London, Scotland and Ireland Itinerary
Jun 1st, 2007, 05:38 PM
#1
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London, Scotland and Ireland Itinerary
A group of us are planning a trip to Scotland for the World Bagpipe Fesitval in August iof 2008. We thought since we are coming all this way to try and do England as well as Ireland also. How many days would we need to try and do this?
After deciding that we would need to know how to get from England to Scotland and then to Ireland. I am assuming we would start in England. I know so many questions but this is the start of the trip and we should make the decision on how long and how many countries first so please help.
After deciding that we would need to know how to get from England to Scotland and then to Ireland. I am assuming we would start in England. I know so many questions but this is the start of the trip and we should make the decision on how long and how many countries first so please help.
Jun 1st, 2007, 06:05 PM
#2
By "do" what do you mean? All three countries are biiiiiig places. To "do" Scotland properly you need to spend many weeks there. Same w/ England, and Ireland --- and that is not even counting London.
How long do you suppose you will have? If less than about 2.5 to 3 weeks, count on ONE of those countries w/ maybe a few days in one other city/area. If you are going to be in Scotland - why not stick to Scotland.
What sorts of things do you want to see/do and about how long will you have and then we can start to point you in the right direction for your research.
Realistically w/ say 3 weeks - you could spend 10 days in Scotland, 5 or 6 in London and have a few days to squeeze in a side trip somewhere like SW Ireland, or Yorkshire, or Wales, or the West Country or, or, or, . . . .
How long do you suppose you will have? If less than about 2.5 to 3 weeks, count on ONE of those countries w/ maybe a few days in one other city/area. If you are going to be in Scotland - why not stick to Scotland.
What sorts of things do you want to see/do and about how long will you have and then we can start to point you in the right direction for your research.
Realistically w/ say 3 weeks - you could spend 10 days in Scotland, 5 or 6 in London and have a few days to squeeze in a side trip somewhere like SW Ireland, or Yorkshire, or Wales, or the West Country or, or, or, . . . .
Jun 2nd, 2007, 02:21 AM
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As to how to get from England to Scotland, I think it depends where you are and where you're going.
London to Glasgow (I'm making the wild assumption that you're talking about either the World Pipe Band Championships or the Piping Live Festival, both of which take place in Glasgow in August)- fly.
Carlisle to Glasgow- train or car. So, where will you be coming from.
Scotland to ireland, same questions. The ferry is an option but only if you're going to the north.
London to Glasgow (I'm making the wild assumption that you're talking about either the World Pipe Band Championships or the Piping Live Festival, both of which take place in Glasgow in August)- fly.
Carlisle to Glasgow- train or car. So, where will you be coming from.
Scotland to ireland, same questions. The ferry is an option but only if you're going to the north.
Jun 2nd, 2007, 04:53 PM
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Thanks for your responses. We will be coming from New York area and will have roughly 14 days. When you mention Carlisle to Glasgow I don't understand. Where or what is Carlisle?
We thought to spend 3/4 days in Scotland doing the two big cities and driving to and from the Highlands after that we would be off to Ireland. Looking at the map it looks like we would mostly be interested in the middle to southwest area. Would that mean we end out trip from Shannon? So I would think maybe fly to UK, fly to Glasgow and leave from Shannon. Does that sound right. Is it cheaper to fly from country to country or ferry to each destination. Thanks for any help
We thought to spend 3/4 days in Scotland doing the two big cities and driving to and from the Highlands after that we would be off to Ireland. Looking at the map it looks like we would mostly be interested in the middle to southwest area. Would that mean we end out trip from Shannon? So I would think maybe fly to UK, fly to Glasgow and leave from Shannon. Does that sound right. Is it cheaper to fly from country to country or ferry to each destination. Thanks for any help
Jun 2nd, 2007, 05:13 PM
#5
Sorry - you need 1) a map and 2) a bit more research. You can't do Edinburgh and Glasgow and the Highlands in 3 or 4 days.
