England & Scotland itinerary help

[chachalaca]

Hello ST Friends,

This is new territory for me, I’m usually hunkered down in the France forum. The Olympics have us rethinking our original summer plans of our first trip post-CoVid: to France. We are seriously considering a modified UK three week trip. Neither of us have ever been, although we’re both interested and both have ancestry in the UK, like so many others. I said "modified" because we’re skipping London for now.

We need help designing a Slow itinerary! I know several of you are well-travelled in the part of the world. Aside from suggestions from a friend or two, and Rick Steves down the road, we have no idea where we’re going! I just want to inhale the beauty! Here are our hopes and and needs which are definitely editable.

TIMELINE: July - 3 weeks (we’re teachers and I have elderly parents needing help, this is the window)
BUDGET: what is "reasonable" …?…but willing to splurge on certain aspects

ENGLAND:
The Cotswolds, Bath and?
SCOTLAND:
Skye & Highlands

ISLE OF MAN?


Self-catering, inns, B&Bs (hotels in areas where necessary)
outside space a must (patio, terrace, garden, shared at B&Bs, etc)
small villages and towns
restaurants, pubs, shops or market walkable

INTERESTS:
Walking / hiking
Gardens
at least a couple places where cycling is possible (Rentals for husband)
a suggested whiskey and scotch visit
beaches/shores
Nature by day, cozy bed at night!

Pauline has directed me to indispensable links as well!

thank you all,
Laura

 

[Eleanor]

That is already a pretty full itinerary for three weeks!!! And how refreshing to find someone who is not including London!

The Isle of Man is wonderful and it is so nice to see it included as a possible on your itinerary. It is completely different to anywhere else in the UK and has a very different history, culture and heritage. In some ways it is like stepping back 50 years. To do it justice (and to make the expense and hassle of getting their worthwhile), is going to take at least four days...

Everyone heads to the Cotswolds, but there are equally attractive places with pretty villages and super scenery. Have you thought about some of these? There is Dorset (really waiting to be discovered) or the North York Moors (less busy than the Dales). Either of these areas would merit another 4 days.

Then there is Northumberland . Many people race through in their desire to get to Scotland, but miss out on another one of the yet to be discovered counties. There is Hadrian's Wall, impressive ruined castles, stately homes (Cragside adavertisies itself as the place modern living began). There is Alnwick castle and the wonderful Alnwick Gardens.. There is the Cheviot as well as glorious sandy beaches. Add in Hoiy Island and the Farnes too...At least another 4 days!

Rather than joining the hordes heading for Skye, think about Arran or Mull instead. Both have a lot to commend them and to be honest I prefer both to Skye... Again another 3-4 days...

If deciding on Mull, Leave using the Tobermory /Kilchoan ferry and drive through Ardnamurchan to Fort William area. This is one of the most deserted but really scenic areas of Scotland and few people have heard about it... The other alternative is the Fishnish to Lochaline Ferry.

The Highlands covers a huge area, so don't try and cover everything! Linked with Mull, there is the Oban and Glencoe area. I'm also thinking Inverary and the wonderful Benmore Botanic gardens. There is Kilmartin Glen which has the largest collection of prehistoric remains in a small area. Do a trip on the West Highland Line - one of the most scenic in Britain.

Grandson has just arrived from school wanting his tea....

 

[Ian Sutton]

Key decision will be whether to hire a car or not. It certainly gives more flexibility, plus should drive (oops) more of an explore the countryside approach. Conversely it can also encourage exploring widely, but trying to avoid the longer transfers best done by rail or even plane. In July I'd lean more towards countryside than cities, though leaving the option for the odd day trip into a city, ideally on a cooler or wet day.

Arrival airports certainly a consideration as well

I'll echo Eleanor's suggestions of Northumberland and North York moors, plus adding in the wonderful North Yorks coast (Robin Hood's bay, Filey, Whitby, Scarborough etc.)

Linking these together with Scotland seems to link your interests well. Maybe 4 base locations would still feel relatively slow, but with a car you could also break a longer transfer with an overnight stopover. i.e. a north of England + Scotland trip.

