We are booked on a cruise in Summer 2025 from Edinburgh along the Norwegian coast, ending in Copenhagen. We are hoping to find a tour that will go from London to Edinburgh via the Cotswolds and the Lake Country. Cruise departure from Edinburgh is late July. We are in our mid-80's so the less we have to deal with our own luggage, the better.
All suggestions welcome.
You are unlikely to find such a tour, at least as a normal commercial offering.
The likes of Rabbies provide Private Hire bespoke tours in anything from a saloon car to a minibus depending on party size- https://www.rabbies.com/en/info/private-tours/private-touring-group.
By the way it is the Lake District, not the Lake Country.
In giving Rabbies an itinerary note that their normal tours in the Lake District are quite restricted in their scope I would look at the commercial itineraries of the Mountain Goat company (which are far more comprehensive), and ask them to create one of those for you.
I doubt that will work out cheap for you, but if it's want you want...
In the Lake District, if you hire a Blue Badge guide for a day you are talking in the region of £650 a day- apparently not the full commercial rate which is around £750 a day, exclusive of your and the guide's accommodation.
Or look at more well known companies like Gate One, or Globus, or Trafalgar, or ...
I am only posting this information because you have asked for a specific start and end point not offered by Rick Steves tours. Usually on this forum, I only recommend RS tours.
This Tauck tour begins in London and ends in Edinburgh:
https://www.tauck.com/tours/england-scotland-wales-escorted-tour?tcd=gb2024
This company has a good reputation and will take care of all your bags for you.
You could take this Rick Steves tour. Note that it hits all the spots you are wanting--the Cotswolds and the Lake District. (and more)
It departs from Bath; however, it's easy to get to Bath from London or Heathrow airport.
The tour includes many great stops, including York toward the end.
You could enjoy the days in York with the tour, then wave goodbye to your tour mates, and take the train from York to Edinburgh. Of course, make sure that your guide knows ahead of time that this is your plan, and tell the RS office this is your plan when you book.
