My husband and I are tentatively planning our next trip to the UK and would like to include the Cotswolds, possibly Liverpool (Beatle fan), and Edinburgh and Glasgow Scotland. We're also considering the Norwich area. I am an amateur geneologist and have traced family roots to that area. We want to either fly in to or out of London and spend around 4 days there. We only have 2 weeks so I'm sure we will have to scale back our "want to" list somewhat. Britrail looks like an interesting choice for transportation to some of these places. Driving might be good for the Cotswolds. We have a budget of $7000.00 USD. Any ideas on itinerary or travel options?
Posted by
Los Angeles, California
1986 posts
If you include Edinburgh, be sure to check on the schedule for the Edinburgh Tattoo. If your timing is flexible that is a marvellous experience. However, if you skip Scotland, you could do Norwich, Bury St Edmunds, East Anglia, Constable country up to Lincoln (and even York) by car. East Anglia is another area which has very charming villages never visited by RS. Generally easily reachable from the Cotswolds. you could do a nice loop, London, Ewast Anglia, Cotswolds, with nice little towns and villages along the way. We have done that- although we spent a full three weeks
Posted by
Reston, Virginia
403 posts
Rail works beautifully for Liverpool (Virgin Trains from London Euston to Lime St Station in about 2 hours), Edinburgh, and Glasgow. The Cotswolds, on the other hand, are very tough to do without a car. If your Beatles trip is between March and November, then you absolutely need to reserve/buy advance tickets for the National Trust tours of the Lennon-McCartney homes. RS has excellent coverage of all the details. You could begin in London, then on Day 5 train to Moreton in Marsh. Pick up a car, spend Days 5,6, 7 in the Cotswolds. Day 8, return car, go by train to Liverpool, overnighting there. On Day 9, finish seeing Liverpool and train to Norwich. Day 10 in Norwich. Day 11, train to Edinburgh..Days 11, 12, 13 Edinburgh. Day 14, train to Glasgow. Day 15 Fly home from Glasgow.
Fly open-jaw, to the UK into one city and home out of another. This saves backtracking time and expense...just select "multi-city" when searching on Kayak, Orbitz, etc.
Posted by
OP
Guthrie, OK
251 posts
Thank you so much, Roe! It sounds like a good plan!
Posted by
Charlotte, NC, USA
3428 posts
Roe does give you a good plan, but I would cut the Cotswolds by at least one day to give you more time in Glasgow.
Posted by
NC, United States
970 posts
How much time you spend in one location versus another really comes down to your own tastes and interests. In general, trains are great for getting from A to B. In areas where the countryside is a big part of the attraction, then a car is great. There's a lot to be said for spending a day or two just meandering around with a good map. Four days is enough time to see a great deal of London. I don't like to keep to a schedule, so I make lists of things I want to see and do, ranked in priority order. I start at the top and stay at each place as long as I feel like it. If the weather looks to be unpleasant, I'll make another list that will keep me indoors, just in case. BTW, railways in the UK are privately held among several companies. Some own and service the lines, some own the trains, etc.
Posted by
Troy, Oh, USA
2776 posts
I would recommend that you plan at least three days in the Cotswolds like Roe suggested. You could rent a car there for the three days...there is bus transportation there but it would limit you to the villages you could visit....there isn't bus service to all the villages. I would highly recommend having a car there so you can visit the small, quaint villages.