lilly

Hi all,
I know that all of you experts have reviewed MANY of our UK virgin itineraries - trust me I have read all the threads and I want you to know that it is greatly appreciated. Nonetheless I still am not sure that I have a handle on my own trip plan and would love your feedback. I have done so much reading and still feel very confused, there is SOOO much to see!

We have 2 weeks ( Sat morn until Fri night) My husband and I are in our early 30's and don't mind a quick pace.(we will amend if too rushed or if given new tips while en-route) I know that no matter where we end up we will likely not feel short changed but we figured that we needed some sort of a plan. I am a planner, my husband a day by day kinda traveler. We usually meet somewhere in the middle.

Here goes nothing!
Sat & Sun
Day 1 & 2 Arrive VERY early at Gatwick Sat morn, drop luggage at friends and head out to Portobello Market, spend weekend doing London sites, hop on & off bus maybe, maybe tea Sun afternoon and evening walk that night

Now here is where it gets tricky

Mon Day 3 Leave early by train for York - possibly changing to flight which ever is most favourable for our poor little Canadian $$

Tues Day 4 Mid day by train to Edinburgh

Wed Day 5 Edinburgh

Thurs Day 6 Take train to Stirling rent car here, see Doune

Fri Day 7 Drive North to Elgin (my mother in law was born here) and then down Loch Ness to Glencoe

Sat Day 8 Glencoe and or Isle of Mull maybe

Sun & Mon
Day 9 & 10 Drive back down to England Cotswolds, Gloucestershire

Tues & Wed
Day 11 & 12 Salisbury, Bath and Stonehenge
Drop off rental car - train or bus into London


Thurs & Fri
Day 13 & 14 London, leave late Fri night

Any feed back would be appreciated- are we missing any place along the way or any must see's in the towns mentioned that I normally wouldn't discover in the guide book? As for interests, we love off the beaten path stuff but also want to see some of the the touristy sites (I couldn't by pass Loch Ness for some reason)
My husband loves history- Royalty, battles, legends, and I love old books and antiques but mostly we just want to soak up the atmosphere, and have fun!

Thanks!!!
Lilly

Anonymous

You'll be spending a LOT of your waking hours in car and trains. I recommend that you add up the transit times and consider covering less ground.

sheila

Geez Louise...

Commenting only on the Scottish bit,it's OK, if rushed.

You will NOT get to Mull. Drop the notion now. But Glencoe, unless you intend to climb a mountain won't take the time you are scheduling.

Recommend you stay somewhere at the west end of Glencoe on Friday night (Holly Tree? The Pierhouse? Ballachulish Hotel) and see Glencoe on Saturday morning with a swing west again to Oban and south as far as you choose through Kilmartin Glen and towards Glasgow to get you on your way the following day

bettyk

Lilly, there is no airport to my knowledge in York, so you'll need to take the train.

I think your itinerary is doable, but you may find yourselves really getting pooped towards the end. It will take most of a day to get from Glencoe back down to the Cotswolds but you should be able to do a cursory tour of Bath, Stonehenge and Salisbury in the almost 2 full days you have allowed.

janis

A few add'l things (all above are good comments)

What time does your flight land a LGW, where do your friends live, and are they picking you up or are you taking the train into London? Even if it lands at 6 a.m. and your friends live near Victoria you will have a very difficult time getting to Portobello Rd. in time for a practical visit. After about 10 a.m. you cannot walk or see much because of the HUGE crowds. So if you get there and find it impossible, have other plans for that day.

Why pick up the car in Stirling? It is easy to collect your car at Edinburgh airport (or even in the city) and drive the quick route up to Stirling. The reason I mention this is because you will have a larger selection of rental agencies, which is important since you want a one-way rental down to London.

Glencoe takes only from about 30 minutes to an hour or two depending on how far you wander and if you have lunch at the Clachaig. So since your family has connections up in Elgin, I'd stay the night somewhere between Elging and Inverness. See Elgin Cathedral, Brodie and Cawdor castles, Culloden. Then the next day driv down Loch Ness and through Glencoe and then farther south - maybe into Ayrshire to spend the night. Then you will have a shorter drive down the west side to Glouscestershire.

