Trip revamp--- how feasible is this? on to the south..!

"they like high tea, although we are both foodies."

I think you mean afternoon tea, not "high" tea:

http://britishfood.about.com/od/faq/f/highteavafttea.htm

"ok afternoon" ... but I'm more interested if that is feasible ^

Hi Jaeson,

I haven't done some of these things but I have 2 comments about places I have been. I do not think you want a car in Edinburgh, unless you are happy with staying outside of the city so that the place you stay has parking. Also, Edinburgh isn't enormous and I would bet it is easier to get around on foot/on the bus than by car.

We spent a week in September just outside Oxford (in Witney) with a car. Oxford is a great place but there are lots and lots of disruption by road works which most people expect to be in place until September 2016...and parking in Oxford, my research suggested, is a bear. So perhaps lodge yourself just outside Oxford, take the bus into Oxford on the day you want to visit (I think it took about 20 minutes and ran with shocking frequency) and drive both into the Cotswolds from that location and, perhaps, also to Bath. Although I am having a tiny bit of trouble over why you would drive to and from Bath...70 miles each way....so you could the next morning take the train from Oxford to London. Why wouldn't you ditch the car in Bath and the next morning take the train to London. a 90 minute trip, about $40 pp one way.

Your proposed itinerary sounds very rushed. I think the one who wanted breakneck speed won. In the effort to see everything, you have to cover a lot of distance and you will miss many gems. For example, Day 4, to get from Alnwick to Carlisle, you will drive right by Hadrian's Wall, which needs at least one day (we spent 2 full day and part of a 3rd). Northumberland has so much more to see -- some great castles (loads of them !), Holy Island, great walking along the coast or in the mountains. And the Scottish Borders have so much to see as well.

I think it is slightly crazy to go to the Lake District and only spend one night and it is very ambitious to do Bath and Stonehenge in one day as a day trip from Oxford.

Try cutting back on your destinations. I think it will be a much more satisfying trip.

do Snowdonia or the Lakes not much point in both

why Kendal? it's not in the Lakes
one night in Carlisle seems a bit pointless as well

Far too rushed an itinerary and doesn't allow for UK traffic delays, which are common. As it stands, you will be spending more time in the car than out of it. Apart from your time in rural Scotland and the Lakes, you will not go too far without coming across a petrol station.

You need more than half a day in Edinburgh.

Day 3 - you will have to drive through Stirling again to get to the Trossachs, which is covered day 2. Personally, I think Loch Lomond is very tacky and not worth a visit. The places you are suggesting visiting are countryside which isn't closed Bank Holidays. Stuff in tourist areas will probably be open, although some independent places may choose to close.

Day 4 - Edinburgh - Alnwick - Carlisle - far too much for one day and you are driving past some of the best coastline in the UK - Northumberland. Pointless staying Carlisle for only one night. I would extend this and look at Hadrians Wall and visit Holy Island. Possibly also Durham.

You should then do EITHER the Lakes OR Snowdon. Snowdon is more out of the way. You need at least 2 full days in either place as a bare minimum. You will be lucky if you can drive either of these to Oxford in less than 5 hours. So, you only have time to cover Oxford/Cotswolds OR Bath, but the transfer day will be pretty boring motorway driving. A car in Oxford is not recommended, so stay out of town and somewhere with parking.

Day 10 - this will mean at least 5 hours in a car plus the nightmare of parking in Bath. You don't have enough time to cover Bath and Stonehenge.

Personally, after Northumberland, I would move onto York/Whitby/North York Moors for a few days then down to Oxford. Scrap the Lakes, Snowdonia and Bath as this is too much ground to cover.

Taking a brisk pace, I would not attempt your itinerary in less than 23 days if you want to get out of your car. Ideally it needs 28 days. Bath can be covered from London by train in a day. Conclusion - reduce your amount of travelling.

Far too rushed an itinerary and doesn't allow for UK traffic delays, which are common. As it stands, you will be spending more time in the car than out of it. Apart from your time in rural Scotland and the Lakes, you will not go too far without coming across a petrol station.

You need more than half a day in Edinburgh.

Day 3 - you will have to drive through Stirling again to get to the Trossachs, which is covered day 2. Personally, I think Loch Lomond is very tacky and not worth a visit. The places you are suggesting visiting are countryside which isn't closed Bank Holidays. Stuff in tourist areas will probably be open, although some independent places may choose to close.

