2013gA

My wife and I would like to see as much of England as possible within a four-week period, and are prepared to drive a car. We realise the difficulty of the task and are prepared to make a lot of compromises in the final plan. However, in order to elicit helpful comments, I like to list these few top priorities:
1. The Jurassic Coast
2. Cornwall
3. Bath
4. Chester
5. Lake District
6. Edinburgh Tattoo
7. Northumberland Coast
8. Dublin
I would like opinions on these choices and on what to do with "in-between fillers" to tie-in the total trip. Once decided, I would seek help on individual attractions and best accommodation points. I am prepared to do the necessary work and do my researches. Thank you.
-gA

Underhill

You certainly know this, but Dublin is not in England. Adding Ireland to your other destinations would take away a chunk of time from the actual British locations.

What you need is a map of the British Isles. Then you can begin circling the destinations that interest you and calculating the distances involved to lay out an itinerary. With 4 weeks, you can cover a lot of ground. A good guidebook would be very useful.

PalenQ

Between Chester and the Lake District you could also do some of North Wales - base in Conwy and do any of many sweet day trips to like Mt Snowdon (take steam train up or walk); Caernaveron (sp) and famous castle; Beaumarais - smashing nice ruins of old castle on seaside and the Great Orme for starters plus the sweet Conwy Valley.

Conwy itself is a neat old town. You can easily go by ferry to Dublin from North Wales and go over to Scotland then down the coast to the Lake District and then zigzag over to York and back down to London Town.

BTW England in your title only refers to England not Scotland, Ireland or Wales - Tour of the British Isle is better or just for the U.K. Britain.

2013gA

Thanks for the Conwy suggestion, it's worthy of exploration for several reasons, depending on how many days we wish to spend in there. I know that Edinburgh and Dublin are not in England, but I did not want to attract attention away from the England 'main push'. These 'excursion centers' is what I am looking for.

I could also consider isolating Edinburgh (a couple of days) to the end or beginning of the trip, since I am going there mainly for the Tattoo. There should be cheap airfares available from one of the secondary airports, or not?
-gA

thursdaysd

First thoughts:

The Jurassic Coast, Cornwall, the Lake District and Northumberland will be better by car.

I've never done Edinburgh during festival, but would imagine you need to book well ahead.

I don't see London on the list. Do you want to skip it? Not sure where you're coming from, but you could take the train straight from London to Cornwall (see seat61.com for info on the night train if that would work for you), rest up, and then work your way east via Devon to Bath.

I would put Dublin first or last and fly there, possibly from Edinburgh. (Then you'd do Northumberland after the Lake District and before Edinburgh.)

flpab

Underhill, he tagged UK and Ireland. Give him a break.

You should be able to get a cheap flight to Dublin from EDI. Ryan air or Aer lingus. I have done and it is a 55 min flight. You can take the tram now to the airport in Edinburgh.
I would fly into London and home from Dublin via EDI after the Tattoo.
In Dublin you do not need a vehicle and there are some great day tours to Wicklow and Newgrange. Dublin has great museums, history, entertainment and food. Buswell's is a favorite of ours by Trinity college or Jury's Inn, The Harding by Christ Church. both quieter locations away from temple bar area.

example of a nice day tour on a small bus.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...ty_Dublin.html

We have also flown into Dublin and taken the bus to Belfast for a couple of nights. A two hour ride on the bus and then take a tour with McCombs to see Giants Causeway, the coast of NI which is beautiful. You were going to see some beautiful things on your original trip. Belfast is a very friendly city with tons of history. We did a black cab tour after we arrived. I want to go back and see more. Good luck with planning.

historytraveler

As others have already suggested getting a good map of the U.K. and a guidebook should be your first step. A flight into London and then flying from Edinburgh to Dublin and home from there is likely to be your best option. Logistically it makes the most sense to travel from London to the Jurassic Coast, then onto Cornwall, Bath Chester, Lake District and across to Northumberland and on to Edinburgh. Figure out how much time you want to spend touring the areas you mentioned before adding to your itinerary. You may find that your initial itinerary fills up more time than you originally thought. If you do have a few additional days then by all means add North Wales.

