Going to England, Ireland and Scotland, need help planning!
 

My best friend and I are going traveling to England, Ireland and Scotland. I have been to England before but just to London. I need help on what other cities should i visit in england and also in ireland and scotland (where its my first time going) So I need to knwo what cities and places I should visit in these three countries. I'm staying in London for a week and Ireland and Scotland 4 days each, am not looking to travel the whole country in 4 days, but just about two cites in each country. Please Help!

In Scotland, Edinburgh and Glasgow would be obvious choices. You might want to take a look at my trip report; click on my name to find it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7623346603583/

Ireland is very much about the countryside - so I would spend 2 days in Dublin and then 2 days touring one of the areas that interest you.

I would rent a car from London and drive up to Scotland, stopping in York and Hadrian's Wall on the way. But that's me - and I'm a history freak.

If you let us know what your interests are - and what time of year you will be going, people may be able to make more specific recos. Perhaps the Cotswolds? Perhaps Oxford and Blenheim? Perhaps ?

If you only have four days for Scotland, I certainly would not suggest driving from London. Fine if you have lots of time but not if you only have four days. Your best bet is to take the train from Kings Cross to Edinburgh. A possible stop on the way might be York.

I think Edinburgh needs at least 2 full days. You could then spend a day or two in the countryside enroute to Glasgow. The Borders is another option for a day or two between Edinburgh/Glasgow. Glasgow often gets ignored but only by the uninformed. You should consider a days sightseeing there too.

Ireland stays depend mostly on where you're flying into/out of. Dublin is the obvious choice including a couple of day trips.

W/ your short time frames, driving really doesn't make much sense -- unfortunately. Driving up from London via York/Hadrians Wall would eat up most of your 4 days.

This isn't my typical recommendation - but w/ just 4 days for Scotland and Ireland what I'd do is:

Fly or take the train to Edinburgh. Spend the first day exploring the city. Days 2 and 3 take this 2 day tour from Rabbies http://www.rabbies.com/scottish_tour...our.asp?lng=en Or a similar one from Timberbush. http://www.timberbush-tours.co.uk/ed...ours/two_days/ Day 4 explore more of Edinburgh.

Late day 4 or early AM day 5 fly to Dublin. Spend that day exploring Dublin. Next morning take a 2-day tour from Paddywagon http://www.paddywagontours.com/tours...=Choose+a+Tour Return to Dublun and spend your last day seeing a bit more of the city. Fly home.

(What I'd personally do is just London and EITHER Scotland OR Ireland for 8 days. but if you really want to do both you have to really limit how much you try to see)

Thanks so much guys!

I was thinking of flying from London to Dublin, staying in Dublin for 2 days and then taking the train to one other place in ireland, maybe galeway? anyone been there? and then taking the train to north ireland and taking a ferry to glasgow, 2 days in glasgow and 2 in edinburg and fly back to england. how does that route sound?

I won't be driving since I don have a lot of time on my hands.

What place other than dublin should i visit in ireland? keeping in mind that I'm going in Jan.

Thanks so much for all your help. I appreciate it very much :)

Well Ireland in Jan will be chilly and rainy - but not as bad as you would get in the northern US. Scotland however, can have real winter with substantial snow - and I think you need to take this into account in deciding on what days you spend where.

In Dec the countryside is not likely to be very attractive and I think you may find that a lot of places are open only certain days of the week or limited hours or both - not the same as in summer at all.

Wow - you have an incredible trip ahead of you! I agree that given the fact that you are going to Scotland and Ireland from London it would be best to use the train. You can purchase Britrail passes before you go and will spend less than you will if you purchase point to point tickets. Plus, you can use the train system to spend a little time outside of London if you'd like to see places like Bath, Oxford or Brighton. Whenever my daughter and I have traveled to the UK we always purchase Great British Heritage passes. If you are into history and historic houses the pass is a great deal. You will have entry into hundreds of places in England, Scotland and northern Ireland. You won't need a car in London - the tube system covers all of the city and more (except on weekends when they are doing maintenance work on at least 1 of the lines...). Once again, I would suggest purchasing some kind of pass for travel in London. You can get a London pass with travel for free entry into almost all of the popular spots in the city which will also give you a travel card for the tube and for the buses. If this was your second or third trip to England, I'd recommend just getting an Oyster Card - which is the equivalent of a "Charlie" card in Bostn. You load it with the amount you want to pay and just swipe it on the buses and in the tube. I know that this wasn't your question as you were interested in locations. However, looking at the information on the sites that sell the passes might give you some tips on where to go. I wouldn't want to miss Windsor, Hampton Court Palace or Bath. In Scotland Edinburgh is great and you won't need a car. If you take the train to Inverness, you'll need a car but then can see some of the distilleries, Loch Ness and Culloden. (Not necessarily in that order.) I can't speak to Ireland - haven't made it there, yet. Have a wonderful trip & please stand on Westminster Bridge for me! kkc207

kkc207: Sorry, but you are giving some misleading advice. And some is downright incorrect.

"<i>You can purchase Britrail passes before you go and will spend less than you will if you purchase point to point tickets.</i>"

Almost certainly not the case for this sort of itinerary.

And while I am a HUGE fan of the Great British Heritage Pass - it really doesn't make a lot of sense for this trip in January. Not many London sites are covered, and many of the rural sites are shut for the season. Not really worth buying GBHP's for mainly Edinburgh Castle and a few other sites.

"<i>You can get a London pass with travel for free entry into almost all of the popular spots in the city which will also give you a travel card for the tube and for the buses.</i>"

The London Pass is a complete waste for most visitors, and the LP transport option is a total scam. The 2for1 discounts on the Days Out site ( http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/ ) are MUCH better.

Have you calculated your travel time into your itinerary. Surprisingly many people don't. You really need to know train schedules, flight and ferry schedules in addition to allowing enough time to get to/from them. You may have far less time than you think.And, never try to plan a trip without a good map in hand. :)

janisj is absolutely right about the London Pass, GBHP ( for your plans)and Britrail Pass.Steer clear.

You can find distilleries almost anywhere in Scotland and Loch Ness is probably not the best loch to visit, IMO. That time of year you will find places closed or with limited visiting hours as nytraveler stated, but if you stick primarily to the major cities...Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin you should be fine.

As janisj has mentioned easy day trips can be done from Dublin, Edinburgh or even Glasgow. You really won't have time to tour Dublin then train to Galway and train again to Northern Ireland and ferry to Glasgow. Personally I'd opt for several days in Edinburgh and then add a couple of day trips or a trip of a couple of days from there (Rabbies/Timberbush)you would still have time to include Glasgow if you give up Ireland. Or if you have to include Ireland do it as janisj suggested and remember that getting too far afield just isn't feasible.

I'll try and come back with further information on train/ferry schedules in Ireland, but I don't really think they're going to work for you.

For the UK www.nationalrail.co.uk

What about an overnight train from London to Edinburgh? I think it's called the Caledonian...that might save some travel time as I think you leave in the evening and arrive early a.m. ready for sight-seeing!

This sounds an awful lot like one of those old National express tours that started with a coach full of jet lagged Americans ran them round the UK+Dublin in 14 days dropping a coach full of sleep deprived basket cases for their flight home. You have 2 days less and no team of drivers.

You really need to narrow things down and tighten things up...Yes it would be nice to see everything, that's what DVD's are for. For Ireland just take tours from Dublin no point wasting time on the road coming over here to "Galway" unless you plan on heading home through Shannon.