England and Scotland
#21
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I agree with other responders: don't miss London and engage your sons in the planning. The trip will be more meaningful to them and they may enjoy researching some of the history pre-trip. I haven't seen Cornwall (yet) and we daytripped through the Cotswalds from Nailey Farm (see website at http://www.bathfarmcottages.co.uk/) near Bath.
Surprisingly, I cannot find the information about the hostel we stayed at in York, but I recall it was very close to a ruined castle and, I thought, on a coast.
During our stay in Edinburgh in 2006, we drove like crazy - had to see the whole country - went up as far as Elgin on one day trip. Beautiful scenery. During our recent stay in St. Andrews, we thought about venturing to Skye but it was a 6 hour drive each way so we decided against it.
I'd pick one half of Scotland to see and stay in Edinburgh and one other place. Please keep in mind that the lists I posted are the culmination of 3 month long trips. You won't be able to see all of that in one month - but it gives you some things to pick from.
Surprisingly, I cannot find the information about the hostel we stayed at in York, but I recall it was very close to a ruined castle and, I thought, on a coast.
During our stay in Edinburgh in 2006, we drove like crazy - had to see the whole country - went up as far as Elgin on one day trip. Beautiful scenery. During our recent stay in St. Andrews, we thought about venturing to Skye but it was a 6 hour drive each way so we decided against it.
I'd pick one half of Scotland to see and stay in Edinburgh and one other place. Please keep in mind that the lists I posted are the culmination of 3 month long trips. You won't be able to see all of that in one month - but it gives you some things to pick from.
#23
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YORK and the NORTH YORK MOORS
You could stop in York and do the moors from there but this will mean at least 90 minutes travel time each day depending on where you want to go, Whitby for example is going to be 2.5 hours there and back.
From that point of view it makes sense to base yourself in York and then move to another base for the North York Moors.
The places Kinloch have flagged up are actually Yorkshire Dales, not the North York Moors and a different part of Yorkshire. Lovely though they are, they don't fit into your itinerary.
You could stop in York and do the moors from there but this will mean at least 90 minutes travel time each day depending on where you want to go, Whitby for example is going to be 2.5 hours there and back.
From that point of view it makes sense to base yourself in York and then move to another base for the North York Moors.
The places Kinloch have flagged up are actually Yorkshire Dales, not the North York Moors and a different part of Yorkshire. Lovely though they are, they don't fit into your itinerary.
#25
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hi everyone
I can not thank you for all the help this had been amazing ,,,,
here are a few of my questions I still have remaing ....
I am still a bit confused about York ... the moors and north thumberland ....
#1 I did a bit of research and I know we want to visit the town of York... and we also want to see
Dunstanburgh Castle - Alnwick and Bamburgh.... I am not sure on where to stay ... so we do 2 nights right near York to visit the town and then locate to Whitby perhaps .... and I wasnt sure what to see in the Moors ,,, any help with this area of out trip I would be grateful
#2 I have about 8 days remaining for out trip for the highlands after our 3 day visit to Ediburgh ,,,, where should be be based out of ...?? one location or two ... I was looking into
Plocton or St Augustus ... I know we want to see many castles amazinf views and if I dont take that Fort William Harry Potte train my kids will never forgive me ... so where should we be for those 8 days
#3 I was planning on spending 5 nights in the Cotswolds ... I see that several people break this area up into staying in two areas .. my plan in those 5 or 6 days is to see Bath Avon oxford all the little villages can we stay in one location ... ??
Mnay thanks for all the help
I can not thank you for all the help this had been amazing ,,,,
here are a few of my questions I still have remaing ....
I am still a bit confused about York ... the moors and north thumberland ....
#1 I did a bit of research and I know we want to visit the town of York... and we also want to see
Dunstanburgh Castle - Alnwick and Bamburgh.... I am not sure on where to stay ... so we do 2 nights right near York to visit the town and then locate to Whitby perhaps .... and I wasnt sure what to see in the Moors ,,, any help with this area of out trip I would be grateful
#2 I have about 8 days remaining for out trip for the highlands after our 3 day visit to Ediburgh ,,,, where should be be based out of ...?? one location or two ... I was looking into
Plocton or St Augustus ... I know we want to see many castles amazinf views and if I dont take that Fort William Harry Potte train my kids will never forgive me ... so where should we be for those 8 days
#3 I was planning on spending 5 nights in the Cotswolds ... I see that several people break this area up into staying in two areas .. my plan in those 5 or 6 days is to see Bath Avon oxford all the little villages can we stay in one location ... ??
