mapsandtea

Hello!
I am in the beginning stages of planning an itinerary for a trip to the UK and would love some feedback. I will be going for 3 and ½ weeks in July with a friend. We are both in our mid-twenties and enjoy exploring new places on foot. We’re hoping to visit a variety of places but don’t want to be rushing the whole trip. We’ll be getting around by bus/train and plan to stay mostly in hostels.

So far what we are thinking is:
- 4 days/5 nights in London
- 2 days/2 nights in Oxford
- 1 day/2 nights in Bath
- 2 days/1 night in Liverpool
- 1 day/1 night in Carlisle/Newcastle
- 2 days/3 nights in Edinburgh
- 3 days/2 nights on a tour of Isle of Skye
- 2 days/3 nights in Glasgow

We still have 2 days/2 nights left to fill during our time in the UK. Places we are thinking: Brighton, York, or somewhere in North Wales for outdoorsy stuff (Aberystwyth/Harlech/Bangor).

Any feedback on where we’re going, how long we’re staying in each place, and the feasibility of doing all this by public transit would be very welcome.
Thanks!!

bilboburgler

Well you are covering a lot of ground at the beginning of the main holiday season but it looks busy but feasible, you may prefer to switch Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Out of what you have here Carlisle is a bit of a dump while Newcastle is the party town of the north (think girls in half T shirts and guys in light suits in the winter so goodness knows what it is like in the summer)

I've not been to Skye myself so cannot advise

York would make a good place on the way back. A fair bit of this can be done by train though north of a line of Edinburgh/Glasgow may need a car rental.

Good sites to start
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
http://www.transportdirect.info/Web2...epeatingloop=Y

mapsandtea

Thanks bilboburgler! We are ending in Glasgow because that is the cheapest place to fly out of.
Carlisle/Newcastle were chosen to see Hadrian's Wall. Do you think that is a worthwhile sight or would the time be better spent elsewhere?

SusannahT

We enjoyed Hadrian's Wall & Carlisle castle. Could be tricky Carlisle to the Wall by bus?

It's a very long way from Edinburgh to Isle of Skye. It is lovely when not raining but there are many other places of great interest much closer to Edinburgh.

Have you thought of train London to Edinburgh?

travelingaunta

I think Hadrian's Wall is very worthwhile to see. You can do it from either Newcastle or Carlisle by bus - the AD122. You will have to plan pretty carefully though as it runs from either city only once a day - http://www.northumberlandnationalpar...2E_1303v21.pdf

When I went to Hadrian's Wall last year we stayed in Haltwhistle for two nights and that allowed us to walk west to the Roman Army museum one day, and east the other day (from Once Brewed to Houseteads to Vindolanda). We took the train to Haltwhistle and used the bus both days as well.

bilboburgler

Seriously going to Newcastle is such a sensible idea and Hadrian's wall is very worthwhile

http://www.newcastlegateshead.com/

The Baltic exchange is a delight

alanRow

If you are in Liverpool then it makes more sense to go to Carlisle than Newcastle as Carlisle is en-route to both Glasgow and Edinburgh by train.

trotters

Hadrian's Wall is easy to visit from Haltwhistle. Best way to get to Haltwhistle from Newcastle or Carlisle is by train IMO. Trains are frequent & take less than an hour from Newcastle and about 30 minutes from Carlisle. Check the German rail site, bahn.de, for complete schedules.

If your budget allows a splurge, stay at Ashcroft House in Haltwhistle. It's a fabulous b and b and about 42 GBP pp in a double room.