I can't speak to Ireland as we only went there once. Scotland and England and Wales are our favorites! If you can- add Wales. I suggest the following- London at least 3 to 7 days- you can see lots of England by doing day trips from here (Cardiff wales, York, Bath, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Canterbury, Dover,Winchester, Windsor, Oxford, Cambridge, etc. can all be done as day trips)
York makes a good train stop on the way to Scotland. There - Edinburgh- 1 or 2 days, Aviemore if you want to see a small village, Inverness- at least 3 days maybe more- again day trips (Great Glen, Glen Coe, Ft. William, Isle of Skye, Orkneys, etc.)
Glasgow is an option, but not my personal favorite.

Wales- if you don't do a day trip from London- Cardiff is awesome. The Snowdonia area is also wonderful for beautiful countryside.

Please feel free to private message me for details and to ask questions. We've been to the UK more than 40 times in 20+ years (June-July and Nov/Dec).

I have never been to Wales, but otherwise, I cannot disagree with the previous post. We are in our mid-sixties, so identify with the "old and creaky"! We were in Ireland last year. There is a lot to see. We enjoyed Kinsale and the Dingle Penninsula. Found Ring of Kerry disappointing after Dingle - you do both, do Kerry first. Everywhere you go there are ancient ruins - really ancient, like 4000 years old.

The Queenstown story in Cobh is most interesting, though heart-wrenching. The Library in Trinity College, Dublin is interesting, even beyond the Book of Kells. The loft ceiling crowning shelves of aold books is, to me, a bibliophole, awe-inspiring.

It depends how long you want to stay and how far you want to go. The west coast is very scenic, with sea views and rugged cliffs. Anywhere is worthwhile. Belfast is a changed city and the grounds at Stormont are vast and interesting. The Giant's Causeway is an interesting geological phenomenon, though my wife prefers the legendary origin!

London - Tower of London. British Museum, War Cabinet Rooms, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral just start to scratch teh surface.

In my opinion, it really does not matter where you go if you have not been before, you will enjoy the experience. Go and revel in the history and scenery.

You also asked about the best time to visit. We always go in mid-June for several reasons: less crowded, the weather is often a bit cooler, wild-flowers are blooming in the countryside, and most important, European schools are still in session so families aren't traveling yet.

I know this is easy for me to say, but to really start to appreciate the three countries and possibly the fourth (Wales), I think you need to add more time, like another week. For starters, as has been discussed on this forum a lot, you need to factor in ALL the travel time. This includes the packing/unpacking, getting to and from the station, wait time at a station, getting to and from your hotel/B&B. You can eat up about 1 day each time you change locations. If you can't add more time for this trip, I would suggest that you concentrate on England/Scotland/Wales. Make Ireland a separate trip. With that said, even 15 days is still a fast trip. It can be done, but you're not giving yourself time to really appreciate all that there is. If this is your one and only trip then you'll just have to go for it.....and try to add more days.

We went to England last year (our first time there). We went in June and had some really great weather. All of our other Europe trips have been in the fall, after Labor Day. The weather has always been a 50/50 tossup, which is no different than we have here in the northwest.

As for "must see's", that will be entirely up to you. There are just too many. A good place to start research is right here on other postings. And don't be afraid to send private messages. And one last recommendation, Rick's books.

Hi Margaret. When you say "no tours", I assume you mean you don't want to be on a multiple-day escorted coach tour.

While you can get from the large cities and towns fairly easy with bus or train service, to get out to the more remote sightseeing in the countryside, you'll either need your own rental car, hire a private driver, or look into day tours from the base cities or towns along your route. Research how long the estimated travel times are between the cities/towns you want to visit, but then add more time to the estimate. Travel in those countries can be quite slow, even when you leave the driving to someone else.

5 days per country is tight with all the travel connections. You'll get a brief taste of a few select places unless you are willing to pare down the number of countries you want to visit.

June is shoulder season and a nice time to travel to avoid large crowds and have an easier time booking affordable accommodation while still enjoying decent weather.

There are many options for accommodation in Ireland or the UK. It all depends on your preference and budget - large hotel, guesthouse, B&B, hostel. Read reviews on sites like TripAdvisor.com once you narrow down what cities you'll be visiting and the type of accommodation you like best.

For must-see's - start by checking out some guidebooks and travelogue DVD's from your local library. Rick Steves, Fodors, Frommers, etc. If you have access to iTunes, download free podcasts (including ones from Rick Steves) to listen to discussions and recommendations on things to do in various countries. Lots of episodes of Travel Channel shows like Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" or Samantha Brown's "Passport to Europe" can be found online to help you plan your trip.

You've got plenty of time to research and come up with a rough itinerary that suits your wants & needs, then ask specific questions about your intended plans.