I grew up in the UK. I’ve lived all over, including in London, Oxford, Bath, Newcastle and Edinburgh, and I’ve been exploring this country for the better part of four decades. I’ve also been running this travel blog since 2010, and of all the itineraries I’ve put together over the years, this two week UK road trip is the one I get asked about more than any other.
And for good reason. Two weeks is a brilliant amount of time to see the UK properly. Not just the greatest hits, but the quieter spots between the famous cities that most visitors never discover. The crumbling castles on empty Northumberland beaches. The honey-coloured villages tucked into the Cotswolds. The moment you drive through the Scottish Borders and the landscape just… opens up.
This itinerary covers four countries (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland (yes, I know Ireland is not part of the UK), four capital cities, and some of the most spectacular scenery in the UK. It’s a self-drive road trip that starts and finishes in London, and I’ve designed it to balance big cities with countryside, famous landmarks with lesser-known gems, and busy days with time to just enjoy where you are.
I should be upfront: this is a packed itinerary. It fits a lot in, including a trip across to Ireland. If that sounds like too much, I’ve included alternatives throughout so you can adjust the pace to suit you. Many people skip Ireland entirely and spend more time in the Lake District, the Scottish Highlands, or Wales instead. Both approaches work brilliantly.
Let’s get into it.
Table of Contents:
What’s New for 2026
Before we dive into the day-by-day itinerary, a few important things have changed for visitors to the UK in 2026 that you’ll want to know about.
UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA): As of February 25, 2026, visitors from the US, Canada, Australia, EU countries and most other visa-exempt nations now need a UK ETA before travelling. This is mandatory. Airlines will not let you board without one. The good news is that it’s quick and straightforward to apply through the UK ETA app or the government website. It costs £16, takes about ten minutes to complete, and most applications are approved automatically within minutes. Your ETA lasts two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. Apply at least three days before you travel, just in case. Find out more on the official UK government website here.
London’s ULEZ and Congestion Charge: London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone now covers all of Greater London. If you’re renting a car, this shouldn’t affect you as rental cars should be compliant. But if you’re bringing your own vehicle or renting something older, it’s worth checking. The daily charge for non-compliant vehicles is £12.50. Also worth knowing: as of December 2025, electric cars are no longer exempt from the £15 daily Congestion Charge in central London. One more reason I always recommend exploring London on foot and by public transport, and only picking up a hire car when you leave the city.
Clean Air Zones: Several other UK cities now have Clean Air Zones with charges for older vehicles, including Bristol, Birmingham, and Bath (all on this itinerary). Again, a modern rental car will be compliant and you won’t need to worry about charges. I mention this because it catches some visitors off guard.
Is Two Weeks Enough to See the UK?
Two weeks is enough to see a lot of the UK. Not everything, of course. Nobody sees everything in the UK in two weeks. I’ve been exploring the place my entire life and I’m still finding new corners.
But two weeks gives you enough time to get a real sense of the country. You can cover the major highlights without it feeling like you’re just ticking boxes, and you’ll have room to linger in the places that capture your imagination. The UK is a relatively small country with good roads, so the drives between stops are mostly quite manageable. You won’t spend half your holiday in the car.
If two weeks feels like too much, I also have a one week UK road trip itinerary and a 10 day UK itinerary by public transport that might suit you better.
A 2 week UK Trip itinerary
Days 1 & 2: London
The UK’s capital is one of my favourite cities in the world, and I lived there for several years. It’s been going for over 2,000 years on the banks of the Thames, and the sheer density of things to see is staggering. Historical landmarks, world-class museums (most of them free!), incredible food markets, and more pubs than you could visit in a lifetime.
London is wonderfully walkable, and you can cover the major central sights in a day or so. That leaves your second day free to dive deeper into whatever interests you most. Perhaps the British Museum, or the Tate Modern, or a trip to Greenwich, or an afternoon wandering through one of the city’s brilliant street markets. Camden, Borough Market, and Portobello Road are all fantastic.
My main tip for London: do not hire a car until you leave. Driving in London is expensive, stressful, and completely unnecessary. The public transport system is excellent. Get an Oyster card or use a contactless bank card to pay for the Tube and buses.
If you think you’ll visit a lot of paid attractions, consider picking up a London Pass, which can save you a meaningful amount of money if you’re planning to visit places like the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and St Paul’s Cathedral. I’ve written about when the London Pass is worth buying in more detail if you want to crunch the numbers for your trip.
For detailed sightseeing ideas, take a look at my two day London itinerary, which covers the highlights and links to lots of other London content including Harry Potter locations in London and the best photography locations in London.
London will probably be your most expensive accommodation stop. Book well in advance for the best deals.
Where to stay in London: Some options I’m happy to recommend include the Z Hotel in Shoreditch (great value, good location), Point A Hotel (budget-friendly near Westminster), and the Lime Tree Hotel (charming B&B feel in Belgravia). See all London hotels on Booking.com. If you prefer an apartment, take a look at Plum Guide, which curates some lovely options.
Once you’ve finished exploring London, it’s time to pick up your hire car and head out. For car hire, I recommend Discover Cars, which compares prices across all the major providers. Pick up from a suburban station or airport location rather than the city centre to save on costs and avoid battling through central London traffic.
Days 3 & 4: Oxford and the Cotswolds
From London, head west towards Oxford. I lived in and around Oxford for a number of years, and I can tell you that it’s basically impossible not to feel like a tourist there. Even the locals walk around gawping at the architecture. And honestly, you should too. The colleges are extraordinary, particularly Christ Church, the Bodleian Library, and the Radcliffe Camera.
Oxford is also fantastic for Harry Potter filming locations if you’re into that sort of thing. Take a punt on the river if the weather is kind. Have a cream tea. Wander the covered market. It’s a city that rewards unhurried exploration.
Read my full guide to spending a day in Oxford for more ideas.
From Oxford, you’re perfectly placed to explore the Cotswolds. This is the England that everyone imagines England to be like. Honey-coloured stone villages, rolling green hills, country pubs, village greens, and the occasional cricket match. Castle Combe, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water, and Stow-on-the-Wold are all worth stopping for. Take the small roads and enjoy the scenery.
Where to stay: Check Oxford hotels here, or consider staying in one of the Cotswolds villages for something more rural.
Days 5 & 6: Peak District and Manchester
From Oxford or the Cotswolds, head north. I’d suggest taking the opportunity to stop at Warwick Castle on the way. It’s one of the best-preserved castles in the country and well worth a few hours of your time if you are into castles.