You only have 2 weeks so I suggest you choose -- Scotland and London, or Scotland and SW Ireland. Those are your main options.
Just to give you an idea - in the SW part of Ireland (which is fabulous BTW) driving you will be <u>lucky</u> to average 35 mph. The distances are short but the travel is slow.
If you want to go to SW Ireland you can fly from the UK into Cork and save you a full day's travel
You only have 2 weeks so I suggest you choose -- Scotland and London, or Scotland and SW Ireland. Those are your main options.
Just to give you an idea - in the SW part of Ireland (which is fabulous BTW) driving you will be <u>lucky</u> to average 35 mph. The distances are short but the travel is slow.
If you want to go to SW Ireland you can fly from the UK into Cork and save you a full day's travel
Jun 2nd, 2007, 08:59 PM
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Do you think we should go to Ireland before the festival in Glasgow since you suggest we fly from the UK to Cork?
We were thinking of going to Scotland first renting a car for travel through there and Ireland and flying home from Shannon. As I talk to you I am getting different ideas. What do you think of this? Thanks again for all your help.
We were thinking of going to Scotland first renting a car for travel through there and Ireland and flying home from Shannon. As I talk to you I am getting different ideas. What do you think of this? Thanks again for all your help.
Jun 2nd, 2007, 09:20 PM
#7
"<i>We were thinking of going to Scotland first renting a car for travel through there and Ireland </i>" Like I said before - the first thing you need to do is get a map.
You won't want/need a car in either Glasgow or Edinburgh so just for the day or two you will devote to the rest of Scotland - - - You want to rent a car for a couple of days in Scotland, and then drive to Ireland?? There are few obstacles in between - like a couple of hundred miles from the Highlands to Stranrear, then a ferry to Northern Ireland and then a drive across two countries to get to the southwest of Ireland.
Nope - you don't want to be driving that -- even IF a rental firm would let you drop off a car in Ireland that you picked up in Scotland.
It really makes no difference if you go to Ireland first, or Scotland first. In either case, you are very far from having a workable plan.
It sounds a bit like you were thinking "Heck, we are going to Scotland anyway, let's tack on Ireland too since they are right next door to each other". It doesn't really work that way.
If you mostly want to visit Ireland - go to Ireland and fly to Glasgow just for the Bagpipe Festival.
This is probably coming across as rude - really don't mean it that way. But when you talk about driving from the Highlands of Scotland to W/SW Ireland it is pretty clear you need to do a bit more basic research.
You won't want/need a car in either Glasgow or Edinburgh so just for the day or two you will devote to the rest of Scotland - - - You want to rent a car for a couple of days in Scotland, and then drive to Ireland?? There are few obstacles in between - like a couple of hundred miles from the Highlands to Stranrear, then a ferry to Northern Ireland and then a drive across two countries to get to the southwest of Ireland.
Nope - you don't want to be driving that -- even IF a rental firm would let you drop off a car in Ireland that you picked up in Scotland.
It really makes no difference if you go to Ireland first, or Scotland first. In either case, you are very far from having a workable plan.
It sounds a bit like you were thinking "Heck, we are going to Scotland anyway, let's tack on Ireland too since they are right next door to each other". It doesn't really work that way.
If you mostly want to visit Ireland - go to Ireland and fly to Glasgow just for the Bagpipe Festival.
This is probably coming across as rude - really don't mean it that way. But when you talk about driving from the Highlands of Scotland to W/SW Ireland it is pretty clear you need to do a bit more basic research.
Jun 3rd, 2007, 06:51 AM
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Janis said she didn't want to come across as rude. Well I am sure that I will be considered to be rude. Based on your total lack of common sense, the lack of any knowledge of the area's you want to travel I strongly suggest you stay in Glasgow. Also, if you had any concern you would have looked up on a map and you would have found that Carlisle is a city in Northern England, just across the border from Scotland. Obviously you just have no clue as to where to go, what to do or how to go.
