We have decided to take the mother in law with us abroad as part of a birthday gift. We will be there two weeks, however, she will be with us just for ten days. The "plan" is to fly into London ( cheaper flights ), rent a car, see Stonehenge ( yes we know it is south west of London but we MUST see this ), and take our time driving up to Scotland and fly her out on day 10. From there we plan on exploring more of Scotland. We have traveled extensively through Europe with our children over the past few years and they are pretty well versed. All in all, we like history ( Hadrians Wall sounds amazing ), Castles ( both for the adults and the kids ), and nature. Any and all suggestions would be great. Pray for us as I am not sure there will be enough whisky in Scotland for us during the ten days with the mom in law! Thank you in advance! #NationalLampoonsFamilyVacationGoesToScotland
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
Sorry, but it isn't clear if you are asking for suggestions for the drive up to Scotland or what to do when you are there
The best option would be to cover Stonehenge as a day trip from London. Then take the train to Scotland and rent a car from there. Unless you are going to spend your 10 days meandering north, the drive between London or Stonehenge and Scotland is not one that any of us locals would recommend, as traffic levels these days are hideous and it's not that interesting a drive.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
If you'll be spending much time in London, then a day trip with a tour company to Stonehenge and back would make sense. If your plan is to drive straight to Stonehenge from Heathrow, without going into London, then you might as well get the car when you land.
From Stonehenge to Edinburgh is about 400 miles, much of it on motorways. You say you want to take your time on this drive, which I'd recommend, since it takes you near such worthwhile stops as Gloucester, Liverpool, the Lake District, and the western part of Hadrian's Wall (which is indeed amazing). An alternative route, a little longer, could take you to Oxford, the Peak District, York, Durham, the eastern part of Hadrian's Wall, and Alnwick and Bambergh Castles. This second route would be a more direct one if you're heading north from London. In that case, you might want to take a train to York and rent the car there. Via Michelin can help you plan your drive, and the "England" board on this forum can help you learn more about the potential sights along the way -- which are by no means limited to those I listed.
Whisky is available throughout the UK so you needn't fear a shortage -- after your day's driving is done. ;-)