Trip Review- London/Scotland
May 15th, 2004, 01:05 PM
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Trip Review- London/Scotland
Since the Fodor?s message board was so helpful in planning my trip, I wanted to give back to fellow travelers. Below is our trip review.
We stayed at the Park Lane Sheraton in London for two days. The hotel is in a great location (walking distance or a short tube ride to most major tourist attractions); however the room itself was nothing spectacular, considering it is supposed to be a five star hotel. We used points to pay for the room, so the hotel was worth it for us. The check-in process could have been smoother. We got there early, and they told us the room would be ready in an hour. We showed up about 1.5 hours later and we still had to wait about 20 minutes or so. We visited the normal tourist attractions in London (Buckingham Palace, St. Paul?s Cathedral, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, etc.) As far as food is concerned, stick to the pubs and taverns. With the exchange rate the way it is now, you?ll get the most for your money. After two days, we then took the train from London to Edinburgh.
Speaking of the train, it was a bit of a confusing ordeal. Make sure you get to the station early, as it is quite an unorganized procedure. They make you line up in a big long line that seems orderly but as soon as they give the signal to board, it?s all out chaos. You practically have to run to get on the train and if you are like us, and did not buy reserved seats, you may have a hard time finding two seats together. If you are carrying luggage, make a dash to the end of the train so that you can be one of the first to board an empty car. This way you?ll be able to store your luggage at the end of the car and have time to search for a seat that hasn?t been reserved.
We loved Edinburgh. The city has a lot of culture and its own style. We stayed in CastleView guest house for two nights. The B&B was nice and within walking distance to everything. A few restaurants are even located a few doors down. We visited Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of the Holyrood, which were both very nice. Don?t miss out on a nice stroll down the Royal Mile and take the time to do a nighttime walking tour with one of the many operators that advertise outside of St. Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile (we went on a Mercat tour). Prior to our departure from the U.S., we purchased the Great British Heritage Pass, which was definitely worth it! It gets you in to almost all the historic sites within England and Scotland at no additional cost. We definitely saved a great deal of money with the pass. However, you must purchase it prior to leaving your home country. It?s only available to foreign tourists and cannot be purchased once you arrive in the UK.
We picked up a rental car from Arnold Clark in Edinburgh. I shopped around and their prices were very competitive compared to the other companies known in the U.S. The car was practically brand new and great (Citroen Picasso). We even lucked out and were upgraded to a better car. We paid extra for an automatic, which is highly recommended if you are used to driving an automatic. Even if you do drive a stick, you may want to opt for the automatic, as it is hard enough to concentrate on driving on the left much less trying to shift with your left hand. Driving on the left was not nearly as bad as we thought it would be although the larger cities can be tough. My husband adjusted rather quickly and the highways are easy to travel. We only got slightly lost once during the whole week that we drove through Scotland. Many of the roads are single track lanes with passing zones, but people are very courteous drivers. I would also recommend bringing a few CDs, as it can sometimes be difficult to get radio stations in the highlands (make sure your car has a CD player prior to renting, ours did but that apparently is not normal).
After getting the car and still in Edinburgh, we traveled to Roslyn Chapel (final stop in the book ?The DaVinci Code?), which was very neat. The stone carving there is unbelievable.
After Edinburgh, we traveled north towards Inverness. On the way, we visited the oldest distillery in Scotland- ?The Famous Grouse? experience, which is located in Creiff. One recommendation ? buy the Scotch from the airport in Glasgow or Edinburgh on your way home; it was a few pounds cheaper than at the actual distillery. We also visited Blair Castle and hiked near the Pass of Killiecrankie, which were both quite nice.
We stayed outside of Inverness in a B&B called Daviot Farms. It was very nice and I would highly recommend it! The bathroom had towel warmers and the room itself was kept very clean. It?s located right off the A9 just south of Inverness. There are not many restaurants nearby, but the B&B recommended the Cawdor Tavern about a 15-minute drive away, which was quite good.
Traveling from Inverness towards the Isle of Skye, we visited Loch Ness, Uruquart Castle (a ruined castle which is very interesting), and Eileen Donan Castle. We paid to see Eileen Donan Castle, as it was not covered under the British Heritage Pass. It?s not necessarily worth spending the extra money to see the inside of the Castle, if you are looking to save $$$. It is worth a stop to snap a few pictures as it?s quite picturesque (it was the castle used in the movie ?Highlander?).
