3 weeks Ireland + Scotland next summer
 

Hi,

We are slowly planning ou next trip for summer (something like july 13 to august 5 or 6) and firts we have think about Spain or Italy, but many peiple told us that the heat can be unbearable. I don't like the heat and we have two children (3 and 7) so we tend tto not stay in intense heat for too many times.

here,s when the idea of going to Ireland and Scotland came. Here's waht we think:

1) Flight From Montreal to Dublin
2) rent a car (or train ?) from Dublin to belfast (2 weeks)
3) Take cheap flight (Ryan air or Easyjet) from Belfast to Glasgow (is the ferry better ?)
4) Take 10 days to travel by train (or bus) around Glasgow and Edinburgh
5) Flight back to Montréal from Glasgow.

What do you think of this ? What should be our budget for that kind of trip ? We don't want fancy dinner, we can go eat fresh food from grocery store.

Thanks !

When in Scotland, I would rent a car. It makes seeing the highlands much, much easier.

I only have time for a short note at the moment. Curious why you'd drive in Ireland/Northern Ireland? Except in the two cities, driving is the best way to get are one Scotland.

Also IMO it would be much MUCH better to fly from I/NI into Edinburgh. Late July will be very busy in Edinburgh, but August will be a total zoo. The city's population literally doubles in size because of the festivals/Tattoo.

i'm not sure to understand what you mean by : ''Curious why you'd drive in Ireland/Northern Ireland? Except in the two cities, driving is the best way to get are one Scotland.''

I've heard that train are more avaible in Scotland than in Ireland that's why i've said that we can drive in Ireland.


Also I don't iunderstand why you telle me to fly in Edinburgh since Edinburg will be too busy !?!?!

I think janisj was suggesting you start your trip in Scotland -- iot avoid Edinburgh during the festival. And return home from Ireland.

Trains are more useful in Scotland, but to see a lot of the countryside, like the Highlands and the islands, a car is better yet. So far you've only mentioned the big cities in both countries. Will you really spend 2 weeks in Belfast?

Maybe do some research and figure out what you want to see and do and where you want to go. You can get guidebooks and videos from the library, and there's lots of information on the Internet.

Oops - sorry, I was typing on my iPad and deleted the rest of the sentence by mistake. I meant to say, I was curious why you'd be ok driving in Ireland but rely on public transport in Scotland.

<<I think janisj was suggesting you start your trip in Scotland -- iot avoid Edinburgh during the festival. >>

tostaky is not a native English speaker so texting shorthands don't help (iot = in order to) comprehension.

To Tostaky:

I'd pick Scotland over Ireland and Edinburgh over Dublin and neither is particularly close. If you fly from Montreal to Edinburgh at the beginning of the trip, you can see Edinburgh, rent a car for a trip through the Highlands and some of the various coastal regions and then return to Glasgow for a couple of nights before flying to Dublin.

Don't take the ferry - a day-long trip with kids makes no sense.

Don't just confine yourself to cities, the countrysides are the main attractions.

And the Scottish rail coverage is NOT extensive. The main lines are in and around the two cities (Edinburgh and Glasgow are closer than New York and Philadelphia) and there is more train coverage going south to England than north to Inverness or east to Dundee/Aberdeen or wherever. Renting a car is a must to see the countryside.

thanks for all your answers.

I've got no probelem arriving in Scotland first thne leave from Ireland. The same goes about driving in both country. I guess I will have to get use to drive on the other side of the road !

The ferry is only 2 hours from what i've read.

I never said that I want to be in Dublin for 2 weeks ! I said I want to arrive there and leave from Belfast 2 weeks later, i'll be looking to what to do between the two places !

If you've got 3 weeks to one month which place would you stay longer , Ireland or Scotland ?

anyone have in idea of the budget per day ?

It all depends on what you want to see or do. The driving in Ireland tends to be slower so you need to take that into account. The ferry doesn't take too long, BUT that only gets you to far SW Scotland which is a very long drive from places like Edinburgh or the highlands if those were places you want to visit.

For me personally, I'd spend about 10 days in Ireland and longer in Scotland. But that is just me since Scotland is one of my favorite places on earth. I 'like' Ireland, whereas I 'LOVE' Scotland.

And as for the cities, IMO tbere is much more to see in Glasgow and Edinburgh than in Dublin and Belfast.

But it is up to you, 10 days in one and two weeks in the other - you can work out a terrific itinerary. Just take the August Edinburgh crowds into consideration in your plans.

I think you have looked at the wrong ferry - from Ireland to Scotland takes the best part of the day. No 2 hour ferries - unless you mean just to one of the islands from Scotland.

