18 Days in the United Kingdom
Jul 23rd, 2006, 03:56 PM
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18 Days in the United Kingdom
I am planning a trip to the United Kingdon for 18 days including two flying days. A suggestion made to me was to land in Edinborough and work my way south. I would like to see Scotland, Ireland, Wales, the Englsih countryside, and spend about a week in London. I know this is quite a tall order, so I'm asking all of you experts out there if somehow this is doable in 16 touring days. How long in each place? Things not to miss....Thanks. Helene
Jul 23rd, 2006, 04:07 PM
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I think it's doable...and what a GREAT trip! 
I've been to Edinburgh and various stops along the motorway to London...but we didn't do Wales.
How have you decided to fit in Ireland? Boat over or fly?
More experienced travelers should have some great ideas...here's my limited experience take..
2 days Edinburgh...fly out of there and head to Ireland....spend 4 days touring the counties that interest you...boat over to Wales...2 days there and then hit Bristol/Bath/Heart/Cotswolds of England for 5 days and head on to London to spend 5 good days there...
the other option would be to stick to just Scotland and England...tour all parts of Scotland..so many pretty areas...then spend a good 10 days touring England...Come back another time and do Ireland and Wales. Are you renting a car or relying on rail?
I'll be interested in the replies.
We're traveling there in 6 weeks and it's interesting to hear the lists of not to miss....
Tara
I've been to Edinburgh and various stops along the motorway to London...but we didn't do Wales. How have you decided to fit in Ireland? Boat over or fly?
More experienced travelers should have some great ideas...here's my limited experience take..
2 days Edinburgh...fly out of there and head to Ireland....spend 4 days touring the counties that interest you...boat over to Wales...2 days there and then hit Bristol/Bath/Heart/Cotswolds of England for 5 days and head on to London to spend 5 good days there...
the other option would be to stick to just Scotland and England...tour all parts of Scotland..so many pretty areas...then spend a good 10 days touring England...Come back another time and do Ireland and Wales. Are you renting a car or relying on rail?
I'll be interested in the replies.
We're traveling there in 6 weeks and it's interesting to hear the lists of not to miss....
Tara
Jul 23rd, 2006, 04:33 PM
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Thanks, Tara. Right now, the hows and whats are up in the air. We can't decide whether to see a little of a lot or a lot of a little.....I think we would like to rent a car....I know we would like to rent an apartment for the week we're in London. We won't need a car there and will rely on rail to get in and out of the city at times. Helene
Jul 23rd, 2006, 04:43 PM
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In my opinion, you just can't do justice to any of the places on your list in just a day or two each (a week in London being the exception).
Spending a day or two in Edinburgh is fine but that's not 'seeing Scotland' - you'd have to get out to the West Country to begin to do that.
I suggest that you edit your itinerary down, maybe by skipping Ireland and Wales (see them on your next trip when you also get out into the Scottish countryside) and make some stops as you head south to London from Edinburgh - Northumberland (Hadrian's Wall), Yorkshire (York), Oxford (Cotswolds), etc. Try to spend some time in one of the many great cathedral towns.
Spending a day or two in Edinburgh is fine but that's not 'seeing Scotland' - you'd have to get out to the West Country to begin to do that.
I suggest that you edit your itinerary down, maybe by skipping Ireland and Wales (see them on your next trip when you also get out into the Scottish countryside) and make some stops as you head south to London from Edinburgh - Northumberland (Hadrian's Wall), Yorkshire (York), Oxford (Cotswolds), etc. Try to spend some time in one of the many great cathedral towns.
Jul 23rd, 2006, 04:48 PM
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I'm with Tuck. If you really have 16 touring days and want to spend 7 in London, that leaves 9 to do Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the English countryside. Simple math shows that is too much of a stretch. You will lose the better part of a day every time you change locations, even if you fly. If you don't fly, the driving will eat up all your time - those islands LOOK small, but so are most of the roads.
With 16 days, if you stretch it you could probably do London and England (and maybe some Wales); OR London, some England and some Scotland; OR London and Ireland. But you really could spend all 16 days in Ireland, or in England/London, or Scotland.
With 16 days, if you stretch it you could probably do London and England (and maybe some Wales); OR London, some England and some Scotland; OR London and Ireland. But you really could spend all 16 days in Ireland, or in England/London, or Scotland.
Jul 23rd, 2006, 07:03 PM
#6
16 days - 4 countries in two different islands - 7 days in one city -- close to impossible.
How do you plan on getting around - public transport or driving? (I don't mean in Edinburgh and London, but in the bit between) Do you want to see any of Scotland besides Edinburgh?
