England/Scotland In January questions

Old Oct 9th, 2015, 09:34 PM
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England/Scotland In January questions

I'm going to the UK in January, wanting to see Edinburgh and Bath, and possibly the Cotswolds. I've been to London before so that's not the main focus of my trip, though my frequent flyer miles award ticket have me going into and out of Heathrow.


Jan 15-arrive at LHR., fly to Edinburgh (not booked yet)
Jan 16-EDI
Jan 17-more Edinburgh
Jan 18-leave Edinburgh for York, eveningsong at Minister
Jan 19-York, afternoon/evening to London
Jan 20-Secret Cottage tour of the Cotswolds via train to Moreton-in-Marsh
Jan 21-Inner Circle tour of Stonehenge, lunch in Lacock, on to Bath (Premium tour company, only a few days available for this tour). extend stay in Bath a couple hours and take train Bath to London instead of going with group
Jan 22-London. See Wicked.
Jan 23-Leave UK.

I was wondering if the Cotswolds would be worth it in January without the pretty greenery, and if the Inner Circle tour where you can get close to the stones is worth it.
Also looking for general thoughts. At first I considered a rabbies tour in Edinburgh to the Highlands but thought it wouldn't be very pretty in January.

Any input appreciated.
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Old Oct 9th, 2015, 10:39 PM
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" if the Cotswolds would be worth it in January without the pretty greenery"

Where do you get this "without"?

A typical Cotswold view is of a hedge-lined road looking towards undulating pastures with a few clumps of trees scattered around. Those pastures stop being green only if we're unfortunate enough to get one of those ghastly dry, hot summers people in less fortunate climates are deranged enough to think tolerable: Even then, the fields recover quickly: by midwinter they're 100% green unless snow-covered. Obviously most of the 10% or so of our land that grows crops is bleak in winter: but such fields rarely present themselves.

Virtually all hedges, and about 30% of trees, are evergreen. Most trees, coniferous or deciduous, acquire a lichen coating anyway, so their barks keep a year-round greenish sheen.

The typical town or village view, of honey-coloured stone cottages, is almost unaffected by weather: gardens do look bleak in winter, but few gardens are visible from the street and most streetside plantings are usually evergreen as well.

Midwinter light is obviously different from the sun-drenched pictures tourist offices hand out. Because the sun's so low, it can be surprisingly glaring, and I need polarised sunglasses in winter about every third day: that photo cliche of the cottage bathed in sun isn't impossible in winter, but it's a more watery sun and it certainly can't be guaranteed.

As I understand it, one advantage of a winter Inner Circle Stonehenge tour is that it doesn't need the insanely early start that's required in summer. Others will no doubt give you their views on whether it's worth it. Stonehenge is a "marmite" attraction: some are impressed, others massively underwhelmed.
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Old Oct 10th, 2015, 02:09 AM
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Issues, the two most obvious is the length of day and the weather, as Flanner says, plants will be green. It is possible that you might find a few sunny days, but generally it will be grey, moving from light grey to dark grey during the day.

For me the pleasure of going say to the Cotswolds, will be walking to and from pubs, with a roaring fire and a place to dry my boots out. Two years ago I was at the end of Cornwall at your time of year and I couldn't drive as the rain was so hard, next day, bright sunshine, next day grey, still the pubs made up for a lot.

No such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothing.
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Old Oct 10th, 2015, 03:06 AM
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Edinburgh- I think, for all the time you have, you should stick to the City. The days are short- In January, you'll be lucky to have daylight 9 till 4.

So focus down. I'm going to update my Edinburgh sheet tonight, I think, and I'll post more; but you will not have trouble filling two days in Edinburgh
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Old Oct 10th, 2015, 06:17 AM
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I'm glad to hear that the Cotswolds will still be beautiful; it's just that I see these gorgeous pictures and they have the lovely flowers and greenery and thought that much of the beauty would have been lost. I'm happy it's not the case.

