Is this a good plan for 10 days in England?

Yes much to rushed. you will spend too high a percentage on travelling. For example- travel to Edinburgh will take a full half day, leaving only half day to see it, and then back to Bath (via London) will take more than half the next day. Youu must decide your priorities; Either cut out Edinburgh and train to Bath from London and do Cotswolds from there (Car gives you more flexibilityin Cotswolds); Although I enjoy York, you will have more time to enjoy if you cut out York- possibly fit in half day in Salisbury instead (train London to Salisbury in morning, spenc day in Salisbury and then train from Salisbury to Bath in evening) or cut out Cotswolds and Bath and do Edinburgh and York

Edinburgh's got to get the ax.

Susan,
My wife and I basically did this trip, but we took 14 days to do it. I agree with the others that you need to shorten your list of visits, but personally I would cut Bath/the Cotswolds and do London/York/Edinburgh.

I agree that you should cut something. I am also one that prefers York and Edinburgh over Bath and the Cotswolds. Especially if you'd like to use trains rather than drive. You could also see about flying home from Edinburgh. Save you a day to do more!

You might consider this: London, then train to York for two nights, one full day to walk the walls, tour Yorkminster, and explore the Shambles.......Get a rental car at the York train station, enjoy exploring the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland, Borders region. The area has an abundance of scenery (hilly and / or rocky coast), ruined abbeys, and castles.........Drive to Edinburgh airport early morning, drop off the car, and take a cab into the city. Leave your bag at your accommodation, explore Edinburgh. While it is nice to have more time, one day is enough to visit the castle, Mary King's Close, and walk the Royal Mile to Holyrood. Have a lovely dinner, fly home from Edinburgh the next day.........Personally, I would do this trip in the opposite direction, ending with London, because I think London would be the climax of the trip.

Well, we all have opinions so I'll throw in my two pence. Consider flying into Edinburgh. Spend a night or two there and pick up a rental car and drive to York. Hadrian's Wall, Holy Island, Durham, Bamburgh, Jedburgh are all in the general area but you won't be able to see them all. You can spend as much time as you want but maybe just a drive by for Hadrian's Wall and a night in Durham and drop off your car in York. If you are really tight on time take the train to York. York is worth two days and take the train to London from there. Do your London visit. When in doubt, increase your stay in London by a day or two and you won't be disappointed. If you have any time left, then you could consider taking the train to Bath and or driving there via Stonehenge and/or Windsor. To make this worthwhile you need two (preferably three) nights. You would then end up back at Heathrow (presumption on my part) via bus or train for your trip home. I agree that Bath/Cotswolds would be good candidates for another trip.

Thank you all for the feedback. We will certainly revise the first plan, but we are locked into the flights to and from London as we used airline credit card mileage points. I hear what you are saying about York and Edinburgh; however as a Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Masterpiece Theater fan, it pains me to think of missing the Cotswolds area. What a dilemma!

Yes, you do have a dilemma, but the Cotswolds are beautiful - very nice area to visit. There are many great things to do in that area, but you really do need a car.

Bit much .....you'll be shattered

You have gotten some great advice already from the above very experienced travelers. Consider going with your original plan, except leaving out Edinburgh. As much as I love Edinburgh, it's a long trip just to see it for one day. Also, you have given us some additional information that we didn't have from your original post. That you are locked into the flights to and from London, and saying it pains you to think of missing the Cotswolds area. So...don't miss it. Go with your original plan: "The plan so far is 4 days in London, York on the 11th for 2 days", then move the train trip to Bath up to the 13th, do day trips to the Cotswold area until the 17th, then stay in an airport hotel the 17th (a good idea). An option is staying one night in Bath to see its sights, then moving to a town in the Cotswolds for the remaining days (14th to 16th) until you have to move to the airport hotel.

Apart from Bath the places most associated with Jane Austen are in Hampshire. Of which, for Jane Austen fans, Chawton is a must see. http://www.visit-hampshire.co.uk/ideas-and-inspiration/famous-faces/jane-austen Elizabeth Gaskell based her stories on life in North West England eg Manchester as well as Cheshire for the more rurally based novels. http://www.gaskellsociety.co.uk/

I would use National Rail Enquiries at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk to get assessments of how realistic times are.

After mulling over the feedback, we will drop Edinburgh this trip. We will spend the first 4 days in London, and then 3 days in Bath ( rent a car and visit some of the sights), and then drop off the car and take the train from Bath to York. Spend 3 days in York and then train back to London. Does this sound more reasonable? Is there any reason we should do York before Bath and the villages? Thanks so very much for the help!

1. Bath to York requires at least 2 changes of train.
2. The Caledonian Sleeper does not serve York, but since York and Edinburgh are both on the East Coast Main Line, it's an easy direct trip with frequent services.

Since you've added using a car for 3 days, I'd suggest the following: London - 4 Nights (7th-10th) Train to Bath - 1 Night (11th - you can see all the Jane Austin places in a day) Then rent car in Bath and return it in York.... spend 2 Nights in the Cotswolds (12th & 13th) en route to York York - 3 Nights (14th-16th)
Train to London / airport for final night (17th) No sense in going to York on the train since you'll already have a car; it's only about a 4 hour drive from Bath to York and the route can take you right through the Cotswolds. Returning a car to a different location only cost me an extra 40 £ 'drop off fee' last year.

Thank you Tim!