Parts 1 and 2 covered 2 nights in Bath, 2 nights in the Cotswolds; and 2 nights in Inverness and 3 nights in Edinburgh, respectively. Part 3 starts on the last morning in Edinburgh.
York (2 nights - probably 1 night shy of what you need to see York properly). The train from Edinburgh to York was great. Because we had limited time we packed a lot in to both days - including our day of arrival. Arnot House (lodging) is recommended. The rooms were a little cluttered and "fussy", but Kim was a lovely hostess and the place was a bargain (we added a bit of a tip to this place only because of that) - also believe her when she says you can walk to and from the train station if you have just carry-on bags. That afternoon, we went to see Clifford's Tower (small, but much better than expected) and the York Castle Museum (a little disappointing - the 1700's street scene was REALLY dark). Dinner was at Enoteca by L'UVA (good but not great - except for the focaccia bread at the beginning which was out-of-this-world - and that side of the river is a little dodgy). We did a ghost walk after (the "original ghost walk") and that was very enjoyable. The next morning we went to York Minster and that is a must-see. I really expected to be impressed by the Yorkshire Museum and was a little disappointed. It was small and only okay, but still worth seeing considering its low cost. For luncheon we had a fancy tea at Bettys. We did the pricey Belmont Room experience (thus skipping the lines) and for our, probably, once-in-a-lifetime high tea experience, it was great. The rest of the day was spent wandering the city and the city walls (definitely do that!). Dinner at Rustique was excellent. Highly recommended.
London (4 nights).We took the train to London with no hassle and (per Kim of Arnot house's) suggestion took the bus, rather than the tube, to our lodging - Sumner Hotel (okay and a decent price BUT - we were on the 4th floor with no elevator working and the expensive breakfasts were disappointing - more on this later). Rather than detail what we did each day, I'll recount the dining and experiences we did have.
Dinners - Wild Honey St. James (Michelin-starred) - quite good, but not necessarily any better than non-starred restaurant experiences. Market Tavern (Sunday Roast) - awesome - particularly for the price. Darwin Brasserie (Sky Garden at the Walkie-Talkie building): the food was very good - the view and experience was unforgettable. Swan Bar and Restaurant at the Globe - worked with our plan to see a play at the Globe and the food was very good.
Activities - West-End Theatre: book long in advance - most shows were booked 2 months before our trip. We enjoyed what we saw, but book in advance. British Museum - I loved it. My wife was less excited - mainly because of the crowds on a half-term break from school. You could spend a week there - we spent three hours plus lunch at the Great Court (very good, but get reservations). Hyde Park - a must-see, but bring your walking shoes...it's a big park. Westminster Abbey was mind-blowing. The history there is impressive. Get the tickets to the Queen's diamond jubilee gallery. I'm a big Churchill fan and I'm glad I went to the Churchill War Rooms, but they were a little less impressive than I expected - still worthwhile for me, but unless you really want to learn about Churchill or WWII, it might not be your thing. We did a boat tour from Westminster pier to Tower pier and it was nice but very short. I wish that I'd made time for Greenwich. The Tower of London was great (at four hours, we didn't have enough time), but I strongly recommend seeing the Crown Jewels first. Borough Market (for lunch after the tower) was NUTS - so crowded. St. Paul's Cathedral was definitely a highlight. I expected a lot and it exceeded expectations. Finally, we saw a play at the Globe - a fitting closing to the trip!
Next up - Part 4 - final thoughts