2 Week UK Itinerary Help Please! Is this realistic?

I am not so about so many one day visits. But I am very much encouraged by your slow travel and taking into full account your travel days which will get you into a much better position to see what it is that you want to see when you get there.

good luck with your trip

There are some lovely walking paths around MiM to the surrounding villages like Blockley (where Father Brown was filmed), and near Oxford i recommend Woodstock. If you're keen on Royal Palaces, Blenheim Palace is there. Some nice pubs and footpaths out there as well, such as Blenheim Common --> Stonesfield.

My main concern here is that some of your destinations are far away from one another, ex. Cotswolds (MiM?) to Windermere would take a significant amount of time with at least two changes on the train AND if CrossCountry trains decide to behave!

Take some more consideration of the travel times between the destinations you've outlined and make sure it's something you're alright doing. I always find being on the train is the most exhausting part of any trip since you're not moving around.

From recent experience where we made a similar itinerary except by car, if I had to do it over I would definitely not include the Highlands. Even without it there's a deceptive amount of distance to traverse, which can be further complicated if you aren't hiring a car and thus need to navigate the logistics of trains and busses.

Is this a family trip? If so, what are the ages of the children? This looks like a scenery-heavy trip; I don't recall enjoying that sort of thing very much as child, but of course every kid is different.

It's highly recommended that you stay outdoors and walk around as much as you can on your arrival day. That will help vanquish jetlag. Sitting on a bus would put me to sleep within 5 minutes.

You've allowed only one full, hopefully-not-too-jetlagged day for London sightseeing. That is incredibly short for a first visit.

Bath, the Cotswolds and Oxford are all in the same general direction. It would be a lot more efficient to spend 4(?) nights somewhere in that area rather than making separate trips from London to Bath and the Cotswolds/Oxford.

The Isle of Skye is in no way a day trip from Edinburgh. You really need multiple nights on the island, plus the time to get there and return.

I would take your additional days 12, 13, and 14 and move them up to the front so you could add them to London. You have no time for London, and it deserves so much more. Leave the Highlands for another trip.

Then I would take the advice above, and instead of taking day trips to the Cotswolds, move your base there for a few days. The Cotswolds is very near to Oxford, so you could easily do a day trip to Oxford from someplace in the Cotswolds. I doubt that you will have time for any punting in Oxford unless you make time for it and skip a lot of the buildings, which would be a shame. Oxford is beautiful, and it will take you a whole day just to see the sites of interest right in the city. And don't miss the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, which is a wonder.

The rest is all doable, although, as acraven asked, it would be helpful to know who all is going on this trip.

It is great you are planning a trip here, and I hope you have a lovely time. I am going to provide some honest feedback in the hope it helps you enjoy the trip more- for me, this itinerary is not very doable, and I say that as someone who personally likes to pack a lot into a short time. I think you will be spending most of your time just getting place to place. Even that first day in London is a lot, in my opinion. With two weeks, I would try to have something like four places you base yourself. So maybe London, Oxford or Cotswolds, Windermere, and Edinburgh, and then you divide your 14 days up from there. I might even consider dropping either Cotswolds or Lake District and just going to one and spending more time there. I would also definitely add more time to London. Maybe think about what interests you the most and go from there. The good news is you have plenty of time to plan and prepare! And you can always come back here and ask more questions. I hope that is helpful!

Thank you everyone for your feedback! I'm going to take this into consideration! I do not know how to reply to people individually, but I thought I should add some details:

Days 1-3 we would be stationed in London (Day trip to Bath)
Day 4 we would be traveling to Moreton-in-March and we would be stationed here for the next few days.
Day 5 we would still be in MiM and I found a day tour where they take you to different villages in the cotswolds.
Day 6 We would take a train from MiM to Oxford
Day 7 - Travel day to Lake District (Windermere)
Day 8 - Exlore Lake Disctict
Day 9 - Travel to Edinburgh (Stationed here)

The trip is for my husband and I (28 Year olds)

I do too think that London is a bit rushed, I think I will add at least a day!

Sabrina, one other thing you might want to think about (I'm assuming you haven't bought your flight tickets yet), is to fly into London but back home from Edinburgh. That way you'll gain some extra time in Edinburgh and you won't have to have the time and expense of traveling back down to London just to catch a flight.

Most multi-city flights aren't that much more expensive, or even as expensive, as round-trip tickets. And as I said above, you won't have the extra expense of traveling back down to London just to fly home. You will also save on the departure taxes, at least I think that's still true. London is fairly expensive to fly out of, and the airlines usually pass that cost on to the consumer.

Another advantage is that the Edinburgh airport is a lot easier to maneuver than Heathrow is. Heathrow can be a nightmare at certain times. Edinburgh airport is much smaller, and a quick train ride from the train station in the city center. It would be such an easy way to get back home.

As you are both aged 28, if you wish to travel before 0930 on a weekday you should each buy a £35 26-30 Railcard to get 1/3 off fares- https://www.26-30railcard.co.uk/
Before 0930 it has a £12 minimum fare
If you will always be travelling after 0930 you should buy one Two Together Railcard for £35-https://www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk/

On a weekday if you leave M-i-M at 0822 you arrive at Windermere at 1258, at 0919 arrive 1354 etc hourly.

For tomorrow, 27 February, I can see Advance (train specific) fares of £52.55, £44.45 and £47.35 with railcard on those 3 trains respectively- without railcard £74.40, £64 and £71.30 so you can see how the 26-30 Railcard can pay for itself if you are early risers wanting to maximise your tourist time at your destination.

