the best value, and for a family, consider buying a Network Rail Card for big discounts and usually free child travel. Tickets can be bought on the web or at the station in advance and the earlier it's bought the cheaper it usually is.

  • Jane Austen and the Romans *


Bath is 160km west and 1 hour 40 minutes from Paddington station (from $55 return). It's without doubt the best Georgian town in Britain and a key setting in Jane Austen's Persuasion and Northanger Abbey novels. The Romans settled here in 60AD when they discovered the hot springs and it became their major religious centre.

The Roman Baths in all their steaming glory and ancient relics are a must-see and Jane Austen fans should visit her museum. The Royal Crescent is a stunning example of Georgian architecture and crossing the river Avon by Pulteney Bridge you're using one of only four bridges in the world that are lined with shops on either side.

The Pump Room is perhaps the city's most elegant place to enjoy a stylish lunch or afternoon tea and you can still "take the waters" by drinking the warm mineral water pumped up from underground. It tastes disgusting but isn't that why it's supposed to be good for you?

  • Candy floss and chips *


Brighton is 75km south and takes an hour from Victoria or London Bridge stations (from $18 return). It became fashionable when the Prince Regent (later George IV) moved there and became London's quintessential seaside getaway when the railway arrived in 1841.

The Prince Regent's exotic and gaudy Indian/Chinese styled Royal Pavilion is still a major attraction and shouldn't be missed. For shoppers the higgledy-piggledy lanes are a great source of antiques, books and oddball purchases. The Pier, on the shingle sea front, is a classic Victorian experience with bars, cafes, amusements and a fun fair at the end.

Visitors are spoilt for eating choices, as there are dozens of places for lunch on the promenade.

  • Punting and carols *


Cambridge is 80km north and takes 45 minutes from King's Cross station (from $42 return). This venerable university city opened its first college (Peterhouse) in 1284 and is awash with galleries and museums.

You don't have to do anything specific in Cambridge because the quaint passages around the historic market place and colleges are a joy to stroll around. But perhaps it would be churlish not to try punting on the River Cam. If you want to see more, hire a bike and explore the network of cycle paths in and around the city.

King's College Chapel is the must-see place as who hasn't seen or heard the traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, broadcast live by the BBC across the globe every Christmas Eve?

A bite to eat and a pint should be at The Eagle, in Benet St, where Crick and Watson made their historic first public announcement about the discovery of DNA.

  • Pilgrims and murder *


Canterbury is 96km south and takes about an hour from Victoria or Charing Cross stations (from $52 return). It is famed as the place where Thomas Becket was assassinated on the orders of Henry II. It is home to Britain's oldest cathedral and it is absolutely stunning, founded in 602AD but rebuilt in the 11th century by the Normans.

Take a stroll in the Dane John Gardens, where you can walk along part of the ancient city walls and, in the summer, catch a concert at the bandstand.

The Thomas Becket pub is near the cathedral and is a natural choice for a decent pub lunch and a good selection of beers.

If you stay late into the evening you can join a ghost tour of the city starting at Alberrys Wine Bar in St Margaret's Street.

  • Harry Potter and Morse *


Oxford is 80km north-west and takes an hour from Paddington station (from $44 return).

Oxford University, founded in 1249, is at the heart of the city of "dreaming spires", as poet Matthew Arnold dubbed Oxford. It is so photogenic that it constantly appears in films and TV programs, so needless to say there are a raft of Harry Potter and Morse-themed walks. The Radcliffe Camera, a Baroque rotunda, is the must-snap image.

The Ashmolean museum is the oldest museum in Britain, although I prefer the Pitt Rivers museum, which tells visitors as much about the Victorian mindset as it does about its collection of shrunken heads. You can't ignore the river in Oxford; punting is an option but there's also motorboat hire as well as pleasure-boat trips to the edge of the city.

Stopping off for lunch at the Eagle and Child, where J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis regularly met, is a must for anyone who loves their books.

  • Kings Alfred and Arthur *


Winchester is 130km south-west and takes an hour from Waterloo station (from $61 return).

This exceptionally attractive town was made the first capital of England by Alfred the Great and has what many regard as the most beautiful cathedral in England. Like Bath, Winchester has plenty of Jane Austen events because she is buried in the cathedral.

To the left of the medieval Westgate (an old debtors' prison) is the Great Hall of Winchester Castle.

It's one of the biggest and finest in England and its most famous treasure is King Arthur's Round Table.

The Chesil Rectory is a 600-year-old house and is a very stylish lunch venue or, for equally good food with a traditional pub ambience, try the Wykeham Arms.

Cricket enthusiasts will of course have to make the 25km excursion to the village of Hambledon - the birthplace of cricket and where the game's rules were first established.

·It's worth checking the tourist websites and local office on arrival to collect a map and ask if there are any special events on that day. Don't rush around to try and see everything in one day, decide on your priorities and plan to enjoy the day rather than tick off too many sights. All these places deserve more than a day trip, and if you have the time, hotel or B&B accommodation is readily available.

  • fact file *


·For more, see visitbath.co.uk, visitbrighton.com, visitcambridge.org, canterbury.co.uk, visitoxford.org, visitwinchester. co.uk.