Two Weeks in UK - am I nuts? Is my itinerary too agressive?

Were you actually planning to SEE any of these places, or were you just driving by? The Bath-to-Wales plan on day 2 is daunting enough. In 2007, we spent 7 nights "on the road" in Britain after a stay in London. We took the train to York, spent one night there, then one night in Haworth (Brontes/moors), two nights in Conwy, two nights in Chipping Campden, and one night in Bath before heading back to London. It was not nearly enough time; we were very rushed and felt like we were only sampling each area. I really don't see how you can hope to do all we did, plus add in the Lake District and Scotland, with only three more days than we spent.

except for your one full day on Skye - you really won't see much except the inside of your car.

For example - You'll get into Bath in the early evening and leave early the next AM so you won't have a chance to visit anything in Bath - and the plan goes downhill from there.

Culzean is magnificent and worth a couple of hours. But that is the least of your problems . . . .

Take your total mileage - figure 35-40 mph plus stops to get the time required - and then decide which regions to cut.

To answer your question YES you are nuts hahahaha...just kidding. But you will be completely run ragged if you attempt this...I know the UK looks small but you cant imagine the traffic and single laned roads you will run into.

With 11 days I would choose 2-3 areas, and by areas I dont mean Scotland, England and Wales. I mean Lakes, Yorkshire, Snowdonia, Edinburgh.

I think you need to go back to the drawing board and narrow down what you want to see. Dont forget to add in some time to actaully see where you are driving...there are tonnes of things to actually SEE when you get out of the car, as it is you will be just driving by everything in a blur rather than actually visiting any of it.

You can get about half of that done in the time you have IF you drastically change your planning.

So assuming you want to be in Scotland, I would fly to Scotland (Inverness, Glasgow, Aberdeen or Edinburgh) or take the sleeper train to one of the above then pick up a car then drive back towards London. BUT once in England you'll have to decide if you want to travel down the west or east coasts

Wow, as brit I have to say this is the most ambitous I've ever seen.

So you need to make decisions and that probably means decide what you like and what you can afford to drop. Also you need to think about the time of year and the weather.

You look like some sort of castle nut so drop Bath (boring anyway unless you just love roman baths), then understand the motorway system (should let you average 50 MPH) and then plan at 30 for other roads

No idea what the lake country drive is and how you stay outside of Edinburgh (well in another country perhaps). So I would look at Caernavon, then Edinburgh, Hadrian's wall, York then back to London as a core route.

Then have a look at each site's web site to see what is nearby. Then add in your extra trips from a fixed base.

JDKimball - You will be amazed at how much one can achieve in just 2 short weeks!
Maybe this trip report I posted last year might help.

http://tinyurl.com/cwarzw

Just want to put in a good word for Bath, which, unlike bilbob., I love. Think I could live there. But I like architecture.

To the OP, save yourself a bunch of money. Borrow a travelogue DVD from the library. You'll see about as much in greater comfort.

Do understand tod's itinerary is a special case - they hired a motorhome and drove for hours and hours each day. Never had to check in/check out and had lots of meals on the run.

They had a great time -- but maybe 95% of "normal" visitors would have been totally wasted trying that itinerary.

hi jd -

my DD is in Edinburgh now and having a ball - and it's nowhere near the Lake District. Why come all this way and then miss it all?

In 11 days, you have time to see 3, possibly 4 places. you could for example do this:

London, Bath, Wales, Chester, London.

OR

London, York, Edinburgh, [all on the train] Skye, London.

Bath and Edinburgh may be hard to combine, and the Lake District is a trip [or 6 ] by itself.

regards, ann

I'm one of the 'nuts'. In six days we visited Oxford, Stratford upon Avon, Manchester, the Lake District, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Liverpool. It's true, you spend a lot of time in the car, but it gives you an idea on which places you'd like to see again or explore more thoroughly.
Why not leave something for next time?

Sorry arjana - but how can one "visit" 7 major cities/regions spread over 2 countries in 6 days? One could say they were "there" but that is about all. It would take up most of 6 days just to drive to (and find parking in) those places. I'd love to read your trip report .

Re: "talking some sense to you", Your itinerary really needs to be seriously downsized. Think of it taking your medicine...it may not be a pleasant experience, but the results may will work wonders.

It's not merely a matter of being a fast-paced person, it's the driving (a lot slower than you might suspect), the fact that you are not in total control of your time (or any number of other things) when visiting many of these places. I have to ask as another poster did on a similar itinerary...do you plan to eat? to make any comfort stops? get petrol? avoid lines at all costs as they are too time consuming? I suppose one could actually drive those distances and MAYBE even visit some of the places mentioned ( I can just see it..We're at Caenarfon Castle, ten mintes everybody then we meet back here and please remember that it takes ten minutes to get to the carpark.

Please revise and rethink your itinerary.

I agree with most of the other replies. This is just far too much to attempt and enjoy the experience. It will leave you feeling very frustrated and confused. Cut it down to three of four places and actually get to see some of these towns/places. Slow down and enjoy, it will still be there the next time you visit. Can you possibly extend your time?

Schnauzer

Well, janisj, we were heading for Glasgow and I just couldn't say pass the Lakes or Stratford or the other cities when we were on the motorway so close to them. What I know now is that if I ever get a chance I'll spend a week in the Lake District, but there's no need to go back to some of the cities we visited.
I've written about this and other 'nutty' trips on my blog so you can take a look here: http://traveloteacher.blogspot.com/2008/03/england-again.html.

Janisj is half right. We were able to set off very early - around 7am in most cases and put in a lot of miles before arriving at our next "interest", but did not drive any longer hours than anyone in a hired car.
As you can see we managed to view castles, churches, towns and countryside without rushing ourselves, even though we had to register at a campsite before 7pm each night.

Soon we are about to do our second morohome trip all through Ireland for 2 weeks.

I read this and thought it was a joke. Like the posters who want to base out of New York City and make day trips to Washington, Chicago & Boston. Then fly to San Fransisco and see Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon in 10 days.

I have seen some ludicrous (I'm tempted to say stupid) travel plans in my time but this one takes the biscuit. At least half of the days are totally out of the question. Take day 5 for example- you should allow 4 hours to take in Edinburgh Castle and then you are expecting to do the 5 hour drive to Skye and do another castle. Bath is a beautiful city that deserves 2 days and York is even more interesting and should have at least 2 days. Why on earth would you want to go to Newcastle and Scarborough is beyond me. I had better cease as I might add something that I shall regret.

With all due respect almcd, if Jdkimball had all the answers he/she wouldn't be bothering to post on Fodors would they?
Everyone who's setting out for the first time in a strange country may be totally out of their depth and needs positive guidance, not smart-arse remarks.

(We had the nicest day in Scarborough!!! during a 10 day trip to the UK. The castle on the sea was wonderful, Anne Bronte's grave site, the sandy beach, a wonderful pub supper at the Third Riding Hotel. Oh and first we had a terrific walk in the North Yorkshire Moors - I swear it looked just like a scene from the Princess Bride.)

I'm going to pile on and say you are trying to cram too much into your trip.

You might want to take a look at our trip report - click on my screen name to find it - and see how we spent 12 days in England and Wales in 2007.

Really, you'll have more fun if you slow down a bit.

Lee Ann