2 Week England/Scotland Itinerary Help
 

Hello,

My husband and I will be visiting England next May 2017 for about 2 weeks. We will have 18 days total, which includes travel days - so really about 15 or 16 days to have fun with. We were originally planning for 3 full weeks, but husband has a new job and we can only take vacation for 2 weeks instead of 3. It has been harder than I anticipated cutting out places from our original itinerary - this is why I need your help! We haven't booked our flights yet, so the itinerary is still very flexible (hoping to purchase flights in the next 1-2 months). Here is the proposed itinerary.

Quick description about us: We like a mix of city and outdoors. We don't want to see too many "sites" - would like to spend more time having experiences like staying overnight in a castle, hot air balloon ride, cooking classes, hiking, attending a sporting event, going to a theater, horseback riding, etc.

Day 1 - Wednesday, May 17: Flight - USA to London
Day 2 - Thursday, May 18: Arrive in London, Partial Day London, Overnight London
Day 3 - Friday, May 19: Full Day London, Overnight London
Day 4 - Saturday, May 20: Full Day London, Overnight London
Day 5 - Sunday, May 21: Tour from London to Stonehenge (inner circle sunrise viewing) to Bath, Overnight Bath
Day 6 - Monday, May 22: Explore Bath/Wells/Cotswolds, Overnight Bath
Day 7 - Tuesday, May 23: Rent car, drive from Bath to Tintern Abbey to Ludlow, Overnight Ludlow
Day 8 - Wednesday, May 24: Drive to Manchester, Overnight Manchester (visiting family)
Day 9 - Thursday, May 25: Full Day Manchester, Overnight Manchester (visiting family)
Day 10 - Friday, May 26: Drive to Lake District, Overnight Lake District
Day 11 - Saturday, May 27: Full Day Lake District, Overnight Lake District
Day 12 - Sunday, May 28: Drive to York, Overnight York
Day 13 - Monday, May 29: Partial Day York, Train to Edinburgh, Overnight Edinburgh
Day 14 - Tuesday, May 30: Highlands Tour with Rabies
Day 15 - Wednesday, May 31: Highlands Tour with Rabies
Day 16 - Thursday, June 1: Highlands Tour with Rabies, Overnight in Edinburgh
Day 17 - Friday, June 2: Full Day in Edinburgh, Overnight Edinburgh
Day 18 - Saturday, June 3: Flight - Edinburgh to USA

Do the above dates seems like a good time to visit? We can push the trip up earlier or later in the month if needed.
Do we need a rental car for Day 6?
Will we have enough time in Ludlow to enjoy it on Day 7?
Is there a scenic route through Wales on Day 8 from Ludlow to Manchester?
On Day 12, what is the best way to get from Lake District to York? Could we drive through Yorkshire Dales National Park and drop our rental car off in York? Or is it better to take a train into York?
Would York be better as a day trip from Manchester?
In your opinion, are we moving around too much?
Would you cut any of these places out and stay longer somewhere else?

Some places that I would love to add to my itinerary (but not sure there is time): Beachy Head Cliffs, Snowdonia, more of Wales, - any ideas how we can add some of these places in? Would you drop anything from the itinerary and substitute with any of these places?

Thanks so much for your help!

I do hope you aren't going with Rabies. You'd be quarantined at the very least.

Cotswolds from Bath isn't something I would consider especially for a day trip combined with Wells. You'd spend most of the day in a car.

The easiest way to York would be through the Yorkshire Dales

Rabid Rabbies?

Hi dotheboyshall, thanks for the response. I've heard great things about Rabies Scotland Tours, but I haven't booked anything yet. What is your concern? Do you have a different recommendation?

I was thinking about doing 1/2 day in Wells in the morning on Day 6. Then in the late afternoon drive to Cotswolds and stay the night and following morning there, however I didn't want to be changing hotels that often. Do you have an alternative recommendation for Day 6?

They're just having fun with you Rachill. It's Rabbie's Tours, not Rabies :)

I think most of the itinerary is fine. Tintern is so beautiful - you will love it. I really wouldn't try to squeeze anything else in though and especially not the two quite far flung places you tentatively put forward.

Ah, I get it now :) Took me a minute on that one! Thanks,
judyjayp! Sorry, yes Rabbie's Tours! :D

day 8 you could drive thru Iron Bridge Gorge - near Ludlow/Shrewsbury and an awesome sight IME - with a car you can see some main sights like the original Iron Bridge that is a symbol for the birth of the Iron Age in industrial use and a museum/old factory or two.