Your next stop is going to be the Peak District national park. This offers everything you’d hope for from the English countryside. Rolling hills, stone walls, quaint villages, and excellent walking. If you fancy a proper hike, Mam Tor offers spectacular views and isn’t too demanding. If you prefer your scenery from the car window, the drive through the Hope Valley is gorgeous.
There are also some fabulous stately homes to visit in the area, including Chatsworth House, which is one of the finest in the country.
Manchester is a brilliant city that often gets overlooked by visitors. It has a world-class food scene, incredible music history (from The Smiths to Oasis to the entire Madchester movement), impressive Victorian architecture, and some of the friendliest people in the country. If football is your thing, you’re obviously in the right place. See my guide to things to do in Manchester for more ideas.
Where to stay: See Manchester hotels here.
Day 7: York
Not far from Manchester (England is wonderfully compact for road trips), York is another of my favourite UK cities. I’ve visited many times and it never disappoints.
York Minster is jaw-dropping. If you’re up for a climb, the tower gives you views over the whole city and surrounding countryside. The Shambles is one of the best-preserved medieval streets in Europe. It’s narrow, wonky, and atmospheric. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ll see the resemblance to Diagon Alley immediately.
York is also a great city for ghost walks. I’m not normally one for that sort of thing, but I took one here and it was tremendous fun. A local guide leads you through the spooky history of the city, usually with excellent storytelling and a few good pubs along the way.
If you’re planning to visit several attractions, the York City Pass can save you money. It includes most of the major sights plus access to the sightseeing bus.
For more ideas, see my detailed guide to spending two days in York.
Where to stay: See York hotels here.
Days 8 and 9: Edinburgh via Northumberland
From York, we’re heading north to Scotland’s capital. But the drive between the two is through some of England’s most underrated landscape, and I’d strongly recommend taking your time rather than rushing up the motorway.
Northumberland is spectacular and almost never crowded. Miles of empty beaches, crumbling castles (Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh are both stunning), and Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman frontier that once marked the edge of the known world. The landscapes are rolling and dramatic and you’ll often have them to yourself. If I had to pick one part of this itinerary that most visitors overlook, it would be Northumberland.
Then it’s on to Edinburgh. I lived in Edinburgh for four years, and it’s still one of my favourite cities anywhere. The castle dominates the skyline, Arthur’s Seat gives you a proper hill climb right in the centre of the city, and the Old Town’s narrow closes and wynds are endlessly atmospheric. If you visit during the Fringe festival in August, well, prepare yourself for one of the greatest cultural experiences on the planet.
The food scene in Edinburgh has improved enormously in recent years. Ask locally for recommendations and you’ll eat well.
See my two day Edinburgh itinerary for detailed suggestions, along with our guide to things to do in Edinburgh, tips on visiting Edinburgh in winter, and our guide to Harry Potter in Edinburgh.
Where to stay: See Edinburgh hotels here.
Days 10 to 12: Ireland (Optional but Highly Recommended)
This is where the itinerary has a choice built in. You can cross over to Ireland for a few days, or you can stay on the British mainland and explore more of Scotland, the Lake District, or Wales instead. Both options are excellent.
If you choose Ireland: It’s a 2-3 hour drive from Edinburgh to Cairnryan, from where ferries cross to Belfast in Northern Ireland. We’ve used both Stena Line and P&O Ferries and had good experiences with both. I’d recommend Direct Ferries for comparing prices and booking.
A word of warning on car hire: check whether your rental company allows you to take the car on a ferry to Ireland. Some do, some don’t, and there may be an additional fee. An alternative is to drop your car in Edinburgh and fly to Belfast or Dublin, then pick up a separate rental on the other side. This can sometimes work out cheaper and simpler.
In Northern Ireland, Belfast is a fascinating city with a complicated and compelling history. Then drive north along the Causeway Coastal Route to the Giant’s Causeway, which is one of the most remarkable natural formations I’ve ever seen. The route takes in ruined castles, dramatic clifftop walks, and the Dark Hedges made famous by Game of Thrones.
After Belfast, you can head south into Ireland and spend a day or two in Dublin. The Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College Library, and the Temple Bar area are the obvious highlights, but Dublin is a city best enjoyed at a relaxed pace. Good food, good music, good conversation. See my guide to what to do in Dublin for more.
Note: Ireland is not part of the UK (Northern Ireland is), so if you’re driving between the two you’ll cross an international border. In practice, there are no border checks, but do be aware that the Republic of Ireland uses the euro rather than pounds sterling. The UK ETA is not needed for Ireland; Ireland has its own entry requirements.
From Ireland, you can either ferry back to Wales (Rosslare to Fishguard or Pembroke) to continue the itinerary, or fly back to a UK airport.
If you skip Ireland: Use these days to explore the Scottish Highlands, or if you want to return to London, consider taking a more leisurely route south via Glasgow and the Lake District. All brilliant options.
Day 13: South Wales and Cardiff
If you’ve come from Ireland by ferry, you’ll arrive in Pembrokeshire, which happens to be one of the most beautiful parts of Wales. The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park has incredible beaches, dramatic cliffs, and wonderful coastal walking. It’s worth at least a stop before heading east.
Cardiff, the Welsh capital, is compact and enjoyable. Cardiff Castle is right in the city centre and worth a visit. The Principality Stadium is iconic if you’re a rugby fan. The arcades in the city centre are lovely for wandering and shopping.
Four capital cities in a fortnight. Not bad going!
For more about travelling in Wales, see our detailed Wales road trip itinerary.
Where to stay: See Cardiff hotels here.
Day 14: Bristol & Bath
From Cardiff, you’ll cross the Severn Estuary on the impressive Severn Bridge and be back in England.
Bristol is one of the most vibrant cities in the UK. It has some of the best street art in Britain (this is Banksy’s home city), a thriving independent food scene, and a maritime history that stretches back centuries. I’d recommend visiting the SS Great Britain, an engineering marvel from 1843, and just wandering the harbourside area. Check out my guide to things to do in Bristol for more.
Note that Bristol has a Clean Air Zone, but as I mentioned earlier, modern rental cars will be compliant.
From Bristol, it’s a short drive to Bath, one of the most beautiful small cities in England. The Roman Baths are fascinating, the Royal Crescent is architecturally stunning, and the city has an excellent food scene. Like Oxford, it’s a place that’s very hard not to enjoy even if it’s full of tourists. Because it’s just that good.
Where to stay: See Bristol hotels here.
Day 15: Back to London, via Stonehenge
Our last day brings us back to London, but with one more stop along the way.
Stonehenge. I’ve visited many times over the years, and it still gives me a sense of wonder every time. A circle of enormous rocks, hauled hundreds of miles across the country by people with nothing but their hands and some bits of wood, arranged in precise alignment with the sun. Nobody fully understands why they did it or how. That mystery is a huge part of the appeal.