Mnay thanks for all the help
#27
I don't know where to start . .
Your #1 makes very little sense. York and the Moors are nowhere near Alnwick and Northumberland. It sounds like you are asking about seeing Bamburgh/Alnwick from a base in <i>Whitby</i>. Whitby is about 3 hours from Alnwick and even longer to Bamburgh.
You could need one base for North Yorkshire (York, the Moors and Whitby) and a different base for Northumberland. For Yorkshire, I'd maybe consider Thirsk. You would be w/i a reasonable drive of the Moors (about 1 hour), and could take the train into York for a day trip. Thirsk is a nice town w/ lots of places to eat and the wonderful James Herriot museum.
#2 - I assume you mean Ft Augustus. Plockton doesn't work for the Jacobean Steam Train since it is about a 2.5 hour drive to Ft William. Ft Augustus would be better since it about an hour drive. But Ft Augustus wouldn't be a good base for Skye since the drive to say Portree is about 2.5 hours. There really isn't one base that will work for everything you want to do.
#3 - >>I see that several people break this area up into staying in two areas<<
Not really - one place works better than packing and moving. But you are lumping Bath in w/ the Cotswolds - Bath is quite a drive. Say from Burford . . . about 90+ minutes. So where to work in Bath varies depending on your final itinerary. You could do it as a day trip from London by train. Or you could pick up you car leaving London (LHR is the best place to get a car) and drive to Bath and stay one night and then drive up into the Cotswolds for 4 or 5 days.
. . . I do fear that the brain dumps/laundry lists above may have overwhelmed you a bit.
Your #1 makes very little sense. York and the Moors are nowhere near Alnwick and Northumberland. It sounds like you are asking about seeing Bamburgh/Alnwick from a base in <i>Whitby</i>. Whitby is about 3 hours from Alnwick and even longer to Bamburgh.
You could need one base for North Yorkshire (York, the Moors and Whitby) and a different base for Northumberland. For Yorkshire, I'd maybe consider Thirsk. You would be w/i a reasonable drive of the Moors (about 1 hour), and could take the train into York for a day trip. Thirsk is a nice town w/ lots of places to eat and the wonderful James Herriot museum.
#2 - I assume you mean Ft Augustus. Plockton doesn't work for the Jacobean Steam Train since it is about a 2.5 hour drive to Ft William. Ft Augustus would be better since it about an hour drive. But Ft Augustus wouldn't be a good base for Skye since the drive to say Portree is about 2.5 hours. There really isn't one base that will work for everything you want to do.
#3 - >>I see that several people break this area up into staying in two areas<<
Not really - one place works better than packing and moving. But you are lumping Bath in w/ the Cotswolds - Bath is quite a drive. Say from Burford . . . about 90+ minutes. So where to work in Bath varies depending on your final itinerary. You could do it as a day trip from London by train. Or you could pick up you car leaving London (LHR is the best place to get a car) and drive to Bath and stay one night and then drive up into the Cotswolds for 4 or 5 days.
. . . I do fear that the brain dumps/laundry lists above may have overwhelmed you a bit.
#28
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As janisj has pointed out, you can't do Northumberland as a day trip from from Whitby.
For a base to see Northumberland consider any of the following:
www.hogsheadinnalnwick.co.uk/
www.lindisfarneinn.co.uk/
www.bamburghcastlehotel.co.uk
We've stayed at all three and can recommend them. My reviews are here:
http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/i....dspStarWriter
http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/i....dspStarWriter
http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/i....dspStarWriter
IDEAS FOR THE NORTH YORK MOORS
You've already been given Rievaulx Abbey, Pickering and Helmsley Castles. Add in the North York Moors Railway as janisj suggests. Goathland is the station used for Hogwarts. There is also Castle Howard, one of the great stately homes of Englan. Alternatively Scarborough is a nice seaside town with a ruined castle. Whitby has a ruined abbey and St Mary's Church. There is also Mount Grace Priory...
SCOTLAND
We spent ten days in the area between Aberdeen and Inverness last September. There are plenty of castles around there. My trip report is here and will give you lots of ideas for that area.
http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=2088
You could also visit Balmoral Castle from here.