We stayed two nights in Skye at Ptarmigan B&B. The views were very nice (overlooks the water) and the overall B&B was okay. Even though Skye is fairly small, it still takes a few hours to drive around the whole island because of the mountains, the low speed limit, and some single track roads. Our favorite part of the island was the northeastern tip. We enjoyed a few nice hikes on Skye, however if you are not into hiking, there is not too much to do in Skye. It is a very pretty island, and don?t forget to see Kilt Rock, Kilt Rock Falls and the Old Man in the Storr.
We took the ferry back from Armadale to the mainland to head towards Oban. On the way, we stopped at Neptune?s Staircase (which was interesting, since my husband is an engineer) and went to the ski lift in the Nevis Range. The views were beautiful from the top of the mountain, and we walked a short trail. We went down the road to Glen Nevis and to the visitors center where most people begin their ascent of Ben Nevis. Continue past the visitors center all the way down the road (about 6 miles) and there is a car park. This is the beginning of a wonderful hike in Glen Nevis. It can be rather rocky at times, but the view is definitely worth it. There are waterfalls along the way and at the end of the hike is a huge waterfall and a neat wire bridge. We got back on the road, and headed for Glencoe were we took a short walk. Going towards Oban from Glencoe, there is a neat castle you can view from the highway that is in on an island in Loch Creran.
We spend the next two nights in Oban. We took the early morning ferry from Oban to Mull, where we took a bus through Mull to Fionnphort to catch a ferry to Iona. Iona was a neat place with its nunnery, abbey, Celtic crosses, etc. We then used Gordon Grant Tours to visit the puffins in the Treshnish Isles and Fingals Cave at Staffa. We were lucky to get the first tour of the season to the islands and the weather was perfect; it was a great side trip!
We stayed in Glasgow for our last night in Scotland to catch our flight the next morning. We stayed at the Milton Hotel. I highly recommend the hotel - it was very nice and new. One word of advice, make sure you find where to drop off the rental car before you actually do it, if you are looking to catch a flight soon afterwards. Glasgow was quite a difficult place to drive in and you will most likely get lost looking for where to drop off the car. The map given by Arnold Clark for the drop-off point in Glasgow was less than helpful.
We had a great trip. Great Britain is a beautiful country to visit!
We stayed at the Park Lane Sheraton in London for two days. The hotel is in a great location (walking distance or a short tube ride to most major tourist attractions); however the room itself was nothing spectacular, considering it is supposed to be a five star hotel. We used points to pay for the room, so the hotel was worth it for us. The check-in process could have been smoother. We got there early, and they told us the room would be ready in an hour. We showed up about 1.5 hours later and we still had to wait about 20 minutes or so. We visited the normal tourist attractions in London (Buckingham Palace, St. Paul?s Cathedral, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, etc.) As far as food is concerned, stick to the pubs and taverns. With the exchange rate the way it is now, you?ll get the most for your money. After two days, we then took the train from London to Edinburgh.
Speaking of the train, it was a bit of a confusing ordeal. Make sure you get to the station early, as it is quite an unorganized procedure. They make you line up in a big long line that seems orderly but as soon as they give the signal to board, it?s all out chaos. You practically have to run to get on the train and if you are like us, and did not buy reserved seats, you may have a hard time finding two seats together. If you are carrying luggage, make a dash to the end of the train so that you can be one of the first to board an empty car. This way you?ll be able to store your luggage at the end of the car and have time to search for a seat that hasn?t been reserved.
We loved Edinburgh. The city has a lot of culture and its own style. We stayed in CastleView guest house for two nights. The B&B was nice and within walking distance to everything. A few restaurants are even located a few doors down. We visited Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of the Holyrood, which were both very nice. Don?t miss out on a nice stroll down the Royal Mile and take the time to do a nighttime walking tour with one of the many operators that advertise outside of St. Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile (we went on a Mercat tour). Prior to our departure from the U.S., we purchased the Great British Heritage Pass, which was definitely worth it! It gets you in to almost all the historic sites within England and Scotland at no additional cost. We definitely saved a great deal of money with the pass. However, you must purchase it prior to leaving your home country. It?s only available to foreign tourists and cannot be purchased once you arrive in the UK.