Advance booking is required these days, and I’d recommend visiting early in the morning if you can, before the bigger tour groups arrive. An English Heritage membership or Overseas Visitor Pass will cover your entry.
While you’re in the area, the cathedral city of Salisbury is just down the road and worth a stop. It has the tallest cathedral spire in the UK and an original copy of Magna Carta.
Then it’s back to London to finish the trip. Drop off the hire car before you get into central London (somewhere like Reading or Heathrow is ideal) and take the train into the city if you have a flight to catch.
Two Week UK Road Trip: Summary
- Days 1 and 2: London
- Days 3 and 4: Oxford and the Cotswolds
- Days 5 and 6: Peak District and Manchester
- Day 7: York
- Days 8 and 9: Edinburgh via Northumberland
- Days 10 to 12: Ireland (or Scottish Highlands / Lake District alternative)
- Day 13: South Wales and Cardiff
- Day 14: Bristol and Bath
- Day 15: Back to London via Stonehenge
2 Weeks in the UK: Road Trip Map
Here’s a map of the route, for your reference.
Can you do this 2 Week UK itinerary by public transport?
For the most part, yes. The major cities on this route all have good rail connections, and the train between London, Oxford, Manchester, York, and Edinburgh is fast and comfortable.
The tricky bits are the rural sections. Exploring the Cotswolds, Northumberland, and the Peak District by bus is possible but much slower, and you’ll need to adjust the itinerary to account for that.
A good compromise is to skip the car entirely for the city portions, then add in a few day tours for the countryside highlights. For example, there’s a popular day trip from London to Bath, Stonehenge and the Cotswolds, and from Edinburgh you can take a day tour to Northumberland including Alnwick Castle.
If you’re interested in a public transport focused trip, take a look at my guide to taking a 10 day UK trip by public transport.
What About Touring the UK With A Tour Company?
f you’d prefer to have someone else handle the logistics, there are some good options.
For small group tours, I recommend Rabbie’s, who run excellent small group tours (16 people maximum) around the UK and Ireland. No single tour matches this exact itinerary, but you could combine a few days in London on your own with something like their 8-day London to Edinburgh tour, followed by a few days in Edinburgh and then a 3-day Northern Ireland tour or 3-day southern Ireland tour.
For a fully bespoke experience with a private driver-guide, this website lists certified Blue Badge guides across the UK. This is the most expensive option but gives you complete flexibility and a knowledgeable guide at your side the entire time.
When to Visit the UK
You can visit the UK at any time of year, but for the best weather and longest days, May to September is ideal. My personal favourite is May. The weather is usually pleasant, the countryside is at its greenest, and the summer crowds haven’t fully arrived yet.
June and July bring the longest daylight hours (it doesn’t get dark until after 9pm in much of the UK). August is peak tourist season, especially in Edinburgh during the Fringe.
September is underrated. The weather is often still lovely, prices drop a bit, and the autumn colours start to appear.
The Christmas period (late November through December) can also be magical, with festive markets and lights across the cities. Edinburgh’s Christmas market is particularly good. See our guide to visiting Edinburgh at Christmas.
Where to Stay in the UK:
For accommodation, you have a huge range of options from budget hostels to luxury hotels.
We use and recommend Booking.com for most of our hotel bookings. The filters are excellent (free cancellation, free parking, and guest rating are the ones I use most) and the map view is brilliant for a road trip. Here are direct links for each stop: London, Oxford, Manchester, York, Edinburgh, Dublin, Cardiff, and Bristol.
If you prefer apartments, Plum Guide curates high-quality options and is well worth checking. We’ve also written about alternatives to Airbnb and holiday cottage websites for the UK if you want even more options.
How to Get Around the UK
For a road trip like this, hiring a car gives you by far the most flexibility. I recommend comparing prices through Discover Cars, which aggregates all the major providers. Enterprise is another provider I’ve had consistently good experiences with, especially for one-way rentals.
My tip: don’t pick up the car until you leave London. The city has excellent public transport and driving there is expensive and unnecessary. Collect the car from somewhere you can easily reach by public transport (Heathrow, Reading, or another suburban location) when you’re ready to head out of the city. Return it somewhere similar on day 15 and take the train back into central London.
If you haven’t driven in the UK before, do read my guide to driving in the UK before you go. We drive on the left, most hire cars are manual transmission (request automatic well in advance if you need one), and roundabouts can take some getting used to.
For budget planning, see our guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK.
Another option is hiring a campervan, which can work well for the more rural sections. Motorhome Republic compares options from multiple providers.
Saving Money on Attractions
If you’re planning to visit a lot of historical properties, two passes are worth looking at.
The National Trust Touring Pass gives you access to hundreds of National Trust properties across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Available for 7 or 14 days.
The English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass covers all English Heritage properties (including Stonehenge). Available for 9 or 16 days.
Both can save you a meaningful amount if you’re visiting three or more properties.
Further Reading for Your UK Trip
I’ve written a lot about travelling in the UK over the years. Here are the guides that are most useful for planning this kind of trip:
- One Week UK Road Trip Itinerary if you have less time
- 10 Day UK Itinerary by Public Transport for a car-free option
- Guide to Driving in the UK for first-time UK drivers
- How Much it Costs to Travel in the UK for budget planning
- London Packing List covering all seasons
- Getting Online When Travelling for connectivity tips
- 1 Day London Itinerary, 2 Day London Itinerary, and 6 Day London Itinerary
- 2 Day Edinburgh Itinerary and Things to Do in Edinburgh
- 2 Day Glasgow and Loch Lomond Itinerary
- North Coast 500 Guide for Scotland’s famous road trip
- Things to Do in Manchester
- 2 Days in York
- Things to Do in Cambridge
- 8 Things to Do in Kensington
- 10 Best Stately Homes in England
- Harry Potter Filming Locations in the UK
- Wales Road Trip Itinerary
- 2 Day Belfast Itinerary and Causeway Coastal Route Guide
- 20 Things to Do in Dublin and 2 Day Dublin Itinerary
And if you’re interested in improving your travel photography, take a look at my online travel photography course. It covers everything you need to know, whatever camera you have.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a two week UK road trip cost?
It varies a lot depending on your travel style, but as a rough guide for two people: car hire runs £300 to £600 for two weeks, fuel around £150 to £250, accommodation £50 to £200 per night depending on your preferences, and you should budget £30 to £80 per person per day for food and attractions. Our detailed guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK breaks it all down.
Do I need an ETA to visit the UK?