What is realistic is 5-7 days in Scotland, 3 days in North Wales and 7 in London w/ 1 "wiggle" day to stop somewhere enroute. But even that cuts Wales REALLY short.
OR - 7 days in London, train to Wales for a couple of days, ferry to Ireland, and 7 days in Ireland. But that cuts both Wales and Ireland REALLY short.
Do not try to see/do everything. Pick London/Scotland, OR London/Ireland, OR Scotland/Ireland, OR London/a bit of Wales/a bit of England - - those are your best choices.
Somes things to consider: If you drive - in many places in Scotland, Wales and Ireland one is lucky to average 35-40 mph. If you take the trains you will have to lug everything w/ you since stations do not have luggage storage. In Ireland - especially the scenic W/SW - driving is VERY slow and there isn't much rail service.
How do you plan on getting around - public transport or driving? (I don't mean in Edinburgh and London, but in the bit between) Do you want to see any of Scotland besides Edinburgh?
What is realistic is 5-7 days in Scotland, 3 days in North Wales and 7 in London w/ 1 "wiggle" day to stop somewhere enroute. But even that cuts Wales REALLY short.
OR - 7 days in London, train to Wales for a couple of days, ferry to Ireland, and 7 days in Ireland. But that cuts both Wales and Ireland REALLY short.
Do not try to see/do everything. Pick London/Scotland, OR London/Ireland, OR Scotland/Ireland, OR London/a bit of Wales/a bit of England - - those are your best choices.
Somes things to consider: If you drive - in many places in Scotland, Wales and Ireland one is lucky to average 35-40 mph. If you take the trains you will have to lug everything w/ you since stations do not have luggage storage. In Ireland - especially the scenic W/SW - driving is VERY slow and there isn't much rail service.
Jul 23rd, 2006, 09:20 PM
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I planned and took a 10 day trip to England that went as follows:
Arrived London, rented car and left immediately for Bath. Enroute stopped at Winchester, Salisbury and Stonehenge.
2 nights in Bath. Roman baths are the main attraction - also the cathedral.
Left Bath and drove north, very far north, to lake district, an area which I highly recommend, but the drive was too long - we took a side trip to Oxford (the University is amazing) - continued north the same day and traffic in Manchester was murder. We got to Windermere very late, but the gentleman running the B&B was very gracious and made us cocktails when we arrived to help us unwind and get to sleep. The lake district is beautiful and peaceful. We spent two nights at a B&B at Windermere. I wish we had had more time here to explore the countryside (Home of Beatrix Potter and William Wordsworth)
From Windermere we drove back south to Liverpool, spent the day. If you are a Beatles fan, this is very worthwhile. The Beatles museum and the Magical Mystery Tour were fantastic.
If I were to do this again, I'd leave Bath, spend some time in the Cotswolds (which I missed) then go to Liverpool before going all the way north to lake district.
From Liverpool, drove to York which is another place you shouldn't miss. It is very historical and scenic. We spent one night there, then headed for London. I would strongly suggest that you plan to arrive in London during daylight. We dallied too long in York and arrived late - very scary drive into the city, got lost trying to find the place where we turned in our rental car. It was the most stressful time of our trip.
5 nights in London - fantastic. Make sure you see plays or shows while you are there, visit SoHo, the usual sites such as St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace. Also, don't miss the museums! Tate Modern is fabulous, as is the original Tate and the National Art Gallery. Don't drive in London if you can avoid it. The bus tours are good because you can get on and off along the way. We hired a tour guide our last day because there was so much yet to see in so little time. It was pricy but worth it. She drove us wherever we wanted to go and gave us a great tour of Windsor Castle and the home of King Henry VIII (can't remember the name offhand.) I wish I could remember her name to recommend her. While she drove she talked quite a bit about the country and its history.
This was an arduous itinerary, but I saw every corner of England and didn't regret the long drives because the countryside is so lovely.
Biggest regret - while we were in Windermere we were very close to the Scottish border. We should have continued north, and I might even have given up a day in London to do it, but we stayed very busy in London for the five days - plenty to do and see.
The suggestion to start in Edinburgh and head south is a good one, but plan to zig zag east and west or circle around to take it all in. I planned the itinerary and booked all of the B&B's along the way directly. Our travel agent arranged only the plane trip, car and hotel stay in London. Have a great trip. I hope to go back some day. It would be like coming home.
Arrived London, rented car and left immediately for Bath. Enroute stopped at Winchester, Salisbury and Stonehenge.
2 nights in Bath. Roman baths are the main attraction - also the cathedral.
