Advice for a quick trip through United Kingdom.

Where does your boat trip end? One could assume Cambridge, but, if you are looking for
advice on the time after your boat trip, and you need to end up in Edinburgh, this information
would be helpful.

I suspect it's the better part of a day just getting from Cambridge to Edinburgh, so, if that is
part of the equation, I'd just opt for a day + in Edinburgh, despite your stated aversion to bigger
cities. Edinburgh isn't that big, but I suspect in July it will be crowded.

Without more info to better understand the amount of time you will actually have, what usually
ends up happening is that you have less time than you think, or hope, and it's more pragmatic
to try and do one thing rather than squeeze in 2 or 3.

The first thing you need to do is to buy a Family and Friends Railcard- https://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/

Secondly what time is your flight from Edinburgh on 14 July and what time does your cruise end on 11 July?

The instinct is to get a train from Cambridge to Peterborough (hourly- 45 minute journey) connecting into a train for York (1 hour), Berwick on Tweed for Northumberland (3 hours) or Skipton for the Yorkshire Dales (2 1/2 hours) but it depends on what time you need to be in Edinburgh.
I know York is a city but it has easy access to much good countryside.

I'd spend more time in London as there is so much to do there, but it sounds like you're locked in to the boat trip in Cambridge? I'd defer to our UK forum participants to advise on what to do between there and Edinburgh, but just know you'll lose a good chunk of time just getting to places on the train.

Assuming you're American, don't forget you'll need an ETA for each of your family members to enter the UK. Use the official website/app. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta

Thanks to all for the advice. We are indeed from the U.S. and this would be our first time visiting. I suspect we would be off the boat back in Cambridge on the 11th at roughly 2pm. Our flight out on the 14th from Edinburgh would be at 9am so we would need to spend the evening of the 13th there.

I hadn't considered the friends and family UK card as I was looking into getting the (5 or 7 day) Eurail Global pass. We will be taking a couple of trips in France via train as well as the Chunnel one day and I think once we factor in taking the train to Cambridge and also to Edinburgh it will likely make financial sense. (or at least be close).

My initial thought was to take a train the afternoon of the 11th and head to York. Then perhaps a day trip out to the Yorkshire Dales before Edinburgh. If we just went straight to Edinburgh on the 11th and did the 12th in the city. Would there be a good day trip to the Scottish highlands? Lake district too far?

Again, thanks for your assistance.

A few thoughts.

You can’t see it all. Not in the short amount of time you will be there.

Been going to England especially London for over 50 years.

Train travel is fine. Distances can be long. Research travel times and decide if worth the effort.

It’s Summer. Prime vacation travel time. Crowds will be the norm.

Sit down with the family and make a list of “ must see and experience, vs would like to go but not high on our list.”

Review descriptions of the various London neighborhoods, the parks, the Thames River Path, the Regent Canal path.

Over the years I’ve done day trips from London to Stonehenge, Winchester, Oxford, Cambridge and Eastbourne.

Suggestions based on your desire for beautiful scenery are;

Tube to Richmond and wander about. Turn left when you exit the station. Grab coffee at Costa and continue to the Thames River Tow Path.

Richmond is Very popular now due to its being featured in Ted Lasso TV series. So expect crowds. However once you get on the tow path should be a nice stroll.

I’ve always found good pub grub at the White Cross.

Another option is Kew Gardens. Can tube there as well. Kew is massive. The Tap on the Line is close for pub grub.

Or tube Highgate and walk to the Queens Woods Cafe. .

Or tube to Finsbury Park, exit and meander to The Blue Owl cafe for a fab Breakfast Then take the Parkland Walk trail.

Or tube to Putney Bridge Station and stroll across the road to the venerable River Cafe.

Then head towards the Thames and follow the river path towards the Hammersmith bridge. You see numerous rowers on the river. Delightful to watch.

Lunch at The Dove pub.

Eurail is fine then. The Lake District is definitely too far - you wouldn't get here until gone ten at night. If you still wanted to do that my advice is to go to Carlisle via Leeds, arriving at 9pm. Stay at the Station Hotel then direct bus to Keswick next morning and Sunday morning.
The but- Botchergate (the street outside the hotel) is party central on a Friday and Saturday night, it gets very lively with a lot of police action and the street is closed off for public safety. I'm not sure it's suitable for the children. At least I'm candid and honest.

With all the roadworks in Carlisle currently the only suitable hotels are the Station, the County and the Ibis- all on Botchergate.

York would be brilliant - North York Moors on the Saturday and Dalesbus straight to the Dales on Sunday, early evening train to Edinburgh.

I'm confused about the narrowboat trip.

I live near Cambridge and have never heard of narrowboat trips on the Cam. Punts yes, narrowboats no. But it appears I am wrong even though many of the boats are actually hired on the Ouse in Ely.

What really confuses me is the short length of the boat hire. Two nights by my maths which is, in my experience, very short. Most companies do 7, and sometimes break that into 3 and 4.

Curiosity of course killed the cat (yukk) and I wonder who is doing two night out and backs....

Or are you joining a hotel boat or friends?

Good exercise for the young'uns to walk alongside on the tow paths....

Can't go wrong with a spell of messing about on boats.... to quote a Ratty friend of mine, "there is nothing–absolutely nothing–half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats"

As a narrowboat owner I was also confused by the idea of narrowboat hire in Cambridge. But, as you say, it can be done with two boats available for hire in Cambridge itself as well as boats from Ely. Whilst normally boats are hired out by the week or 3/4 nights you can get them for all sorts of odd periods - usually when a boat has been hired for say 5 or 12 nights before or after.

Of course hiring from Cambridge means you won’t be on a canal at all - only rivers.

Spend the night of the 11th July after the narrowboat trip in Cambridge. Next morning catch a train to Durham and spend the night there. This is a 'small city' and everywhere is easily walkable. It has a splendid Norman Cathedral and also a castle. This is part of the University so you will need to check if this is open for tours when you are there. Crook Hall Gardens are also worth visiting.

On the 13th, catch a train to Edinburgh.

From Cambridge, York is a good choice. There is lots to see to fill your short time.

Aim to stay at the Edinburgh airport for your last night to make it easy to get to the airport terminal by 6:30/7am at the latest for a 9am flight.

Given the limited amount of time after Cambridge, and the fact that you're wrangling three kids, my inclination would to head directly to Edinburgh. More efficient use of travel time and less unpacking/packing.