London to Edinburgh is 427 miles according to MapPoint, but it’s a hell trip by car. I would say no less than 12 hours, probably more like 20 to get there driving. I would seriously recommend against driving from London to Edinburgh - it’s a long and nasty trip just due to the traffic. I would recommend either flying or taking a train.
The thing with England is density - it’s 60 million people in a space far smaller than Texas. It’s tiny, but absolutely chock-full of people.
As for the time thing, yes, you could see it all in two weeks. You could also easily spend 2 weeks just exploring London and it’s environs. Or you could spend 2 weeks exploring other parts of England; the borderlands and Southern Scotland could take two weeks all on their own.
I think you could do a lot in two weeks, but I would recomend at least a week in London just to see all you want without being rushed. And I would recommend flying between London and Edinburgh to save time; airfares are not that expensive between them.
FYI - quick tip whilst I remember. Flying into London Gatwick is a bit cheaper, but tranfers are a bit more expensive (meaning you’ll pay more for a cab or train fare to London) than Heathrow. If you take a taxi from Gatwick to central London expect to pay at least a hundred dollars; more like $150. Flying into / out of Heathrow is far more convenient and direct to get to / from London. For short haul (i.e. going to Edinburgh or Ireland or whatever) there are two additional London airports - Luton and Standsted - where the really cheap flights go out of. Both are easy train rides from London, but I don’t think either goes to the US…
Dublin.
You just have to. The Book of Kells, the Guinness Brewery/Jameson Distillery, various literary or historical tours, that kind of thing. If at all possible try and catch a play. Irish theatre is usually affordable and very good quality.
Belfast.
It’s not scary for tourists. Your teenagers might appreciate some of the more recent (and violent) history, such as a Black Taxi Tour of flashpoints during the Troubles, or some of the murals.
Giant’s Causeway.
A natural wonder of the world. About 4 hours drive from Dublin, 1.5 hours from Belfast. It’s spectacular, and a good walk around the cliffs will get everyone some fresh air and exercise. The Bushmills Distillery is nearby, if you need warming up afterwards (so is Lush, the largest nightclub in Europe, but I’d keep that piece of information away from the girls).
The West: Connemara, Galway, Kerry or Donegal*
For the thatched cottages, bogs, mountains and cliffs you’ve really come to see.
Folk and History Parks
If tramping up a mountain isn’t your idea of a good day, investigate one of the folk or history parks. The kind of places where they have re-created Celtic ring forts, Neolithic huts, Norman round towers and 18th centry cottages, complete with actors in costume. Educational, but fairly painlessly so. The entrance for these things is usually quite steep, but it will easily occupy an afternoon or morning.
Ryanair
It may work out cheaper and give you more flexibility to use a budget internet airline to travel between Ireland and the UK. The ferries are neither efficient nor cost-effective unless you’re bringing a car with you, and the normal airline will charge you an arm and a leg for a flight that is less than an hour long. Ryanair flies out of Dublin, Easyjet flies out of Belfast.
Art galleries and museums.
All permanent exhibitions in museums and galleries are free. You may be asked to pay for special exhibitions and for entrance to stately homes etc, but not for the vast majority. Since it rains a lot, it’s good to have an inexpensive indoor activity on standby.
LifeOnWry, two weeks is great to get the flavo(u)r of England, Scotland and Wales. Ireland is wonderful enough that it deserves it’s own period, but it can be added in if you think carefully about planning. With two weeks you can schedule a rest day every once in a while (unless you add Ireland).
England and Wales are probably about the size of Illinois with Scotland adding in a large chunk of Wisconsin. IIRC (and anyone correct me if needed), driving from London to Edinburgh takes about 8 - 10 hours, but you don’t see anything but the roadside and some small towns when you get off the motorway. (On review I see that others have chimed in with good information. Listen to them, but bear in mind though that most Brits are not as insane as Yanks when it comes to extended car trips. Think about my suggestion about flying in to Glasgow/Edinburgh and out of London to save driving time. Also, when heading across country, take it in stages.)
But yes, two weeks is enough time to get addicted to the British Isles. (Sometimes I almost wish I was addicted to something cheaper like cocaine.)
Another pointer - mentally prepare everyone for poor (rainy) weather. If it happens, you won’t be disappointed. If the weather is beautiful like my last two trips, you will be in heaven.
Could someone update me on driving rules? I’ve heard that it is now illegal to talk on the phone or eat while driving. Correct? (Not a bad rule if so, but for most Americans it will take some remembering.)
And is there still the train service between Gatwick and London?
Yes to both; it is illegal to drive whilst talking on a phone or eating, and they will ticket you for it.
There is train service between Gatwick and London, to pretty much every main train station in London except Paddington (I don’t think there is train service to Paddington anyways, I have never actually checked)
But I can not believe that the only recommendation for the “midlands” is Stratford-upon-Avon. It’s good, of course, and the theatre tickets for a range of top performances are MUCH lower than your average London show. Not just Shakespeare, either.
But nearby you will also find, for instance, the top castle in all of England (I can’t speak for Scotland or Wales): Warwick. Jousting, static displays, historical importance, current state of preservation: it has everything.
