Hello,
I am going to London in early June for a family event. I have been to England many times, but never to the Lake District. My plan is to spend some time in the Lake District and then head over to Scotland. The whole trip should be about 14-17 days. Does anyone have a suggested itinerary? I don't know how to handle the Lake District (I don't want to miss anything) and then I'm not sure what to do in Scotland. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Posted by
Charlotte, NC, USA
3428 posts
I can't speak to the Lake District- but as for Scotland.....
My favorite places are Aviemore and Inverness (with a day or two in Edinburgh and maybe one in Glasgow). Inverenss makes a great base for day trips (Culloden Battlefield and Clava Carnes; Loch Ness cruise with Urquart Castle; curise on the firth to see dolphins, puffins, etc.;Isle of Skye with Eliean Donnan castle and Great Glen or Glen Coe; Orkney, not to mention distilleries and much more). Aviemore is a great small village in the Caringorm Mts. There is a restored steam train that does roundtrips along the river Spey, a funicualr up Mt. Caringorm, hikes, canoeing, horseback riding, a microbrewery that does tours and tastings, some great distilleries nearby, etc. etc. etc. You can easliy reach all of my favorites by train (or bus) and get back to London (if you fly home from there). Feel free to private message me.
Posted by
New York City, NY, USA
5678 posts
It would help to know a little bit about your interests. Are you a walker? Are you interested in history? in literature? The Lake District has wonderful walks in it. I enjoyed seeing some of the lakes, finding the stone circle, and seeing Morris Dancers in Keswick. If I were to go back I would want to explore the Beatrix Potter sites. You should think about exploring the Borders. Carlisle Castle is an important part of the story of the borders. (Check out Fraser's book Steel Bonnets for an interesting history.) Hexham, a little to the east is an interesting city that also has more on the story of the Borders. You should explore Hadrian;s Wall. Also, near the wall is the Debatable lands. Hermitage Castle is worth a quick visit.
Other sights in the Borders include the Abby's--Kelso, Melrose, Jedburgh--Sir Walter Scott's home, Traquair House, Floor's Castle and more. You could spend I think I spent about three days exploring the borders. I stayed in Melrose.
I would definitely spend a couple of days in Edinburgh. It's a wonderful city. Stirling Castle is worth a visit if you are interested in history. I would recommend Perthshire as a way to get a taste of the highlands. I love Inverness, but you'll need to pick and choose.
PM me if you have any specific questions about Scotland. I've been many times. It's a beautiful and friendly place.
Pam