A website that should be helpful is www.theaa.com Use their journey planner to figure out the best routes and time ( always add time to the suggested ones ). Be aware that the Tattoo books out very quickly as do hotel rooms in Edinburgh.

janisj

>>Underhill, he tagged UK and Ireland. Give him a break.<<

Actually he didn't. When I first saw the thread it was only tagged for the UK - the editors apparently added the Ireland tag later. Not that big a deal but just to be fair to underhill.

2013gA: Good that you are ditching the tour and dong this on your own. You have about 4 weeks - which may seem like a lot. It isn't really. You are traveling a long way/covering a LOT of territory. So you will have to be a bit selective. Do you want to spend any time at all in London?

I would very first book the Tattoo tickets and your accommodations in Edinburgh and then work out the rest of your itinerary.

bilboburgler

While I agree the Jurassic coast is probably easiest if you have a car you can catch a bus to Lulworth from Wool which is on the train system (4 times a day I think) and I've given you the links on how to find that on your other thread.

If you follow the path along to Weymouth ( a fair hike but certainly do-able) you'll be back on the train/bus system. Don't take luggage just water and waterproofs.

BTW the lobsters you can get in lulworth cove (itself a rare beauty of a cove) come from just off shore and well worth the stop. The view down on man-o-war bay is the best part for me, though the burning cliffs can be literally hair raising.

bilboburgler

fillers in between Lakes and Northumberland, well Durham jumps up (and I'm betting there will be a ruined monastery up there) and Lindesfarne, Hadrian's wall is a bit off piste, Leeds and York are off piste the other way. Yorkshire Moors and Dales are a bit in the way.

Tony2phones

If I wanted to see Edinburgh and surrounds then I wouldn't be going during the Tattoo. Fine if that's why your going but if your aim is to see the city? rearrange, or book now and expect crowds and high prices.

I like Northumberland but where would you get a flight to Ireland? Newcastle? If you flew from Edinburgh (or Glasgow) you would have the option of different Irish entry points (flights to Shannon resume this year and Cork is a regular schedule as are Belfast and other options) That of course assumes you intend to see Ireland after GB rather than just hopping into Dublin for the flight home (perhaps another question)

If aiming for rail travel between some points set up an email alert for the journeys planned and book them when low fares are released 28 days before departure. As said earlier self drive might be the best option for some of the locations but you need to balance what you want to see and do as long periods of car rental might be cheaper than a combination of short term rental and public transport fares?

MissPrism

Yes, are you desperate to see the Tattoo?
I suppose that some people love it, but my Scottish husband and I have gone to the Edinburgh Festival several times and we wouldn't go to the bottom of our stairs to see the Tattoo.
Personally, I'd avoid July and August. Cornwall, the Lake District and London are much less hectic a month earlier or later.

If you go in June, you'll get maximum daylight and gardens are looking at their best.

2013gA

Thanks all for your patience and understanding of my shortcomings (tags, spelling, geography, etc..), but in the end I see that most in this forum are experts and able to provide very helpful advice. I am saving all forum comments for use in my plan and, before things get too confusing for me, I am providing some information that should help you help me.

Because we are in the process of abandoning the bus tour (convincing comments here..), we are planning on our own the best tour we can to see as much of England as possible. We are at the stage of noting on a map all places of interest before deciding on a travel plan.

Some constraints are: 1) attendance at Edinburgh Tattoo (Aug.5-27); 2) visiting relatives in Sheffield (approx. 1 week); 3) visiting friends in Birmingham (1 or 2 days); 4) visiting friends in Newcastle (1 or 2 days). The total holiday duration can reach 5 weeks, if needed. We have saved a long time for this trip and we want to be thorough in our planning. We think that we have already made one bad decision (at a cost of $500 on a bus tour), and we want to avoid others with the help of this forum and people such as yourself.

The places that we believe are worth visiting in the south part of England (subject to recommended additions and deletions by forum experts) are: Land's End, Cornwall and sea coasts, Buckfast Abbey, Dartmoor, the Jurassic Coast, Lulworth Cove, New Forest, the Needles, Winchester, Salisbury Stonehenge, Glastonbury, Bath, Avebury, Oxford, Blenheim Palace, Windsor Castle, Leeds Castle, Brighton, Seven Sisters, Romney Marsh, Dover Cliffs, Cheddar Gorge, Pegwell Bay, Canterbury.

