UK Car and Train Travel
 

We arrive at Manchester Airport in the am on April 25. Our goal is to see York and the Dales, the Hadrian wall, the Lakes area...My DH had added his desire to go to Stirling Castle.

We have 12 full days in the UK. My question is...should we rent a car and travel to the Lakes area or head to York. Turn in the car at either York and/or Carlisle, take a train to Stirling Castle or as close as possible. Then rent a Car and continue on sightseeing the opposite direction from where we headed on day one.

We want to get out in the countryside and only stay at the Manchester airport the night before we leave. Castles, churches, beautiful countryside is our focus.

Travel and itinerary suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Hmm. You will need a car for the Lakes and Dales. You can easily do York, Stirling, Penrith, Manchester by train. I wouldn't hire a car at either end, myself. Just at one.

I'm not clear on your last statement. Would you please explain further?

Get a train to York from Manchester Airport. Don't drive jet-lagged.
Hire a car in York for visiting the other places you want to see and either return it to York or Manchester at the end.

me too, catch a train to York. book ticket early to keep price down. Hire car in york and return it in manchester

Simple answer is hire a car for the duration. 25th April is a Sunday which is the day they usually close down our crappy rail system down for repairs and transfer everyone to road buses.

Manchester Airport to The Lakes on Sunday afternoon will take an hour and a half tops. From there relax in The Lakes and plan a trip through the dales, up North Yorkshire along Hadrians Wall and up the Stirling. Return down the M6 to Manchester and remember that the roads are busy around Manchester during the week before 9:30am and after 4pm.

markrosy do you have a recommendation on the best rental car company to use? We used Sixt in Sweden and Denmark and was fine, but I'd prefer to get an automatic transmission if possible. It will be stressful enough driving on the opposite side of the road!

Thanks.

Sorry I haven't a clue - usual case of locals not being the best judges. I have hired about 200 cars in my time - none of them have been here. National have a good local network (as have Sixt) and seem to have a good reputation.

If you are used to automatic it's a good idea to request it. I have too many bad memories of jet lag, different side of road and different transmission on landing in the States.

Be very very careful when leaving and entering the motorways. The road layouts and roundabouts are a complete nightmare for tired tourists. There are many stories of accidents and incidents of driving down the wrong side of motorways.

If you would like any help, I have lived here for 40 years and visited nearly every village north of Manchester.

Our current favourite are The Borders and Dumfries/Galloway very quiet, great castles/nature and NO people. It is just too far from the big cities to be busy. Great history with the blood thirsty Border Reivers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Reivers

One of the great (along with many others) usually missed stories of history.

Thought you might like this

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/tw...errerPath=home

First time it has happened in 1500 years.

My husband thanks you very much!! Since he will be driving, he may have questions for you. This trip is his 65 birthday present...and I hope to visit a yarn/knitting shop along the way!

Thanks so much for offering your years of experience for us. My brother flew into Manchester a few years back and says he experienced complete panic driving out of the city after flying in...Since we arrive at 10am, we would really want to get out in the of the major city. Many thanks....