The ferry i''ve seen is the one that goes from Belfast to Cairnryan and it's true that it looks to be South.

I'll look to get to Scotland first and leave from Ireland.

One more thing (for now !) which airport is better to go (or more convenient) Glasgow or Edinburgh ?

No difference really, which ever one gets you the best fare or schedule.

You would either start your touring from Edinburgh or from Glasgow . . .

I'm not sure where you get the idea of half a day on the ferry from nytraveler, unless you are thinking of the ferry from Dublin. Stena Line from Belfast to Cairnryan takes just over two hours on the boat.
http://www.stenaline.co.uk/routes/be...ryan/Timetable

Dumfries and Galloway are the undiscovered part of Scotland and get few foreign visitors. This is a shame as there is some lovely countryside and the area merits a few days to explore.

If you haven't altready found the Undiscovered Scotland website, it is well worth spending some time on as it is full of ideas of where to go and what to see.
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/

since you are planning far enough in advance, you might actually want to finish up in Edinburgh in early August. Yes, it is a zoo there, but it is a really fun zoo. I guess it all comes down to the things you like. I spent the first week of August in Edinburgh this summer with the wife and kids and we had a great time. Between the Festival Fringe and the Tattoo, we had plenty of options. Yes, it was crowded and had I not booked our hotel room months in advance, it never would have worked out, but we wound up having a very enjoyable stay. I would be tempted to arrive in Shannon, spend some time driving around Western Ireland, a couple days in Dublin, and then Edinburgh, and fly home from there. But, if you can get a better flight home from Glasgow, that would work, too. I've flown in and out of both and didn't really notice much difference.

>>since you are planning far enough in advance, you might actually want to finish up in Edinburgh in early August.<<

Yes -- normally . . . but the OP will have two small children w/ them. I personally wouldn't try to do the Festivals or Tattoo w/ a 3 year old.

I would Arrive Dublin Airport, get the bus from the Airport to Belfast. Coach and Sail to Glasgow and settle in for the night Scottish City Link 923 leaves Belfast (Europa Bus Station) at 10.30am gets into Glasgow 1/4 past 4 (add 2 hours if aiming for Edinburgh) It is a long 1st day but the youngsters can grab some sleep and look at it as a mini coach tour.. http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=250#Dublin - Glasgow - Edinburgh

Then rent a car for the Scotland leg before Flying from Edinburgh to Dublin/Shannon/Cork? to start the Irish leg.

I took the ferry from Belfast to Stanraer, before the port was moved to Cairnryan, and it was a very nice trip, with coast visible all the way.

I've driven in both Ireland and Scotland, and I would say that driving is easier in Scotland than in Ireland. Driving on the left isn't a big problem once you get used to it. Just concentrate when you come to intersections or roundabouts. Both times we got a car with automatic transmission, to avoid thinking about shifting with the "wrong" hand. I'm not sure that makes a big difference, but it probably helped a bit.

Three weeks isn't a lot to see both countries. We spent two weeks in Ireland (some of it visiting relatives) and almost two weeks in Scotland, and I didn't feel as if we saw much of either country.

We were originally planning to see Scotland by train and bus, and I think it wouldn't have been a problem. There are buses from Glasgow to various points on Loch Lomond, and then you can take a boat. There is a train to Oban, and you can visit the islands of Mull and Iona from there. From Edinburgh, you can get to Stirling Castle by public transportation. There are other possibilities that I didn't investigate.

It looks as though you'll be in Scotland for only a week; if you were there longer, not having a car would be very limiting, but I think you can find plenty to see for a week without a car. However, when traveling with small children, a car is often more convenient.

On my first trip to Ireland, I traveled around by train and bus, and it was very slow and complicated getting from one place to another. However, it was also fun.

Do realize that bad weather will make that ferry very unpleasant -- and possibly cancelled.

Taking the ferry really doesn't make sense . . . . UNLESS you plan on spending time touring far SW Scotland. A totally lovely area, but if you also have plans to see the Highlands and Edinburgh/Glasgow, you simply don't have enough time.

Never known Irish sea ferries cancelled in July or August (Even the Swift).. being in Glasgow/Edinburgh the same day as landing in Dublin is the same whether you fly or sail.. just a more relaxed way of getting there with no baggage charges and less hassle..

Been there done that..more than once.

Tony: Huge difference, you are starting from ireland. the OP will have already flown over night to get to DUB.

Land a DUB, walk to a different gate, get on plane, land at EDI (preferable) or GLA. Easy peasy.

vs.

