London to Scotland in September
Mar 12th, 2010, 02:14 PM
#1
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London to Scotland in September
My husband and I are planning a trip to England/Scotland in September for three weeks.
I thought we should start in Scotland (Edinburgh and Glasgow) and then make our way down to London and fly home to NY. Or, flying open jaw to London and then making our way up to Scotland by train and fly home to NY from there. We would like to do as much as we can by train. On a one way trip between London and Scotland which train route sites would suggest? My husband and I travel light, love art, like off the beaten path stuff, music, architecture , nature and of course food. I checked Rick Steves and drew up this itinerary:
London (6 Days)
Bath (2 Days)
Cambridge (2 Days)
York (2 Days)
Lake District (2 Days)
Glasgow (3 Days)
Edinburgh (4 Days)
1.) Have I left out a great place along the route?
2.) Are days enough or too much?
3.) Is it doable by train?
4.) Is there some place at these locations that I should not miss?
5.) Any suggestions for hotel in (London, Edinburgh, Glasgow) and BBs in the others?
Thanks for any input. I love Fodorites!!!! They always have great ideas.
I thought we should start in Scotland (Edinburgh and Glasgow) and then make our way down to London and fly home to NY. Or, flying open jaw to London and then making our way up to Scotland by train and fly home to NY from there. We would like to do as much as we can by train. On a one way trip between London and Scotland which train route sites would suggest? My husband and I travel light, love art, like off the beaten path stuff, music, architecture , nature and of course food. I checked Rick Steves and drew up this itinerary:
London (6 Days)
Bath (2 Days)
Cambridge (2 Days)
York (2 Days)
Lake District (2 Days)
Glasgow (3 Days)
Edinburgh (4 Days)
1.) Have I left out a great place along the route?
2.) Are days enough or too much?
3.) Is it doable by train?
4.) Is there some place at these locations that I should not miss?
5.) Any suggestions for hotel in (London, Edinburgh, Glasgow) and BBs in the others?
Thanks for any input. I love Fodorites!!!! They always have great ideas.
Mar 12th, 2010, 02:30 PM
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I am a great believer in touring from a base, instead of packing every day for a new destination. For Bath and Cambridge you can easily reach them by train from a London base. The faster route from London to Scotland is the east coast route to Edinburgh, via York, which you could reach with a stopover tix. The slower west coast route is to Glasgow, which goes thro the Lake district. In Scotland, Edinburgh and Glasgow are only 40 miles apart with very frequent shuttle trains between, so either city could be your base. Continental could certainly fly you open jaw from Newark to London then Back to EWR from Glasgow. Glasgow was European City of Architecture a few years ago, and there is a lot of Charles Rennie Mackintosh to see. Of course if you go a month earlier in August you can catch the Edinburgh Festival.
Mar 12th, 2010, 02:38 PM
#3
right off the top >>London (6 Days) Bath (2 Days) Cambridge (2 Days)<< makes no sense.
You'd go from the east side of England in London to the west/ Bath, and then all the way back across to the east/Cambridge
Are you planning on doing everything by train? If so, to get from Bath to Cambridge, you'd have to go back through London and change stations there.
Cambridge is wonderful -- but is there a specific reason you want to go there? If it just sounded like a nice place to visit -- there are other great places that would make more sense route-wise.
>>Have I left out a great place along the route?<< -- Yes, LOTS
but you cann't see/do everything on a short visit.
I might consider doing it this way (if you want to include Cambridge):
Arrive at LHR and take the express coach direct to Bath. Stay 2 nights.
Then take the train to London for 6 nights.
Cambridge for 1 night
York for 3 nights (3 nights there because there is a lot more to see in the area besides York itself)
Lake District for 2 nights.
Glasgow for 2 nights
Somewhere else in Scotland for a more rural experience -- lots of options) 2 or 3 nights
Edinburgh 2 or 3 nights
Fly home.
Now, if you are OK w/ driving some - my recommendations would be different.
You'd go from the east side of England in London to the west/ Bath, and then all the way back across to the east/Cambridge
Are you planning on doing everything by train? If so, to get from Bath to Cambridge, you'd have to go back through London and change stations there.
Cambridge is wonderful -- but is there a specific reason you want to go there? If it just sounded like a nice place to visit -- there are other great places that would make more sense route-wise.
>>Have I left out a great place along the route?<< -- Yes, LOTS
but you cann't see/do everything on a short visit.I might consider doing it this way (if you want to include Cambridge):
Arrive at LHR and take the express coach direct to Bath. Stay 2 nights.
Then take the train to London for 6 nights.
Cambridge for 1 night
York for 3 nights (3 nights there because there is a lot more to see in the area besides York itself)
Lake District for 2 nights.