If you’re visiting from the US, Canada, Australia, the EU, or most other visa-exempt countries, then yes. The UK ETA became mandatory on February 25, 2026. It costs £16, lasts two years, and you can apply through the official UK ETA app or the government website. Apply at least three days before travel.
Is it better to drive or take the train?
For this particular itinerary, driving gives you much more flexibility, especially for the rural sections like the Cotswolds, Peak District, and Northumberland. However, a very enjoyable trip is possible by train between the major cities. See my 10 day UK public transport itinerary for a non-driving alternative.
Should I include Ireland in my two week UK trip?
It depends on your priorities. Ireland is wonderful and the ferry crossing adds a genuine sense of adventure. But it does eat into your time, and some people prefer to use those days for more of Scotland, the Lake District, or Wales. Neither choice is wrong. If this is your first trip and you’re not sure, focusing on the UK mainland might give you a more relaxed pace.
What side of the road do you drive on in the UK?
The left. If you’re used to driving on the right, it takes a bit of adjustment but most people settle into it within an hour or so. Roundabouts are the other thing that trips people up. See my guide to driving in the UK for practical tips.
When is the best time to visit the UK?
May to September for the best weather and longest daylight hours. May and September are my personal favourites as they avoid the peak summer crowds while still enjoying good conditions. June and July have the longest days. August is peak tourist season, especially in Edinburgh during the Fringe Festival. December can also be magical for festive markets and Christmas lights.
Laurie says
Hello! I am considering a trip covering these 4 countries at the end of April thru Mid May 2026. Was planning about 18 days ( plus travel time to and from the USA). Been to London several times so skipping time in London but wanting to add Southern Ireland instead. A bit worried about driving on the opposite side of the road than I am accustomed to but if the routes are easy to drive would prefer making stops as opportunities happen. Can you recommend a good plan for this? I would travel with my son who has some disabilities and possibly my sister. Would 18 days be enough since skipping London but adding southern or Southwestern Ireland?
Laurence Norah says
Hey Laurie,
So if you skip London and go for 18 days then you will be able to cover a good amount. It is definitely worth noting that driving in the UK / Ireland is definitely different to driving in the US, the roads are busier due to the higher density population, and there are fewer interstate like roads. So driving can require more concentration and so end up being more tiring as a result. I’m not saying this to put you off, just so you are aware. It can also take a bit longer to get between places than you might think due to the traffic.
All that said, if you want to do a road trip and skip London, with 18 days you could definitely add on the south of Ireland. Just be aware as I say at the start of this post that this is a packed itinerary with a lot of moving around / driving. If you prefer a slower pace or to explore more of a specific area then you’ll definitely want to adjust it down. If that’s the case, I’d say leaving Ireland for a future trip and focusing on the mainland (England / Wales / Scotland) would be easier.
If you decide to include Ireland, obviously what you visit will depend on your interests – the Dingle peninsula and Killarney are popular, but there’s a lot to see across the whole country so I am sure you will find things to fill your time with! One thing to be aware of is that not all care hire companies are cool with you taking their cars on a ferry (and ferry prices for cars can be fairly high). We have done it a few times with a rental and it is possible for sure, just something to be aware of. But you might instead consider dropping of the rental in say Edinburgh or Glasgow and then flying to Belfast or Dublin and picking up another car.
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Greg says
Hello, we are planning a trip this summer. On my list is scotch tasting in Islay. How many days should we add? Do you have any recommendations?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Greg,
Sure thing. Islay is beautiful and very much worth a visit. I’d suggest spending a couple of day at least if you can spare it as it takes a bit of time to get to and from the island and there is plenty to see and do there. I have a guide to things to do on Islay which might help. In terms of whisky distilleries, if you have a favourite whisky that I’d obviously recommend going to that distillery. My favourite whisky is Laphroaig, so I enjoyed visiting that distillery particularly. However my guide to Islay lists all the currently active ones so you can make a choice as to which one you prefer.
Have a great trip!
Laurence
THOMAS OGDEN says
Re UK Trip
We are interested in a two week trip to the UK to include a side trip to Normandy and Omaha Beach. We are thinking about the summer of 2025. We would be most interested in a combination of guided and self guided in a rental car. Please let me know if you have something available like this.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Thomas,
So we don’t personally run or operate tours. I’d suggest looking on a site like TourRadar, they aggregate tours from a range of providers and include both self-drive and guided options. Here are their listings for the UK and here are their listings for Normandy as a starting point. You can filter by departure date, budget, duration, age group, trip style and more.
Hopefully that gives you a good starting point, but I’m happy to answer any further questions you might have!
Laurence
Marcelo Gurgel says
Hello ! Your post is very good ! I would like to do a similar tour, but on a motorcycle. Including Isle of Man where the TT Isle of Man race will take place. Please for I leave the bike on the London side and take the Ferry by foot and the best option? Cheaper in this case? How much do ferries generally cost? Where do I search for tickets and itineraries? Thanks a lot for the help !
Laurence Norah says
Hi Marcelo,
Thank you! So the only company which operates ferries to the Isle of Man is the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and the best way to book a ferry is directly on their website here. They operate services from Heysham, Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin.
If you plan on visiting during the TT race then you should book as soon as you can as this is a very popular event.
The price will vary depennding on when you go but it is definitely less expensive to go as a foot passenger. Looking at a route, it’s around £40 – £50 one way for a foot passenger, and £120 – £140 for a passenger with a bike. However, remember that you will need to pay to park your bike somewhere secure, and you will also need to have transport on the Isle of Man. Also, at more popular times, such as during the TT races, prices can be higher.
I hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions! Safe travels!
Laurence
PAUL BASILE says
stumbled across your blog and was pleasantly surprised! my wife and I will arrive in London on 6/19/24 in advance of Wimbledon where we’ll be staying from 7/5 though 7/10. we want to sorta do your route in reverse, heading out of London straight away renting a car, and heading out. we have around 2 weeks and want to start heading to Ireleand, then Scotland, then visiting cousins in Durham in northern GB, returning car in London before wimbeldon.
would love to get some advice on that reverse route, forgoing the London stuff until later, but wanting your insights on anything else! thanks in advance!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Paul,
It’s great to hear from you. So you can do the route either way without any issue. The main thing if you do decide to include Ireland is to be sure to check if the car rental company you choose allows you to take the car on a ferry to Ireland. Some will and some won’t, you’ll just want to confirm before booking. Otherwise I think you have the structure of a good itinerary. You can follow my route and just adjust it to suit your interests and available time. I’d definitely recommend booking in advance for places to stay and the ferries as you are coming at a popular time for travel so things will start to book up. Otherwise, just have a great time and let me know if you have any questions!