A couple of potential accommodation listing suggestions
- The local tourist office (I forget their newer names) always used to have an extensive listing of Bed & Breakfast places and I always used to book through them.
- Special places to stay / Alisdair Sawday, is a quirky listing, but one which actively seeks out characterful places

 

[Wendy Ashworth]

Hi,
You‘ll certainly have gardens galore to enjoy in the Cotswolds & Bath. Here
https://www.ifordmanor.co.uk/ is one of my favourites close to Bradford on Avon. Accommodation is far too expensive in Bath & The Cotswolds but so it is in all the hot spots post Covid.
I noted prices moderating a little as the summer went on which leads me to believe they will be slightly fairer for next summer.
Sussex and Kent are rich with wonderful gardens. Many owned by the National Trust but some privately owned too. It’s possible to visit quite a few over 2 or 3 days.
I love the county of Somerset for its wealth of world class gardens. Within a few miles you’ll discover Barrington Court, Lytes Carey Manor,Montacute House, Tintinhull etc. https://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/.
Add https://thenewtinsomerset.com/ to that list. The latter is a fantastic reinterpretation of the Hobhouse estate designed and created by the renowned writer designer & tutor Penelope Hobhouse. You don’t have to be a hotel guest to enjoy the gardens but probably best to buy yr ticket in advance.
Which reminds me you can visit a Rosemary Verey designed garden at Barnsley House hotel in the Cotswolds for the price of lunch. ( Her former home.)

For a taste of traditional England suggest you take a look at East Devon.
Holiday rentals are a little less expensive there but the coast path is easily accessible and the landscape is very appealing.
I visit several times a year and use this agency;

Sweetcombe Cottage Holidays | Holiday Cottages in East Devon

Looking for a holiday in East Devon? Sweetcombe Cottage Holidays have a wide selection of self-catering holiday cottages available! Book today!

www.sweetcombecottages.co.uk

If you are in touch with your youth you could consider staying in university accommodation maybe for the Bath leg of your trip;
https://www.bath.ac.uk › booking-g...
There are affordable options if you prefer somewhere a little more comfortable than halls of residence particularly if you choose a location just outside the city however!

I recommend this website too as it’s completely independent. I must admit to a bias as I occasionally submit my “ reviews”. They avoid chain and large hotels ;

Best luxury and boutique hotels, B&Bs in Bath - Good Hotel Guide

Independent expert reviews from the Good Hotel Guide of boutique hotels in Bath. Hotels selected on the basis of merit alone.

www.goodhotelguide.com

I know the city well but Pauline is the expert !


Whilst it is possible to get around in England without a car I feel you will benefit hugely by hiring one.
The country is still blighted by train strikes and this month brought many cuts to bus services.


So many places to choose and never enough time but happy to answer any questions.

Wendy

 

[Eleanor]

Ian has beaten me to it, before I could come back...

North York Moors - ruined castles (Helmsley, Pickering and Scarborough) and ruined Abbeys (Rievaulx, Byland, Mount Grace, Kirkham Priory) as well as some wonderful churches. There is the North York Moors Steam Railway. Ryedale Folk Museum is a blast from the past. There is some fantastic walking along with gardens (Helmsley Walled Garden, Castle Howard, Nunnington Hall), bird of prey display (Duncombe Park), the seaside , smugglers villages at Robin Hood’s Bay and Staithes and of course Whitby with its Dracula connections...

If you do decide to concentrate on the North, it would make sense to try and fly into Manchester. Then take the train to Liverpoool for the ferry to the Isle of Man. Public transport is so good on the Island you don’t actually need a car as long as you stay in say, Douglas, Onchan, Castletown or even Port Erin. Pick up the hire car when you get back to Liverpool and then head across the Dales (with an overnight!) to the North York Moors. Somewhere like Helmsley or Pickering would make a good base.

On the way to Northumberland, stop off in Durham with its stunning Norman Cathedral and castle high above a loop in the river. Hire a boat on the river. Nearby is Beamish, the Living museum of the North which is one of the biggest and best with 1900s town, colliery village, Railway station, C18th Pockerly Old hall, 1940s farm and they are also now building a 1950s township...

Many of these places have trip articles with lots of information and photos.

Start booking accommodation and ferries once you have an itinerary worked out. Some places have less accommodation and do book up quickly, especially in popular areas.

