annettetx

OK, I'm looking for advice/critique from all the travel gurus here...<BR>My family and I are flying in and out of London 14-26 May. Our plans are shaping up to include:<BR>14-19 May -- London, then overnight train to Inverness<BR>20-24 May -- rent car and work our way back to London via:<BR>20-21 May -- Edinburgh<BR>22 May -- Hadrian's Wall and on to York.<BR>23 May -- York<BR>24 May --drive from York to London.<BR>25-26 May -- London.<BR>We're pretty familiar with London, since my husband worked there for 18 months, but we haven't ventured out of the city much, so I'd love advice on the 5 days between Inverness and London. We're a family of 4 (kids 9 and 10). We generally are interested in history, but I can easily tire the rest of the family with my enthusiasm for cathedrals. So here are my questions:<BR>What route and sites would you recommend between Inverness and Edinburgh? My husband would like to visit a distillery, we think the kids would like Loch Ness, and I think I'd like to see Stirling.<BR>We're thinking at least two nights in Edinburgh, but prepared to be flexible on that if we really love it.<BR>What route between Edinburgh and York that includes a stop at Hadrian's Wall?<BR>Any opinions on Housesteads vs. Vindolanda for Hadrian's Wall?<BR>What route back from York to London? (My book club read &quot;A Year of Wonders&quot; about Eyam, so I'm curious about the town. Any opinions about including a stop there on our return?)<BR>Thanks!<BR>Annette and family

sheila

I happen to have this already, but it's going north, so-reverse And it's too long for a single post<BR><BR><BR>Leave towards Perth, and cross the Forth Road Bridge; you pass the rail bridge, one of the modern wonders of the world on your right, and you don't even have to slow down. <BR><BR>Just over the river (the Forth) Dunfermilne is on your left. Robert the Bruce, the hero king who won Bannockbrn is buried here in Dunfermilne Abbey (although his heart is buried at Melrose in the borders); go back onto the main road and you will shortly come to Loch Leven, where Mary Queen of Scots was locked up in the castle on the island (v. romantic..the story of the escape- she then fled to her cousin in England for succour. She locked her up for 20 years then beheaded her. There is a very pretty bird reserve at Vane Farm on the south side on the loch. <BR><BR>Just before you come to Perth you cross over the &quot;Wicks of Baiglie&quot; and can see right down the Tay valley to Dundee. Myth says that Julius Caesar made it this far, and seeing the broad fertile valley stopped and said &quot;Ecce Tiberus!&quot; (Look, the Tiber!) <BR><BR>Perth is a very nice little city; capital of Scotland before Edinburgh and imbued with history. There are two large parks on the edge of the city centre, the North and South Inches.(Inch is from the Gaelic innis- a meadow)The story goes that a particular Earl of Perth wanting to be buried in the City Church, St John's, told the town magistrates &quot; If you give me six feet, I'll give you two inches&quot; <BR><BR>Take time to climb Kinnoull Hill which proudly overlooks the town and the Tay and is surmounted by a folly castle built by another Earl of Perth, who had done the Grand Tour and thought that the Tay valley was just like the Rhine except it didn't have castles on its hilltops- so he faked a couple. <BR><BR>Then drive on to Dunkeld, a lovely town on the Tay, with a beautiful historic square, a cathedral and some wonderful views. Maclean's pub in the village (the second one on the street on the right immediately over the bridge- you can't miss it) which is owned by Dougie Mclean one of Scotland's greatest contemporary singer songwriters can be a fine place to spend an evening. <BR><BR>If you then take a wee detour west to Aberfeldy and Loch Tay you will pass Breadalbane Castle, former home of the Marquis of Breadalbane, and now a golf course! and come to the lovely 18th century planned village of Kenmore. The Loch is stunning. And if you're up to the walk, go along the north side to Ben Lawers and drive up to the National Trust visitor centre. Time it right and then walk up to the top. Don't do this if it's raining unless you're nuts! <BR><BR>Then drive back down to Pitlochry Pitlochry is a tourist dive, so don't stay long; although it is a good place to get your tweeds and tartans and woolens and things...if you've got any money left after Edinburgh. <BR><BR>Go north again and stop at Killiecrankie and see the famous soldier's leap. If you don't know the story, learn the song. <BR><BR>A couple of miles further on is Blair Atholl, another planned village and a superb castle for a visit. The Duke of Atholl is the only person is the UK licenced by the Queen to have a private army. <BR><BR>