Laurence
PAUL BASILE says
Lawrence….thanks so much…great info on the ferry and booking places….do you have a fav booking site for places to stay?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Paul,
It’s my pleasure! We primarily use Booking.com when we travel because we like the filters. We usually filter by rating (8+) and then depending on the trip things like having free parking (handy for a road trip). Then things like WiFi, laundry, free breakfast, free cancellation, depending on what we are doing. Also like that you can apply the filters to the map view (again, handy for road trips). You can also book apartments. We also use various other sites depending on where we are going, some places have more AirBnB options. In the UK we also book holiday cottages but for a trip like yours which will likely have more shorter stops I’d say hotels or B&Bs are likely to be an easier option as apartments often have the extra overhead of needing to arrange check in and check out times.
Let me know if I can help any further 🙂
Laurence
Linda Haddock says
Hello, thank you for this helpful blog! Do you have any recommendations on when, where and what to include for sites for a JRR Tolkien fan?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Linda!
It’s my pleasure. So Oxford would be my main recommendation as it was here that Tolkien studied and worked. Fun side story, a dear friend of mine was Tolkien’s Doctor and knew him well, although he has now passed. Anyway, Tolkien studied at Exeter Collge in Oxford and was also a fellow at Pembroke College and Merton College, so many of the sights in Oxford like the Radcliffe Camera and Ashmolean museum would be of interest. The Bodeleian Library in Oxford (the Radcliffe Camera is part of this) does have the originals of many of his works but these are not usually on display unfortunately.
I hope this helps a bit! Have a lovely time in the UK and do let me know if you need any more input 🙂
Best
Laurence
Ingrid Ermanovics says
Hi,
Love your blog.
I hear that the traffic in July can be daunting and cause very long delays. As such, would you still recommend a private car hire (car rental)? Or have other suggestions to avoid the issue?
Thanks!!
Laurence Norah says
HI Ingrid,
Thanks very much! So in my experience, the main factors that contribute to traffic in the UK are road works, which can happen at any time, and travelling at specific times. For example, when there is a public holiday on a Monday or Friday, this tends to lead to a lot of holiday traffic. So avoiding those dates makes a lot of sense. July is not particularly worse in my experience, it can be a bit heavier, but it’s not normally awful unless you are unlucky and encounter an accident, or there are road works. I would advise against trips on Friday or Sunday afternoons, as this is when the traffic can be quite bad at any time of year as people go away for or come back from the weekends.
I’d also advise using an app like Google maps with real time traffic, and trying to plan your travel times so they don’t align with the busier times of day. In general though, i would still recommend using a car rental even in July 🙂
I hope this helps!
Laurence
Debbie Hebert says
Hi Laurence and Jessica, this trip looks super fun and we are looking to visit July-Aug of this year starting in Dublin (as the airfare is best to there from our home in New Orleans). Just a few questions. Would you suggest going North or South from Dublin? How many miles is the entire itinerary? Is there is a stretch where we could ditch the rental car and take the train and then pick up another car? And/or if we drop off the car before and after London and train in which cities would be best to do that? Thank you so much!
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Debbie!
So I’d probably recommend dropping the rental car in Belfast or Dublin and then flying across to Cardiff or Edinburgh, depending which way you go. Many car rental firms don’t allow for rentals to be taken on the ferry, plus you have to pay more to transport a car, so this would likely save you money.
Direction wise in Ireland, it really depends what you want to see. In the Republic of Ireland you have lovely landscapes and places like the Dingle peninsula and Ring of Kerry. If you head north to Belfast (also a lovely city), then you can visit places like the Giant’s Causeway and the Coastal Causeway route.
Putting a mileage total on the entire itinerary is tricky as there are likely to be many detours but I’d say a ballpark of 1500 – 2000 miles seems about right. In terms of areas where you can drop the car and take public transport, a lot of this will depend on what you want to see. If you are happy with primarily cities, then you can easily get around between cities with a train instead of a car. So for example, Edinburgh to York, York to Manchester, Manchester to Bath and Bath to Oxford would all work. Then if there were specific day trips you wanted to do there’s the option to either rent a car for that day, or take a day tour. But if you are thinking of spending more time in the countryside and smaller towns, then a car would be a lot less useful. I’d definitely recommend against taking a car into London, and dropping it off somewhere like Oxford or Reading before taking the train into London.
I hope this helps!
Laurence
Farooq Ghouri says
Hi Laurence and Jessica
We are visiting UK this summer for two weeks. Your two weeks itinerary is great resource for us.
I wonder how we can squeeze Wales in it . Any suggestions will be much appreciated
We will be using rental car
Sincerely
Farooq Ghouri
from Chicago USA
Laurence Norah says
Hi Farooq,
Thanks very much! So the southern part of Wales is included in this trip on the return from Ireland. However, if you wanted to add Wales your main option would be to do it as you drive north, or to consider skipping Ireland and to drive back down through Wales to Bath. The second option might be easier as it cuts down having to think about a ferry / flight across to Ireland, but it’s up to you. This itinerary is already very busy, so adding more to it as it exists would be a bit of a challenge in my opinion.
Let me know if I can offer any further advice, and have a great time in the UK!
Laurence
Farooq Ghouri says
Thank you much Laurence
I will keep your suggestion in mind when finalizing the itinerary
Heather says
Hello,
I noticed your recommended the The Resident Victoria and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.
I will be travelling with 3 people, one of which is a full time wheelchair user. Do you think the room size is adequate for a 5 day visit? Did you happen to notice if the showers were roll in or a wet room with chair?
I realize most hotels only have accessible showers and whatnot in certain rooms so will understand if you don’t know.
I found your travel blog a month ago and love it.
Thanks from Canada
Laurence Norah says
Hi Heather,
Sure thing. So, the first thing to be aware of is that rooms in central London tend to be quite small, especially if you are used to the size of hotel rooms in North America. Another thing to be aware of is that baths are quite common, and having a shower over the bath rather than a separate stall is also fairly common. So if looking for an accessible room it’s really important to specify that, and it’s always worth checking with the hotel what that actually means.
I would say that none of the rooms in the Resident Victoria would really be suitable for three adults to share for a longer stay, if that was what you were thinking. The superior rooms do have the option for three single beds, but these are not accessible rooms. In general, the rooms are fairly compact and I think a wheelchair user in particular would struggle in their standard rooms.
If you were thinking of separate rooms, some of their King Rooms are accessible so that would be an option. I called the hotel this morning and they confirmed that it is their King rooms which are accessible and the showers in these rooms are fully roll in. The toilets and sinks are also accessible. They can also provide a chair in the shower if you want. However these are definitely rooms for two people.