 

[Wendy Ashworth]

Tried so hard not to put in my penny worth about the glorious city of York and al Yorkshire has to offer.
We used to stay; http://www.fivestaryork.com/about-us-2/2-precentors-court/ in central York in fact in the shadow of the Minster. Glorious, we loved to watch the choir school process into the Minster at services time for example as well as all the other advantages of staying in such a central and atmospheric location.
Wont write any more about our other passions in the seaside & fishing towns, railways etc as others have but can’t leave without mentioning www.bettys.co.uk ! A very famous cafe / tea rooms.
It‘s a poignant place to visit when you remember it served as an impromptu bar for airmen from the USA, Canada, NZ, on their nights off. You can see their signatures inscribed on the mirrors behind the bar.

What fun you’ll have planning.

 

[chachalaca]

Oh my goodness, thank you! Eleanor, Ian and Wendy you are amazing. I can't wait to dig into your suggestions and start creating an itinerary. I appreciate all of your insights and expertise.

I do think we'll hire a car; I really like the idea of flying into Manchester, heading to Isle of Man then on the return picking up the car. I see long evenings full of interesting searching.

I have no doubt that I will be back with more questions as I begin building the trip.

Laura

 

[Wendy Ashworth]

Oh my goodness, thank you! Eleanor, Ian and Wendy you are amazing. I can't wait to dig into your suggestions and start creating an itinerary. I appreciate all of your insights and expertise.

I do think we'll hire a car; I really like the idea of flying into Manchester, heading to Isle of Man then on the return picking up the car. I see long evenings full of interesting searching.

I have no doubt that I will be back with more questions as I begin building the trip.

Laura

It’s been a good exercise for me Laura. A reminder that there are things to be proud about in my country even though times are hard.
I know a wee bit about gardens to visit in Northumberland btw should you decide to visit but you have more than enough to start some gentle planning.
Enjoy your research and no doubt we’ll chat again due course.
Wendy

 

[Eleanor]

Like Wendy, I've been enjoying myself too and it is such a change for someone to be prepared to be thinking of doing something different rather than follow the usual itinerary. There's so much more to England and Scotland waiting to be discovered! I could wax lyrical about the Borders on the way to Edinburgh too.

 

[Pauline]

All great suggestions! There is so much to see and do in England, Wales and Scotland. I haven’t been north of the Cotswolds since we moved here 13 years ago so am ignorant about that area.

But I do know the Cotswolds as we lived there, in the southwest corner, for 5 years and explored much of it. I have several articles in the Travel Articles section (I’ve already sent you the link but am posting it here for others).

United Kingdom & Ireland Travel Articles

Travel notes and articles for England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. Articles posted must be approved by the Admin before they are published.

www.sloweurope.com

Renting a car is a good idea and remember “Drive on the Left”. It is the narrow roads and the roundabouts that make driving difficult. You adjust to driving on the left quickly. Driving in the UK is not as easy as in France. Our roads are more crowded. Always leave extra time.

As Wendy mentioned I do love Bath. When we lived in the US we would fly into Heathrow and get a car service to Bath, then pickup a rental car after a few days.

As others have said, don’t try to see everything. Pick a few places that you think you will like. British school holidays start mid July and places get more expensive and more crowded then. Especially seaside places, Cornwall and the Pembrokeshire coast of Wales.

There are many vacation rental agencies for the UK. I have some listed here:

England (UK) - Vacation Rental Resources

This is a list of vacation rental agencies and resources for England. I start with agencies that represent several counties. Then I list local agencies by areas. (Separate pages for Wales, Scotland, Ireland.) Notes: Agency is based in England unless otherwise noted except for list of large...

www.sloweurope.com

And there are reviews in that forum. And lots of trip reports.

Have fun researching. For me there is nothing like that feeling of planning a trip to a new country. I like to start with an Eyewitness guide because of their photos.

 

[Wendy Ashworth]

All great suggestions! There is so much to see and do in England, Wales and Scotland. I haven’t been north of the Cotswolds since we moved here 13 years ago so am ignorant about that area.

But I do know the Cotswolds as we lived there, in the southwest corner, for 5 years and explored much of it. I have several articles in the Travel Articles section (I’ve already sent you the link but am posting it here for others).

United Kingdom & Ireland Travel Articles

Travel notes and articles for England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. Articles posted must be approved by the Admin before they are published.

www.sloweurope.com

Renting a car is a good idea and remember “Drive on the Left”. It is the narrow roads and the roundabouts that make driving difficult. You adjust to driving on the left quickly. Driving in the UK is not as easy as in France. Our roads are more crowded. Always leave extra time.