I geberally don't recommend these types of whirlwind visits to Scotland (or England for tha matter) since much of the beauty, history takes time to absorb/enjoy. But your basic itinerary is doable - bearing in mind you will be doing a LOT of driving and rushing. Just make a few little adjustments . . . .

TuckH

With many years yet ahead of you, one can assume that you'll return again (and again!) to the UK. Therefore, why not follow the advice given here and adopt a less ambitious itinerary so that you can truly "soak up the atmosphere, and have fun!"? That's my "feed back".

travelbunny

..same theme do less and see more..it is rather ironic but true..if you want a "whirlwind" sampler you might as well do a bus tour..sounds like scotland is a must for you given family ties..suggest london (more time), york and durham then scotland..next time the cotswalds ect...

leonberger

I agree with the others. By trying to fit so much into one trip (while covering so much ground), you risk only seeing the big tourist attractions and having little or no time to enjoy the land itself.

Some things we would have missed if we had hurried through our last trip (2 weeks in Scotland + 2 days in London + the drive back and forth between the two locations):

The B&B just outside of Inverness where the host is an acknowledged expert in training and running (is that the term?) sheep dogs. We picked the B&B because it was in the right place at the right time & it had rooms available. While at dinner that night in a local restaurant, we picked up a B&B guide that mentioned "our" B&B and the host's expertise. We went back and politely asked whether it was possible to see him work with the dogs and were given a private demonstration and explanation the next morning. Wonderful person, fascinating dogs, and lots of information!

My Dad playing the organ for the tiny church of "St. Mary, Threlkeld" (Lakes District, England) on Sunday morning. The organist got confused and didn't realize it was a musical service (apparently some are not), and the folks there were quite upset that there was no one to play for the service. Since Dad is the organist at his church, Mom and I quickly volunteered him - and it's become a memory to cherish!

The little sign at Sweetheart Abbey, marking the only room in the entire monastery that had a fireplace.

Wandering through the gardens (and sculptures) of Threave Gardens.

Petting the sheep (who were trimming the lawn) at Duntulm Castle Hotel (Isle of Skye).

Seeing the "snowman" made of hay bales on Skye - and we would not have wanted to miss Mr. Kennedy's hand painted houses (painted on rocks) at Kilt Rock Falls (also on Skye) - we petted a Bernese Mountain Dog at the same place.

Walking the "Wee Causeway" (yes! that is its name!) in Culross.

Staying at Drochil Castle B&B - with a real castle in the back yard.

Visiting the the Cornice Museum in Peebles.

I could go on and on...most of the great sites and memories have come from "wandering" as we travel. I recommend that you leave yourself time to do the same!

Best regards,
Gayle

P.S., Did I mention the hour-long detour to find the town of Crackpot (northern England)? Another trip, we spent several hours trying to determine exactly where the town of Dirt Pot was located (on our map, south of Hadrian's Wall). What fun!

crckwc

Lily, don't be put off by warnings of "doing too much." Of course, going at a slower pace would allow you to absorb the atmosphere better, but your plan is do-able and has its merits. Many years ago, on our first trip to Scotland we did a "rush" itinerary similar to yours and loved it. It only whetted our appetites to return and more deeply explore what we had only touched on before. Doing this kind of trip lets one get a taste of lots of territory so that you can pick and choose better on a return trip. My only suggestion for change is that you not split your London visit. Do all your London sightseeing either at the beginning (spending only the night before flight on a return to London) or going directly to York at the start and returning for your 4 days of sightseeing. I agree that picking up your car in Edinburgh is a better choice. Be sure to consult Auto Europe, among others, for rental rates. Remember, it's your trip -- not mine nor any other person's on this site.
Make your plan and go for it. You'll have a wonderful time!