I hope this answers your question! The property is very well located for sure. Let me know if I can offer any further advice. I also have a full guide to where to stay in London which has a lot more options 🙂
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Sam says
Hi Laurence,
Was very interesting to read this trip. But it’s more suitable for adults without kids to travell to Ireland within two weeks.
Can you please look for following trip plan:
We are 2 adults + 2 kids (12 and 10) for 14 days. My daughter likes Harry Potter, so preference on these kind of attractions. So i wanted to divided for following parts:
1. London 5 days –>>> museums, parks and so on.
2. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London 1 day
3. Oxford or Cambridge .. yet not decided… for one day + Windsor Castle
4. Rent a car(or by train) and drive to the north >>
York 1 day
Manchester + Alton Towers – 1 day
5. Drive to south
Birmingham (Cadbury world + other attractions) – 1 day
Costwolds area – 1 day
Bath + Stonehenge – 1 day
Total 12 + 2 days (driving + bufffer for other changes during the trip)
Do you think is it good? What to add or remove?
Or continue to Edinburgh and cancel some places in current trip?
Thanks in advance
Sam
Laurence Norah says
Hi Sam,
Great to hear from you. I agree, trying to include Ireland on the trip would be challenging with family. I think your itinerary sounds good, spending more time focusing on a smaller number of areas is a good choice. For your options, I think I might suggest Oxford over Cambridge if your daughter likes Harry Potter as there are quite a few filming locations in Oxford (see the Oxford section of our Harry Potter guide here). I would also probably allocate a whole day to Oxford and maybe do Windsor Castle on one of your days in London. Oxford is very easy to reach by train from London so makes an easy day trip, but the day might feel rushed if you include Windsor as well.
I think otherwise your itinerary sounds good. A car will make things easier for sure, especially for things like exploring the Cotswolds and getting to Alton Towers. These are doable by public transport but it will take up valuable time. I also think focusing on England is a good idea. Depending on how much of a Harry Potter fan your daughter is you might consider stopping at Gloucester as well to see Gloucester Cathedral, which was used for various Hogwarts scenes .It’s a spectacular cathedral and lovely city in its own right as well, easy to see in 2-3 hours between Birmingham and Bath before dipping into the Cotswolds.
Have a great trip – let me know if you have any questions!
Laurence
Vincent Choo says
Laurence,
My family and I ( 4 of us intend to tour Great Britain for 2 weeks before joining our friends in Belfast to continue another 10 days covering the island of Ireland.
We intend to travel with a combination of car, train , ferry and air and hope to have your recommendation on which sectors should I use the above modes of transport.
The intineary is roughly the same as your 2 weeks ( loop from London and ends there )
Thank You
Laurence Norah says
Hi Vincent!
This is a great question, and the answer will come down to both budget and your interests.
If you are primarily interested in cities and larger towns, then travelling by rail might be easier for the majority of your trip. You can get between most cities and towns quite easily by train, and if you book well in advance you can also get cheap fares. You can also use a Friends & Family railcard to save even more. Travelling by train has the advantage that you don’t have to worry about car rental costs, fuel costs and finding car parking, the latter of which can be a challenge in many cities. I’d definitely advise against a car in London at the very least.
If you prefer a mix of city sightseeing and countryside, then a car is going to be more useful as most countryside sights and places like the Lake District are going to be a lot easier to get to and around with your own vehicle. I’d just suggest leaving the car out of the London part of the trip, and remembering to think about parking and fuel prices as part of your budget. I think a car might end up being slightly more expensive than public transport, but honestly the car rental market is so turbulent these days it’s hard to know without doing the math.
My recommendation would be to fly to Ireland – low cost flights with budget airlines will likely be the best option, and most car rental companies actually don’t allow for their vehicles to go on a ferry. Then you could pick up a hire car in Ireland on arrival.
It sounds like you have a great trip planned – let me know if I can offer any more input!
Laurence
Sanchay says
Hello,
Im planning a 2 week trip which shall include England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland during the month of October 2022.
Is it feasible to cover all the places in 2 weeks considering that we are a group of 6 adults and 2 children ( 11 and 12 yrs) or shall we skip any of the destinations. We shall use Public transport in London and prefer Self drive cars / Trains / Ferries elsewhere.
I also want to know if you could share some ranch stays where in we can stay and enjoy the country side instead of hotels.
Awaiting your kind suggestion
Thanks and Regards 🙂
Laurence Norah says
Hi Sanchay,
Thanks for your comment. So I would probably recommend that you focus on maybe a couple of countries so you can enjoy yourself a bit more. I would probably recommend perhaps the mainland UK, as the extra effort required to get across to Ireland will eat into your time with two weeks. So perhaps a trip which includes London and Edinburgh, and then areas like the Lake District and / or Wales. One thing to be aware of is that the weather in October can be a bit variable, so spending more time in the cities might be more appealing rather than the country side where the weather might not be suitable for a lot of outdoor activities. Of course, you might be lucky and get good weather, but this is not guaranteed.
For ranch stays, probably the closest in the UK would be countryside B&Bs. Some farms do have accommodation option, and there are some lovely self catering options in the country as well.
Have a great trip and let me know if you have any further questions!
Laurence
Derek Bowen says
Hi,
A really good trip, but I would skip Manchester and head right up through Rawtenstall, up through Burnley and Nelson. This would be a really good look at the cotton industry as well a real feel of northern England, as well as the best fish and chips. Then carry on up through Skipton, trying to time market day, and over to York, which is a must.
Cheers.
Derek
Laurence Norah says
Thank you Derek! For sure, there are so many ways to change this route depending on interests, and your suggestion is a good one 😀
Patrick Russell says
Hi!
This is absolutely amazing itinerary. What would a rough cost be for a trip like this? Minus airfare, and passports.
Thank you,
Patrick
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Patrick! So it will vary quite a bit depending on your travel style. The main costs on a trip like this are transport, accommodation, food and attraction entry. Accommodation will obviously depend on how comfortable you like to travel, and food will also vary a lot depending on if you prefer fine dining or simpler fare.
To help cost a trip like this I put a guide to the costs of travelling in the UK in a post, which should give you some guidance 🙂
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/cost-travel-uk/
Hope this helps!
Laurence
Matthew says
Interesting itinerary. As a British person, rather than a traveller, my comment would be it doesn’t have much of the coast in, though I understand the time constraints. But a trip to the UK with no seaside towns! At least add Brighton, easy to reach from London. Dorset isn’t too far either, and has a fantastic coast. Also, Chester is beautiful and well worth inclusion.
