First let me thank in advance all who respond and assist in my planning. I am a first timer to Europe as an adult(lived in Germany as an Air Force brat). I am a golf instructor so an planning on a few rounds in the early part of my trip: Oct 4 Arrive EDI - Drive to Inverness Oct 5 Castle STuart Golf, Culloden, Cawdor Castle drive to Brora Oct 6 Drive up to Land's End/John O'Groats, Golf in Brora Oct 7 Play Royal Dornoch early/ Drive to Loch Ness Oct 8 Drive Isle of Skye/ Ferry to Mallaig/ Fort William Oct 9 Stirling/ Drive to ST ANdrews Oct 10-12 Golf and Sightsee ST ANdrews/ Drop car at EDI Oct 13-15 Edinburgh Oct 16 Train to London via Liverpool for day of Beatles stuff Oct 17 - 24 Enjoy London/ Day trip to Bath/ Stonehenge Oct 25 Eurostar to Paris early Oct 26 - 30 Immerse myself in paris Oct 31 - Nov 2 Train to AMsterdam and Experience AMsterdam
Nov 3 Fly home from Schipol I will be traveling alone and am 43 years old. Man I can't wait!!! Thanks again for the input! John
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9369 posts
What is your question?
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33452 posts
In the absence of any particular question I will just volunteer that MUST arrive at Eurostar in plenty of time. You give no hint as to when you are attempting this adventure so I can't give seasonal advice. If you are not checked in - not waiting in a queue - 30 minutes or more prior to departure time you will not be going on that Eurostar train. Very strictly enforced.
Posted by
Reston, Virginia
403 posts
You can do a lot of Beatles Stuffsuch as the bus tours and the Beatles Storywithout any advance reservations or planning, just show up. However, if you want to do the National Trust tour of the inside of the Lennon and McCartney homes, which I totally recommendyou need to make a reservation online in advance. If you leave by a very early train, like the 7:07 am from Euston in London, you can just make it to Liverpool in time for the 10 am tour (there are only 2 per day). Alternatively, you can spend the night in Liverpool, which is a surprisingly pleasant city, and then do the A.M. National Trust tour before returning to London. Enjoy!
Posted by
Washington, DC, USA
571 posts
I've never ventured further north than Edinburgh so I am limited in how I can respond there, but your pace seems leisurely and enjoyable from there on. One thought that came to mind was that you are arriving from an international flight (from AZ?), landing in Edinburgh (at what time?), and then want to pick up a car and drive on the left side of the road (for the first time?), fatigued, 3-4 hours (or more?) to Inverness. Others who have done this may give better advice, but I wonder whether you want to get to Inverness via train in order to relax a few hours and pick up a car there instead for your golf tour?