Jun 3rd, 2007, 07:47 AM
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Wow, that WAS rude.
When confronted with a traveler who is suggesting that he or she is under-equipped with knowledge, but whose very presence here, ASKING A QUESTION, I don't see where you get off with this "no clue" business. The polite thing to do is to help them find that clue, as Janisj has done.
The suggestion to get a map is essential. These places you're talking about are quite far away from each other.
Carlisle is an English city in the far northwest, near the Scottish border, and a fairly short train journey to Glasgow. London to Glasgow is much further, about a five hour train journey.
My recommendation would be to combine a week in London with a week in Scotland, with the Bagpipe Festival somewhere in the middle of that second week. Make it a couple of days in Glasgow, with a day trip to Edinburgh (a very short train hop), and a couple of days making a short loop into the Highlands or Western Islands -- perhaps Oban.
When confronted with a traveler who is suggesting that he or she is under-equipped with knowledge, but whose very presence here, ASKING A QUESTION, I don't see where you get off with this "no clue" business. The polite thing to do is to help them find that clue, as Janisj has done.
The suggestion to get a map is essential. These places you're talking about are quite far away from each other.
Carlisle is an English city in the far northwest, near the Scottish border, and a fairly short train journey to Glasgow. London to Glasgow is much further, about a five hour train journey.
My recommendation would be to combine a week in London with a week in Scotland, with the Bagpipe Festival somewhere in the middle of that second week. Make it a couple of days in Glasgow, with a day trip to Edinburgh (a very short train hop), and a couple of days making a short loop into the Highlands or Western Islands -- perhaps Oban.
Jun 4th, 2007, 11:20 AM
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Carlisle was, for the purposes of the exercise, hypothetical.
But I do think the others are right. Get a map. Even an online route planner will do, to start.
Can you fly into Glasgow? If so, I suggest you do that, go by train to spend a couple of days in Edinburgh and then as long as you care to budget for in the north with a hire car. Drive back into Glasgow, fly anywhere you like in Ireland, do your tour by hire car and drop it at Shannon on the way out
But I do think the others are right. Get a map. Even an online route planner will do, to start.
Can you fly into Glasgow? If so, I suggest you do that, go by train to spend a couple of days in Edinburgh and then as long as you care to budget for in the north with a hire car. Drive back into Glasgow, fly anywhere you like in Ireland, do your tour by hire car and drop it at Shannon on the way out
Jun 4th, 2007, 05:35 PM
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I knew when we starting talking about this trip that trying to see three countries would be an impossible task but I didn't want to disappoint one of our group. I will be getting a map over the weekend to see exactly what you all are talking about as far as distances between Scotland and Ireland.
I would like to thank Janisj for pointing out a better way to start planning this trip/Buy a MAP, Shelia for understanding what I was trying to accomplish, fnarf999 for sticking up for me and rogerdodger, I think you should not reply to peoples requests for information unless you can do so without being a total jack_ _ _ and since you are so smart fill in the blanks.
Three years ago with the help of the Italian board I planned a surpise trip for my husband. People were so helpful and kind the trip was a big success. I was lucky I knew the Vatican was in Rome. It didn't matter as people were extremely helpful.
I will be back to ask for more help once I get my map and finalize our destinations.
I would like to thank Janisj for pointing out a better way to start planning this trip/Buy a MAP, Shelia for understanding what I was trying to accomplish, fnarf999 for sticking up for me and rogerdodger, I think you should not reply to peoples requests for information unless you can do so without being a total jack_ _ _ and since you are so smart fill in the blanks.
Three years ago with the help of the Italian board I planned a surpise trip for my husband. People were so helpful and kind the trip was a big success. I was lucky I knew the Vatican was in Rome. It didn't matter as people were extremely helpful.
I will be back to ask for more help once I get my map and finalize our destinations.
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