Laurence Norah says
Hey Matthew,
Great feedback. When I wrote this guide initially it was in response to a specific request, but of course there is so much of the UK that it doesn’t cover for various reasons (including time restraints!). I always encourage folks to use it as a rough guide, but to modify it for their own interests 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
Laurence
Tammy Howard says
Dear Laurence,
Thank you so much for this itinerary. It is fabulous!! We would like to sleep in a castle while on our trip. Are there any that you know of that allow this along this route?
Thank You!
Laurence Norah says
Dear Tammy,
My pleasure! So yes, there are quite a few options along the route, depending on your budget. Some options to consider:
Thornbury Castle – just north of Bristol
Glenapp Castle – just south of the Scotland – Ireland ferry crossing. We’ve stayed here and it’s wonderful
Kilkea Castle Hotel – south of Dublin. We’ve also stayed here.
Cringletie Castle Hotel – about a 40 minute drive south of Edinburgh. Another of our favourites.
Of course, this is just a small selection – there are many more across the UK to choose from, at a range of budgets. One tip when staying in a castle hotel – some of them have built more rooms outside the castle itself. So make sure when booking that you get a room that inside the castle (I think otherwise it sort of defeats the point!).
Have a great trip, let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Abdiaziz says
How much will I pay if I want to travel next month
Laurence Norah says
Hi Abdiaziz,
March is not too busy a month for travel in the UK, so prices should be reasonable. To figure out your costs for this trip, see our guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK 🙂
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Dhaval says
Hi Laurence, Thanks a lot for this amazing itinerary. We are a group of 4 adults + 4 kids (1Y,3Y,5Y,7Y) and are planning a 15 days trip to the UK. This will be our first time. Can you please assist us with the below queries:-
1. Considering we have small kids, what is the best mode of transport to travel from London to Edinburgh to Dublin? Should we keep one separate day for travelling in our itinerary? We will also have Kids Strollers everywhere we travel.
2. We want to do Day tours from London to Oxford, Cotswold, Stonehenge, Bath etc keeping our base in London. But few of my friends suggested that the Local operators don’t include kids below 5Years and we will be forced to take a rent a car. Any suggestions?
3. Also if we follow your above itinerary, can you guide us the exact cities in which we need to book our apartments/hotels to avoid hassle-free travelling.
Thanks a lot in Advance. Cheers 🙂
Laurence Norah says
Hi Dhaval,
My pleasure 🙂 I will do my best to help of course. To answer your questions:
1 – From London to Edinburgh I would recommend the train. This takes around 4.5 hours and will be a lot quicker than driving / taking a bus, plus you will have more space for your stroller / bags etc. You could fly too, but as it will take time to check everything in, go through security etc, I think the train will be easier. Just be sure to book your train well in advance to get a good price, and be aware that if you book a ticket in advance, you must take the booked train, the ticket will not work on a different train, even on the same day.
For Edinburgh to Dublin, your only option is realistically to fly.
2 – This is correct, for safety reasons most group tours do not accept children under a certain age, which is often 5. However, you can instead book a private tour. For a group of eight of you this should not work out much more expensive than a normal tour, plus you will be able to customise the itinerary. So I would advise reaching out to private tour operators who should be able to assist.
3 – All the cities are in the itinerary, you would need to stay in whichever ones you want to visit that don’t fall within the day tours you wish to take from London.
I hope this helps – have a great trip and let me know if I can help any further,
Laurence
Serafina Macdonald says
Hi there, we are planning a trip to England, Scotland, and Ireland at the beginning of July. We are thinking about 16-18 days. I looked at your itinerary and love your suggestions! My husband does want to spend a half-day in Liverpool and I think we can tweak your itinerary to fit it in and try to do Isle of Skye as well. Since we do have the few extra days at the end of the trip, do you think it would be worthwhile to travel over to the other coast of Ireland to explore that side? (Galway, Aran Islands). Would love some suggestions.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Serafina!
So Liverpool would definitely be an easy addition to the itinerary. The Isle of Skye is a bit more of a trek, as it’s a five hour drive each way from Edinburgh, so I’d suggest allocating at least 3 days for that, one day each for the drive and one day to actually explore. So do keep that in mind.
For Ireland, absolutely. The west coast is stunning, and if you can find time to head over there I would definitely suggest doing so. There’s a lot to see over there, so the hardest part will be choosing, but certainly the Cliffs of Moher, Dingle Peninsula and Ring of Kerry are some good candidates for your shortlist 🙂
Have a great time, and let me know if you have any more questions!
Best
Laurence
Serafina Macdonald says
Thanks so much! Looking forward to this trip!
Duong says
Dear Laurence,
This is the first time I visit UK so could you help give a good advice to have plan visit UK during time 24th Dec- 08th Jan
Thanks
Duong
Laurence Norah says
Hi Duong
Thanks for your message. The majority of the information you need should be available on the site, both in this post and in the posts I link to. I am happy to try and help answer any specific questions you might have – is there anything in particular you are worried about?
The main things I would suggest, depending on where you are travelling from, are to plan what you want to see, to plan your accommodation and transport, and to pack properly for winter. Obviously you are visiting over Christmas and New Year, which is a busy time of year, so if you have not booked your accommodation yet you will definitely want to look into that, especially over New Year as that can be a busy time for both travel and accommodation.
Let me know if I can offer any more specific help for your trip,
Laurence
Hang Tran says
Hi Laurence,
Thank you for your advice and emails. I was able to put together our 2-week itinerary in England.
I changed our lodging to London instead of Heathrow and booked different places when we travel around with our Britrail passes. I can’t say thank you enough.
It’s very helpful for us. We will stay in London (3 days), Edinburgh (3 days:Edinburgh and York), Bristol for 5 days, Bath for 2 days and travel to other nearby cities (Stonehenge, Oxford, Cardiff) by train to make one-day trip. Is it right time to visit Cardiff in winter? If not, do you have any other places to spend a day? We’re thinking about Liverpool but it takes about 3-hours ride. If so, what should we can see in such a short time in Liverpool? We never ride a train before so we don’t mind riding the train everyday and enjoy the view together.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Hang,
I am so pleased to have been able to help you and to hopefully make your trip a memorable one. It sounds like you have a wonderful itinerary planned now.
I would say that Cardiff is fine to visit in winter. Like many cities in the UK, lots of the attractions are indoors, so you can visit at any time of year and have a good time. Obviously you’ll want to dress warmly, but this will be the same all around the UK. Cardiff will definitely be one of the easier places to visit given its proximity. Another option would be Birmingham. I think I would probably not do Liverpool from Bristol – the 3 hour trip each way would be 6 hours on a train, so I don’t think you’d really have enough time to enjoy the city.
