20-day tour arrangement in the UK
Jun 30th, 2015, 07:08 AM
#1
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20-day tour arrangement in the UK
Hello! My name is Fangfang Zhang. I'm going to take my daughter to the UK from July 21st to August 11th. It's our first travel to UK. Now I'm working on our tour itinerary. During the 20-day travel, we plan to follow this travel route--- London, Windsor, Winchester, Salisbury, Bath, Oxford and the Cotswolds, Stratford, Liverpool, Lake District, Edinburgh, York, Cambridge and back London. I'm wondering whether this travel route is feasible or not. Can anyone give me some detailed suggestions about this travel route including days to stay in each place and some good places of accommodation, especially some bed and breakfast?
Any other advice is also welcome, like means of transportation, train or bus is more convenient? We'll stay at a friend's house for a few days when we arrive in London. Should I book hotels in other towns or cities in advance?
Feel greatly appreciated if someone can give me some responses.
Any other advice is also welcome, like means of transportation, train or bus is more convenient? We'll stay at a friend's house for a few days when we arrive in London. Should I book hotels in other towns or cities in advance?
Feel greatly appreciated if someone can give me some responses.
Jun 30th, 2015, 07:34 AM
#2
Hi, Fangfang Zhang,
Firstly, I would definitely recommend booking all accommodation in advance, as your holiday dates co-incide with the beginning of the UK school summer hols, so you will be competing for accommodation with lots of brits too. B&Bs might be useful for you - you can book these as well as hotels on sites like booking.com - and they are usually a reasonably cheap alternative to hotels.
secondly, you need to remember that every time you move, you lose ½ a day. if you take out the first few days in London, you have 12 places in, say, 16 days. That is a punishing itinerary and won't leave much time for actually seeing places.
thirdly, it would be more efficient to put your stay in London at the end, so that you don't break it up - could your friends accommodate you at the end of the trip rather than at the beginning?
That would mean that you could go straight to Windsor from the airport, spend the day there, and then set off on your trip. That said, how vital is your Windsor/Winchester/Salisbury/Bath sector? you can get a bus straight from LHR to Oxford and then the rest of your itinerary begins to look doable.
Also you might think about dropping Oxford or Cambridge - what they offer to the tourist is not dissimilar, so unless you need to go to both, you could easily lose one.
Finally [I think you've probably had enough to think about by now] what about flying to Edinburgh from LHR and then working your way back to London by train and bus - that would save you a bit of time.
Firstly, I would definitely recommend booking all accommodation in advance, as your holiday dates co-incide with the beginning of the UK school summer hols, so you will be competing for accommodation with lots of brits too. B&Bs might be useful for you - you can book these as well as hotels on sites like booking.com - and they are usually a reasonably cheap alternative to hotels.
secondly, you need to remember that every time you move, you lose ½ a day. if you take out the first few days in London, you have 12 places in, say, 16 days. That is a punishing itinerary and won't leave much time for actually seeing places.
thirdly, it would be more efficient to put your stay in London at the end, so that you don't break it up - could your friends accommodate you at the end of the trip rather than at the beginning?
That would mean that you could go straight to Windsor from the airport, spend the day there, and then set off on your trip. That said, how vital is your Windsor/Winchester/Salisbury/Bath sector? you can get a bus straight from LHR to Oxford and then the rest of your itinerary begins to look doable.
Also you might think about dropping Oxford or Cambridge - what they offer to the tourist is not dissimilar, so unless you need to go to both, you could easily lose one.
Finally [I think you've probably had enough to think about by now] what about flying to Edinburgh from LHR and then working your way back to London by train and bus - that would save you a bit of time.
Jun 30th, 2015, 07:47 AM
#3
As annhig says - you are talking about an awful lot of travel in few days. Especially since you are staying with your friend for a few days.
I would consider EITHER a southern loop or a northern one.
South could include London, Windsor, Winchester, Salisbury, Bath, the Cotswolds, Oxford, and maybe Stratford.
North could cover Liverpool, the Lake District, Edinburgh, York, Cambridge and London.
Either of these would make a nice 20 day trip by train and a few buses. But you really don't have time for both . . .
As for where to stay, first firm up you final itinerary, then tell us what your budget is?
I would consider EITHER a southern loop or a northern one.