Possibly split your holiday in Scotland between here and then relocate over to the west coast for Eileen Donan Castle, Skye etc. This will give you chance to see more of Scotland
For a base to see Northumberland consider any of the following:
www.hogsheadinnalnwick.co.uk/
www.lindisfarneinn.co.uk/
www.bamburghcastlehotel.co.uk
We've stayed at all three and can recommend them. My reviews are here:
http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/i....dspStarWriter
http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/i....dspStarWriter
http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/i....dspStarWriter
IDEAS FOR THE NORTH YORK MOORS
You've already been given Rievaulx Abbey, Pickering and Helmsley Castles. Add in the North York Moors Railway as janisj suggests. Goathland is the station used for Hogwarts. There is also Castle Howard, one of the great stately homes of Englan. Alternatively Scarborough is a nice seaside town with a ruined castle. Whitby has a ruined abbey and St Mary's Church. There is also Mount Grace Priory...
SCOTLAND
We spent ten days in the area between Aberdeen and Inverness last September. There are plenty of castles around there. My trip report is here and will give you lots of ideas for that area.
http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=2088
You could also visit Balmoral Castle from here.
Possibly split your holiday in Scotland between here and then relocate over to the west coast for Eileen Donan Castle, Skye etc. This will give you chance to see more of Scotland
#29
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thank you that helps ... like I have said earlier this trip for some reason
its overwheleming me on my planning .. and I have a thing when i see lists I feel like there is so much to see and I dont want to miss anything .... Also on the personal side I adopted these two wonderful boiys who had a very bad start in life and are a treasure so I but a lot of pressure on these trips to make them wonderful and happy memories to cancel out the bad one .... so I am just freaking myself out at this point LOL
. I will take all your suggestions many thanks !!
its overwheleming me on my planning .. and I have a thing when i see lists I feel like there is so much to see and I dont want to miss anything .... Also on the personal side I adopted these two wonderful boiys who had a very bad start in life and are a treasure so I but a lot of pressure on these trips to make them wonderful and happy memories to cancel out the bad one .... so I am just freaking myself out at this point LOL
. I will take all your suggestions many thanks !!
#30
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How old are the boys and what sort of things do they like doing? It might be worth getting a copy of Eyewitness Great Britain which has lots of pictures and involving them in the discussion as to what to do where.
#32
"Yorkshire is a HUGE county (well several counties actually). When we talk about Yorkshire, most mean North Yorkshire."
huh, what on earth..... When we talk about Yorkshire we mean all the ridings.
huh, what on earth..... When we talk about Yorkshire we mean all the ridings.
#33
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" When we talk about Yorkshire, most mean North Yorkshire."
huh, what on earth..... When we talk about Yorkshire we mean all the ridings.'
Unfortunately the tourists think Yorkshire is just North Yorkshire with the Dales and possibly the North York Moors. As us locals know there's a lot more to Yorkshire than that. We've spent a lot of time over the last few months exploring the East Riding and especialy the Wolds. There is some lovely scenery and very pretty villages. Think Cotswolds.... Beverley Minster is architecturally better than York Minster. It is free and has its own car park. Nuff said.
huh, what on earth..... When we talk about Yorkshire we mean all the ridings.'
Unfortunately the tourists think Yorkshire is just North Yorkshire with the Dales and possibly the North York Moors. As us locals know there's a lot more to Yorkshire than that. We've spent a lot of time over the last few months exploring the East Riding and especialy the Wolds. There is some lovely scenery and very pretty villages. Think Cotswolds.... Beverley Minster is architecturally better than York Minster. It is free and has its own car park. Nuff said.
#35
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thank you
I think the sheer size of the Uk is daunting .. its like trying to see the US in one trip
thank you for the York help ...
I was thinking for areas to stay in scotland it would be good to stay
how does this sound,,,,, any more suggestions on things to see and bed and breakfast to stay
fort williams area 4 days
train to maillag
inverlochy castle
train to Mull
Plockton 3
days isle of skye
Ft Agustus or inverness
4 days
I think the sheer size of the Uk is daunting .. its like trying to see the US in one trip
thank you for the York help ...
I was thinking for areas to stay in scotland it would be good to stay
how does this sound,,,,, any more suggestions on things to see and bed and breakfast to stay
fort williams area 4 days
train to maillag
inverlochy castle
train to Mull
Plockton 3
days isle of skye
Ft Agustus or inverness
4 days
#36
First of all - are you renting a car? You will really want one to explore the Highlands and Skye.
Do you mean staying at the Inverlochy Castle Hotel? If so that is a pretty pricey property. Like nearly £600/$950 <u>per night</u> for the three of you (you will need to pay about £90 a night just for an extra bed for one of the boys). I didn't get the idea you were planing such a luxury holiday??
