scotlib

Just two months to go!

Plane ticket .. check!
Hotel .. check!
ATM card .. check!
Luggage .. check! .. and checking the list twice to bring what I'll need and no more

I'll be spending the third week in April walking around Edinburgh's shops, museums, and sights, pinching myself that I'm actually there.

Now, I kind of want to see Hadrian's Wall. True, it's not in Scotland, but I have a grade school memory of seeing a picture of the wall in the encyclopedia and I think I made a connection between the wall and the people it was built to hold away, lol, so I was left with memory of Hadrian's Wall = Scotland, even though it doesn't! It was maybe 4th or 5th grade, afterall.

Searching for trains, I see fares that could take me from Edinburgh to Carlisle and the Hadrian's Wall AD122 bus will be running by then, I've seen. Or would those in the know recommend going Edinburgh to Newcastle and doing the AD122 bus from there?

What's the best web site to search for train fare? And then purchase? Can I do a purchase from home and then pickup with the FastTicket?

Frequently, posts ask for restaurant recommendations. I love pizza .. do you have a favorite pizza place?

For recommendations of what to do, just being there is a focus of this trip, but I'm certainly open to ideas if you know of an activity that could be of interest to someone who loves these authors: Terry Pratchett, JRR Tolkien, Dick Francis, Piers Anthony, and James Herriot.

Actually, just recommend the name of a good book shop and I'll thank you!!

nytraveler

We saw a couple of places along Hadrian's wall on our way between York and Edinburgh and IMHO you really need to do it by car. There are several different sites to visit and treking around on trains and buses will waste a huge amount of time.

Also be sure you're ready for the weather. We were there in July and it was in the low 50's, windy and pouring rain for several days. (It has been about 80 when we left London.) Definitely waterproofed shoes, sturdy umbrella and lots of layers.

janisj

I have to disagree w/ nytraveler. Hadrian's Wall is easier by car but it is certainly doable by bus. Thousands of folks do Hadrian's Wall w/o a car. Starting from either the Carlisle or Newcastle ends works just fine. If you start from Carlisle you can also visit Lanercost Priory which is lovely

Try thetrainline.com for train fares

Vttraveler

I can't think of Edinburgh sights associated with the authors you mention.
Since you are interested in Hadrian's Wall/Roman Britain, you might want to look into Rosemary Sutcliffe's historical novels. They are considered young adult but are very well written and worth reading for adults
http://www.greenmanreview.com/book/b...anbritain.html

This website looks good for an overview of Hadrian's Wall including bus schedule
http://www.hadrians-wall.org/

G_Hopper

Hi scotlib,

You may be interested in the Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour:
http://www.edinburghliterarypubtour.co.uk/

Cheers!

crazychick

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...llandhyde.html
They also do really nice food when.
It is fun watching people trying to find the toilet doors.

PatrickLondon

If you want to see the wildest-looking bits of the Wall, and some of the key Roman remains, I'd suggest aiming for the central section. You can get a train or the AD122 from either Carlisle or Newcastle to Haltwhistle, which is nearest the most dramatic part of the Wall.

From Haltwhistle you can pick up the AD122 to Housesteads and Vindolanda, which are both remains of Roman forts - Vindolanda also has the completer museum of archaelogical finds and background information.

From Housesteads it's also barely half an hour's walk to follow the Wall up to some commanding views (but make sure you've got reliable walking shoes on).

You'd need to check the train and bus times to find which would suit you better, as they don't exactly run every five minutes.

http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=1057
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick...7594174143503/

bigtyke

Housesteads is a good place to view the big fort that anchored the wall. From there, take a walk along the wall to the west (if you go 3 miles, you will come to a place where a tree grows right in the middle of the wall - a good place to turn around).

If you stay in Haltwhistle, I can highly recommend Ashcroft B&B

I can't think of anything related to DIck Francis in Scotland, altho you might find a steeplechase somewhere.

For future trips, Newmarket and Cheltenham (especially if you can go to the Gold Cup in mid March) are good places for Francis fans to go - I certainly enjoyed them.

scotlib

Many thanks for the URLs, information, and feedback advice. It is all very helpful for me in my final preparations!

I've only the one week. Sigh. It'll be quick visit to the Wall this time, if I make it. If not, I have a definite part of my itinerary for the next trip Along with other suggestions offered from my literary interests. Thank you.


I thought of another recommendation that would be helpful: A family friend just graduating high school is envious of my trip. I'd like to bring home something for her, but it can't be expensive or large. Can't be alcoholic, either, lol. She's going to college come fall, maybe I'll keep an eye out for something unique (and small) for her dorm room. I don't know.


All of your replies to this thread are very much appreciated. Thank you!

crckwc1

For your friend who's graduating and going off to college - what about a coffee mug with a picture of a favorite sight -- castle, ruin, whatever -- all tourist sites have gift shops. A coffee mug is not only a nice souvenir, it's very useful.

Mimar

If it's not too minimal a present, you could buy a calendar with scenes of Scotland. Light and easy to carry, and useful for decorating the dorm room.

aussiedreamer

Book marking with thanks

caroline_edinburgh

IMO the best pizza in town is at Centrotre, 103 George Street. It's a big & buzzing Italian caffe-bar where you can get anything from a coffee & pastry to a cocktail to a full 4 course Italian feast. AVOID any of the chains except Pizza Express.

caroline_edinburgh

P.S. Meant to say the surroundings are quite interesting too in Centotre - it's a grand old banking hall, complete with pillars & a mosaic floor.

caroline_edinburgh

Oh, and for a bookshop - my favourite is probably Blackwell's on the corner of the South Bridge and Infirmary Street. Most of the Waterstone's are OK too - there are good-sized branches on George Street (between Frederick Street & Castle Street), at the east end of Princes Street & the west end of Princes Street.

If you are interested in contemporary art, the Glasgow International art festival will be on when you are here.

PatrickLondon

The AD122 is due to start running at Easter this year, so it should be running when scotlib is here. It should be possible to visit Housesteads and Vindolanda, and maybe walk a bit along the Wall (depending on the weather) within a (long) day trip from Edinburgh.

scotlib

Many thanks for all the helpful ideas and information!

This year's AD122 bus schedule has just been posted at http://www.hadrians-wall.org. I'll be studying that in the coming days to figure out my potential day trip to the Wall.

Caroline, thanks for the bookshop info. I searched and found http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk that has maps and pictures, so now I also know what to look for as I walk down the street. I can read maps, but it's so nice to have a visual also And http://www.centotre.com/ looks great. Thanks! (I also love businesses with easy to find web sites, lol!)

crazychick, the pictures on the link are great and thanks for the heads up about looking for the toilet through the wall of books!

Cheers!

Pumbavu

This looks like a good way to see the wall....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/200...alkingholidays