Left Bath and drove north, very far north, to lake district, an area which I highly recommend, but the drive was too long - we took a side trip to Oxford (the University is amazing) - continued north the same day and traffic in Manchester was murder. We got to Windermere very late, but the gentleman running the B&B was very gracious and made us cocktails when we arrived to help us unwind and get to sleep. The lake district is beautiful and peaceful. We spent two nights at a B&B at Windermere. I wish we had had more time here to explore the countryside (Home of Beatrix Potter and William Wordsworth)
From Windermere we drove back south to Liverpool, spent the day. If you are a Beatles fan, this is very worthwhile. The Beatles museum and the Magical Mystery Tour were fantastic.
If I were to do this again, I'd leave Bath, spend some time in the Cotswolds (which I missed) then go to Liverpool before going all the way north to lake district.
From Liverpool, drove to York which is another place you shouldn't miss. It is very historical and scenic. We spent one night there, then headed for London. I would strongly suggest that you plan to arrive in London during daylight. We dallied too long in York and arrived late - very scary drive into the city, got lost trying to find the place where we turned in our rental car. It was the most stressful time of our trip.
5 nights in London - fantastic. Make sure you see plays or shows while you are there, visit SoHo, the usual sites such as St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace. Also, don't miss the museums! Tate Modern is fabulous, as is the original Tate and the National Art Gallery. Don't drive in London if you can avoid it. The bus tours are good because you can get on and off along the way. We hired a tour guide our last day because there was so much yet to see in so little time. It was pricy but worth it. She drove us wherever we wanted to go and gave us a great tour of Windsor Castle and the home of King Henry VIII (can't remember the name offhand.) I wish I could remember her name to recommend her. While she drove she talked quite a bit about the country and its history.
This was an arduous itinerary, but I saw every corner of England and didn't regret the long drives because the countryside is so lovely.
Biggest regret - while we were in Windermere we were very close to the Scottish border. We should have continued north, and I might even have given up a day in London to do it, but we stayed very busy in London for the five days - plenty to do and see.
The suggestion to start in Edinburgh and head south is a good one, but plan to zig zag east and west or circle around to take it all in. I planned the itinerary and booked all of the B&B's along the way directly. Our travel agent arranged only the plane trip, car and hotel stay in London. Have a great trip. I hope to go back some day. It would be like coming home.
Jul 23rd, 2006, 09:38 PM
#8
Sorry, baflanagan but you didn't see "<i>every corner of England</i>" or even close to every corner. You may have had a fun trip, but only saw a teensy bit of England -- a small part of Hampshire/Wiltshire, Oxford, a corner of the Lake District, Liverpool, and York.
Missing from your itinerary: Northumberland, most of Yorkshire, the Peak District, the Cotswolds, Kent, Sussex, East Anglia, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, the south coast, and a 50 other magical areas.
Missing from your itinerary: Northumberland, most of Yorkshire, the Peak District, the Cotswolds, Kent, Sussex, East Anglia, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, the south coast, and a 50 other magical areas.
Jul 23rd, 2006, 10:37 PM
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I think only you can decide about the scraping the surface versus deep immersion thing. But, were it me, I'd ditch Ireland (for no other reason than the travel time involved in getting there), spend time in Edinburgh, drive south, spending time in the Borders and/or Dumfries and Galloway, the Lake District, the Peak District, Wales, the West Country, and then into London.
Pick up the car as you leave Edinburgh and ditch it when you get to London. That's still too much, but it's better.
Pick up the car as you leave Edinburgh and ditch it when you get to London. That's still too much, but it's better.
Jul 24th, 2006, 04:10 AM
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Thanks to all of you! So, I guess I was just a bit overzealous. We would like to see more of one than a little of a lot. So, we would like to fly into Edinburgh, rent a car, and drive south. We are Beatles fans, and I think the tours in Liverpool sound good. Our plan now is to spend 5-7 days in London, and spend the rest of the time exploring England. With that decision made, do any of you know if it's more cost efficient to rent an apartment for the week in London or stay in a hotel? Also, on the drive south to London, any recommendations of locations to stay overnight? Thanks. Helene
Jul 24th, 2006, 05:57 AM
#12
For London - Unless you go Priceline, renting a flat is usually quite a bit cheaper and often gets you the space. But if you are comfortable using PL, it is terrifiic for London. Check biddingfortravel.com to see what hotels are available and for how much.
A general plan could be:
3 days/nights in Edinburgh inc. one day trip by train to Stirling
Pick up rental car and head south
1 day/night in the Borders
1 day/night to explore Hadrian's Wall
2 days/nights in York for the city, nearby Castle Howard, Fountains Abbey, etc.
