I’m going to Ireland for my 25th wedding anniversary in September and might be able to swing a flight to England for part of the Burghley Horse trials in September. Looking for the best airport to fly into. Places to stay. How to get to the grounds (taxi? train? rent car?) Looking for any insight, advice, recommendations etc.
Thanks so much in advance.
We’ve only been once but it was great.
Airport-wise Stansted is probably your best bet. (If you’re flying in/out of Dublin, Ryanair does direct flghts to Stansted for ~£40.) You can get a train from the airport to Stamford in 1 hour 45 min, and Burghley is about 2 miles away from Stamford rail station. We walked to/from the train station, but if we go again I’m arranging a taxi - after wandering around the grounds all day for XC the walk back to the train station wasn’t fun!
I think we stayed in a Travelodge (had to find someplace that would allow our dog so it was that or Premier Inn) in Peterborough, which is 15min train ride from Stamford. It was basic/boring but I think it was also £40/night (including fee for the dog) so met our needs.
The Burghley website has a fair amount of info on visiting: http://www.burghley-horse.co.uk/information/frequently-asked-questions/
I’ve only been once as well. We flew into Heathrow and rented a car. Caught some sights along our way there. Was an easy drive. Make sure you leave early to get into the event as it is very popular so a lot of people attend.
We went two years ago and it was amazing! Book your accommodation NOW! WE stayed in a hotel in Wansford and it was only luck that got us in. Someone must have cancelled! We had a rental car and drove in each day.
We bought the Member’s Pass thing for the whole 4 days, which gives you special parking right by the gate and also into the Member’s Only Tent. Ate breakfast in there a couple of times, but the Food in the shopping area was great! It was nice to have real toilets and not the Port-a-loos, especially since we had just come from the WEG in Normandy!
It is hugely popular, not only for horse people, but it’s seems to be a “country lifestyle” sort of outing for the masses. Great fun and wonderful shopping!
Oh, forgot to say that if you go for several days, do your shopping on Thursday or Friday because it gets very busy on the weekend! Lots of fun stuff to look at and wish you could buy, but are relieved that you can’t actually get it on the plane to come home!
Went once loved it! Stayed at a Holiday Inn quite close & there was no traffic on the way in. Rented a car, easy drive. If possible, get the members pass - we were able to park & watch XC from the car during a morning drizzle in the most amazing spot. Pays for itself.
It’s like a fair in the US, but with a Castle & fantastic horse show occurring :yes: YEH stuff, Pony Club, etc. Its awesome :yes:
[QUOTE=ozjb;8741513]
Oh, forgot to say that if you go for several days, do your shopping on Thursday or Friday because it gets very busy on the weekend! Lots of fun stuff to look at and wish you could buy, but are relieved that you can’t actually get it on the plane to come home![/QUOTE]
Do NOT do your shopping on Thursday or Friday. Burghley is one of the last big destination trade stand venues of the season. On Sunday you get MASSIVE discounts on most everything. Even if it is not advertised, vendors are very prepared to give you a bargain. They do not want to load up the lorry and store stuff all winter for next season.
Just booked my ticket for this year! I take RyanAir to Stansted, then catch the train to Stamford. I stayed in Peterborough last year, and will again this year. The train was like 15 or 20 minutes away from Stamford.
I do it without a car… It’s pretty easy to walk to from the train station to the grounds (just follow the crowd!), or you can get a taxi at the station. Yes, I agree, the hike back after Saturday cross country can be daunting, but that’s what Pimms and pubs are for! 
LOL Good thing I didn’t know about the massive discounts on Sunday! Wouldn’t have mattered anyway as my suitcase was full . . .
For those going, I saw this in an online auction:
The Owner Experience at Burgley
Leah Lang-Gluscic is trying to get over there with her horse, AP Prime, and is auctioning off the chance to be an “owner” for the weekend. Seems like a pretty cool way to see the event!
Thank you!
Thanks everyone!!! Your super tips have been extremely helpful.
I did not know how easy or hard it would be to traverse Great Britain. Still having trouble finding someplace to stay but it’s helpful to know names of outlying towns that are an easy train ride.
add info
There are direct flights from Dublin to Birmingham (and probably from other cities in Ireland but I haven’t used them) and it takes about 1 - 1.5 hours by road from Birmingham to Burghley. Hire cars available at the airport. Indeed, there are hotels at the airport. If you do an internet search for ‘hotels in Rutland’ or ‘hotels in Rutland Water’ you will find plenty available. They will all be less than 30 mins from Burghley.
You can also get to Stamford from Birmingham by train. The airport is also served by a rail link.
If you want more info, PM me
[QUOTE=KaBoom!;8744917]
Thanks everyone!!! Your super tips have been extremely helpful.
I did not know how easy or hard it would be to traverse Great Britain. Still having trouble finding someplace to stay but it’s helpful to know names of outlying towns that are an easy train ride.[/QUOTE]
Have a look at AirBNB as well. My friends and I went to Badminton this year and got a fab three-bedroom house in Bath for less than what a hotel would have cost us, and it was a really last-minute find, as well. A lot of horsey people in the area will open up rooms or annexes to make a bit of extra cash when the Horse Trials are on, so it’s definitely worth a look!