Once we have made a tentative plan and we know how many days we have committed, we'll move to the central region, and then the North. We understand that we need to be flexible and that we may not be able to see everything: Some attractions are short stops and photo-ops, some are drive throughs, others deserve a longer visit. Therefore, we need to establish some places from which to take excursions and other overnighting stops along the route.

We appreciate any assistance you may be able to provide.

-gA

bilboburgler

You'll not get to the Needles. You can sail by it and I guess you could take you life in your hands and climb along the cliffs but it is a tricky place to get to. On a clear day you can see it from Old Harry rocks, possibly from above Durdle Dor but you'll need a good camera. You can get to the Old Battery which is pretty close but I'd think the best photos will be from Hurst Castle.

Anyone else been recently what are the thoughts. Certainly getting onto the Isle is a costly experience in time and money.

New Forest is more achievable. Note that Lyndhurst is a traffic jam from about 8am to 6pm. So if using a sat nav do anything you can to drive around the place. Other than that it is a nice place to drive though but don't feed the horses.

Seven Sisters, you may be disappointed, the best views are from the sea, from the top of the cliff they are just cliffs with sea.

The rest looks good, though I've never been to Romney marsh. I'm told it goes and on and is beautiful in it ugliness.

janisj

I won't address more questions/suggestions just now - will come back later.

But just this . . .

>>If I wanted to see Edinburgh and surrounds then I wouldn't be going during the Tattoo. Fine if that's why your going but if your aim is to see the city? <<

Just different strokes. I have been to the Tattoo 4 times (over 30 years) including last August, and am attending again this year. If one enjoys that sort of thing (and obviously many thousands do every year) don't let people put you off. You just have to make allowances for the extra crowds and especially the much higher room rates.

Now, if I'm not attending the Tattoo/festivals . . . In August I'd want to be far away from Edinburgh and away from the hustle/bustle.

thursdaysd

Getting to the isle of Wight is not difficult. From seat61.com:

Ferries to the Isle of Wight: www.wightlink.co.uk for Portsmouth-Ryde and Lymington-Yarmouth, www.redfunnel.co.uk for Southampton-Cowes, www.hovertravel.co.uk for hovercraft Portsmouth-Ryde. You can buy through train & ferry tickets between any mainland station and any isle of Wight station using the booking form above.

I seem to remember being able to see the Needles from the beach, but it was a very long time ago. The Isle of Wight also has Osborne House, Carisbrooke Castle, where Charles I was held prisoner, and good walks, but given the long list the OP put up, it is a good candidate for cutting from this trip.

I would forget Lands End, but if you have to go, avoid the tourist trap AT Lands End and go one cape north. Or go after it closes. Visit the Lizard instead.

I would say Romney marsh is another candidate for cutting. Used to visit it when I was a kid, but that was for the beach, and to ride the "toy" train: http://www.rhdr.org.uk/ It is very flat, and there's a nuclear power plant at Dungeness now.

I am afraid you are going to have to cut, especially with the visits you want to pay, or you'll never get to Ireland.

ESW

How refreshing to see someone who isn't spending a lot of time in London... Now before everyone starts to howl about that comment, I know that there is a lot to see and do in London, but then there is a lot to see elsewhere and cutting out London frees up a lot of time for the rest of the country.

You have the makings of a wonderful tour here.

Going back to your original list and the question of how to get to Dublin....PalenQ has suggested Conwy, an excellent suggetion as it is a lovely walled medieval town with a superb castle. Plas Mawr Elizabethan Town House is pretty good too. If you like narrow gauge steam railwasy there are two to choose from, the Ffestiniog which runs from Porthmadoc to Blaenau Ffestiniog and was built to carry slates from the hills about Blaenau Ffestiniog to the wharves at Porthmaoc. The Welsh Highland Railway was rebuilt a few years ago on a line that closed in the 1930s and runs along the flanks of Snowdon between Porthmadoc nd Carnarfon. Both are superb rides.

