We will be spending 11 days in England/Scotland at the end of August. This is our first visit to these countries, and we don't feel comfortable driving on the left side, so we will be traveling by train. We plan to spend about 5 days in London (including one side trip to Stonehedge/Bath), and 4 days in Edinburgh. Two remaining nights we are planning to spend in York/Durham. Is it two days too much time in York/Durham area? Is it better to stay extra night in London and visit Windsor for example?
Is it possible to get to Hadrian Wall without a car?
Also, any suggestions on good side trips from Edinburgh assuming we are not driving? Did anyone visit Dirliton village? Any other suggestions?
Thank you in advance for all your help!

Oh I envy you. You'll have a relaxing time. Rail passes are best way to go. I'd read the other posts about reasonably priced small apartment units, even outside London, as a base. London has so many treasures. I used walking tours first time. THey are themed (Dickens was one I remember), transport museum really interesting, Churchill's bunker, Victoria and Albert museum, St Paul's, a few shows, The Golden Hind, and Globe theater at Bankside. I actually managed to attend a production of Richard 111 there. Such a treat!

I was disappointed by Stonehenge because i couldn't get near it. I'vei since heard that there are other stone circles bigger and hands on. Rick Steves featured one but I tuned in late and missed location.

I was only in Edinburgh one day. Saw one beautiful castle. Long to go back. No doubt other posts will be more informative.

Hadrian's Wall appears to be much better covered by public transport than I would have expected:

http://www.hadrianswallcountry.org/wall.asp?id=29

Dirleton is OK - it's a very small village, with a largely ruined castle - but you would have to get a bus there. Haddington is also quite a pretty village with a nice riverside pub. But I think you will find quite enough to do in Edinburgh for 4 days in August without any side trips. I hope you have already booked your accommodation because the festivals are on then - Fringe 8th-30th (www.edfringe.com), Book Festival 14th-30th (www.edbookfest.co.uk), International Festival 15th August-5th September (www.eif.co.uk). Plus the Tattoo. The city will be packed and buzzing !

Your itinerary looks pretty good for the time you have. You're sensible to go by rail. You can find enough to keep yourselves busy for 2 days in York/Durham. 5 days isn't a lot for London, especailly with a day trip and jet lag added in, but you can still see quite a bit, and you'll whet your appetite for another visit.

Thank you very much for all responses and suggestions! I love this site! It helped me a lot in planning my previous trips.
Actually, we are going to be in Edinburgh at the beginning of September (September 3 thru 5), so I think most of the fesival activities will be over by that time. I would love to do at least one day trip from Edinburgh. Some travel books suggest Dunfermline and Culross. Or how about Linlithgow? Is there any other interesting places we can do in one day using public transportation? Thank you in advance for all suggestions!

I hope you are thinking of a BritRail pass. All those point-to-point can get very costly (the Britrail pass for London to Edinburgh alone pays for itself!) Do you know where you will be sleeping there? (Did you say you were staying with friends?) I stayed in the BEST B&B in Edinburgh. (It was very inexpensive too!) www.turret.clara.net/intro.htm

Make sure you give yourself a FULL day for Stonehedge and Bath (once in Bath, you will wish you had more time!)

FromAtlanta, I have booked B@B KINGSWAY for about $110. It is not fancy, but there is not too many choices in reasonable price range. I'll check out the one you stayed in. As for BritRail pass, I thought it was a good deal if I take several long trips. I think it is about $296, and trip from London to Edinburgh like around $85 if bought 14 days in advance. Am I mistaken?
Thank you for your reply!

Linlithgow Palace is a terrific place to visit, as is Culross. I don't think so much to Dunfermilne. Are you intending to do this day trip by rail too?

You CAN get cheap point-point tickets via www.thetrainline.com but these will be heavily restricted and are unlikely to be at peak times. So, I would go for a Britrail pass, which might work out more expensively, but which will assure you of seats. 2nd class is fine. Also, you will be able to use it on the shorter trips like Windsor etc. (But not on the Tube, I believe.) YOu can use it to travel rapidly from York-Durham or vice versa. So, pick either and do a day trip to the other from your base. Durham is smaller and less 'honeypot' in tours of tourism. Durham has a magnificent cathedral. You can feel the history there.

We visited Linlithgow as an afterthought on our last full day in Scotland, and we really enjoyed the palace. It is ruined, but so much is intact that you can walk forever through the various corridors and rooms. It is in a beautiful setting, in a park on a lake with a walking path around it. The town seemed nice, too, although we were there on a Sunday evening and everything was closed.

We easily did a day trip to Stirling while in Edinburgh at the end of June. Linlithgow is on the same train line as Stirling, and it seems that if you plan right, you could probably make both stops in one day. I don't know the implications for purchasing a train ticket that allows you to get off and back on in Linlithgow, but I would imagine it could be done.

Have a great trip.