1 night in Liverpool
3 nights in the Cotswolds to include Warwick, Stratford, Oxford
Drop the car at either Oxford or LHR and take the train into London for 5 days.
More one night stands than I'd usually recommend but not too bad.
A general plan could be:
3 days/nights in Edinburgh inc. one day trip by train to Stirling
Pick up rental car and head south
1 day/night in the Borders
1 day/night to explore Hadrian's Wall
2 days/nights in York for the city, nearby Castle Howard, Fountains Abbey, etc.
1 night in Liverpool
3 nights in the Cotswolds to include Warwick, Stratford, Oxford
Drop the car at either Oxford or LHR and take the train into London for 5 days.
More one night stands than I'd usually recommend but not too bad.
Jul 24th, 2006, 07:09 AM
#15
Check the biddingfortravel site I linked. It explains most everything. Then you can come back here and ask questions before you bid.
W/ Priceline you will have a fully paid room. That is how it works. You bid for a certain quality hotel in different zones and if your bid is accepted your credit card is charged for the full stay and you then learn which hotel you "won".
PL is not wonderful in a lot of cities but for London it is. Like 4 star hotels in the very center of the city for $70 - $100 per night when the regular rates might be 3 or 4 times that.
But you have to do your homework first. biddingfortravel.com (or another site - betterbidding.com ) is your friend . . . . . .
W/ Priceline you will have a fully paid room. That is how it works. You bid for a certain quality hotel in different zones and if your bid is accepted your credit card is charged for the full stay and you then learn which hotel you "won".
PL is not wonderful in a lot of cities but for London it is. Like 4 star hotels in the very center of the city for $70 - $100 per night when the regular rates might be 3 or 4 times that.
But you have to do your homework first. biddingfortravel.com (or another site - betterbidding.com ) is your friend . . . . . .
Jul 24th, 2006, 07:32 AM
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Your trip looks great - very jealous - I think you are making the right decision to not try to see too many places, otherwise you just spend every hour in the car - not only are the roads smaller but the cars to.
In terms of accomodation I would check out http://www.britainsfinest.co.uk where there are loads of good hotels and B&Bs (though the hotels are at the expensive end). The site also has a neat My Trip feature, where you can build your own itinerary adding in the places to visit and stay - though they don't seem to have much info on the Beatles as present.
Have a good trip.
In terms of accomodation I would check out http://www.britainsfinest.co.uk where there are loads of good hotels and B&Bs (though the hotels are at the expensive end). The site also has a neat My Trip feature, where you can build your own itinerary adding in the places to visit and stay - though they don't seem to have much info on the Beatles as present.
Have a good trip.
Jul 24th, 2006, 08:12 AM
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Well, whatever you do, I'd strongly recomend that you try to be in London either on a Friday or Saturday and GO TO THE BOROUGH MARKET. It is my all time favourite place in town... In terms of UK, I guess the place that most impressed me (I've been living here for 10 months) was Inverness without a doubt. If you go there, I do recomend you go for the Bed and Breakfast - they are absolutely charming!!!!
Aug 9th, 2006, 07:33 AM
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Hi Helene
You don't say when your trip will be and the weather could make a difference to where you want to visit.
A suggestion was made earlier in the thread that you may want to spend a few nights in the Cotswolds. A suggestion I would thoroughly agree with but I am biased as I own a self catering cottage in the Cotswolds ! If you are interested you can view it at www.slatters-cottage.co.uk.
Have a good trip.
Brian
You don't say when your trip will be and the weather could make a difference to where you want to visit.
A suggestion was made earlier in the thread that you may want to spend a few nights in the Cotswolds. A suggestion I would thoroughly agree with but I am biased as I own a self catering cottage in the Cotswolds ! If you are interested you can view it at www.slatters-cottage.co.uk.
Have a good trip.
Brian
Aug 9th, 2006, 09:02 AM
#20
Slatters: just a heads up - advertising isn't allowed on fodors. You have posted just twice - one a full blown advert, and the other a sort of round about ad saying those staying in your cottage get "special privileges"
even long-time fodorites who contribute tons of great advice have had their posts about their own holiday villas/flats nuked by the editors.
So welcome aboard, and do offer suggestions/advice about the Cotswolds - But nix the advertising.
even long-time fodorites who contribute tons of great advice have had their posts about their own holiday villas/flats nuked by the editors.
So welcome aboard, and do offer suggestions/advice about the Cotswolds - But nix the advertising.