sheila

From Blair Atholl, go north again on the A9. You will pass a place called House of Bruar which markets itself as &quot;the Harrods of the North&quot; It's a real fancy shop and I hate to say it but I love it. Worth stopping. <BR><BR>Next up you will come to Dalwhinnie- great whisky, great distillery. I don't know if it does tours but it's worth stopping if it does. Come off the main road somewhere north of here and carry on on the old main road- less traffic and more scenic. <BR><BR>You come to Newtonmore and Kingussie I can never remember which comes first, but at the first one there is a superb 17th century barracks built by the English to keep the Scots down after Culloden. Worth a trip. It's immediately adjacent to Insch Marches which is another bird reserve- lots of brilliant ducks and waders (did I mention I was into birds?) Carry on up the Spey until just before Aviemore and turn right as though you were going to Grantown on Spey. You come first to Rothiemurchus which has all sorts of visitor facilities, then to Abernethy estate, which is also owned by the bird people (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds- like the Audobon) At their Loch Garten reserve you can see Osprey which are wonderful fish eating raptors which live in Africa in winter and come to visit us in summer. They always come back to the same nest so the RSPB have a live TV camera showing everything that is going on. In any case, Rothiemurchus and Abernethy are remnant Caledonian pine forest- our oldest trees; and I guarantee you, that, unless you are made of stone, a walk off the track will make your skin tingle. You have the sensation of being where generations have been before. If you go up into the hills here quite a long walk- 4-5 hours, but worth every minute) you may well see Golden Eagle. By going back to Aviemore and going to the ski slopes at Cairngorm, you can take the funicular well up the mountain; but we'll all hate you for doing it the easy way If you carry on towards and past Grantown you are into the whisky country of Speyside. Glenfiddich distillery at Dufftown may not make the best malt in the world (there's no such thing as a bad one) but it probably does the best tour. <BR><BR>Back to the A9 along the Spey and you drive on to Inverness capital of the Highlands. (Aviemore is like Pitlochry but modern- avoid it like the plague) you have the Cairngorms Mountains on your right and the Monadliath Mountains on your left. It's just grand. <BR><BR>Just before you get to Inverness turn right and go back as far as Culloden-6 miles(as an alternative to this you could carry on east from Dufftown and arrive at Elgin and come up the A96, stopping at some of the Moray fishing villages on the way.) Culloden will appear on your left before you get to Inverness. <BR><BR>Inverness is at one end of the Caledonian canal, which you need to see. It has nice pubs and hotels, but is essentially a sweet little town with little to keep you in it. It's what is nearby that matters.

annettetx

Lovely!! Thanks for including places to get out and roam around -- they will be a welcome break from driving!<BR>I had seen pictures of Elgin and thought it looked like a pretty place to stop, so I was glad you mentioned it.<BR>You don't say anything about Loch Ness. Is is much ado about nothing, or will it be a good place to roam around with kids? I also hear contradictory views of Urquhart Castle -- what do you think of it?<BR>We don't plan to spend much time in Inverness -- mainly picked it as our destination so we don't have to get off the train at an absurdly early hour!<BR>I'm still on the fence about stopping at Culloden. I'm not sure the kids will really understand it, and will just think its empty land.<BR>Annette

sheila

I did Inverness to Edinburgh- you want jam on it?<BR><BR><BR>I think there are lots of prettier places than Loch Ness.<BR><BR>If you want to do it, why not look at taking a boat trip down the canal, rather than schlepping round a not very good road.<BR><BR>Castle Urquhart is great only for the views.<BR><BR>On the other hand, I wouldn't have your kids miss Culloden for the world. Very good visitor centre. Get them to read &quot;the Flight of the Heron&quot; before they come. Great book, aimed at their age range<BR>

annettetx

yep -- I'm known to micromanage, and get a bit manic about travelling!<BR>On the other hand, all of our trips in the past few years have been on the spur of the moment, so I'm enjoying actually planning ahead of time!<BR>Thanks for the book recommendation -- it's not in our public library, so I'll be browsing the used book stores here to find a copy.<BR>Annette

sheila

It's a super children's book about the '45. there's a sequel called &quot;The Gleam in the North&quot;.<BR><BR>Anyway the whole Prince among the Heather stuff is usually enough to keep children entranced. I can't cross Culloden Moor without getting a shiver down my spine tho'

Ed101

I was in England 6 years ago on a tour and took a similar route to that you are planning. I was disappointed in Hadrian's Wall. Seemed mostly like a pile of rocks. On the way back towards London, try to stop by Grasmere in the Lakes District. Of my entire trip, that was the most beautiful stop.

annettetx

I'll take the caution on Hadrian's wall, although that is my husband's &quot;must see&quot; of the trip. We'ver read that a new visitor center is opening this spring, so maybe things have changed since you were there.<BR>We do hear that the Lake District is beautiful, but I think that combining it with York is too much east-west driving to get us back to London in time.<BR>I think we could take a month long drive from Scotland down to London, and still not see everything we're interested in!<BR>Annette

janis

annette: I can't top what sheila has given you - she has good info about Scotland (she lives there)<BR><BR>But PLEASE ignore what ed101 says about Hadrian's wall. It is one of the most glorious ancient sites in all of England. Many miles of the wall are still at full height - it is an amzing sight as the wall curves up, down and around the hills along its length. Plus you can visit several forts and temples along the wall.<BR><BR>It is a great stopping place between Scotland and York.

annettetx

Janis -- I was thrilled to get Sheila's advice and have been pouring over our map with the print out of her recommendations!<BR>Glad you like Hadrian's Wall. It is a must see for my husband on this trip. He's pretty indulgent about my fascination with old cathedrals, so I'm happy to accommodate him on this.<BR>Plus, I'm intrigued by the villages of Once Brewed and Twice Brewed near the wall. How can you not stop somewhere with names like that?!<BR>Do you have any opinion on Housesteads vs Vindolanda, or are they close enough that we should plan on going to both?<BR>Annette

janis

yes - the main fort sites are close to each other in the central section of the wall. (add Haltwhistle to your list of wall-side villages with great names)<BR><BR>Housesteads is a huge site. Vindolanda and Chesters are also excellent fort sites. I think Chesters is my favorite but if you only see one it should probably be Housteads. The best places to see &quot;THE postcard view&quot; of miles of wall stretching off into the distance are a few miles west of Housesteads.