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UK itinerary this April..need help asap.....too long? Thanks in advance!!

Posted by on

Hi, we are leaving soon for the U.K. this April and are concerned we have planned too much. Some places we are only staying one night and concerned this will feel like "U.K. Sweepstakes":) we also are wondering if we should shorten the Edinburgh stay from 4 to 3 nights but not sure where to add a night? Love your help! Thanks in advance.

Itinerary: United Kingdom -England and Scotland, 20 days

Day One: Arrive Heathrow, go to London for five nights.

Day 6: Rent car and drive to Avebury Stone Circle; through Pewsey; to Stonehenge; possibly to Salisbury?? (the cathedral); to Glastonbury; to Wells; into Bath for 2 nights.

Day 7: Tour Bath - the Roman Baths, Pulteney Bridge, the Abbey, the Royal Crescent
Sleep 4/7 & 4/8: Bath (Wessex)

Day 8 and 9, sleep in the Cottswolds: drive to Oxford; take a walking tour of Oxford city and university; continue by car to Chipping Campden through the towns of Woodstock, Chipping Norton, and Morton on Marsh(?)
Day 9: tour the Cotswolds

Day 10: drive north to Keswick via Kenilworth ruins (?) sleep one night in Keswick (Lake District)

Day 11: drive northwest to Crianlarich via Luss and Tarbet on Loch Lomond
Sleep in Crainlarich one night (Loch Lomond)

Day 12 and 13: sleep in Portree: drive to Glencoe,to Glenfinnan, via Mallaig (pick up ferry to Ardvasar), to Portree
-Tour Isle of Skye

Day 15: drive to Nairn via Kyle of Lochalsh bridge, Drumnadrochit (Urquhart Castle) on Loch Ness, Inverness/Culloden and possibly Cawdor Castle
Sleep In Nairn?

Day 16: drive from Nairn to Perth
Scenario #1: via Findhorn, to Glenlivet, Ballater, Braemar, to Perth
Scenario # 2: to Pitlochry (Blair Castle), to Dunkeld (Killiecrankie?), to Perth (Scone Palace)
Scenario #3: if it snows, head east to the coast ?
Sleep in Perth?

Day 17: drive to Edinburgh via
Scenario # 1: East to St. Andrews and then on to some fishing villages on the Firth of Forth
Scenario #2: West to Culross, Bannockburn, Stirling (castle), possibly Linlithgow Palace
Scenario #3: South to Dunfermline (?)
Sleep 4 nights in Edinburgh...too long in Edinburgh?

Total trip is 20 days. Love your feedback! Thanks again!

Posted by
2805 posts

I completely agree with Emma, way too much planned for day 6, really need to cut some of it out. You will be doing a lot of driving and not a lot of time in each place. Also, the drive from the Cotswolds to Keswick will be at least 4 hours, it could be more depending on what part of the Cotswolds you leave from. IMO, your vacation is going to be rushing around and not giving yourself time to enjoy what you are seeing. Some castles could take up to two or more hours to see, if you really want to see it all. For example on day 15 you have at least 5-6 hours of driving planned, and it could be more depending on traffic.

Posted by
4183 posts

As I seem to be recommending a lot recently, use Rome2rio to check your various drives for how long it will take. It's not perfect, but it will give you an idea.

I totally agree that you are not allowing yourself time to actually see much of anything that you list. I won't even mention potty stops or food.

You also need to check the number of daylight hours for the days you will be there. Having ridden in the front seat of cars in England and Scotland last May, I would not want to be driving or riding many roads after dark.

Posted by
3898 posts

I agree with everyone posting the above comments. You are really rushing things and trying to cram too much in.

Day 6: You said rent car and drive to Avebury Stone Circle. Rent car from where?
If you leave London and take the tube to Heathrow to pick up a car, that will take time before you actually get on the road.
You need to factor in every little detail, because those details take time, and you want to be accurate in how much you can do in one day.
On Day 6, after picking up the car, you are wanting to drive to/see:
Avebury Stone Circle
Go through Pewsey
See Stonehenge
Go to Salisbury and see the cathedral
Go to Glastonbury--What will you see?
Go to Wells--What will you see?
Drive to Bath; check into hotel

This is enough for two jam-packed days. Seriously doubt you can do it in one.
I would break this at Salisbury, spend the night in Salisbury.
Then continue your schedule on Day 7, finishing up at Bath for the night.
I would move "Tour Bath" from Day 7 to Day 8.
I would cut something elsewhere (one day) in the journey (maybe in Edinburgh) to allow this.

You could also choose between Avebury Stone Circle and Stonehenge.
If you just see one, it would save you some time on your journey.

I agree with what Robin Z said, "IMO, your vacation is going to be rushing around and not giving yourself time to enjoy what you are seeing."

I totally understand having a lot of places on your wish list for your trip.
I run into the same problem when I go to England.
Slow down just a little bit, and enjoy each place more instead of making it a mad road race where
you zoom through in a car, then on to the next place in a hurry.
It seems to me you will be spending a lot of time in the car driving, and not much enjoying the town you are seeing.

Posted by
1 posts

I reside in the UK and I am lucky enough to have its beauty all within a few train rides. However, I would not attempt doing quite as much as you have planned just because of tiredness. I am only 18, but I feel I would still struggle with day 6 as it is very long-winded and there is a lot of travelling required. Where/if possible, try splitting this up so that you can truly appreciate what you are experiencing and beholding; because we all know when we are tired, we are not immersing ourselves in our activities quite as much as we should be.

This does truly sound like an amazing journey of the UK, though, and I anticipate you will have an incredible and fulfilling time. I hope to hear about this in your blog or YouTube channel. Also, as a side note, I would probably spend a lot more time in the Lakes (but that's just personal preference!). Keswick is astounding in its beauty. Have fun!

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