Edinburgh and London - Help getting into countryside
 

We are a family of 6 (parents, 3 older teens and 1 friend) traveling in April for only 1 week - into Edinburgh and out of London. We are thinking to take the train from Edinburgh to London.

We have been to London before so mostly heading there to see a friend before departure. 7 nights/6 full days. Thinking 3-4 Edinburgh, 2 nights London. Would love to get out of the city. BUT don't really want to rent a car.

Ideas for a stop on the train between Edinburgh and London? and/or We could stay outside of London instead of in London and/or We could stay somewhere from Edinburgh before taking the train straight to London.

Also needing suggestions for lodging in Edinburgh. Normally with this size we'd rent an apartment but also want something interesting and fun.

TY - It's been so long since I planned travel... Feels great!

Durham, Newcastle and York stand out on the journey.

Depending on route Durham needs a slight distraction but is a medievel town on a lump of basalt?
Newcastle has train lines in the sky and was important in Britain's anti-slavery movementt and has a prestigious theatre
York, a walled city with a medievel centre and Britains train museum

Durham with its Norman Cathedral and castle set hign above the river would win my vote, followed closely by York.

For Edinburgh . . . run, don't walk ( ;) ) to the Rabbies site and check out all their one day tours out of Edinburgh. They do very good small group tours (max 16 passengers) all over Scotland from their headquarters in Waterloo Place in the centre of Edinburgh. https://www.rabbies.com/en

They do longer tours but you have so little time in Edinburgh I'd just pick one (or let the group split up and take different day tour if there are different interests)