Short Getaway

Hi All,

I am looking for ideas for a short getaway in a small village setting for late February, early March, 2 or 3 nights, for our birthdays.  It needs to be an easy train trip from London, then a short cab ride or so to the hall or B&B.  We really don't want much to do - a pub or two is really all we need, maybe a few cute shops to poke through.  But that's it.  We are so tired of all the hassles of living in London (not that we don't love it also!) that by the weekend we want peace and quiet.  No noisy streets, buses, well, you know . . .  Last year we went to Moreton-in-Marsh, in the Cotswolds -  that was lovely. So, something like that . . .  Thanks for any and all ideas!

we live down here in South Devon in a small fishing town called Brixham. It is a beautiful quaint little town with lots of cute little bed and breakfasts right by the harbor. Lots of cute little touristy shops and some good restaurants and cafes. It would be off season when you come so the prices would be cheaper...you could take the train from London to Paignton and then catch a cab to Brixham. The cab ride will probably cost you about 8 pounds. If you stay at a b & b or hotel in and around the harbor you won't need transportation. If you don't want to take a cab from the train station you can the bus station is right across the street from the train station and you could take the bus from Paignton to Brixham. It is a great little place. There aren't any movie theatres or anything just quaint little stores and a stunning view of the bay.

I would recommend Cerne Abbas in Dorset.  It's a few miles from where I live in Dorchester.  There's a train from Waterloo that goes straight to Dorchester, no changes, then you can take a taxi to Cerne Abbas.  It's a really charming village with lovely old pubs, beautiful churchgrounds, woods, gardens, places to hike, etc.  Also, you could go see the Cerne Abbas Giant, which is well worth a look!

Another nice place is Lyndhurst in the New Forest.  You can take the train from London to Ashurst (the stop is called Ashurst New Forest) then a taxi to Lyndhurst.  My DH and I stayed near Lyndhurst the first time I came to the UK to visit him, which was at the end of February in 2008, and it was absolutely lovely.  I don't remember for certain but I think we stayed here:
http://www.whitemoorhouse.co.uk/

The village is really pretty and you can hike in the forest.  There are some nice places to eat as well.  And pubs, of course .