If you meant just visiting the Castle . . . it is a hotel. And if that means staying in Ft William 4 days -- I wouldn't. It isn't that nice a place. As a base for riding the Jacobite train to Mallaig and back -- OK <i>maybe</i> one night. But even then IMO Glencoe or Ballachullish would be better (if you have a car that is)
>>Train to Mull<<
There is no train to Mull -- it is an Island. You could take a train to Oban and ferry to Mull but that would really require an overnight in Oban, or on Mull (the better option IMO)
Plus there is no train straight down to Oban from Ft William -- it would take you nearly 4 hours each way (and would only be about a 1.5 hour drive)
Did you realize Ft Augustus is less than 30 miles from Inverlochy Castle?
And re Plockton -- nice little village. But I'd guess you'd never heard of it til some of the long posts above. Nice place like I said. But as a base for Skye -- you should stay ON Skye.
If you mainly want to see/do Mull, the Train, Skye and the area around Inverness and have 11 days (does this include the time it will take you to get to western Scotland??)
Try something like this:
Oban or Mull 2 nights. Visit Mull/Iona either w/ the car on the ferry or as foot passengers
Glencoe or Ballachulish 2 or 3 nights. Ride Train, see Glencoe, hike.
3 nights on Skye. Take the ferry over and the Bridge back.
3 nights <u>near</u> Inverness (not IN Inverness). Visit Loch Ness/Urquhart Castle, Culloden, Ft George, see the Dolphins off the Black Isle, Cawdor castle.
Do you mean staying at the Inverlochy Castle Hotel? If so that is a pretty pricey property. Like nearly £600/$950 <u>per night</u> for the three of you (you will need to pay about £90 a night just for an extra bed for one of the boys). I didn't get the idea you were planing such a luxury holiday??
If you meant just visiting the Castle . . . it is a hotel. And if that means staying in Ft William 4 days -- I wouldn't. It isn't that nice a place. As a base for riding the Jacobite train to Mallaig and back -- OK <i>maybe</i> one night. But even then IMO Glencoe or Ballachullish would be better (if you have a car that is)
>>Train to Mull<<
There is no train to Mull -- it is an Island. You could take a train to Oban and ferry to Mull but that would really require an overnight in Oban, or on Mull (the better option IMO)
Plus there is no train straight down to Oban from Ft William -- it would take you nearly 4 hours each way (and would only be about a 1.5 hour drive)
Did you realize Ft Augustus is less than 30 miles from Inverlochy Castle?
And re Plockton -- nice little village. But I'd guess you'd never heard of it til some of the long posts above. Nice place like I said. But as a base for Skye -- you should stay ON Skye.
If you mainly want to see/do Mull, the Train, Skye and the area around Inverness and have 11 days (does this include the time it will take you to get to western Scotland??)
Try something like this:
Oban or Mull 2 nights. Visit Mull/Iona either w/ the car on the ferry or as foot passengers
Glencoe or Ballachulish 2 or 3 nights. Ride Train, see Glencoe, hike.
3 nights on Skye. Take the ferry over and the Bridge back.
3 nights <u>near</u> Inverness (not IN Inverness). Visit Loch Ness/Urquhart Castle, Culloden, Ft George, see the Dolphins off the Black Isle, Cawdor castle.
#37
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Or are you talking about the ruined old Inverlochy Castle?
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...am/inverlochy/
Plockton is a lovely small village to drop out in but the drive is along narrow roads and not the sort of thing you are going to want to do at the start and end of every day for several days. Spend 1 night here for the experience but relocate to Skye if you are wanting to seriously see Skye.
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...am/inverlochy/
Plockton is a lovely small village to drop out in but the drive is along narrow roads and not the sort of thing you are going to want to do at the start and end of every day for several days. Spend 1 night here for the experience but relocate to Skye if you are wanting to seriously see Skye.
#38
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<i>Hello eG, I am certainly not as expert as many of those who have already answered but I do love this part of the planet. I would suggest a few places on the Yorkshire moors to look in to.
Parcevall Hall
Fountains Abbey
Malham Cove </i>
None are in the Moors - Parcevall Hall & Malham Cover are in the Dales, Fountains Abbey is on the way to the Dales bordering the Nidderdale AONB
Parcevall Hall
Fountains Abbey
Malham Cove </i>
None are in the Moors - Parcevall Hall & Malham Cover are in the Dales, Fountains Abbey is on the way to the Dales bordering the Nidderdale AONB
#39
If you did mean the ruined castle -- OK -- It isn't in the top maybe 75 castles in Scotland. Worth a visit if you are right in the area. Not worth much of a detour. But if your are staying in the Glencoe/Ballacullish area it is just off the road on the way to Mallaig/the ferry and would be a nice stop.
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Jul 6th, 2011 07:54 AM