jimily

Okay Fodor Folks, I have had to change plans so often that I was afraid to ask for opinions until I thought I was closer to what we actually were going to try to do.
Arrive: London Gatwick 11:00am Friday
Gatwick express to Victoria Station
Check into Thistle victoria
Royal Mews and Harrods
Saturday: Thames River Cruise
Portebello Market
Mama Mia or Abridged Shakespeare

Sunday: Mass at Westminster Cathedral
Changing of the Guard
Buckingham Palace
Tower of London
Sunday night: Sleeper to Edinburgh
Monday: train or bus to Britania
Hollyrood
Castle
Mary's Cross tour
Tuesday: HERE'S THE RUB
Depart Edinburgh for Oban
Stirling Castle????
Check into Flat in Oban
How long is the journey to Oban from Edinburgh? Is it really three hours from Glasgow to Oban?
Wednesday: Isle of Mull
Thursday: Whatever as long as the Oban
Distillery is on the agenda.
Friday: HERE'S THE RUB AGAIN. Sleeper from Glasgow or Sleeper from Edinburgh? Will we want to snatch a few more hours in Edinburgh on a late Friday afternoon(I sounds like a city that you can't get enough of) or do we spend the afternoon and evening in Glasgow and take the sleeper from there?
Saturday: Arrive London Euston Station 7:00am. Stow luggage. Madame Toussaud's, then back to Euston to be picked up at 12:30.
If we want to make it easier for our friend who will be having to pick us up in London, what station would we be having to go to from Euston to get to Bath? Would we have to make several on and offs from London to Bath?
My sister was hurt badly getting off a train in Ireland and we are all going to be apprehensive about her on and offs(she has always been the lollygagger).
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Emily

sheila

Yes, you can do that. It's 2 and a bit hours from Stirling to Oban in a rush. Don't rush and you can still do it; and if you take the south route to Loch Lomond, rather than the Strathardle and Crianlarich route which you will take going north, you should go home via Glasgow.

Pick a couple of specific things you want to see- Glasgow's much bigger than Edinburgh and you won't just bump into them as you go about. Also the shopping (non-touristy) is much better)

bluefan

I can only contribute re early London portion. Friday seems OK. Saturday too, but I hope you go to the Portobello Market in the early morning before the crowds arrive. Do the Thames River Cruise afterwards. And do it one way from Westminster to Tower Bridge and visit the Tower of London before seeing the Abridged Shakespeare (you can always see Mama Mia in the States).

I wouldn't recommend doing the Tower of London on Sunday after Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace because it's at the opposite end of the enormous city. Try to fit the Tower in on Sat as I alluded to previously, and save the rest of your Sunday for Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccaddilly Circus and Covent Garden.

I suggest the above because I'm assuming you're not museum and gallery fans due to the absence of such on your planned itinerary. It'd be a shame to miss out on such treasures (free admission on top) but it's not everyone's cup of tea.

kaudrey

Sounds like fun!

For the train in London, I wasn't sure what you were asking exactly. Do you want to take the train to Bath? If so, direct trains with no changes go from Paddington Station to Bath - they leave almost every 1/2 hour, and take about 1 1/2 hours. You could tube from Euston to Paddingtion.

I saw Abridged Shakespeare with my sister and BF and we all thought it was hilarious. I'd highly recommend it.

As others have said, Portebello should be done in the early AM.

Have fun. I haven't been to Scotland, so I can't help with that part.

Karen

janis

The Scotland part seems fine - I think you'll probably want more time in Edinburgh, but Glasgow offers a lot too so either would be OK.

The London bit is more problematic -

as the others say, you need to get too Protobello Rd early. And that means EARLY. Between 5:30AM and 9AM is the best time for seeing or buying. After 10AM it is too crowded to even walk easily let alone see anything.

So you will be done w/ Portobello road about the same time other tourist attractions open. I would go straight to the Tower of London (Circle line from Notting Hill Gate). After a few hours at the Tower you can cruise up river to Westminster pier and then walk across the bridge to the London Eye. Either show would be fine - Reduced Shakespeare is the much easier ticket - great seats always available at the 1/2 price TKTS booth. DO NOT go to the Tower on a Sunday if you can avoid it - by far the most crowded day.

Since you can do the Tower on Saturday you have all day Sunday to do othere things.

I am also confused by the Euston/Friend/Bath bit. If you are going to Bath you don't want Euston Station - but a friend is picking you up in London?? maybe you can clarify what you mean.

jimily

Thank you all,
Bluefan, I love museums and if we had more time we would love to devour them. We loose all track of time in them and then find the day has gone.
The Portebello info is great to hear. I am usually up at 5am and have to wait for the day to begin. My husband and I can do the market and then come back to the hotel and get my sister and then on to the Tower.
I was confusing info on our return to London. We will be arriving on the sleeper at Euston and now I know(from you all) that we can travel to Bath and arrive out there by noon.
I think I solved the Stirling problem The train from Oban to Glasgow is more than three hours arriving in Glasgow at 11:30. We will leave our luggage there, take the train to Stirling(35min.) Then return to Glasgow for dinner and pub time till we board our sleeper train.
My sister hoped that we wouldn't be hopping around too much but how can you pass Edinburgh or London or Stirling?
thanks again.
emily