And for industrial and social history it’s also close to the Black Country Living Museum: not as good as Beamish in the North East of England, but pretty cool for a day out.
Really, do yourself a favour and skip the overpriced and overrated metropolis and start your tour north of Oxford!
This is correct - but both are further away (and more expensive to get to) than Gatwick or Heathrow. However, with such a large group, booking a couple of minibuses from a taxi firm will make the transfer costs little different for each airport, so go with whatever offers the cheaper fare. For all the low-cost airline options, look here.
[ul]
[li]Lake District - Such a beautiful region. I recommend staying in Ambleside or Grasmere, and taking walks. Perhaps a day trip to the northern edge of the district (with higher hills) around Derwent Water. [/li][li]York - Walk the city walls, see the medieval market and the amazing Gothic cathedral. [/li][li]Cotswolds - Great countryside walking through fields and villages. [/li][/ul]
Wales
[ul]
[li]Brecon Beacons - These mountains in Southern Wales have almost no trees, so you can see for miles. [/li][/ul]
Scotland
[ul]
[li]Isle of Skye - Take the “Ted Badger” tour. Again, just beautiful. [/li][li]Glencoe - Someone’s already mentioned this place, but they didn’t mention that you should try to hike up to the hidden glen. [/li][/ul]
Ireland
[ul]
[li]Aran Islands - great to rent a bike, weave around roads with rocky beaches and old stone walls, and hear Gaelic spoken. [/li][li]Doolin and nearby Cliffs of Moher - great pubs and music, and the Cliffs are amazing.[/li][/ul]
I love this thread. I was just about to post something similar, as the husband and I are going to England in a month, and I was not sure what to plan. What is the weather like in March? Can I get away with pullovers and a leather coat, or should I wear my giant winter coat? It sounds like we will need a week for London, before we set out for the country and Marillion (at a Butlins resort). The detail everone is providing is really neat. I am looking forward to the indian food. I was a little scared of British food because I read so much Douglas Adams in my impressionable youth.
Weather: Everything you have heard about British weather is true - we have four seasons - often in one day. Having said that we don’t have extreme weather - it might get close to freezing in march (unlikely) alternatively you could have bright sunshine and temps in the 60s. What is certain is that it will rain at some time, so pack a brolly. You probably wont need a really big coat. Somerset can get windy near the coast though.
Indian food is the mutts-nuts (sometimes literally!). Given that you will be surrounded by Brits in Minehead - get someone to talk you through the menu, it has something for all tastes.
I also remember you from another thread and like I said there I find the idea of a septic at Butlins very very funny. I would love to know what you make of it. Have you got knobbly knees?
The G8 Summit at Gleneagles I mentioned runs from July 6 - 8th.
I’d suggest you avoid Edinburgh then, and maybe a bit either side as well.
This is the first site that came up on Google for me concerning it: Word Power Bookshop, Edinburgh.
Starting from the centre of London, and taking into account inexperienced US drivers, I don’t think that 20 hours from London to Edinburgh is too extreme. I could do it in 10 or so, but I drive like a bat out of hell and have a car that can handle it. They’d be driving a people mover or some such.
True… but most do. Scotland is what, 6 million, split between 2 major metro areas and a ton of small scattered towns? I don’t know what Ireland or Wales are, but I would say the bulk of the 60 million in the UK live in England…
I keep forgetting they’re travelling in a group. Yeah, do what **GorillaMan ** says - get a minibus or something from a taxi firm. You can find some online (I like AddisonLee) and give them your flight times and such and go from there. They’ll give you a quote and everything, and I have always had fantastic service through them.
If you are going from Central London to Central Edinburgh - get the train.
Going by car would be a tiring ordeal - trust me, most Londoners dont like the North Circular - you would be on the roadside crying like a rejected teenager.
The plane will take just as long as the train - you have to get to the airport (Luton and Stanstead are a good way out of london,), check in your luggage, reclaim it and get from Prestwick into Edinburgh. It’s all a big kerfuffle that is more trouble than it’s worth.
If you know when you’re travelling and book ahead and travel after 9.30am it won’t cost the earth.
Your holiday time is too precious to spend at Luton Airport!
Even from the centre of London to Edinburgh, its never 20 hours. And you wouldn’t even hit the North Circ - you’d go up through Baker St, Finchley Rd way to get to the bottom of the M1/A1. Fuck, what was the other post? 427 miles? Its 200+ change to Leeds and we’ve done that in a little over 3 hours. You’d piss it in 8 tops, given stops and good traffic.
Hey - I agreed that an experienced English (or transplanted :)) driver could do it in 10 or less, traffic allowing, but I still think an inexperienced Yank driver over here would take a hell of a lot longer.
How would youl ike to spend about 10 hours in an unfamiliar car full of teenage girls?
Perhaps I better rephrase that…
The Motorway to Edinburgh isn’t the nicest of drives, whereas the view from the train is quite interesting.
A car full of fractious teenagers is not my idea of a good time. At least on the train they can get up and go to the buffet, flirt with boys, do their make up, smoke in the toilets etc etc.
Owl - who gets nosebleeds once past Staples Corner.