South could include London, Windsor, Winchester, Salisbury, Bath, the Cotswolds, Oxford, and maybe Stratford.
North could cover Liverpool, the Lake District, Edinburgh, York, Cambridge and London.
Either of these would make a nice 20 day trip by train and a few buses. But you really don't have time for both . . .
As for where to stay, first firm up you final itinerary, then tell us what your budget is?
Jun 30th, 2015, 06:30 PM
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Annhig, Janisj and Nytraveler, thank you very much for your suggestions and advice! I also think my original plan is too much. We have to move from one place to another in a rush. I'm thinking of Annhig's suggestion flying to Edinburgh directly from London Heathrow Airport on July 21st and then working our way back to London (but there's International Art Festival in Edinburgh in August. We also want to experience the Art Festival.)
My daughter is 14 years old. She is keen on the Beatles. That's why we want to visit Liverpool. Our budget is between 4500-5000 pounds.
My daughter is 14 years old. She is keen on the Beatles. That's why we want to visit Liverpool. Our budget is between 4500-5000 pounds.
Jun 30th, 2015, 07:14 PM
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Now, my itinerary is like this: London-Edinburgh-Lake District-Liverpool-Stratford-Oxford,Cotswolds-London (then just stay in London and to Windsor, Winchester, Salisbury, Bath and experience London itself).
How does this sound?
How does this sound?
Jun 30th, 2015, 08:20 PM
#7
Still too much -- you haven't cut very much (just York and Cambridge), mainly moved some to visit from a base in London.
If you go to Edinburgh in July you won't be there for the Arts Festival so your plan won't work. But heading to Edinburgh later in your trip to be there for the festival(s) also would be difficult. Most accommodations are already booked up and those that aren't will cost 2 or 3 times normal rates. The city is very VERY <B>VERY</B> crowded w/ the International Festival the Fringe Festival, the Tattoo and some others. The city doubles in population (nearly triples on weekends) in August.
Seeing London and all of the sites you have shifted there would take at least 10 days - and more would be better.
I still think either the northern loop or southern loop I suggested would be better. If you go north -- you'll want to be in and out of Edinburgh well before July 31. You'd miss the festival(s) but would actually be able to <i>see</i> some of the city.
(re Edinburgh: I'll be there myself for a couple of days in August for a special event [I've been there many times so no actual sight seeing this time] and booking two months ago I had very little to choose from. Ended up booking a down market Travelodge for basically four star/deluxe rates)
If you go to Edinburgh in July you won't be there for the Arts Festival so your plan won't work. But heading to Edinburgh later in your trip to be there for the festival(s) also would be difficult. Most accommodations are already booked up and those that aren't will cost 2 or 3 times normal rates. The city is very VERY <B>VERY</B> crowded w/ the International Festival the Fringe Festival, the Tattoo and some others. The city doubles in population (nearly triples on weekends) in August.
Seeing London and all of the sites you have shifted there would take at least 10 days - and more would be better.
I still think either the northern loop or southern loop I suggested would be better. If you go north -- you'll want to be in and out of Edinburgh well before July 31. You'd miss the festival(s) but would actually be able to <i>see</i> some of the city.
(re Edinburgh: I'll be there myself for a couple of days in August for a special event [I've been there many times so no actual sight seeing this time] and booking two months ago I had very little to choose from. Ended up booking a down market Travelodge for basically four star/deluxe rates)
Jul 1st, 2015, 01:30 AM
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Yes, Janisj, Edinburgh in August is really crowded and very expensive. So now I decide to fly directly from London to Edinburgh to avoid the over-crowdness. Save the Art Festival for next time! Edinburgh is the city I'm very much looking forward to visiting. Liverpool is my daughter's favourite. We'll skip some southern cities if time is limited.
Jul 1st, 2015, 05:39 AM
#10
thank you, fangfangzhang, for taking our suggestions in such good part.
for a northern loop that wants to cover the Lakes AND York, jj's route is hard to beat particularly as it appears that there are no direct flights from LHR to Liverpool, but there are quite a few [BA goes about 6x a day] from Manchester.
for a northern loop that wants to cover the Lakes AND York, jj's route is hard to beat particularly as it appears that there are no direct flights from LHR to Liverpool, but there are quite a few [BA goes about 6x a day] from Manchester.
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