Bob

We will be travelling to England and Scotland next week after months of planning. Thanks to everyone who posted on the forum. We received many great ideas from the threads: <BR> <BR>October 19: <BR>arrive London Heathrow at 7:00 <BR>drop luggage at Montana Hotel <BR>meet daughter at Luton at noon <BR>arrive back at Montana about 2:00 <BR>walk to Boots, Harrods, have tea <BR>visit Covent garden and/or Picadilly Circus <BR>Eat at Belgos or Wagamamas <BR>Saturday: <BR>Big Bus tour <BR>changing of guards <BR>walk from Westminster bridge to Trafalgar square; see W. abbey & cabinet war rooms maybe banqueting house <BR>check half price ticket kiosk at Leicester square <BR>go to a play or visit pubs Sat. night or Monday night (depending upon ticket availability) <BR>Sunday: <BR>Camden Market <BR>Windsor Castle <BR>Perhaps visit Eton <BR>Jack the Ripper tour at 7:30 <BR>Monday: <BR>Tower of London <BR>Bramah Tea Museum <BR>St. Pauls <BR>cruise Thames back to Westminster <BR>half price ticket kiosk <BR>go to a play or visit pubs (depending upon ticket availability) <BR>Tuesday: <BR>pick up car at Heathrow <BR>drive to York <BR>stay in York <BR>Wednesday: <BR>drive north <BR>Hadrians wall <BR>Jedburgh abbey <BR>Hawick for shopping <BR>Rosslyn Chapel <BR>stay at Borthwick Castle <BR>Thursday & Friday: <BR>do a quick circle tour: <BR>William Wallace monument <BR>Glencoe <BR>Castle Urquhart <BR>Lock Ness <BR>Cawdor Castle <BR>Culloden Moor <BR>St. Andrews <BR>stay someplace along the route Thursday night <BR>stay at Castle View Guest House in Edinburgh on Friday night <BR>Saturday: <BR>bus tour of Edinburgh <BR>visit Edinburgh Castle <BR>Holyrood Palace <BR>some shopping <BR>Sunday: <BR>take daughter to airport at Liverpool (a long drive but it's the only place that works) <BR>Stratford on Avon <BR>Chipping Camden <BR>walk from Upper to Lower Slaughter <BR>Bourton on the water <BR>Stay at an old coaching inn someplace in Cotswolds <BR>Monday: <BR>Do what we didn't get done in Cotswolds on Sunday <BR>Blenheim <BR>Avebury <BR>Stonehenge <BR>stay in Bath <BR>Tuesday: <BR>Bath <BR>Glastonbury Tor <BR>Glastonbury Abbey <BR>Wells <BR>take car to Heathrow <BR>Wednesday: <BR>fly home <BR> <BR>This is our first trip to Great Britain. We realize that we are just really just skimming and seeing the major sights but this has worked for us in the past in other places. Once we find something that resonates with us, we'll revisit it in the future. I've seen a lot of threads that recommend more days in the Cotswolds, Scotland, etc. and we are sure that we will revisit these areas if we really enjoy our brief stay there.

Shanna

Hi, Bob. Your first week sounds do-able (although I spent four hours in Westminster) but your second week, particularly as you approach your departure, seems to go increasingly fast. English countryside is too delightful to rush through. Walking from Upper to Lower should be a day trip alone. And Bath. Be prepared to cross off a few stops so you can savor the experiences - but nonetheless, have a great time!

Bob

Thanks for the response. You are absolutely correct. I listed things that we will do only if we have time and I didn't make that clear. The London itinerary is more refined. <BR> <BR>After I read my own post, I realised my mistake. After we drop our daughter off in Liverpool, everything becomes flexible and we'll do what we have time for. Our reasoning was that those areas are close enough to London to be a day trip sometime so if we don't see everything this time, we can do it the next time. <BR>Scotland is also hurried but we'll do the best we can and make adjustments on the fly. It's kind of a best case scenario.

Giovanni

Bob, <BR>be aware that the line at the half-price ticket booth in Leicester Square can be quite long. I suggest you plan on being in line by 1100am and allow an hour to get to the window. Also, you should have several plays in mind *before* you get in line. <BR>Cheers, <BR>Giovanni

kate

Bob-sounds great!!!and what you don't get done in this trip will bring you back for more~You are going to have such a good time, enjoy yourselves,the place and the people~TTFN~

bettyk

Whew! I don't know where you are flying from, but I always try to allow some "down" time my first day or so to recuperate from the jet lag. Finds this helps to prevent sickness later in the trip. Of course, you may be made of stouter stuff than me and not have such a problem. Just a thought.

Too much

As others have said you are planning on doing too much - even the London part of the trip seems a bit ambitious too me - although there are a couple of things that I would add - National Gallery and the British Museum wonderful stuff to see. <BR> <BR>Windsor Castle and Camden Market in the same day is too much - plan on a day trip out to Windsor. <BR> <BR>Have fun and make sure you spend enough time in pubs!

Bob

Thanks for the comments. Betty, We're showing some walking to Harrods, etc. and then to Covent Gardens but if we get tired, we'll make it an early night. So we've kind of allowed some down time.

Pearce

We're also planning a trip to London and will be arriving at 6:00 in the morning. I'm not even going to plan on being able to sleep on the plane. We planned to do that on a trip back from Alaska when we flew back at night and we didn't sleep a wink because the plane was completely full. I was kind of thinking of trying to catch a few hours of sleep once we got to London, and then go out to a play that evening. Will that allow plenty of time in case there are flight problems--or whatever? I know here in the US you might as well eat your tickets if you can't make it to the show. Will that also help a little with the jet lag?

Patrick

I disagree with Giovanni regarding the half price booth. If you arrive an hour before it opens, you will indeed wait at least an hour to buy your tickets. But I often arrive just after it has opened and although the line is huge, sometimes half-way back the "park", the most I have ever waited is maybe 25 minutes. I am always amazed how quickly the lines seem to move. One word of caution, make sure you get in the right line for matinee or for evening. They are two different lines.