Scotland & England in 10 Days! Part 2

Posted by Susan (Chicago, Il, usa) on 05/05/17 01:07 PM

Thanks to all of the great help I've had, I've been able to structure what I believe is a doable trip.

We will arrive in Edinburgh at 7 am on the first day and spend the night in Sterling. We will spend 2 days at Stirling before going to St Andrews to meet our granddaughter. After St Andrews we will spend our last two nights in Edinburgh.

Instead of flying to London, we will drive south, spend the night somewhere around 4 hours, then head to the Bath / Stonehenge area for 2 days before driving to London and leaving our car.

Now that I have our route and schedule lined up, are there historical places or Natural places on our drive that "shouldn't be missed." although I'm a beatles fan, I have little interest in anything beatles. What I do love is castles, history and beautiful landscapes!

Also, is there a route south from Edinburgh you would recommend over other routes?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Susan

Posted by Eef

05/05/17 03:50 PM

855 posts

Susan, I think you ought to reconsider driving to Bath. On such a short trip, you'll want to make the most of each day. Look into flying from Edinburgh to Bristol. There are many flights to choose from. You don't need a rental car in Bath. You don't need one in Edinburgh either.

If your heart is not set on Bath, you could take the train from Edinburgh to York (and maybe stop in Durham, one of my favorites!) on your way to London.

Posted by Susan OP

Chicago, Il, usa

05/05/17 07:17 PM

23 posts

Thanks Eef.

I was told that the coastal drive south of Edinburgh was wonderful which is why I thought it would be good to drive.

Maybe I can get my husband to stay longer and we can do a week in Scotland and a week in England.

Susan

Posted by Eef

05/05/17 08:33 PM

855 posts

I have not been to Edinburgh in many years and have not driven along the coast. We were in the Scottish Borders and Northumberland 2 years ago and enjoyed it very much. It's pretty, not a lot of tourists. Very relaxing. You could drive south, see some castles and other sites, drop car off in Durham or York. Then take the train. I personally wouldn't drive all the way to Bath. We did drive York-London and it was a slog. Next time we'll drop take the train.

Posted by Dick

Olympia, WA, USA

05/06/17 04:07 AM

6662 posts

Use Via Michelin to help you plan your driving route. It will give you some choices, and you can get more by inserting intermediate destinations, like York or Durham, if you want. It will probably underestimate the actual driving time, and of course it won't account for pit and other stops along the way, so assume that it will take longer. It shows about 8 hours from Edinburgh to Bath via the east coast, passing close to Durham and York. I would give that journey at least two full days, three or four would be better if you have the time.

I've driven from York to Durham to Edinburgh and indeed the northern part is very scenic and the cities of York and Durham well worth visits. Any route you take will put you close to wonderful landscapes, especially in the north, and interesting sights.

But as the other posts appear to suggest, you might have to choose between Bath and this north-south drive, depending on your total time. The fastest way to Bath would be a flight to Bristol, then a train or bus to Bath. You could take a van tour to Stonehenge from Bath (Mad Max is supposed to be very good but I haven't done this.) Then a train to London for your last days. If you can skip Bath and Stonehenge this time, you could drive to York and then get a fast train for more time in London. Your time, your trip, your call.