tostaky

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 !

sparkchaser

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

janisj

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.

tostaky

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 !?!?!

Mimar

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.

janisj

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.

BigRuss

<<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.

tostaky

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 ?

janisj

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.

nytraveler

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.

tostaky

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.

tostaky

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

janisj

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

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

ESW

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/

griz_fan

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.

janisj

>>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.

Tony2phones

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.

bvlenci

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.

bvlenci

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.

janisj

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.