liverock

Hi

We are a middle-aged, Chinese couple from Singapore, looking at about 25 days in England, Scotland and Ireland.
We want to do a bit of self-drive and train to visit scenic, cultural sites in the 3 zones; hopefully, at a affordable budget.
I saw, in a previous thread, someone having a similar question:

europe/3-weeks-in-england-scotland-and-ireland-itinerary-review-1106545

We are looking at 20th June 2018 to 15 July 2018.

Total Days: 21 + 2 days for travel = 25 totals days
England: X days
Scotland: Y days
Ireland: Z days

Day 1: Flight Singapore to London
Day 2: Arrive in London, overnight in London
Day 3: Full day in London, overnight in London
Day 4: Full day in London, overnight in London
Day 5: Full day in London, overnight in London
Day 6: Join a guided one-way tour from London to Stonehenge to Bath. Overnight in Bath.
Day 7: Pick up a rental car and explore Wells and the Cotswolds. Overnight in Bath.
Day 8: Drive from Bath to Ludlow, stopping at Chepstow Castle and Tintern Abbey on the way. Overnight in Ludlow.
Day 9: Drive from Ludlow along the Welsh border to Manchester. Overnight in Manchester.
Day 10: Full day in Manchester (visiting with family), Overnight in Manchester
Day 11: Drive to the Lake District, overnight in Lake District
Day 12: Full day in Lake District, overnight in Lake District
Day 13: Drive to York, return rental car and spend the day in York, overnight in York
Day 14: Train to Edinburgh, overnight in Edinburgh
Day 15: Rabbies Isle of Sky 3 Day Tour - Depart Edinburgh 8:30am - Glencoe, the Lochaber region around Fort William, Eilean Donan Castle, and over the sea to Skye, stay overnight in the picturesque harbour town of Portree.
Day 16: Rabbies Isle of Sky 3 Day Tour - Explore Isle of Skye including the wild north of the island, the Old Man of Storr, the mountain pass of the Quiraing and Skye’s most westerly point at Neist
Day 16: Rabbies Isle of Sky 3 Day Tour - return through the Cuillin mountains to the mainland, past the 5 Sisters of Kintail, on to eerie Loch Ness, the Central Highlands, Pitlochry - overnight in Edinburgh (arrive 7pm)
Day 18: Full day in Edinburgh, overnight in Edinburgh
Day 19: Morning flight to Dublin, spend the day in Dublin, overnight in Dublin
Day 20: Morning flight to Dublin, spend the day in Dublin, overnight in Dublin
Day 21: Start from Dublin: Shamrocker Adventure 3 Day Southern Rocker Tour - 8:30am pickup in Dublin, Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle, overnight in Killarney
Day 22: Shamrocker Adventure 3 Day Southern Rocker Tour - Dingle Peninsula
Day 23: Shamrocker Adventure 3 Day Southern Rocker Tour - Cliffs of Moher, Galway, overnight in Dublin
Day 24: Explore Dublin
Day 25: Flight from Dublin to Singapore

Doable? Is it too hectic and expensive?

thursdaysd

Itinerary doesn't look too bad, but did you really mean June 2018? If so, you have left it very, very late to book hotels etc.

janisj

>>Doable? Is it too hectic and expensive?<<

Doable -- yes
Expensive -- how can anyone say? That is like asking if jewelry is expensive . . . some is, some isn't, there are MANY variables. How much do you want to spend? What is your budget per night? Places like London, Edinburgh and Bath generally have more expensive accommodations that the other places on your itinerary.

I would make one change. On Day 6 I'd pick up the rental car out at Heathrow and drive to Avebury, Stonehenge and on to Bath . . . as long as you can find accommodations in Bath with parking. accommodations. But if you had a car you could easily stay in a nearby town/village where parking is not an issue.

I agree with thursdaysd -- if you actually mean this month and next it is very VERY late to be making plans. Presumably you have already booked some things so have a handle on how expensive it will be. If you haven't booked things, you need to get on it immediately.

bilboburgler

not bad at all

BigRuss

You are using terms that, in a vacuum, have no meaning.

Expensive.

Affordable.

These are wholly dependent upon your finances. Without stating a per night lodging budget and the expected costs of the tours you're going to take, no one knows if your proposed itinerary is expensive.

That said, look into rail cards at National Rail Enquiries - Official source for UK train times and timetables and 2for1 offers at www.daysoutguide.co.uk

liverock

Thanks for all the inputs.

bilboburgler

I always recommend yha.org.uk to cut the cost out of London rooms. Might also be useful in some of your other cities.

Macross

excellent link!

thursdaysd

Also https://www.universityrooms.com/

bilboburgler

I like university rooms too. Only used it once but fine enough.

thursdaysd

In London in the summer I usually stay at one of the LSE dorms, although I book that direct with LSE, but I have used universityrooms for Oxford and Cambridge, staying in one of the colleges.

liverock

I am considering changing the last 7 days days to 7 day motorhome travel in Ireland so I do not need to plan for hotel bookings.
Sensible? How tough is it to drive 2 person motorhome around Ireland?
Thanks in advanced for any inputs.

janisj

>>I am considering changing the last 7 days days to 7 day motorhome travel in Ireland so I do not need to plan for hotel bookings.
Sensible? How tough is it to drive 2 person motorhome around Ireland?
Thanks in advanced for any inputs.<<

Not a great idea IMO. A small motorhome isn't that much bigger than a large car -- but a large car is difficult enough. The roads in Ireland are narrow, slow, and even in a compact car sometimes there is barely enough space for two vehicles to pass each other. And you can't free camp just anywhere. You'd still need reservations for places to camp.

bilboburgler

I think your question, if it needs asking, answers itself.

xcountry

Sometimes, late at night, I dream I am back in Ireland driving along enjoying the scenery and then OMG coming the other way is a truck and he's taking up most of the road and I am already hitting the vegetation on the left side of the car and then ...

I hope Tony2Phones doesn't mind me quoting him. I had read his response to a similar question in 2014. Here it is:

"Don't ... Seriously, rental costs are Huge, fuel costs @ 25mpg (if you are lucky) & getting on for €7/gal?? Camp sites are few and away from centres, Main M& N roads are fine but R roads can be narrow and winding, side road's L awkward. Average speeds will be even lower than the 35 mph car mean. Being honest you are better of hiring a car and staying in B&B's.. If you do decide on the Camper route there are a few clubs that might help with locations but you will be looking around €10 basic parking then hookup (where available)."

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic...d-Ireland.html

liverock

Thank you very much for all the inputs. Will probably give up the idea of motorhome until next time, haha...

liverock

Hi

I have booked a 3-day local tour from Scottish Tours - Skye and Scottish Highlands from 6 - 8 July 2018.
I have paid online but besides an online voucher, I have not heard from them. I have also emailed them for confirmation twice but receive no reply so far.

www . scottishtours . co .uk /tourpage.asp?id=2865&departure=1

Has anyone booked from them before or heard about them?

bilboburgler

Well their ABTA number is P7043 and their parent company run Scottish Tours, Highland Tours and Edinburgh Tours so while I don't know them the ABTA number is re-assuring. Tripadvisor is helpful as a review https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attrac..._Scotland.html

janisj

I haven't heard of them one way or the other so have nothing to add there. But is there some reason you decided against Rabbies as you first mentioned? They are a terrific company.

janisj

Pal - Not all that helpful since they have already booked a tour.