As Wendy mentioned I do love Bath. When we lived in the US we would fly into Heathrow and get a car service to Bath, then pickup a rental car after a few days.

As others have said, don’t try to see everything. Pick a few places that you think you will like. British school holidays start mid July and places get more expensive and more crowded then. Especially seaside places, Cornwall and the Pembrokeshire coast of Wales.

There are many vacation rental agencies for the UK. I have some listed here:

England (UK) - Vacation Rental Resources

This is a list of vacation rental agencies and resources for England. I start with agencies that represent several counties. Then I list local agencies by areas. (Separate pages for Wales, Scotland, Ireland.) Notes: Agency is based in England unless otherwise noted except for list of large...

www.sloweurope.com

And there are reviews in that forum. And lots of trip reports.

Have fun researching. For me there is nothing like that feeling of planning a trip to a new country. I like to start with an Eyewitness guide because of their photos.

Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site after all.

 

[Pauline]

On another of your trip planning options, biking. Biking is very popular in England. Those narrow lanes that are freaky to drive are perfect for bikes. You will find guidebooks for hiking and biking in the Cotswolds. The tourist websites and offices are good sources too.

 

[Ian Sutton]

On another of your trip planning options, biking. Biking is very popular in England. Those narrow lanes that are freaky to drive are perfect for bikes. You will find guidebooks for hiking and biking in the Cotswolds. The tourist websites and offices are good sources too.

Yes indeed. You've picked on the key element that brings out the joy in cycling. Absolutely try to avoid main roads, as the speed and number of cars / lorries can be intimidating at best, dangerous at worst. Taking time to pick out the little country lanes will reward immensely, and FWIW I find the drivers over here in the countryside surrounding Norwich to be almost universally very considerate, but especially so on the occasions we see them on those country roads. There are an increasing number of cycle routes in the towns and cities now, but they're almost always a compromise, unless it's a new conurbation a la Milton Keynes or Peterborough, where purpose built cycle routes are super safe (even if the scenery is a little dull). Possibly the best routes are those on now dis-used railway lines, tending to be flat, straight, with no cars and a decent surface.

 

[VictoriaJZ]

Many years ago = 20+? we visited the New Forest - https://www.thenewforest.co.uk/ - stayed there and used that as a base of operations to go to the surrounding towns, visit their cathedrals, did an overnight in Bath...went down to the southern coast etc. Good luck ==

 

[artnbarb]

IF you rent a car, and IF you visit Yorkshire, we stayed in Thirsk several years ago, in a charming 1 BR cottage right next door from the home and office of the 'real' James Herriott. We drove to York, Whitby, Robin Hood Bay and even to Durham because I wanted to see the cathedral.
Wherever you go it'll be gorgeous!

 

[Wendy Ashworth]

Many years ago = 20+? we visited the New Forest - https://www.thenewforest.co.uk/ - stayed there and used that as a base of operations to go to the surrounding towns, visit their cathedrals, did an overnight in Bath...went down to the southern coast etc. Good luck ==

The New Forest is a good idea although it’s a much busier destination now than it was 20 years ago.
I know the area well so can help should you decide to include it in your itinerary.

We used to stay at a beautiful self catering cottage on a small complex but that no longer exists. For a splurge we‘d stay www.limewoodhotel.co.uk
Many lovely accommodation options available at sensible prices !
Sometimes we’d go down for the day & usually choose https://www.highcliffecastle.co.uk/ with its path down to the beach for our picnic.We watched the castle grow from a ruin damage to it‘s latest interpretation.

 

[Wendy Ashworth]

IF you rent a car, and IF you visit Yorkshire, we stayed in Thirsk several years ago, in a charming 1 BR cottage right next door from the home and office of the 'real' James Herriott. We drove to York, Whitby, Robin Hood Bay and even to Durham because I wanted to see the cathedral.
Wherever you go it'll be gorgeous!

Another great idea in a stunning part of Northern England.

 

[chachalaca]

Please don't think my silence here is dismissal of the trip! I'm a teacher, parent night is this week and I'm on overload. Back to the trip in October - just a week away!

 

[Eleanor]

I was thinking it was overload as we've thrown so much at you!!! It takes a while to prcoess it all.

 

[chachalaca]

Well, there's that as well, Eleanor!