We picked up a rental car from Arnold Clark in Edinburgh. I shopped around and their prices were very competitive compared to the other companies known in the U.S. The car was practically brand new and great (Citroen Picasso). We even lucked out and were upgraded to a better car. We paid extra for an automatic, which is highly recommended if you are used to driving an automatic. Even if you do drive a stick, you may want to opt for the automatic, as it is hard enough to concentrate on driving on the left much less trying to shift with your left hand. Driving on the left was not nearly as bad as we thought it would be although the larger cities can be tough. My husband adjusted rather quickly and the highways are easy to travel. We only got slightly lost once during the whole week that we drove through Scotland. Many of the roads are single track lanes with passing zones, but people are very courteous drivers. I would also recommend bringing a few CDs, as it can sometimes be difficult to get radio stations in the highlands (make sure your car has a CD player prior to renting, ours did but that apparently is not normal).
After getting the car and still in Edinburgh, we traveled to Roslyn Chapel (final stop in the book ?The DaVinci Code?), which was very neat. The stone carving there is unbelievable.
After Edinburgh, we traveled north towards Inverness. On the way, we visited the oldest distillery in Scotland- ?The Famous Grouse? experience, which is located in Creiff. One recommendation ? buy the Scotch from the airport in Glasgow or Edinburgh on your way home; it was a few pounds cheaper than at the actual distillery. We also visited Blair Castle and hiked near the Pass of Killiecrankie, which were both quite nice.
We stayed outside of Inverness in a B&B called Daviot Farms. It was very nice and I would highly recommend it! The bathroom had towel warmers and the room itself was kept very clean. It?s located right off the A9 just south of Inverness. There are not many restaurants nearby, but the B&B recommended the Cawdor Tavern about a 15-minute drive away, which was quite good.
Traveling from Inverness towards the Isle of Skye, we visited Loch Ness, Uruquart Castle (a ruined castle which is very interesting), and Eileen Donan Castle. We paid to see Eileen Donan Castle, as it was not covered under the British Heritage Pass. It?s not necessarily worth spending the extra money to see the inside of the Castle, if you are looking to save $$$. It is worth a stop to snap a few pictures as it?s quite picturesque (it was the castle used in the movie ?Highlander?).
We stayed two nights in Skye at Ptarmigan B&B. The views were very nice (overlooks the water) and the overall B&B was okay. Even though Skye is fairly small, it still takes a few hours to drive around the whole island because of the mountains, the low speed limit, and some single track roads. Our favorite part of the island was the northeastern tip. We enjoyed a few nice hikes on Skye, however if you are not into hiking, there is not too much to do in Skye. It is a very pretty island, and don?t forget to see Kilt Rock, Kilt Rock Falls and the Old Man in the Storr.
We took the ferry back from Armadale to the mainland to head towards Oban. On the way, we stopped at Neptune?s Staircase (which was interesting, since my husband is an engineer) and went to the ski lift in the Nevis Range. The views were beautiful from the top of the mountain, and we walked a short trail. We went down the road to Glen Nevis and to the visitors center where most people begin their ascent of Ben Nevis. Continue past the visitors center all the way down the road (about 6 miles) and there is a car park. This is the beginning of a wonderful hike in Glen Nevis. It can be rather rocky at times, but the view is definitely worth it. There are waterfalls along the way and at the end of the hike is a huge waterfall and a neat wire bridge. We got back on the road, and headed for Glencoe were we took a short walk. Going towards Oban from Glencoe, there is a neat castle you can view from the highway that is in on an island in Loch Creran.
We spend the next two nights in Oban. We took the early morning ferry from Oban to Mull, where we took a bus through Mull to Fionnphort to catch a ferry to Iona. Iona was a neat place with its nunnery, abbey, Celtic crosses, etc. We then used Gordon Grant Tours to visit the puffins in the Treshnish Isles and Fingals Cave at Staffa. We were lucky to get the first tour of the season to the islands and the weather was perfect; it was a great side trip!
We stayed in Glasgow for our last night in Scotland to catch our flight the next morning. We stayed at the Milton Hotel. I highly recommend the hotel - it was very nice and new. One word of advice, make sure you find where to drop off the rental car before you actually do it, if you are looking to catch a flight soon afterwards. Glasgow was quite a difficult place to drive in and you will most likely get lost looking for where to drop off the car. The map given by Arnold Clark for the drop-off point in Glasgow was less than helpful.
