Planning a trip to the UK

[Murgos]

The GF and I have decided to take a trip to the Uk this July.  We bought the airline tickets already so we know the dates, now we just have to flesh out the details.

Right now we have a general idea of an itinerary, 4 days in London, 3 days in the Peak District, 3 days in Northumberland (Hadrians wall and then Hogwarts) and then 4 or 5 days in Scotland, starting in Edinburgh and then moving on to maybe Inverness and some hiking in the Highlands.  We plan on taking trains and/or buses between the major locations and then either hiking or what-have-you our to the particular sites.

I could use some help with specifics of things not to miss that may not be in the guidebooks or things we really should miss even though they are in the guidebook.  I particularly need some help fleshing out the Edinburgh and Scotland portions.

Thanks for any info you can provide!

[IainC]

For Scotland stick to the East coast, it's drier and generally prettier. Take the coastal train up from Edinburgh to Aviemore or Inverness. From there check out the Orkneys, Loch Ness and the Highlands if you're into staggering natural beauty. There are some cool castle ruins in that part of the world as well as Aleister Crowley's old digs.

[Jeff Kelly]

We plan on taking trains and/or buses between the major locations and then either hiking or what-have-you our to the particular sites.

The British public transport system takes some getting used to and is an acquired taste. You will use a lot of cabs because outside of the major cities, busses are virtually nonexistant, especially if you leave England at least that is my experience.

Ironwood will have more on that subject however

[Arthur_Parker]

Check train prices early, it can make a big difference to how much you pay.

[Ironwood]

I am available for PM's and visits in person.

If that's something interests you.

[Yegolev]

When you go north of Glasgow/Edinburgh, multiply estimates of travel times by a factor of 1.5 or 2.  Maybe by 3 on the west coast.

I'll second Orkney, I enjoyed the hell out of it, especially Skara Brae.  Do not plan to rest in John-o-Groats.  Although if you are only allotting 4-5 days for all of Scotland, I'd suggest either doing the highlands or Orkney because of travel time.

If you go through Port William, give them the finger for me.

[Righ]

For Scotland stick to the East coast, it's drier and generally prettier.

I'll give you drier, but you're well off base with generally prettier. Mountains, lochs, islands, even the plants that thrive under all the extra rainfall. The southwest Grampians has the best mountain hiking in Britain. The West has stunning scenery that is unique from that in the East and vice-versa. If you've only got time for one part of Scotland or another that's fair enough, but to write off one side of the country in favour of the other is daft. Not least because it only takes a couple of hours to go from the East side to the West side at any given point.

You will use a lot of cabs because outside of the major cities, busses are virtually nonexistant, especially if you leave England at least that is my experience.

This is not true. Public transport is generally good in Britain - perhaps not up to the standards of some parts of continental Europe, but you can get around very easily. If you choose somewhere spectacularly remote, you may find yourself using a daily bus service and staying overnight, but its pretty hard to find somewhere populated that a bus doesn't go to. However, there are a lot of small companies serving some of the less populated areas, so it can be hard to find comprehensive timetable information.

http://timetables.showbus.co.uk/

[Oban]

The Turnberry resort in Ayrshire (Western Scotland) is amazing.  Activities for the wife include an amazing spa that has won tons of awards and tours about the countryside.  Activities for you would include an amazing golf course that is one of the best in Europe, lessons in falconry and trout angling.  The food is superb as well.

I prefer Turnberry over Gleneagles, but if you are stuck in the shit infested hell that is Eastern Scotland it is worth a trip.

[IainC]

The Turnberry resort in Ayrshire (Western Scotland) is amazing.  Activities for the wife include an amazing spa that has won tons of awards and tours about the countryside.  Activities for you would include an amazing golf course that is one of the best in Europe, lessons in falconry and trout angling.  The food is superb as well.

I prefer Turnberry over Gleneagles, but if you are stuck in the shit infested hell that is Eastern Scotland it is worth a trip.