Sheila-I would love to see any info you have on Edinburgh. I was thinking if Cotswolds and/or Stonehenge wasn't worth it, I might add a highlands tour instead. But I'd rather have a Cotswolds than any of the typical one-day tours from Edinburgh, though one day I'd love to see the Isle of Skye!
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Old Oct 10th, 2015, 07:39 AM
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no one mentioned flowers.
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Old Oct 10th, 2015, 08:28 AM
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Every single place you mention is more than 'worthwhile'. The problem w/ your plan (other than Edinburgh/York/London) is you ca't control the weather. If it is raining sideways you probably wouldn't want to be tramping around the Cotswolds and Stonehenge. But if that is the ony time you have be sure to have adequate clothing.

You say London isn't a focus - yet you are staying there four nights (the most expensive accommodations in the country) to basically see one play.

Inner access is fine -- but in mid-January you would almost have the stones to yourself anyway (you can't get in among the stones during regular hours but in some areas you do get really close) so maybe consider staying in Bath and do one or more tours w/ Mad Max (similar to Rabbies -- very good quality day trips). They cover the Cotswolds, Stonehenge, etc.

http://www.madmaxtours.co.uk

Then travel in to London for your last day/night, see Wicked, fly home.

W/ the time of year -- I would not do a highland day trip -- you will barely have time enough for Edinburgh.
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Old Oct 10th, 2015, 08:49 AM
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Thanks, Janis, that's a really good idea. I looked into connections from Bath to moreton and they weren't easy. I might do the madmax tours; I've heard good things about them!
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Old Oct 10th, 2015, 09:55 AM
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If you are only in Edinburgh 3 nights then you probably don't have much time for anything other than a day trip elsewhere. Glasgow would actually be a better base for you to get out to Loch Lomond or Glencoe for a tiny taste of the landscape outside the cities.

Click on my ID for TRs of both Glasgow and Edinburgh, and the highlands.
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Old Oct 10th, 2015, 10:26 AM
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>>Glasgow would actually be a better base for you to get out to Loch Lomond or Glencoe
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Old Oct 11th, 2015, 03:19 AM
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"no one mentioned flowers."

No-one mentioned beauty either. The poster made an unfounded assumption about greenery, which I corrected. I've got no idea about the poster's idea of beauty, and I've explained that the light's going to be different from what he or she's seen in promotional photos.

The leap from that correction to wittering on about flowers and beauty is all the poster's own invention.
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Old Oct 11th, 2015, 03:41 AM
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I'm glad to hear that the Cotswolds will still be beautiful; it's just that I see these gorgeous pictures and they have the lovely flowers and greenery and thought that much of the beauty would have been lost. I'm happy it's not the case.>>

if you want flowers and beauty in January, come to Cornwall. I can't promise good weather, but when the sun shines there will be daffodils, primroses, early magnolias, camellias, crocus and even snowdrops to enjoy.
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Old Oct 11th, 2015, 11:03 AM
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Sheesh. Just trying to express my appreciation for the replies and trying to explain the postcard image I had of the Cotswolds; I wasn't really expecting flowers in January.

And "pretty" is a synonym for "beauty", while we're harping on people here.
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Old Oct 11th, 2015, 12:07 PM
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Sheesh. Just trying to express my appreciation for the replies and trying to explain the postcard image I had of the Cotswolds; I wasn't really expecting flowers in January. >>

ok, we get it. those of us who have been here a long time know how difficult it can be to get others to read between the lines, especially the more literally minded amongst us.

Stonehenge is stupendous whatever the weather [except perhaps sideways rain], enjoying the Cotswolds is much more weather dependant. I would suggest basing in a big town/city which gives and option of time in the countryside should the weather cooperate.
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Old Oct 12th, 2015, 12:30 AM
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"I would suggest basing in a big town/city which gives and option of time in the countryside should the weather cooperate."

nails it
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