Glasgow for 2 nights
Somewhere else in Scotland for a more rural experience -- lots of options) 2 or 3 nights
Edinburgh 2 or 3 nights
Fly home.
Now, if you are OK w/ driving some - my recommendations would be different.
Mar 12th, 2010, 04:35 PM
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Well you've picked all cities - which is fine for staying in - but you really should plan on spending some time in countryside or tiny villages. We always do this by car - and don;t have the experience to tell you how easy this is to do by public transit.
Typically we pick up a car on leaving London and drop it off at the last city - York or Edinburgh or wherever. This lets us see the smaller cities, the villages and the countryside as we decide. Also we usually do at lest 3 nights in each place - so we can see it and also do a day trip.
Trains are good for major towns - not sure about the rest.
Typically we pick up a car on leaving London and drop it off at the last city - York or Edinburgh or wherever. This lets us see the smaller cities, the villages and the countryside as we decide. Also we usually do at lest 3 nights in each place - so we can see it and also do a day trip.
Trains are good for major towns - not sure about the rest.
Mar 15th, 2010, 05:39 AM
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Does anyone have reactions to Arran Island? The guide books characterize it as a mini Scotland. It looks like a nice place to easily bike and see the Scotish countryside.
On the bike topic, we are looking into a bike tour (Cotswold Country Cycles) in the Cotswold. My husband is a good biker but I am timid. I don't do well in traffic.Yhey advertize mixed levels. This tour picks you up at the train station from London and does 15 miles a day. I think I can handle that with stops to sightsee.
On the bike topic, we are looking into a bike tour (Cotswold Country Cycles) in the Cotswold. My husband is a good biker but I am timid. I don't do well in traffic.Yhey advertize mixed levels. This tour picks you up at the train station from London and does 15 miles a day. I think I can handle that with stops to sightsee.
Mar 15th, 2010, 05:40 AM
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Does anyone have reactions to Arran Island? The guide books characterize it as a mini Scotland. It looks like a nice place to easily bike and see the Scotish countryside.
On the bike topic, we are looking into a bike tour (Cotswold Country Cycles) in the Cotswold. My husband is a good biker but I am timid. I don't do well in traffic.Yhey advertize mixed levels. This tour picks you up at the train station from London and does 15 miles a day. I think I can handle that with stops to sightsee.
On the bike topic, we are looking into a bike tour (Cotswold Country Cycles) in the Cotswold. My husband is a good biker but I am timid. I don't do well in traffic.Yhey advertize mixed levels. This tour picks you up at the train station from London and does 15 miles a day. I think I can handle that with stops to sightsee.
Mar 17th, 2010, 06:26 PM
#10
Been away for a few days and didn't see your post . . .
"<i>My husband is a good biker but I am timid.</i>" In that case, I'd probably avoid a bike tour. In general the roads are VERY narrow and one must be on top of things at all times. The romantic idea of a leisurely bike ride through lovely rural countryside will melt away in 6 straight days of rain, or riding through Cotswold villages sharing the SKINNY road w/ cars and HUGE tour buses.
Arran is lovely -- as are any number of other areas of Scotland. The "Scotland in miniature" description is semi-accurate. It is a nice place to visit - Just depends on what you'd cut to fit it in.
"<i>My husband is a good biker but I am timid.</i>" In that case, I'd probably avoid a bike tour. In general the roads are VERY narrow and one must be on top of things at all times. The romantic idea of a leisurely bike ride through lovely rural countryside will melt away in 6 straight days of rain, or riding through Cotswold villages sharing the SKINNY road w/ cars and HUGE tour buses.
Arran is lovely -- as are any number of other areas of Scotland. The "Scotland in miniature" description is semi-accurate. It is a nice place to visit - Just depends on what you'd cut to fit it in.
Mar 27th, 2010, 11:47 AM
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No views on Arran, since I've not been. I think the East Coast main line is prettier, for the most part, than the West Coast route.
I would definitely lop a day of each of Edinburgh and Glasgow and go into the country somewhere, whilst you're in Scotland.
I would definitely lop a day of each of Edinburgh and Glasgow and go into the country somewhere, whilst you're in Scotland.
Mar 27th, 2010, 01:46 PM
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My two cents. Bath and Canbridge can be done as day trips from London. This would allow for more time in Scotland. also, if you really need to see Cambridge, perhaps stay in the pretty village of Eli, on the same rail line.
As far as Scotland I would rather spend time going to Oban, take the ferry to Mull and Iona, then Citylink bus to Fort William and Invernes. From Inverness you can return via train through Aberdeen, back to Edinburgh or Pitlochry to Glasgow.
As far as Scotland I would rather spend time going to Oban, take the ferry to Mull and Iona, then Citylink bus to Fort William and Invernes. From Inverness you can return via train through Aberdeen, back to Edinburgh or Pitlochry to Glasgow.