I'm from St Andrews. You'll not convince me that a coast containing the city of Glasgow is a better proposition than the Firth of the Tay.

[Samwise]

I really liked Glasgow.  It was in stark contrast to most of the rest of the places I've been in the UK in that it was cheap, the food was good, and it wasn't overrun with tourists.  I also highly recommend letting Ironwood pour scotch into you.   

A warning for Murgos: the one time I went to Europe in July, I found the summer heat combined with a complete absence of cooling technology (AC, ice) terrifying.  If you're from a temperate climate (like me) or used to having every building air conditioned in the summer (like most of the US), you may have a similar experience.  Since that trip I've only gone in the spring or fall, and found the climate much more to my liking during those times.

[NowhereMan]

In fairness it all depends on the general weather too. Summer in the UK last year was about two weeks, the rest of the time it was cool and damp. Few years before that it was pretty warm, hell London was very much the sort of weather that you need AC for and nowhere in the UK has AC. However if you're going to be in the North and Scotland mostly I'd recommend just bringing an umbrella.

Also I will say definitely stop off in Durham for a few hours if you're going up to the Scottish east coast. It's on the way and has probably got the greatest Norman cathedral in Europe (which probably means also the world). There's more to it but from a sightseeing perspective that's all you really need, take a few hours out of travelling for it at least.

[Yegolev]

I skipped the umbrella and wore water-resistant overclothes.  Worked out pretty well for me, YMMV.  I spent more time outdoors than I might have otherwise.

If you have to buy supplies, Scotland rolls up the sidewalks at 5pm.

[Mr_PeaCH]

I know it's just about the ends of the earth, relatively speaking, but I will never forget my trip out to Isle of Skye in Scotland.  Everyone warned against this; waste of time, too far, weather will be horrible, etc.  We were rewarded with 4 of the most beautiful summer days imaginable.  Ben Nevis doffed his tam for us on the way out (did not climb) and seeing the Highland Games played at Portree (along with all of the piping; brilliant stuff) will stay with me forever.

[Yegolev]

Skye was super.

[K9]

Book train tickets in advance, you'll save a packet.

The first thing you should do when you are making your way into london is to acquire an Oyster card. They're a lot less hassle than paper tickets and you'll save the £3 deposit in the first 1-2 trips you make. Over four days you'll save a decent amount of money.

In London, walk as much as possible, use buses as a first alternative to walking. Only use the tube for long journeys; you'll see a lot more and be more comfortable on the buses.

If there were two things I would reccomend to people visiting London, they are the houses of parliament tour, and the london eye. As a Londoner I still consider these things worthwhile and fun. I have done the parliament tour twice, and both times have been really pleased. It's not too long, the building is absolutely stunning and the history, anecdotes and insight into the day-to-day of politics are done very well. The eye is great because it is an awesome way to see the city, but is fairly short and fits in well with a day of activity without clobbering your schedule. The museums in London are great, but not entirely different to any of the ones in DC. As far as palaces go, I personally think Hampton Court is probably the most impressive.

Avoid Oxford Street like the plague. If you want an atypical shopping experience head for Liberty's or Harrod's. The new westfield shopping center is quite nice, but is no different from 99% of nicer malls in the US (except for the food court, which is really really good).

There are no good fish and chip shops in London. You should have fish and chips at some point in the UK, but you can probably find better stuff in Scotland. If you really want to impress your GF, book tea at the Ritz (n.b. they won't let you in unless you are in a suit). It's pricey, but the food and atmosphere are totally decadent.

The majority of the interesting castles in the UK are in Wales and Scotland, if you're after that sort of thing, try and schedule it for those parts of your trip.

That's all I can think of for London off the top of my head, I'm happy to field more specific questions though.

[Tale]

For Scotland stick to the East coast, it's drier and generally prettier. Take the coastal train up from Edinburgh to Aviemore or Inverness. From there check out the Orkneys, Loch Ness and the Highlands if you're into staggering natural beauty. There are some cool castle ruins in that part of the world as well as Aleister Crowley's old digs.

