Scotland
 

Hi,
We have updated our plan. We will be skipping York and will stay the first night in Cambridge, see the sites a bit (knowing this is short) and hopping the train to Edinburgh. We're excited about train travel and know the first 2 days will be tight (cranky, jet lagged, whiny).
I don't know how long to stay in Edinburgh. Originally felt 4 days would be nice--history, castle, Holyrood, wandering around old town. Day trips to Stirling, Roslyn, (and can we squeeze in a trip to Hadrian's wall or am I crazy?) are thoughts as well. We don't want to hop from place to place for accomodations. And with more day trips, we'll need to stay longer :)
Then thought 5-6 days in a central Scotland location from a home base with a rental car from Edinburgh (thank you for that advice). We want to see Inverness (in passing), Culloden, Eileen Donan, Jacobite train (at least one way), Skye vs Mull and some scenery--we enjoy driving, but we don't want to have scenery overload like we had on a non-stop driving trip in Alaska. Not a trip to hike this time. Plus keeping a 10 year old entertained a bit (sheep dogs in action?). Asking for a lot I know.
Ideas for a central home base and things to see would be much appreciated.
Actual places to stay would be nice too--budget per night I'd like to keep slim around 100 pounds per night.
Total time we have is 3 weeks--landing/leaving from London with 6 days in London to finish the trip.
Whew! With that wordy post, I'll end.

<i>(and can we squeeze in a trip to Hadrian's wall or am I crazy?)</i>

The latter. Even if you had a car it's a day trip - and you'd be passing through the area on your way from Cambridge to Edinburgh so backtracking seems a waste of time and effort.

Except . . . Rabbies does do a very nice day trip from Edinburgh

https://www.rabbies.com/tours_scotla...ers.asp?lng=en

If you didn't want to do a tour -- it would make more sense to collect your car in York and drive to Edinburgh, hitting Hadrian's Wall, Alnwick, Bamburgh, maybe some Border Abbeys enroute.

Janisj's suggestonof a Rabbies tour has its advantages as Hadrian's Wall is about 2.5 hours drive from Edinburgh. Trying to do it by public transport isn't an option.

Looking at the Rabbies itinerary, you are going to be sitting in a coach for 5+ hours. Add in stops for coffee, lunch and Moffat, which is cutting down on time spent visiting the Wall. You do get to see the wall at Steel Rigg and there is a nice walk east which gives views of Crag Lough. This section of the wall is always popular with visitors. I would want clarification as to what the itinerary means when it says "where your guide will recommend the best of the many sites in the area to visit. You will have time to explore sections of the wall or the remains of some of the many Roman settlements before you turn north". Does this mean you have chance to explore some of the other major sites and if so which and how much time are you likely to get there?

Have you thought about doing Hadrian's Wall on your way south back to London? Book two nights in Hexham/Corbridge/Haltwhistle area and spend a day doing the major sites along the wall. There are plenty to choose from Cawfields Crags, Steel Rigg, Housesteads Fort, Chesters Fort are probaby the best. There is also Corbridge, Vindolanda, Birdoswald...

This would give you chance to walk a short stretch of it. The bit from Cawfield Crags to the east to where the minor road crosses the wall at Shield on the Wall is good. This is about a mile each way and is good easy walking. There is also a reasonable amount of the wall left too. You can walk both ways from Steel Rigg. West takes you to Winshields Crags, a fairly easy but rather boring walk as there's not much of the wall left along this stretch. Eat takes you towards Crag Lough but after a short flat section there is a steep scramble. You can walk as far as Housesteads but it is a bit of a roller coaster walk. At Housesteads, the most popular walk is west to Houseteads milecastle, another short, easy walk.

Next day drop your car off and get the train back to London.

Good ideas! I had also thought to see it (Hadrian's) on the way back.