On your arrival day in Windermere you can buy a Windermere Plus Bus Ticket with your train ticket for £5.65 each (with railcard) for unlimited buses that day between Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere- https://www.plusbus.info/windermere

Likewise on the Windermere to Edinburgh day buy an Edinburgh Plus Bus with your rail tickets- unlimited buses (not trams) in Edinburgh that day for £3.30 with a railcard- https://www.plusbus.info/edinburgh

If on arrival day in Windermere you also wanted to take a boat trip on Windermere then you would buy tickets from M-i-M to Lancaster, and a Lakes Day Ranger for £20.80 each with railcard- the Lakes Day Ranger covers 1 half lake or island cruise Windermere boat trip + unlimited Lake District Buses for the day band all trains Lancaster to Penrith direct and Lancaster to Workington via the coast. The Lakes Day Ranger can be issued at any ticket office in the country.

St Abbs as a day trip by public transport from Edinburgh is a bit difficult, due to a fairly infrequent bus, but also it is almost the only bus not to start at Berwick upon Tweed railway station- https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/bordersbuses/PERY/235-timetable-20231023-d1b4515a.pdf

North Berwick is really easy- either train or several Lothian buses per hour.

On the day you go to Edinburgh I suggest you take the scenic #508 bus over Kirkstone Pass from Windermere to Penrith Railway Station, then train Penrith to Edinburgh. The bus will cost you £3 each. It is expected to run hourly this year.

On your full day in Windermere the most economical method of travel will be to buy an Off Peak Single Windermere to Staveley for £2.90 with railcard (and not use it) + the £5.65 Windermere Plus Bus (with railcard)= £8.55 each. That compares to the one day bus ticket for £12- albeit that £12 covers all of Cumbria- so on to Keswick as well, as an example.
Or, if you want to take another boat trip, buy the Lakes Day Ranger again instead (it has no time restrictions)

Your first trip---how exciting!
It looks as if you have done a lot of planning already to get a great, detailed sample of highlights in the UK. There is SO much to see and do in the UK. The distances don't seem far compared to the vastness of Canada (Canadian born here:) but maneuvering through train stations, checking in and out of hotels, and unexpected experiences of discovery/interactions (often the most delightful moments of a trip) can create longer transitions than expected.

You've done a good job to include relaxation as an item all along your itinerary. I've often found myself beginning to plan a UK trip like filling my plate for a one trip salad bar----loaded too high (My eyes are sometimes too big for my stomach). When planning, as I read more about each location, I usually discover there are many more things I want to experience before moving on to my next location. As my planning progresses (almost every trip) I've scaled back the number of locations in order to catch my breath and maybe experience the place a little more deeply. So, I agree with the above advice to allow more time for London, and leave the Isle of Skye and Highlands (maybe even Scotland) for another trip.

I agree that walking a lot the arrival day is key to avoiding jetlag (you don't mention how long your flight is or arrival time).

Don't hesitate to return to the forum as you refine your plans. It's so wonderful to get the on the ground recommendations from forum friends in the UK, as well as the experts that have travelled there so often. I appreciate all the help I have received.

I would take a Rabbies day tour from Edinburgh to the HIghlands for easy logistics. Also you should look at London Walks to see if anything interests you. I feel that a visit to the British Museum is mandatory because it is an encyclopedia of civilization, not just in the West.

Day 3 - Day Trip to Bath (Bath tour, prominent buildings, relax in PriorPark).

To me it doesn't make much sense to travel to/from Bath in one day and then backtrack over much of the same distance to reach the Cotwsolds the next day. Oxford is a short commuter train trip from Bath, and then the Cotswolds not much farther from Oxford. I would consider taking a few of your extra days and applying them to this general area. As much as I like Edinburgh, maybe save that for the next trip - you are certainly young enough to return. Spend more time to do the Lake District justice, and maybe work in York if you want another stop before returning to London.

You plan to station in London and do day trips in southwestern England.
I suggest that you station yourself outside of London. London hotel prices are very high.
Oxford may be a good place to stay.

If Oxford is too expensive, consider avoiding downtown London and find lodging in the west end near a train station.

This sounds really too quick. You have to accept you cannot see everything.

Having been to most of these places you should focus on three places and stay 4 days in each place use the other two or three days as "travel" days between the locations: narrow it to just London, the lake district, and Edinburgh. Cut the rest. Fly into London and out of Edinburgh (or the other way around whichever is easier for you). Transport to and from places is also longer than you think, even taking the tube around London. But also taking trains back and forth. While Bath is cute, I'm not entirely sure it's worth it to just do it as a day trip if you like to hike the lake district is way more interesting and better. If there is something you really can't live without then maybe....but I wasn't that impressed by it. I did however go to Oxford twice cause it was more interesting. (Just my two cents)

The current pace you have listed would be absolute torture. Some places you listed take wayyyyy longer than what you put. The victoria and albert museum is massive. I'm a speed museum person and it would take me 2-3 hours to go through just that.

The lake district takes a minimum of three days to see what you listed and really enjoy it. It's also slow travel between the small towns and lakes. Check out Beatrix potters home as well. Really beautiful area that is well preserved.

Edinburgh - I suggest doing a day trip to Falkirk where they have a nice castles etc. Walking down near princess gardens and visiting calton Hill, the royal mile, maybe a short walking tour. That is three days right there.

London - you can only see the highlights in three days - the queens jewels/Tower of London and then maybe the Shard (if you like going up to see tall buildings), London eye, walk through some of the parks, then another day do Hampton court palace and Windsor palace,etc. London is kind of endless. I've been there three times and still haven't seen it all just depends what you fancy.