Travelling in Great Britain

We've been to Scotland, England and parts of Wales many times. We don't drive in the UK, we use trains and the occassional bus. While you can't reach all the villages, you can see a great deal using trains, buses and by doing day trips occassionaly with tour companies. That's just our preferred method of travel. Others here (Pamela in particular) LOVE to drive the wee roads of Scotland (and the rest of the UK) It will help to know a few more details before we make recommendations for you. Are there particiular areas you would like to focus on? How long of a trip are you planning? What time of year? Budget?
Any particular interests- art, history, scenery, architechture, etc.? For Ireland, you'll probably want to decide between a group tour and driving.

My husband and I, similar age to you, have driven a rental car for 2 weeks for both of our last trips to UK. The roads are easy to drive once you get the hang of the round-abouts. I would reccomend driving over the train unless you want to take the Flying Scotsman just for the experience. Buses take too long. Many of the sites are just not covenient to train stations, although you can catch buses to major sites such as Stonehenge from the local train station. However the convenience of having your own car and timesaving is the best way to see what you want when you want to. You can save money by staying just outside of town in charming farmhouses, etc. Just don't have a car in London...public transportation is the only way there.

If you are comfortable with driving that is the method I prefer while traveling these countries. Its pretty easy to get used to the roads and as long as you want to see the smaller villages and countryside it is a flexible and spontaneous way to travel. Allows you to see what you want and change your mind without worrying about schedules. I drive all over, and always a stick, except in GB where I will get an automatic. Enough for me to worry about ... The drive up the coast of England through Whitby toward Scotland is lovely.

We rented a car and drove from Liverpool to Inverness, Scotland, Edinburgh. We REALLY enjoyed having the freedom of having a car and going where we wanted, when we wanted. I were really scared to drive at first, but quickly got the hang of it and it was a breeze. Just wouldn't recommend it in the big cities.

I'm very glad that you have 4 sensible answers under your belt already, and I think that an in-depth read of the guidebook will help loads. The country is so constructed that you can do the trip either independently or take a tour, especially a RS one, quite easily. I was going to be cheeky and say, "no - the English walk and ride horses everywhere. Although we invented the railway there are none, and buses don't exist" - = - but I didn't.

I agree with Kathleen....driving is so easy and fun, I would suggest really considering driving. You could visit London then take the train to some place to pick up a rental car. You really need a car to see some of the most beautiful quiant villages.
If you are considering visiting the Cotswolds, this is one area that you really do need a car. Cotswolds has so many beautiful quiant villages that you can not reach by bus or train, just to mention one area that having a car is important.

I'm going to come in on the side of the combo of train and car. If this is your first trip to the UK then there are indeed many places that you can easily get to by train. Of course, you don't want a car in London, and it's easy to travel by train to York, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh and Glasgow. But as someone mentioned, you really need a car to see the Cotswold's. I would say the same for the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, the Borders (English and Scottish), the highlands (yes you can train to Inverness, Aviemore, Pitlochry, but you can't see the north.) And the Islands can't be toured by train. So, it depends what parts of the UK you want to visit. Tell us what interests you. I would advise for Scotland that you check out the wonderful website Undiscovered Scotland. You'll discover a lot. ; ) Pam

If you decide on train travel for at least part of the trip, there's an excellent website at www.themaninseat61.com If you're going to drive and require an automatic, be sure to mention that when you book your rental (I'm sure you know that, but just thought I'd mention it). Don't, on any account, decide to drive if either of you are prone to heart trouble, because believe me, when you see the price of gas, you'll have an attack!!
;-) Hope you have a great time.

Ah, Maggie, we're doing what we can to catch up with you on gas prices. All the media have it that we'll be at $4 a gallon in a couple of weeks. Thank goodness I can walk to work these days! Pam