planningtravel

I have some Rabbies Tours booked in Scotland after sightseeing in Scotland I'd like to travel to Cornwall and would like to stop enroute. Initially, I'd thought of spending a day or two in Birmingham, but I'm open to suggestions.

I have been to England many times and seen many of the top tourist sights. I've been to London, Oxford, York, Stoke on Trent, Stonehenge, Bath, Cambridge, the Cotswolds, Brighton, Dover, Canterbury, Salisbury, Stratford upon Avon, Manchester, Liverpool, Chester and Chichester are the places that come to immediate mind.

My plan is to travel by train from Edinburgh to Cornwall and I'd like to break the journey somewhere for a day or two. I know I can fly to Cornwall and I also know that there is a sleeper train to London and from there I can connect to Cornwall. However, I'd rather visit a place in England where I've not been.

What cities do Fodorites recommend?

Thanks in advance.

dotheboyshall

York or Bristol would be my choices as both are one train from Edinburgh and there are trains to the SW.

bilboburgler

Having lived part of my life in Birmingham and having relations who live there, I'd avoid, there are some nicer parts of "greater" Birmingham (if such a concept existed) but few and far apart.

Newcastle, Durham, Lincoln, Bristol, Winchester. Even little Cirencester or Portsmouth might be worth some time

annhig

Definitely Bristol, as it's so easy to get to from Edinburgh [you can fly there] and then get the train to Cornwall for one of the iconic train journeys.

And there is loads to see and do in Bristol which is sadly neglected by tourists.

PalenQ

Have you been to the Lake District or Blackpool? both could be on the way or Hadrian's Wall or North Wales - Conwy area is great too.

crellston

A couple of days in Birmingham would be great. It has seen a huge renaissance in recent years with much of the city centre being redeveloped - Brindleyplace and the ICC, Symphony Hall, the Bullring complex are all Terrific dining scene from 3 or 4 Michelin starred places to Classic Balti Houses and some of the best Indian food in the country.

At the centre of the country it is easily reached from Edinburgh by Virgin Trains (4 hours or so) and on to the West Country via Bristol. Alternatively, flybe and, I think a coupe, of other airlines fly EDI to BHX in an hour

Smeagol

Crellston is absolutely right about Birmingham, there is a great food scene now in the city and surrounds and actually some great sights outside of the city also.
Flybe fly direct from Bhx to Edi with several flights a day.

PalenQ

If going between early August and early November Blackpool is famous for its Lights or Illuminations where miles of the esplanade along the seafront is illuminated with zillions of Christmas lights and decorations:

http://www.blackpool-illuminations.n...16details.html

https://www.google.com/search?q=blac...Hc7jDfQQsAQIHg

It's fabulously popular with Brits as is Blackpool, Britain's #1 seaside resort by far - great for people watching and a taste of tacky low-brow English culture - a great one-night stop between Scotland and Cornwall if into that type of thing.

Smeagol

Blackpool is certainly famous with a certain clientele and very famous with stag and hen parties.

PalenQ

Shrewsbury would make another good stop en route to Cornwall though perhaps not on the most direct route - really neat old town with easy day trips to Ludlow and the nearby Iron Bridge Gorge.

<Blackpool is certainly famous with a certain clientele and very famous with stag and hen parties.>

Said to be the most visited place in England outside of London I read.

Smeagol

Yep by stag and hen parties... And just because it's the most visited doesn't make it nice.....

PalenQ

I always found it very interesting though have not been there in years - a human carnival -epecially during the Lights - yes tacky tacky and more tackiness.

Nice is so so subjective. Many Brits seem to flock there still - even more and more in recent years-some top entertainment too I hear.