My husband, myself and our four year old son will be traveling to the UK in August 2018. We'll fly into London and fly home from Edinbaugh. I have never been to London before, but we aren't big city people. We mainly visit big cities for a quick dose of energy and history before we skate out to smaller towns/villages again.
While in London, I'd love to see the changing of the guard, visit Dowton Abbey and have high tea at Claridges Hotel (open to other suggestions near Downton Abbey or Kensington Palace). My concern with includeing Wales in our itinerary is that we'll be spending so much time in the car. However, on past trips, we've discovered many great small towns while driving from one place to the next. So, here is the latest itinerary:
London- 2 nights
Beth's-y-coed or Beddgelert (Wales)- 3 nights
Lake District on our way to Glasgow - 1 night
Glasgow (Scotland) - 2 nights
Lawer's (Scotland)- 5 nights
Edinbaugh- 2 nights
Thoughts? Are we cutting the Lake District too short but just stopping for a night? We've watched several of Rick's videos on YouTube and the Lake District looked great. This is why we're having a hard time deciding if we'd be better off cutting Wales to send more time there.
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
It seems from your post that you are under the impression Downton Abbey is in London. Am I wrong in this assumption.? Because it is not.
Posted by
UK
1015 posts
“Downton Abbey” is actually a house called Highclere Castle. It is not in London but some distance from it. To get there you would need to travel by train to a town called Newbury, then take a taxi - or take a guided tour. It’s AT LEAST a half-day trip from London, if not longer to see it properly. Added to which, Highclere Castle is a private house with extremely limited opening hours, which gets sold out very quickly. Here’s the website:
https://www.highclerecastle.co.uk
What you can’t do is just turn up in London and expect to see it while there without planning...
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
Now I am embarrassed! Highclere Castle is real, Downton Abbey is not, of course. At any rate, under either name it is not in London. Since your trip is not until August of next year, you do have time to book a tour or find another way to visit it. But ..... you have only 2 nights in London, going to Highclere will eat up a lot of your time, most of a day actually, leaving you with very little time in London .... but maybe that's OK with you. Tea at Claridges sounds great. I watched a TV documentary about the hotel last year and if I were super rich, that is where I would stay forever.
Posted by
OP
62 posts
My apologies. I meant to say, While in England, I'd like to see Downton Abbey. I don't want to have to spend a half day to get there from London though.
Posted by
Nashville, TN, USA
3813 posts
"and have high tea at Claridges Hotel"
You may change your mind when you see the eye-watering prices per person for this.
"Festive Afternoon Tea":
£85 per person - Monday to Friday
£90 per person - Saturday and Sunday
£30 per person--Children age 5 to 10.
A 12.5% discretionary service charge will be added to your bill.
With discretionary charge, about 236 pounds, or $350. dollars U.S.
Rather expensive tea, cakes and sandwiches.
However, if you are looking for an upscale experience, this is it, though.
If you wish to spend less money, there are other great places to have tea in London.
We can suggest other places, if you'd like.
Kensington Palace serves a good afternoon tea.
The British Museum serves a good tea.
The V&A serves a good tea.
Posted by
Nashville, TN, USA
3813 posts
You need the Rick Steves Great Britain guidebook. Covers what's in London (and what is outside of London, side trips) plus the Lake District, Wales & Scotland. It will help you plan your trip. You can order it from this website.
https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/britain-guidebook
You may also find this book useful, Rick's Pocket Guide to London:
https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/pocket-london
Great information, with map, for $13.99.
Posted by
Yorkshire
1309 posts
I do not think you can do justice to the Lake District in a one night stop over. Personally, I could easily do a week in the Lakes in one small area and not feel I've done it justice. That said, I'd be going to hike and that might not be your particular cup of tea. I only live 60 miles approximately from the Lake District, but my advice if you were going to 'do' the Lakes in a couple of days, I'd start in the southern Lakes, say in Coniston stopping a night there or in environs (Elterwater or Grasmere are good alternatives) and continue via the Langdales (and out and back drive largely, but stunning in good weather) and then drive via Thirlmere to Keswick before heading out to Penrith and up the Motorway to Scotland. You'd go through/past Gretna on that route but in my opinion it is only worth a half hour leg stretch to gawp at the jaw dropping tackiness of the place before bolting for the Highlands!
Hope you have a great trip, whatever you decide to do. We have a saying about foreign travel - 'you can't do it all, save some for next time', so maybe a short tour of the Lake District will give you a taste for more!
Ian
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11455 posts
Others have given you great insight. I would reinforce that two nights in London equal very little quality time, especially with a small child and jetlagged. Do you have a particular reason for going to Glasgow? I think perhaps you could drop that stop and add a night each to London and the Lake District but maybe skip Wales as well.
London - 4 nights
Lake District - 3-4 nights (truly lovely, charming villages, good walking)
Lawers - 5 nights (assuming you have scoped out that 5 nights here are well spent as we've never been)
Edinburgh - 2-3 nights
That is your 15 nights
I think it is a better pace. You'll need time for playing in parks, naps, and so on, to keep the young one happy. While I am not fond of two-night stops, I do think you can get a taste of Edinburgh. It will be VERY busy in August as I understand it.
Posted by
MA
136 posts
3 days in London, lots for children as well as adults. I do want to put in a vote for North Wales. There are lots of castles and beaches, which young children love running around in. Betws-y-coed is lovely. Another thing your 4 year old (and you) might enjoy is the Snowdon Mountain Railway, which takes you up to the top of the highest mountain in Wales (only Ben Nevis is higher in Great Britain), The views are beautiful and the train ride is fun, especially for kids. And if you do go to north Wales, be sure to stop by the Chester Zoo, another favorite of our kids. It is a very progressive zoo, with a lot of great educational exhibits. The Lake District is beautiful, and adults could spend several days there, but if your 4 year old is not into walking/hiking, then it is just a car ride. Personally I would skip Glasgow and add it to Edinburgh, which is a fantastic place with lots of things to do. Kids always like the double-decker sightseeing bus in Edinburgh, as well as the castle. Never been to Lawer's so don't know if it's worth 5 days. Wherever you go in the countryside, you should always walk the common paths because there are always animals (just beware of bulls). The kids will love them. One of the fondest memories our kids have (and we used to spend part of every summer in the UK) is the time that they were chased by cows in a field and cornered, only to have one cow come up and lick their faces.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3392 posts
One night in the Lake District as a stopover is hardly worth it. Either alter your itinerary or save a visit to that area for another trip. There is quite a lot to see there and two days is really a minimum amount. I'm a bit biased as I've been going there for extended periods of time for more than 20 years but, truly, you are missing so much. It's one of the loveliest places on earth. I think that Wales is very out of the way for the rest of your itinerary. If it were me I'd cut it out and give more time to the Lake District.