Scotland and elsewhere? in May 2024

Where does the 12 day tour of England and Scotland take you? That would help suggest possible places that you may have missed.

I personally wouldn't try adding the Loire Valley to this trip. You are going to waste valuable time getting there and then back to London again. (Save that for another trip - it deserves a lot more time!) Much better spend that time in the UK.

I was going to ask the same thing as wasleys; where are you planning to go on your UK trip? We spent 2 weeks in Scotland and another 2 weeks in England last year and scratched the surface. In England we spent our 2 weeks touring England from just Salisbury to Canterbury without going near London. In Scotland we spent about a week combined in Edinburgh and Glasgow and another week from Inverness to Mull.

I really liked both Edinburgh and (less touristy) Glasgow. On your way back to London you could easily spend some time in northern or central England. York gets a lot of tourists, but it's for a reason.

We're arriving when you are ending your tour so I'm following your post ! We had thought about Paris as well but decided to stay focused on the UK with our focus on London and then heading north to the Scottish Highlands. We've had several people say to take puffy jackets as well as rain jackets because it can still be cold up north at that time.
Can't wait for the trip and hope you get some great tips.

I would ONLY add Paris (and would stay in Paris instead of trying to tour the Loire Valley) if you can change your return flights so you fly out of Paris to your home.

Otherwise, I await with the others on a clue to your tour itinerary so we can offer some interesting options.

Meanwhile, I'll say yes to going back to Edinburgh and if you haven't been to York that is on the same train line and can do with 2-3 nights. I'd want to be back in London at least the day before your flight or depending on how many days you've had there, spend more time there.

Also tell us if this is your first trip to UK?

Thank you to everyone for all of your replies. How generous considering how vague I was. Sorry. We are to be touring a bit of London, Bath, Liverpool, 3 nights in Edinburgh, Aviemore, Fort William and 2 nights ending in Glasgow. Thank you to "Wasleys and Allan and acraven and Sandstone Mike and Pam for you interest and patience! Greatly appreciated. BTW, we are novice travelers! Excited to see your suggestions. :)

Will you have a car, or are you depending on public transport?

There are so many different options available to you...

There is lots to do and see in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, which are very different cities. You could easily add 2-3 nights in either. There is a quick and efficient train service between the two. You could do a day trip on the train to Stirling from either. From Glasgow, you also have the possibility of doing day trips by train and ferry to Arran, Great Cumbrtae or Isle of Bute. This will give you a completely different experience of Scotland. If based in Edinburgh, then think about a day trip to St Andrews - train to Leuchars and then bus. IT is a lovely seaside town with ruined castle and cathedral as well as the golf!

If you areplanning to rent a car, think about spending time in the Borders or Dumfries and Galloway - both lovely areas ignored by the tourists and organised tours. Alternatively think about Northumberland with its coastline, castles, Holy Island of Lindisfarne and Hadrian’s Wall...

If you are dependent on public transport you could easily spend 2-3 nights in York or Chester before heading back to London Heathrow. Both are walled Medieval cities with a lot of character with cathedral, castle, boat trip on the river as well as lots of other things to do.

Depending on what time you flight is out of Heathrow you may need to book an airport hotel for the last night.

Something to factor into your decision: The weekend immediately following the end of your tour, May 25 and 26, is the weekend of the Edinburgh Marathon Festival. It’s not just one marathon but nine races, including ones for kids of various ages. The always busy city will have an influx of visitors, so demand for hotel rooms will be higher, as will the rates.

West coast of Scotland is worth a visit. I live in Glencoe (we have a B&b here). 2.5 hours from Edinburgh so a planned walk/exploration in good weather is a must. Can be busy but there are trails not on the usual tourist radar!
Edinburgh is great...we love El Cartel for Mexican food

Sorry for going mute for the past month. I hope there isn't a permanent loss of interest. Please don't count me out or done yet. I was dealing with some family issues and situations and then, there were the holidays.
Thank you to everyone for the interest and suggestions. Per the suggestion of a close friend and acraven (on this site), we are thinking of going from Glasgow, at the end of the organized tour, to York and spending some time there. We were hoping to maybe reach out to a couple we met on a river cruise who live in North Thoresby. Thought maybe they could meet us in York for a meal, etc. I guess I'm asking if there are any places to stay, restaurants and out of the ordinary things you all would recommend. I also have questions about the train system from Glasgow to York and then York to London. Any advice or recommendations and what NOT to do. Thank you acraven and wasleys for your suggestions. Thank you NancyG for the heads up on Edinburgh on May 25 & 26. LC, we will check out Glencoe before we make a final decision. :)