Day 4 - Edinburgh - Alnwick - Carlisle - far too much for one day and you are driving past some of the best coastline in the UK - Northumberland. Pointless staying Carlisle for only one night. I would extend this and look at Hadrians Wall and visit Holy Island. Possibly also Durham.

You should then do EITHER the Lakes OR Snowdon. Snowdon is more out of the way. You need at least 2 full days in either place as a bare minimum. You will be lucky if you can drive either of these to Oxford in less than 5 hours. So, you only have time to cover Oxford/Cotswolds OR Bath, but the transfer day will be pretty boring motorway driving. A car in Oxford is not recommended, so stay out of town and somewhere with parking.

Day 10 - this will mean at least 5 hours in a car plus the nightmare of parking in Bath. You don't have enough time to cover Bath and Stonehenge.

Personally, after Northumberland, I would move onto York/Whitby/North York Moors for a few days then down to Oxford. Scrap the Lakes, Snowdonia and Bath as this is too much ground to cover.

Taking a brisk pace, I would not attempt your itinerary in less than 23 days if you want to get out of your car. Ideally it needs 28 days. Bath can be covered from London by train in a day. Conclusion - reduce your amount of travelling.

You could do most of this, but the pace would be suited to your freiend's style rather than yours. Either way, I agree the Edinburgh-Alnwick-Carlisle day is too much. Although they're not that far apart on the map, the east-west route in particular is not that fast, though the bit south from Edinburgh would be on the A1. May Bank Holiday will be on the Monday, not Sunday, but most things will be open (apart from banks).
There might well be a site with petrol stations marked, though I've not heard of one, but you don't really need it. Apart from in the Highlands, you're never too far from one. On motorways, you can get fuel at all the service areas, which are marked on road maps.

I agree too much in too little time. You have a very generous budget. Use it and stay in top class B & B's in the beautiful UK countryside. Spend a minimum of 2 nights in each place. We drove from Aberystwyth in Wales to Boscastle in Cornwall in a day. It was our longest leg and it was simply horrendous. It was early May this year and we drove in torrential rain for the majority of the journey. If I could have struck a medal for my daughter for her driving effort, I would have. As Aussies, we are used to clocking up long distances, but driving in the UK is a totally different ballgame. The motorways in pouring rain are not for the faint hearted.

I hardly think you really need a map of petrol stations. They are plentiful and well-signed.
Loch Lomond is beautiful, but it is near Glasgow, not Edinburgh. There is a tour boat that takes one- or two-hour tours out onto the lake, which was really nice.

Some days are way too ambitious, perhaps nearing impossible.
Drop the Snowdonia section to free up the journey.

Day 1 Friday- Arrive in Edinburgh in the morning, afternoon on the Royal Mile. (Stay in Edinburgh)
Day 2 Saturday- Visit Edinburgh Castle, pick up car, afternoon drive to Loch Lohmond (Stay in Edinburgh)
Day 3 Sunday- Drive to Stirling- visit sites, meander back through Falkirk (Stay in Edinburgh)
Day 4 Monday- Drive south from Edinburgh, visit Alnwick Castle. (Stay in Durham)
Day 5 Tuesday-Visit Durham Cathedral, drive over the Pennines to the Lake District.
(Stay in Windermere or Ambleside)
Day 6 Wednesday- Exploring the Lake District. (Stay in Windermere or Ambleside)
Day 7 Thursday Drive to Peak District, visit Chatsworth House. (Stay in Bakewell)
Day 8 Friday- Drive south to Oxford, visit Oxford city (colleges etc). (Stay in Oxford)
Day 9 Saturday- Exploring the Cotswolds. (Stay in Oxford)
Day 10 Sunday- Drive to Stonehenge, visit Salisbury Cathedral. (Stay in Bath)
Day 11 Monday- Ditch car in Bath, visit Roman Baths & Royal Crescent, head to London by train early evening.
Day 12 Tuesday-London
Day 13 Wednesday-London (possible day trip outside of city via tour or train)
Day 14 Thursday-London
Day 15 Friday-London
Day 16 Saturday-London - Fly home

Our GPS shows petrol stations.