We had a great trip. Great Britain is a beautiful country to visit!
May 15th, 2004, 03:28 PM
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LMS76, thanks so much for the trip report -- very helpful!. Your Scotland itinerary is VERY similar to ours. We are leaving in about five weeks. We are staying at the Castle View, as well, for three nights, then spending two nights near Inverness (Old Church of Urquart near Elgin), two nights on Skye (Uig Hotel, on the Trotternish Penninsula) and three in Oban.
I definitely will look into the Heritage Pass.
I definitely will look into the Heritage Pass.
Jul 8th, 2004, 09:18 PM
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I enjoyed reading your trip report. This is very much like the trip we are planning, but in reverse.
How many days were you in Scotland? It seems to me as I read your itinerary that you were there for 7/8 days or was it longer? I'm encouraged to think that you were able to do so much in this time frame. I thought we were being too ambitious trying to fit this all in for 8 days.
Sounds like you had a wonderful vacation.
How many days were you in Scotland? It seems to me as I read your itinerary that you were there for 7/8 days or was it longer? I'm encouraged to think that you were able to do so much in this time frame. I thought we were being too ambitious trying to fit this all in for 8 days.
Sounds like you had a wonderful vacation.
Jul 9th, 2004, 03:09 AM
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As a London resident I'd like to echo that Mayfair is the most central area for a tourist to stay in when visiting London. However, unless the five star hotel is a big name, it tends to feel international and not of top quality.
Pleased you enjoyed your trip!
Pleased you enjoyed your trip!
Jul 9th, 2004, 04:44 AM
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According to the VisitBritain web site, the Great British Heritage Pass is available from dozens of sites in the UK to non-UK residents. You must show your passport.
http://www.visitbritain.com/world/he...ass/buying.htm
http://www.visitbritain.com/world/he...ass/buying.htm
Jul 11th, 2004, 07:57 PM
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Our trip is taking more shape and I wonder if I can get some advice.
We'll be in London for 5 days (reservation set - in Russell Square). Then we are going to Oxford (reservation set) and then to Stratford-on-Avon - We are still looking for a place to stay there.
We had planned on renting a car to drive out to Oxford and Stratford and then continue up to Scotland with a nights stay in the Lakes area. But the more I am reading and thinking about the amount of driving we'll do in Scotland, I think we should reconsider this. Has anyone driven from the London area to Glasgow, Scotland? If you have, I'd really like to know how it went. How long did it take and what were the roads like? I've read and heard that it is about 7 hours total - but, I dont' know if that is correct. If we don't drive then we'll be going back to London to fly or take the train. That is unless we break up our days in London and go to Oxford and Stratford in the middle of our London stay.
Once we are in Scotland we are planning on one night around the Loch Lomond area. Then one or two nights in Fort Wiliam to take the steam train and explore around Ben Nevis. Then a night in Skye, a night in Inverness to visit my husbands family caslte. Then the drive down to Edinburgh with perhaps an overnight on the way and then two nights in Edinburgh.
Any thoughts about this Scotland itinerary and any ideas of bed and breakfasts or hotels.
Thanks for any ideas you may to offer.
We'll be in London for 5 days (reservation set - in Russell Square). Then we are going to Oxford (reservation set) and then to Stratford-on-Avon - We are still looking for a place to stay there.
We had planned on renting a car to drive out to Oxford and Stratford and then continue up to Scotland with a nights stay in the Lakes area. But the more I am reading and thinking about the amount of driving we'll do in Scotland, I think we should reconsider this. Has anyone driven from the London area to Glasgow, Scotland? If you have, I'd really like to know how it went. How long did it take and what were the roads like? I've read and heard that it is about 7 hours total - but, I dont' know if that is correct. If we don't drive then we'll be going back to London to fly or take the train. That is unless we break up our days in London and go to Oxford and Stratford in the middle of our London stay.
Once we are in Scotland we are planning on one night around the Loch Lomond area. Then one or two nights in Fort Wiliam to take the steam train and explore around Ben Nevis. Then a night in Skye, a night in Inverness to visit my husbands family caslte. Then the drive down to Edinburgh with perhaps an overnight on the way and then two nights in Edinburgh.
Any thoughts about this Scotland itinerary and any ideas of bed and breakfasts or hotels.
Thanks for any ideas you may to offer.
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