Or on day 8 you could easily go via Stoke-on-Trent - an awfully down on its heels city but with the famous Wedgwood Factory tours (even though much of the ceramics is now made elsewhere they told us):

https://www.worldofwedgwood.com/cont...d-factory-tour

>> day 8 you could drive thru Iron Bridge Gorge - near Ludlow/Shrewsbury and an awesome sight IME - <<

You <i>would</i> drive through Iron Bridge en route to Manchester -- no 'could' required ;)

>>Do the above dates seems like a good time to visit?<<

Those dates are absolutely fine -- the minute you change things the weather will turn on you. >)

>>Do we need a rental car for Day 6? <<

Definitely - and even w/ a car it would be VERY difficult. Wells and the Cotswolds are in opposite directions from Bath. You don't want/need a car IN Bath, but you would need one for either Wells/Glastonbury or the Cotswolds.

>>Will we have enough time in Ludlow to enjoy it on Day 7?<<

You will have the late afternoon/evening in Ludlow. Bath to Ludlow via Tintern takes about 3 hours plus stops (Chepstow would also be worth consideration)

>>Is there a scenic route through Wales on Day 8 from Ludlow to Manchester?<<

The afore mentioned Iron Bridge.

>>On Day 12, what is the best way to get from Lake District to York? Could we drive through Yorkshire Dales National Park and drop our rental car off in York? <<

That

>>Would York be better as a day trip from Manchester?<<

Nope -- the way you have it is best.

>>In your opinion, are we moving around too much?<< Yes ;) - but pretty good considering what you want to see/do.

You simply do not have time to add any other sites. . .

One option might be to cut Manchester entirely and use those days for Snowdonia/North Wales -- But you can't do that due to family. So basically you would need to choose between North Wales OR the Lake District

Have you thought of letting your husband come home and you extending your stay? It just looks like a real rush to me.

You would drive through Iron Bridge en route to Manchester -- no 'could' required>

I mean of course around the Heritage Park - taking time to detour off the main road.

Be sure to get your rabies shot before going!

Thank you for all of the feedback, it is very much appreciated.

I am concerned with the amount of places we plan to visit, as I don't want to feel rushed (we just came back from a trip to Peru that was exhausting!). Ideally, I would prefer to cut out 1-2 places from our itinerary. Any ideas?

The locations I am NOT willing to cut out ("must haves") include: London, Manchester, Lake District, Edinburgh, and Scottish Highlands. **We'll be visiting family who live in Manchester.

That leaves the places that are negotiable: Stonehenge, Bath, Wells, Cotswolds, Ludlow, York.

Does anyone have a strong opinion as to which of the "negotiables" I can drop from my itinerary to add extra days in my "must haves"?

My first thoughts are to cut out Bath/Wells/Stonehenge. I would really love to see the Cotswolds and drive through the countryside to Ludlow and along the Welsh border. I've heard York is amazing too. Unless anyone has any convincing reasons to do otherwise, I may consider dropping Bath/Wells/Stonehenge.

Thanks for all the opinions and advice!

. Unless anyone has any convincing reasons to do otherwise, I may consider dropping Bath/Wells/Stonehenge.>

IMO Bath is so so exceptional a city for England - to me the comeliest city in England - would be near the top of my list.

Take the train perhaps to Bath from London - drop the Stonehenge-Wells-Bath tour - and then spend a day in Bath or two and rent a car from there. York is a great place to end the motoring trip and spend some time in another outstanding English city and the take train back to London

From Manchester to York I think you can easily drive via Fountains Abbey - an outstanding ruin in a wonderful setting - in the Yorkshire Dales.

Get discounted train tickets at www.nationalrail.co.uk- much cheaper than walk up tickets - for lots of good info on British trains check www.seat61.com - great advice on discounted tickets; and for general info also www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Thanks everyone, some good recommendations.

I've cut out Stonehenge and a 2nd night in Bath. Taking the train from London to Bath will give us extra time in Bath upon arrival that we loose from cutting out the second night there. I put the extra day on Edinburgh at the end of the trip. How does this itinerary look?

