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Itinerary Feedback Please - Edinburgh, York, Cotswold, London

Posted by (Edmonds) on

Greetings Travelers-

My husband and I are planning our first trip to the UK in early September. We'd love any feedback you have about our current itinerary, especially what to prioritize, de-prioritize and what's missing. Any ideas to coordinate our activities to be the most efficient with time would be welcome. We both like history, art, learning, and some shopping. My husband plays pool, so if I need more time looking at sheep, shops or gardens, then he might visit an extra pub!

Edinburgh (4 nights). - staying at Ard Na-Said B&B

  • Royal Mile - Castle & palace, 1pm Gun and shops.
  • Calton Hill or Arthurs Seat, Village of Dean/Leith, Scottish Dancing/Celtic Music, Largs Viking Festival, National Museum of Scotland.
  • Robbies Small Group Tour of Highlands, Lochs and Castles

AM Train to York (3 nights) - staying at Grays Court Hotel

  • See the White Horse when passing through Thirsk, York walking tour, City Wall Walk, River cruise?, Ramble the Shambles.
  • National Rail Museum, Jorvick Viking Center, Clifords Tower, York Castle Museum, Time Travelers Museum?, York Explore Library & Archive, Art Gallery.
  • Possibly rent a car for a day to Harrogate, Ripon and Menwith Hill. My Dad spent many working years based in Menwith Hill and staying in Harrogate so it has a different interest for me than perhaps others.
  • Betty's Tea Shop, Ripley Village (Norman French), and Harlow Carr Gardens.

AM Train to Cheltonham to pick up a car (4 nights) - staying at the Kings Arms, Stow.

  • It will be Saturday, so swing by the Stroud Saturday Market, explore town & eat lunch. Cotswold Farm Park?, Dinner reservations at The Porch in Stow.
  • Blenheim Palace, Hidcote Gardens, Giffords Circus in Stratton Meadows in Cirencester
  • Slaughters, Bourton-on-the-Water, Snowshill, Stanway, Stanton
  • Berkeley Castle, Batsford Arboretum, Cotswold Falconry Center

Bath (2 nights) - staying at the Brooks Guesthouse. [Should we keep the car while in Bath or until we get to Bath?]

  • Roman Baths, Abbey, theatre/comedy, Horse Races, Glastonbury.
  • Jane Austen Festival Starts!

We are heading to London next so I plan to ask for input separately once we have a stronger list. Thanks for all sharing your ideas and experience with us!
Cheers, Gretchen

Posted by
247 posts

I think this is a very good list. Just a few thoughts:
-if you climb Arthur's Seat, I recommend visiting Sheep Heid Inn afterwards in Duddingston Village
-in York you should definitely add a tour of York Minster
-if you have time, outside of York you could also visit Castle Howard, one of the UK's most famous stately homes (either driving or bus)
-if you feel your schedule can allow it, I would consider adding Oxford (very close to Blenheim Palace)
-you don't need a car in Bath- I would drop it off before then- then take the train to London

Good luck with the rest of your planning (but sounds like you've done quite a lot already)!

Posted by
8824 posts

Hi, Gretchen! I agree with Cat—it's a nice and well--thought-out itinerary. I also agree about ditching the car in Bath and taking the train back to London. And I concur that Oxford is well worth a visit. So if you can spare some time to get there, I would highly recommend it. The Ashmolean Museum there is a wonder, but just walking through the streets and seeing the colleges, old pubs where Tolkien and CS Lewis used to hang out, and the incredible architecture is worth it.

I do hope you can make it to Ripon, especially to see Fountains Abbey. It is wonderful and beautiful and has so much history. I would choose that above everything else in the area. But that's me, of course. I love history. :-)

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