Hi all. Was hoping for a review of our itinerary for a trip in April 2024. I am travelling with my father (80), who was born in the UK and is keen for one last trip back.

As you might gather from the nights we are spending, we are not fast paced travellers; we would rather stay in fewer places and enjoy the local activities/day trips. Therefore, appreciate any suggestions (primarily for York and Glasgow, as London is London and pretty well planned).

One key aspect is we plan to leave Glasgow on the 16th - and have a flight out of Heathrow on the 17th. However, this is a fairly late flight (departs 10pm), so would welcome any suggestions on how to spend the time between Glasgow and Heathrow but be close-ish to Heathrow that we can travel in the afternoon (thinking somewhere that is perhaps not London).

We will be catching the train for all transport.

Day Night Activity
2-Apr London: Arrive 1900
3-Apr London: London activities
4-Apr London: St Albans
5-Apr London: Oxford/Cambridge
6-Apr London: London activities
7-Apr London: London activities
8-Apr York: Train to York
9-Apr York: Hop on hop off; York Minster
10-Apr York: Train musuem; sightseeing
11-Apr York: No plans
12-Apr Glasgow:
13-Apr Glasgow: Hop on hop off
14-Apr Glasgow: Dunoon day trip
15-Apr Glasgow: Oban day trip
16-Apr London: Travel to London
17-Apr Flying: Depart London (2200)

In York, we plan to go to the following restaurants: Rustique, Arras, Cresci Pizzeria.

Thanks in advance for any opinions

Mods: seems I forgot to add the appropriate tags If you can tag as UK?

I'm involved in something right now so will look closer at your plan later tonight. But just to clarify - what do you mean on April 5? I assume not London and Oxford and Cambridge??

As for a stop over en route between Glasgow and LHR . . . IF you did Cambridge on the 5th, you could stop over in Oxford -- its about a 6 hour train ride with one change in Wolverhampton - be sure to book the Wolverhampton route - there are other journeys transiting through London but they would be a hassle involving Euston Stn. and Paddington.

There is a frequent express coach from central Oxford to the LHR central bus station between Terminals 2 and 3.

Sorry, it's probably a little hard to display as I can't do tables - but the first place mentioned is where we are staying. So we are in London for the first five nights, and it is listed as a day trip to Oxford/Cambridge. So, no, that is intended to be a day trip from London to Oxford/Cambridge.I'll also have to check as I didn't add that part whether it was intended to be "both" or an "or" vs an "and".

Whilst you are in York, you could catch the train to Leeds and.visit the Armouries museum.
Regarding your route back from Glasgow, if you don’t want to book a connecting flight, apart from a stopover in Oxford, another option could be staying in Leamington Spa and then going to Heathrow via Reading. However Oxford is more straightforward.

OK - Oxford and Cambridge on the same day is a complete non-starter full stop. Almost impossible -- and IF you found a commercial tour that did both cities as a day trip -- I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. Do one or the other - each alone is a reasonable and full day trip from London by train.

Just the drive central London > Oxford > Cambridge > central London would be 6+ hours plus any stops.. And doing it by train is even worse with 2 or 3 transfers and having to travel back through London. There is no route connecting the two without traveling through and changing stations in London . . .

I'd stop a night in Oxford or Cambridge. It is part of the charm seeing the old city at night

Okay, it must be one or the other then. Perhaps we shall do Cambridge as others have said Oxford might be a good stop on the way back for a night before the late Heathrow flight.

good idea. That’s what I meant up thread - you could do Cambridge as a day trip and hit Oxford on the way down from Glasgow. With an evening flight you would have the late afternoon/evening and then several hours the next day for exploring Oxford

You might enjoy a London guided walk - https://www.walks.com/
They have been around a long time and we've done many of the London walks over the years. They are always interesting. You can check what's on, then decide on the morning, no need to prebook. They also have some day trips, including one to Cambridge.
https://www.walks.com/our-walks/camb...uch-places-be/

I specifically didn't recommend London Walks because the OP is traveling with an 80 yo. If He is up to it - sure. But it might be hard for him to keep up??

Thanks all. He is relatively fit for 80 but we will play any big walks by ear.

For the final night we decided on staying in Kew/near Richmond (Coach and Horses Kew), which seems like a good place to spend the day and night.