Day 1 - Wednesday: Flight - USA to London
Day 2 - Thursday: Arrive in London early, Spend the day in London, Overnight London
Day 3 - Friday: Full Day London, Overnight London
Day 4 - Saturday: Full Day London, Overnight London
Day 5 - Sunday: Early afternoon train from London to Bath, Spend the afternoon in Bath, Overnight in Bath
Day 6 - Monday: Pickup Rental Car, drive to Castle Combe(breakfast/lunch?), stop at Tintern Abbey, drive to Ludlow, Overnight Ludlow
Day 7 - Tuesday: Drive to Manchester, Overnight Manchester
Day 8 - Wednesday: Full Day Manchester, Overnight Manchester
Day 9 - Thursday: Drive to Lake District, Overnight Lake District
Day 10 - Friday: Full Day Lake District, Overnight Lake District
Day 11 - Saturday: Drive through Yorkshire Dales to York, stop at Fountains Abbey, Return rental car, Overnight York
Day 12 - Sunday: Spend the morning and afternoon in York, late afternoon train to Edinburgh, Overnight Edinburgh
Day 13 - Monday: Highlands Tour
Day 14 - Tuesday: Highlands Tour
Day 15 - Wednesday: Highlands Tour, Overnight in Edinburgh
Day 16 - Thursday: Full Day in Edinburgh, Overnight Edinburgh
Day 17 - Friday: Full Day in Edinburgh, Overnight Edinburgh
Day 18 - Saturday: Flight - Edinburgh to USA

Drive Times:
Day 6: Bath to Castle Combe - 1 hour
Day 6: Castle Combe to Tintern Abbey to Ludlow - 3 hours
Day 7: Ludlow to Manchester - 4 hours
Day 9: Manchester to Lake District - 3 hours
Day 11: Lake District to York via the Yorkshire Dales and Fountains Abbey - 5 hours

Do you see any flaws? Do any days have too much driving?

I personally think you have way too little time In London. You will be jet lagged so really just 2 full days. Thursday is basically a 'non-day'. Even if you arrive at 7AM by the time you are checked in to your hotel it will be nearly noon.

And you will have next to no time IN Bath. If you take an afternoon tran you won't be in Bath until late afternoon and then you need to leave Bath the next morning.

And very little time in York.

If this was my trip and had your non-negotiables . . . I would spend at least 2 more days in London, take a train to Manchester, visit your family, then do the Lakes, a day or two in the Dales, at least 1.5 days in York and then take the train to Edinburgh.

You will be a lot less frazzled if you drop the Stonehenge/Bath/Cotswolds/Tintern/Ludlow bits.

Bath is indeed an outlier on the itinerary janis gave above, which makes a lot of sense to me. and yes if never been to London and want to see London put more time in there.

Thanks - so much to think about!

I don't want our itinerary to become too "city" heavy. We'd like an even mix of city and countryside. I hate to drop both Bath and York from the itinerary, but in the interest of having enough time to enjoy the places we visit, I'm considering dropping them and doing something like this -

Day 1 - Flight - USA to London
Day 2 - Arrive in London early, Spend the day in London, Overnight London
Day 3 - Full Day London, Overnight London
Day 4 - Full Day London, Overnight London
Day 5 - Full Day London, Overnight London
Day 6 - Drive London to Cotswolds, Overnight in Cotswolds
Day 7 - Drive Cotswolds to Ludlow, Overnight in Ludlow
Day 8 - Drive to Manchester, Overnight Manchester
Day 9 - Full Day Manchester, Overnight Manchester
Day 10 - Drive to Lake District, Overnight Lake District
Day 11 - Full Day Lake District, Overnight Lake District
Day 12 - Train to Edinburgh, Overnight Edinburgh
Day 13 - Highlands Tour, Overnight Skye
Day 14 - Highlands Tour, Overnight Skye
Day 15 - Highlands Tour, Overnight in Edinburgh
Day 16 - Full Day in Edinburgh, Overnight Edinburgh
Day 17 - Full Day in Edinburgh, Overnight Edinburgh
Day 18 - Flight - Edinburgh to USA

Sorry but I'd hate that :(

Just dashing from London to Manchester through the Cotswolds and tacking in Ludlow to tick some boxes. Now, IF you were staying at least two FULL days in the Cotswolds that would be great -- but you will have less than half a day.

You will get <u>plenty</u> of countryside if you visit the Lake District, the Dales, and Scotland

Point of reference: I lived for nearly 5 years not far from the Cotswolds, and they are one of my very favorite parts anywhere in England -- but not as a half a day tack on to a trip that is more 'northern-direction-centric'.