I'm from the east coast of Scotland (born in Edinburgh) and I disagree. The east coast is geographically bland compared with the west coast. The prettiness comes from towns and villages, not nature. I prefer spectacular mountains beside the sea, wide open spaces and remote villages down single-lane roads where you have to dodge sheep, which is what you find on the northwest coast. As a kid before we emigrated to Australia, I went for holidays at a place called Mellon Udrigle, near Laide (south of Ullapool) and I visited again in 1997. That place is magical to me and if I could go anywhere in Scotland after Edinburgh, I'd head there.

As for Edinburgh itself, I'd do three things:
1. Arrive by train at Edinburgh Waverley station and walk up the stairs into the middle of Edinburgh. You come up bang in the middle of the city, between all the landmarks, and your jaw drops. It is stunningly beautiful, with Princes St on one side and Edinburgh Castle with the Royal Mile on the other. It's one of the only remaining true European capitals that wasn't destroyed by war or bombs, and you get a sense of what was lost in other European cities.

2. Walk along Princes St (shopping and sightseeing) and along the Royal Mile (taking diversions into side streets and pubs, avoiding tourist traps).

3. Climb Arthur's Seat (hill overlooking Edinburgh) for the views. Soak up the views until you can soak no more, then go down into the city and find a nice pub.

[Signe]

Do NOT go to Harrods if you are a fat woman or Kylie Minogue.  They will toss you right out!

[Samwise]

There are no good fish and chip shops in London. You should have fish and chips at some point in the UK, but you can probably find better stuff in Scotland.

Confirmed.  Maybe the best fish and chips I've ever had were from this dingy little takeaway place on Great Western Road in Glasgow that had a line out the door at 9pm.  I wish I could remember the name of it.  Everything I ate in Scotland was very respectable, including the haggis.  Most of the food in London is pretty meh, except for some of the nicer pubs (the ones I remember liking are the Engineer and the Princess Louise).

[Righ]

Confirmed.  Maybe the best fish and chips I've ever had were from this dingy little takeaway place on Great Western Road in Glasgow that had a line out the door at 9pm.  I wish I could remember the name of it.

You're presumably talking about The Philadelphia down towards Kelvinbridge. It's owned by the people who run La Parmigiana next door. That's my part of town. :)

[Mosesandstick]

Spend at least one Friday and Saturday night in a populated Scottish city. I recommend Glasgow.

In terms of London what are you thinking of seeing? London's big enough that there's usually something for everyone. And if you're picky about food, ask first. It's difficult to get good, reasonably priced food in London without a bit of knowledge first.

[K9]

Most of the food in London is pretty meh, except for some of the nicer pubs (the ones I remember liking are the Engineer and the Princess Louise).

Disagree, eating in London is really very good now, and continues to get better all the time.

Breakfast: Canteen
Lunch: Mother Mash, Cha Cha Moon or The Blue Posts (an unassuming boozer that does a great plate of sausages, beans and chips for under £3)
Dinner: Troubador or Tate Modern Restaurant (get a window seat at night and enjoy the view of St. Paul's and the city).

edit: Agree with the poster before me. There is a lot of great food and many great places to eat, but a lot of them aren't obvious.

edit2: Avoid Giraffe and Wagamama. These chains used to be good, but quality has fallen dramatically over the last couple of years.

[schild]

God I fucking love London.

Possibly the only major, major, major city I truly love. I wish the time I'd spent there was longer, because I will never ever, ever go back.

The weather in the UK made me want to stuff Mother Nature in a pillow case with a bunch of scorpions and then beat her with a sock full of rocks and razor blades.

The food has gotten better, it's still mostly shit compared to the other major cities on mainland Europe.

