Reservations Recommended?

If we are travelling in Britain in Summer we do first and last night, and also weekends (friday night and Saturday night). We have come upon areas where they are very popular for weekend getaways (cotswolds) and others where ther are events happening over the weekend. (Balmoral games). Otherwise you should be okay stopping at an interesting village or inn or.... on a whim

We like to wander and stop when we figure we're done for the day. We've never had reservations. My wife checks out the places while I cool it in the car. It's never taken her more than fifteen minutes to find a place that suits her fancy and I can only think of a couple of times that we had to make a third stop. Realize that the UK economy is a tad on the weak side. Sometimes, especially later in the afternoon, you'll get a discount just for asking (or it might be volunteered) so the owner can fill a room. I might be a bit dated since our last time in Scotland was maybe three years ago, but in the last two years we've been in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland four or five times. Note: It's been eons since I've been anywhere near Europe or the UK in summer.

First, there will be lots of people who will disagree with me......but here is what I do.... I always book my first night and last nights. Then we find rooms as we go...we have done this in the months from March thru September. You can look for B&B signs or hotels when it's getting close to when you want to stop for the night, or go to the tourist information center in the town/village and they can book a room for you. As you said this gives you the freedom to wander....stay as long as you want in a village or as little time. If you are booked at x in x village... then if you come up to a abbey..castle...village that you think wow...I would love to stop...but I don't have enough time....so if you find rooms as you go then you would have to stop when you want. We have never, never had trouble finding a room (even during high season) and never spent more then 15 minutes looking for one. There will be others that say all of the B&B's get booked up early, yes that is true for some who advertise....thru Rick's books, internet, etc., but there are hundreds that do not advertise (due to the cost) and depend on their signs. When you stop at a B&B to see if they have a room for the night, they will offer to show you the room before you decide if you want to stay there. There are lots of pubs that have rooms that they rent too, which is fun to stay at. We have had B&B owners tell us that they only depend on their signs and they stay busy. Have a great trip.

Thank you Ed & Robin. We are taking our trip over Easter, arriving in Scotland April 21st and we are still hammering out if we are coming home the 26th or staying until later in the week. I've got to run this idea by my girlfriend in Georgia. I'm not sure if she's as free of spirit and willing to chance the lodgings, as I am. We are both hoping to maybe find a convent or monastery to stay in a few nights, also. I know that is more common in Italy and France, but it is how it was done centuries ago and we thought that would be a neat thing to try. Pam

Pam, Like the others, I plan where I'm going to be the first night and the last night. In between I count on the Tourist Information offices. If I know early enuf in the day where I should be by evening I get myself to one and have them book ahead for me. Brian is right. If you're going to be somewhere "popular" at the week end, it's always best to book ahead.

My hubby is one who likes to plan it all out, so we always have reservations. Do be aware that there are several "Bank Holidays" (Easter is one of them) plus an extra day off for THE wedding in the UK in April. That may mean that more Brits are on vacation with you. April is not high season in Scotland, so you may be ok.

For Scotland in April.....1 Public Holiday Good Friday~April 22nd....(Easter Monday is not a holiday in Scotland)......1 Bank Holiday~April 29th for the Royal Wedding... Easter is consider a Public Holiday...not a Bank Holiday

We started our traveling years not booking in advance, but now we always do - works fine for us. We are going to England the end of August/beginning of September this year, and I had a terrible time getting reservations at B&B's. I have all booked now, but had found many were already booked (this far in advance!)

Hey Pam, I always have a first and last night reservation. It eases worries and stress. Also, I am aware of UK holidays and if there any, I book my hotel for that weekend. I also book a room if I am traveling to Edinburgh in August during the festival. And if I am traveling in July. I usually traveling as a single and those rooms tend to be limited in number so you need to book them. However, if you're for two twin beds in a room it's much less of issue. There are many more beds in that category. I like the flexibility of being able to make on the spot decisions, but at certain times of the year it's just not a good idea. ; ) Pam Pam

I love the picture Ed paints. He has his rental car and just knocks around and finds a place when he is tired. Sounds fun, but..... ... I really enjoy the process of finding that perfect place. Not too expensive, but unique and interesting all the same. If I can be doing the searching in Jan and Feb, I fill the void until I travel. I can also make sure that I don't pay too much. 4 of my last 5 trips I needed a triple or a quad and this really limits the options. Someday I will be like Ed though.

I'm more like Ed. I don't make reservations ahead, but that is mostly because I travel in the shoulder- or off-season. If I were to travel in peak tourist season (not gonna happen), I would book ahead at least some. I just don't like to be tied down to being at a particular place at a particular time, and too many times I have ended up traveling slower or faster or another direction than I originally intended. Of course, if you need a particular type of room it would be harder to wing it. Some of the most interesting or nicest places I have stayed were lucky finds in towns I didn't expect to be in at bedtime.

I agree with Nancy, I have found great B&B's by just watching for the signs. I saw where one post above said that a lot of B&B's are already booked up, I'm sure that some of them are booked up, the ones you find listed in a travel book or on the internet. But what about the thousand that doesn't list their B&B on the internet or in books. I have traveled many different months and seasons...low, shoulder and high and have never not been able to find a room. Plus, there is always the tourist information center that can book for you.

It is so wonderful to know that I am not the only daring free-spirited traveler. I wouldn't want to try this during high season, but I like the idea of not having to worry about whether we go east or west, north or south when we get a good tip about things to see or do. I don't want to have to miss something because we are due somewhere by a certain time. I think I'd book one of those "see 15 cities in 7 days" trips otherwise. I don't want to have to walk 2 miles from the entrance gate to the National Trust home in 5 minutes to make the next tour so we can rush thru the house just to get to rush off to somewhere else. We leave on April 20th, arriving in Edinburgh on the 21st. Our first day is the only one that we have limits on right now. I've got to be in Auchterarder, Perthshire to meet with artist Margaret Evans at her studio at 4 pm. She does some beautiful pastel paintings of Scotland (http://www.shinafoot.co.uk/) and I'm hoping she'll share some of her favorite places to paint so I can get photos to paint from when I get home. Unfortunately, I won't have the time or supplies to paint while in Scotland. I think if I could figure out a way to get what I need I'd try to do a few small paintings, but that would take too much time out of getting to sightsee and getting more photos. Although if I could get a small kit of paper and pastels, maybe I could paint at night....

Pam, if you are going to be in Inverness, there used to be a cokmpany that do photgraphy day trips. Check with the Tourist Information Center. If we had had more time on our last summer trip there, I would have done this one.

Hey Pam, be sure to check out some of the galleries while you're there. One of my favorite "souvenirs" is a painting that I purchased in Aberdeenshire. This is the gallery that I enjoyed. http://www.syllavethy.com/ but this gallery looks good too! http://www.lostgallery.co.uk/index.php. I also enjoyed a gallery that is up behind Balmoral. When coming from the south, you turn left at the T type junction immediately after the castle and look very quickly for a sign pointing up the hill to a gallery. It feels like a dicey road, but it's okay. When you get up to the top of the hill there is the gallery, a beautiful garden, and view looking down on the Castle. (edit) I just found the website. http://www.knockgallery.co.uk/index.html Another favorite pictures of mine is one my mother painted from some photos that we took while we traveled in Scotland. She took a small sketch book and pastels with her. I think she toyed with taking her travel water color kit, but decided against it. Pam