Fron Conwym drive to Holyhead and get a ferry from there to Dublin. There are several sailings a day and the fast ferries take just under two hours. On the return, catch a ferry to Liverpool or Birkenhead and then head to the Lake District. This probably makes a lot more sense than flying. I'm not sure whether you will be able to take a hire car from England on the ferry to Dublin. You will need to check on this.

You say you are visiting relatives in Sheffield for a week. This is on the edge of the Peak District which has some very good scenery. Chatsworth and Haddon Hall, two of the best stately homes in England, are easily visited from here. You are also only a short drive from Lincoln with its magnificent cathedral. York, another medieval walled city with the Minster, one of the best Gothic buildings in Europe, can also be done as a day trip from here.

I'm not sure where you are fitting this into your itinerary. If you follow the suggestion of ferry from Dublin to Liverpool, you could do it them before heading across to the Lake District.

If in Newcastle, try and make time for a day along Hadrian's Wall. Housesteads is the best Roman Fort to visit and you can walk along a short stretch of the wall from here (very easy) to Housesteads mile Castle. I wax lyrical about Hadrian's Wall but won't go into details here unless you want me to.

Durham with its magnificent Norman Cathedral, medieval castle and Crook Hall Gardens is also worth visiting and is just a short drive from Newcastle.

The drive up th Northumbroan coast from Newcastle is wonderful. There are superb ruined castles at Alnwick and Dunstanburgh (but this is a 2km walk along the shore from Craster). Alnwick Castle, the Home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland is well worth a visit and also the gardens. If you like staely homes, Cragside is also woth a visit. Bamburgh Castle is more impressive viewed from the outside and we were disappointed by this last time we went.

Lindisfarne, Holy Island is reached by tidal causeway, so you will need to check crossing times to see if they fall into your itinerary. The sand is very falt and the sea comes in very quickly. Don't try and cross outside the crossing times as you may get stranded with the sea rising round you. There is a refuge for people but the salt water won't do the car any good...

Don't bother with Land's End which is a tourist trap. Instead visit the Lizard instead which is less busy and equally good scenery.

I'm assuming you are planning to end in Edinburgh and fly home from there?

historytraveler

One caveat regarding the ferry from Holyhead, it can be expensive if taking a car, and Holyhead is not a place where you'll want to spend any time.

I noticed you included several places to the southeast of London that weren't in your initial plans such as Brighton, Leeds Castle, Dover and Canterbury. Before too many of us start offering suggestions which might further complicate your itinerary, I suggest you make a list of the places you want and need to visit, refer to a map and then narrow it down to what might make for a reasonable journey. One that is interesting and exciting for you but not exhausting. We all have our favorites but even with four/ five weeks you won't be able to do/see it all.

2013gA

It seems at this stage that we should be flying into Edinburgh for the Tattoo and flying out from there at the end of our holiday.

For a portion of our trip, would you have any suggestions for where to stay for one night around:
1. Canterbury (coming from Sheffield);
2. Weymouth/Lulworth;
3. Truro/Newquay
Thanks once again.
-gA

janisj

>>It seems at this stage that we should be flying into Edinburgh for the Tattoo and flying out from there at the end of our holiday.<<

Not a good plan. What you want is open jaw (multi city). Such as fly into Edinburgh and home from Dublin: In to Edinburgh/out of London; something like that.

>>For a portion of our trip, would you have any suggestions for where to stay for one night around: . . . <<

You are adding hundreds of miles and tons of drive time. One-night stops will leave you only a few evening hours free in the destinations. For instance Sheffield to Canterbury will be about a 5 hour drive w/o any stops.

Some of your wish list are iffy: Leeds Castle for example. Lovely gardens - but not even in the top 5 of gardens in Kent. The castle itself is sort of meh. Mostly a wedding venue.

Pegwell Bay -- - OK but my guess it is included because you have added Canterbury?

Romney Marsh . . . and others.

The list has gotten so long that it would easily take 6 weeks. With Scotland, and a week in Sheffield, you really don't have enough time to cover the far southeast and the far southwest and everything in between . Something(s) gotta give.