Hello,
I have 3 days to travel from Manchester England to Dumfries Scotland. We will be driving.
I'm thinking my choices are to head to either Glasgow or Edinburgh and make a choice between those two cities or spend time in the country between Manchester and Dumfries. Scenery is always nice.
so, I am ready for suggestions. This will be our first trip to Scotland. We've been to Manchester and have done Liverpool and Chester and York.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Bill
If you like scenery and hiking you might consider spending the time in the English Lake District, which would be on your route north. Alternatively you could explore Hadrian's wall, which has a couple of interesting Roman forts Housesteads and Vindolanda to discover.
If you chose Glasgow or Edinburgh you'd be going north of Dumfries to then come south again.
My personal choice would be the Lake District.
Best wishes
Jacqui (Skyegirl)
There are so many different options available to you. Skyegirl has already mentioned the Lake District.
There is also the North Pennines (Weardale and Teesdale) and Hadrian's Wall. This is all about scenery and there is good walking and some lovely small towns to base yourself in. This could also include time in Durham with its Norman cathedral and castle as well as Northumberland with the Farne Islands and Holy Island. (BUT you need to link this to safe crossing times as the island is reached by tiday causeway and the tide does come in very quickly.
Another alternative is Dumfries and Galloway. This is off the usual tourist beat but has some lovely scenery. Glen Trool is worthy of any of the Highland Lochs. there is coast line, some good beaches and really remote areas like the Mull of Galloway
The third alternative would be Lothian and the Borders. This could tie in nicely bwith Northumberland.
Yorkshire Dales and then the very ,thankfully, unvisted north Pennines which is a noticably different landscape.
Gordale Scar
Upper Whafedale
Hardraw Force
Cold Stones Cut
Buttertubs Pass
Tan Hill
Small museumn and cafe at Ribblehead station
Middleham Castle.
Black Sheep Brewery tour
Killhope Wheel
Cauldren Snout.
View from the summit of Hartside Cross,likely the widest ranging I e in England ,such a shame the cafe has gone it was a walkers institution.
Long Meg and Her Sisters
Hi Bill -
As it’s on your line of travel and while it’s not highly original, I’m also going to say The Lake District. You can fill several days there easily and from there it’s a comparatively short drive up to Dumfries.
You might want to also check out the Kent estuary, the area round Arnside and Silverdale, just south of the Lakes but just don’t tell everybody as it’s just our little secret (taps side of nose)! Otherwise in the Lakes by all means visit Bowness/Windermere, Ambleside, Grasmere, but be advised these are the real ‘honeypots’ of the area. Perhaps look to stay in some of the quieter areas - Coniston, Great Langdale, maybe even the remote Wasdale. Alternatively, Keswick in the northern Lakes, while also busy, is a good place - it’s not on Rick’s itineraries for nothing - and not far from the M6 and the continuing journey into Scotland.
Ian
If you are travelling at the weekend the Morecambe Bay walk with the guide would be possible