[Tale]

Adding to the fish 'n' chips advice: if around Edinburgh they ask you something that sounds like "sa'an'sa'as?" they are asking "salt and sauce?" to which you should answer "yes". They will add salt and brown sauce (never tomato sauce) to your fish 'n' chips.

[K9]

Chips should be eaten with Salt and Vinegar at the very least.

[Jherad]

Chips should be eaten with Salt and Vinegar at the very most.

Fixed. Brown sauce on chips is sacrilege.

[K9]

True, brown sauce with fish is odd too.

Vinegar is a must though.

[Ironwood]

It's An Eternal Question

However, I can confirm that Sam stayed just opposite Kelvinbridge, so Righ was probably right.

[Samwise]

Confirmed.  Maybe the best fish and chips I've ever had were from this dingy little takeaway place on Great Western Road in Glasgow that had a line out the door at 9pm.  I wish I could remember the name of it.

You're presumably talking about The Philadelphia down towards Kelvinbridge. It's owned by the people who run La Parmigiana next door. That's my part of town. :)

Oo, that sounds right!  And the scaffolding in the streetview photo explains why I couldn't find it by retracing my steps.  Thanks, that's been bugging me.

[Tale]

Chips should be eaten with Salt and Vinegar at the very most.

Fixed. Brown sauce on chips is sacrilege.

As Ironwood's link points out, it's an Edinburgh-Glasgow cultural difference. Do as the locals do.

[Murgos]

It's An Eternal Question

However, I can confirm that Sam stayed just opposite Kelvinbridge, so Righ was probably right.

Well, if we manage to hit both Glasgow and Edinburgh I am sure I will try both styles, my girlfriend though has long been known as a malt-vinegar and salt kind of a gal (though she has a bottle of HP in the fridge).  I showed her this thread and instantly got in trouble for my passing remark to her as 'The' girlfriend so, I won't be doing that again. :(

However, as helpful as everyone is being, everyone also has a different opinion on what to do in Scotland.  Maybe if I narrow down some dates it will help?  The current plan is that we should be leaving Newcastle on the morning of the 13th for Edinburgh and then catch a train back to London on the morning of the 18th for five nights of what-have-you in Scotland.  We don't think we want to spend more than 2 nights in Edinburgh, or any city, so that means on the 15th we'll hop on a train, the question is to where?

We do want to go hike at least a little of the country side, so far I have heard votes for Inverness, The Orkneys and the Isle of Skye.  Do any of you have links to some hiking paths or other information around those areas that we could use to help make a decision?

I forget Ironwood, do you live in Glasgow or Edinburgh?

[Samwise]

I showed her this thread and instantly got in trouble for my passing remark to her as 'The' girlfriend so, I won't be doing that again. :(

Beats "a" girlfriend.   

[Murgos]

I showed her this thread and instantly got in trouble for my passing remark to her as 'The' girlfriend so, I won't be doing that again. :(

Beats "a" girlfriend.   

See?  That's what I thought. 

[Tale]

I forget Ironwood, do you live in Glasgow or Edinburgh?

He's all Glasgow. East (Edinburgh) vs West (Glasgow) in Scotland is culturally quite different. They're not very far apart, but the accents are also different. Sean Connery is from Edinburgh. Billy Connolly is from Glasgow.

[schild]

I showed her this thread and instantly got in trouble for my passing remark to her as 'The' girlfriend so, I won't be doing that again. :(

Beats "a" girlfriend.   

See?  That's what I thought. 

Women.

[Yegolev]

I believe that you can do the touristy Edinburgh stuff in a day or two, then go to Glasgow for some live music and actual culture on a pub stool.  The People's Museum was mildly interesting.  For me, it was loads of fun chatting up the locals in a pub.  Even the homeless were entertaining.  Also things got very interesting in an outdoorsy way once I headed up the A82-to-A83, seemed like lots of spectacular green places to hike.

I'll say, however, if you want to do Skye or Orkney especially, you'll want to bee-line for those from Edinburgh.