Land at DUB , bus to Belfast and port, 6.5 hours to Edinburgh. Really REALLY rough first day.

Thanks for all those answers. There's a good price on aflight that last until tonight (4 hours left !) for 800$(canadian)I can go to Glasgow from Montreal then flight back To Montreal from Dublin.

I Guess I can make the contrary (arrive In Dublin and flight back from Glasgow). Seems that we can put 28 days into that trip. 26 days are remaining for travel in both country.

I'm relaly on merge of buying that fly, but iM still hesitatnt to go there or Spoain or Italy...decisions, decisions...

Tony 2phones; what's the point of arriving In dubling, go right away to Scotland and then come back to Ireland ?

Apologies for not reading your question properly.

>>There's a good price on aflight that last until tonight (4 hours left !) for 800$(canadian)I can go to Glasgow from Montreal then flight back To Montreal from Dublin. <<

I'd book that for sure. And I'd leave it in that order. Canada to Scotland to Ireland to Canada makes terrific itinerary. You'd be in Ireland before the craziest crowds descend on Edinburgh.

Thnaks to all of you, it's relaly helpfull.

The flight is booked. There was not so many dates still avaible at 800$ (791 to be precise) and after making some calculation we decide to take 24 days.Leaving Montreal july 20 and returning august 12. I would have prefer to get for july only (something like 6 to 29) but it was more expensive.

Will read a bit but for now we plan to rent a car In Scotland. Since we flight in Glasgow mays be we can saty 2-3 days there, take bus (or train) to go to to Edinburgh (2-3 days ) and then rent a car for making Highlands (7-9 days)and then leave the car at Glasgow and take the plane frome there to Dublin (or Belfast?)

I've read that the first monday of august (august 3) is a public holiday In Ireland and Scotland. Does it means that i must not travel (or anything else that I should be advice about this date ) on that week-end ? Because 12-15 days in Scotland will get us to that exact week-end.

It looks that lodging is pricier than what we tought....I've jump on the flight deal without checking that first ( dumb I know...)

>>It looks that lodging is pricier than what we tought….<<

OK - where and what rates are you finding? Edinburgh will be more expensive than many places, but there are very inexpensive B&Bs almost everywhere else in both countries.

Since we have kids with many b&b are no go (not enough beds)and self catering is for 7 days minimum stay.

Can you show good websites to have an idea of those cheap b&b you are talking about ?

For 14-16 days in scotland where do you suggest us to go ? With kuds we like to stay at the same place for 3-4 days and make day trip from there

tostaky: If we are going to help we need more info . . . Where have you looked, and what is your budget?

>>Since we have kids with many b&b are no go (not enough beds)<<

That simply is not true. MANY B&Bs have family rooms that sleep two adults and 1 or 2 children. Now <i>some</i> B&Bs do have an age limit and don't accept very young children. But MANY also have family rooms.

I guess you know it better than me and you've been very helpfull up to now ! Do you have any idea for the daily accomodation budget we should plan ?

In Edinburgh we stayed at the Richmond place apartments. They were inexpensive and had no minimum stay. They weren't fancy but they were in a good location and had a small kitchen. There was a laundry room on the premises.

I would wait a while before booking the lodging. Many places have discounts if they see that bookings are running below average. It's too early for that now. I would start looking at prices in March, and check frequently after that. I use www.booking.com to find lodging.

I don't know how much reservation have to be make in advance. I Guess that since I won't be In Edinburgh for the military tatoo I could, like you have suggest, wait to rent something

I would not wait too long. While the Festival and Tattoo are in August, July is still pretty busy in Edinburgh. I'd try to get something booked in the city by sometime this winter -- December or January at least.

As for a reasonable budget for B&Bs elsewhere - count on about £75 to £100 per family room per night. Sometimes a little more or a little less.

Plus there are some terrific hostels in various parts of the country. Just depends on where you want to go.

In Edinburgh - if you can't find an apartment/self catering you could try http://www.53frederickstreet.com/index.html Though its rates increase £40 - £50 for summer bookings.

Have you thought about Travelodge or Premier Inns? These have large en suite family rooms which can sleep two children. You just pay for the room. Booked well in advance it is possible to pick up some really great rates if you pay up front. Take up their insurance deal, just in case you have to cancel.

Oh yes, I should have thought of travelodge and premier inn. Especially in Edinburgh Travelodge is fantastic for a family. There are several in the central area and would be by far the cheapest option. . . . If you book far ahead and pre-pay you can often get a fantastic bargain - like £35 to £50 for a family room. No charm, but clean, modern rooms