I was hoping to get some suggestions for our itinerary 1st week of June. Current Plans:
Day 1: Land at Gatwick, tube to Vic Station. Hotel.
Day 2 & 3: Cambridge. Not really an option to exclude, my wife's daughter lives here.
Day 4: Drive to Wales stay in Conwy.
Day 5: More Wales
Day 6: Holyhead Ferry to Dublin
Day 7: Dublin
Day 8: Return Ferry, head to Edinburgh via Manchester to see Old Trafford.
Day 9 Edinburgh
Day 10: Glencoe
Day 11: Isle of Skye, Mull, or Islay: suggestions?
Day 12: Same
Day 13: Head back for London. Any ideas for a midway stop?
Day 14: Return flight.
Is this too ambitious for 2 weeks? What would anyone exclude (or add). What is the best bet for the Isles given the time restraints. We generally prefer out of city experience, hence the short stay in both London and Edinburgh. Ok experts, what do you think?

Hi Wotan
Your drive to Conwy will be about 220 miles which will take you around 5 hours (with no problems). I suspect you will be very tired after that. Your drive to Edingburgh via Manchester is around 300 miles and 6 hours if your lucky. Personally I would reduce the number of places your visiting, perhaps drop Ireland out for this trip. This would let you spread the other things around and let you enjoy them. Remember the secret to a holiday is Quality not Quantity. This is just my humble opinion. If a journey by car takes an hour in the UK, plan in 1.5 hours the roads here are very busy and I am not sure; but your week coincides with Whitsun holidays so the roads will be even busier.
Good Luck
Muck

Thanks Muck, much as I suspected. Not really interested in rushing from one spot to the next. Anyone have thoughts about the Western Isles? I like the looks of Skye. Is there any substantial time savings going to say Mull or Jura?

Think of it this way - you are trying to hit 4 countries in 2 weeks. That is way too much

The odd man out is Ireland/Dublin. Is this somewhere you'd "like to see because we're sort of in the neighborhood" -- OR is it a main reason you are going?

If the former - drop Ireland and you will have a much easier time of it w/ a LOT less rushing about.

And why are you flying into London when you aren't spending any time there? If your flights aren't set in stone consider flyig into Mancahester and out of London.

Arr. M'ster and drive to North Wales. 2 or 3 days there.

Then drive up to Edinburgh - this is a fairly long drive but you will be well rested by then and it will take about 1/2 a day w/ a couple of stops. 2 or 3 days in Edinburgh.

Then a loop drive from Edinburgh over to Skye/Mull and then down into northern England. This whole bit would be about 4 days - see Skye/Mull/Iona and then head south to Hadriands wall.

Then overnight in/near York.

So far you will have spent 9 to 11 days depending on how long you spend in Edinburgh and Wales.

From York down to Cambridge for a couple of days. Then to London and fly home.

Now - IF your flights are already set in Stone - here is what I'd do. Fly directly to Scotland the same day you arrive at LGW (either into Glasgow or Edinburgh would work). Spend 2 or 3 days in Edinburgh then pick up a car and head to Skye/Mull > Lake District > North Wales > Cambridge > London, drop car and fly home..

If you are kind ahipped on that route, then, Edinburgh in a day and an evening will give you a taster. It will take 2 1/2- 3 hours to drive to Glencoe, then, presumably you want to spend some time there.

The ONLY way you could do Islay which is easily the nicest and best of the three you have highlighted, is IF that is a Wednesday and you leg it down to Oban for 2.45pm to catch the 3.30pm ferry (another hour's drive, so assuming you don't leave Edinburgh till 9am, you are leaving your self 1 3/4 hours in Glencoe itself). If it's not a Wednesday, forget it.

Skye or Mull are doable. I'm well known for rating just about everywhere over Mull which always seems to em to be like a bit of the mainland with some water round it. Islands are meant to be REAL islands. Anyway, you could do either.

Thanks to everyone for their helpful responses. Dublin/Ireland has been dropped. Probably end up with Skye and slow down the entire pace of the trip.

Good move, Wotan, it's nice to see a poster follow the helpful suggestions of experienced travelers, rather than just insist they are going to do things their way regardless -- something we see a lot of here.

I particularly agree with the final suggestion by janis.