Let me know if I can be of any further help! We actually live in Bath too, so maybe we’ll see you 😉
Best
Laurence
Hang Tran says
Hi Laurence,
Thank you for the suggestion. We will look into Birmingham instead of Liverpool.
We might be able to meet you for breakfast or lunch in Bath on Dec 22 or 23.
I was able to find a place to stay that we can walk up or down the street to get to Bath Spa. Everything is in walking distance. Thanks to you again.
Sincerely,
Hang
Laurence Norah says
My pleasure – have a lovely trip. Do pop a comment here or send me an e-mail if you have some free time!
Laurel says
Hi, love your itinerary of the UK. It includes much of what we want to see. Howev r, we are a senior couple of nomads from Australia and we are trying to organise a four week trip of the UK and Ireland including the islands off Scotland but we are steam train buffs and have the 10 best day trips on steam trains to try to include. Do you help with itinerary planning to include as many of these as we can but in some sort of order? If not can you head us in the right direction? We don’t need London as we have a couple of days there prior to a cruise of Norway. Is it feasible to do this trip in September and will he days still be long and fairly warm? Thanks in anticipation for your advice.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Laurel,
Thanks very much! So we don’t offer custom itinerary planning as it’s quite a time intensive process. We’re happy to answer specific questions and help where we can of course. Steam trains aren’t really an area of expertise though!
I can definitely answer your questions about September – I’d say September is a great month to travel. If you are lucky it might still be reasonably warm (recent years have been lovely in September), but you skip the crowds of the summer months and the schools will have gone back as well. September and May are our favourite months to travel. Of course, this is the UK, so rain and cooler weather is certainly possible (although you can get this in July and August as well!), so it’s always best to be prepared with layers of clothing, but you should be fine generally. The days will still be long, light until around 8pm depending on which part of the month you visit 🙂
Have a great trip, and let me know if I can answer any more specifics!
Laurence
Kevin Ortyl says
Love the website and your two-week itinerary. Very easy to follow.. So glad we found your site. Need advice please… (Coming from Boston, USA) Thinking of a two-week vacation late August 2020 (family of 4… 2 college age kids) flying into London and out of Dublin. So similar trip you outlined but not returning to Heathrow once in Ireland. Planning on rental car and driving everywhere. Can the one way car rental work in this scenario (London, Scotland, ferry to the Emerald Isle, drop rental at Dublin)? Second Q… if we were to eliminate the Wales back to London segment how would you fill in that itinerary staying in Ireland?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Kevin!
Thanks very much. So dropping off the car in a different country might be a challenge. Most car rental companies will let you drop the car off in a different part of the same country, but as the Republic of Ireland is separate from the UK, that would likely be a challenge. So your best option is probably to rent the car in the UK, then drop it off at Edinburgh airport and fly to Dublin, then pick up a new rental there.
For your time in Ireland, you have a lot of options! If you are looking for a road trip the Causeway Coastal Route in northern Ireland is a favourite of ours, and the Wild Atlantic Way is also a great drive. Of course there is so much to see in Ireland and Northern Ireland depending on what you are interested in, with both Dublin and Belfast being worth a visit. It would just depend if you wanted to do more city or more country 🙂
Let me know if I can be of any more help – we have quite a few posts on Ireland as well on the site with some ideas!
Laurence
Kevin says
Thank you for the reply, and the good information regarding rental cars.
To follow up, once in Ireland probably interested in seeing some of the quaint cities/towns, visit the pubs, little urban culture, castles, etc and those types of places in lieu of say hiking and biking. Hoping of course between destinations to see beautiful countryside and such!
Laurence Norah says
My pleasure 🙂 So I would suggest that driving the Causeway Coastal Route (https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/causeway-coastal-route-northern-ireland/) Might be a good option 🙂
Vann says
Hi Laurence, I really like the two week trip itenerary. We’ll will be driving and are experienced with that. We’d like to see some worthy gardens along the suggested route. Any ideas?
Thank you,
Vann
Laurence Norah says
Hi Vann!
Certainly. The gardens at Alnwick Castle are wonderful, as are the gardens at many of the stately homes in the UK (you can see our list of good stately homes in England here). Not all of them have gardens of course, but that’s a good starting point. Many cities also have botanic gardens, including Edinburgh and Kew Gardens in London, which are well worth the visit.
I hope this helps a little 🙂
Laurence
Rachel Sales says
Hi! This post gave me lots of ideas. However, can you help me out in modifying this itinerary which will make Edinburgh as the last stop? My flight booking is DXB-LHR, EDI-DXB. I thought it will be nice it it’s an onward journey and not have to go back to my starting point.
Thank you in advance!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Rachel,
Glad to be able to help! So as this itinerary is a loop, it’s a bit challenging to modify it that easily. My suggestion would perhaps be to drop Ireland from your trip, and instead to spend more time in Scotland. So you could follow the itinerary up to Edinburgh, and then add in time exploring more of Scotland before returning to Edinburgh. Let me know your thoughts,
Laurence
Robin Major says
Hello Lawrence,
I just found and love this site!! I’m trying to plan a 25th wedding anniversary trip for next September (2020) to surprise my hubby.
He’s never been to Europe. I was fortunate enough to get two and half lovely days in London a couple years back courtesy of my employer.
I’m not sure if what I want to do is totally doable though… No driving.. we would do transit and rail… I’m thinking a week in Britian and a week in Scotland. Maybe fly into London, spend two full days exploring the sites.. then I’m sort of lost. We are interested in Castles, love the supernatural aspect of York so that will be a must, definitely want to see Stonehenge.. and as odd as it sounds, my parents did Sherwood Forest and Nottingham on their 25th Wedding Anniversary many years ago so wondering if that would be a recommendation? Just not sure of the logistics for a week in Britian.. where to stay etc.
For Scotland, again, Castles and we are both big Outlander fans so we’ve have to see Loch Ness, Inverness and any and all sites made famous by Outlander. I am thinking a week up there and we fly home from either Glasgow or Edinburgh.
Do you have any suggestions/recommendations on an itinerary for us? I would greatly appreciate any knowledge you wish to share with me.
Thank you so much!
Robin
Laurence Norah says
Hi Robin!
Thanks very much! It certainly would be possible 🙂 I’ve actually written a 10 day UK itinerary by public transport. Whilst the route isn’t exactly what you want, the post does have some useful information to help you plan your trip, especially around booking the trains etc. If you’ve not seen that post yet, it’s here:
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/10-day-uk-itinerary-public-transport-train-bus/
Regarding your specific itinerary, I would suggest you start in London as you suggest. You could then take a day tour from London out to Stonehenge. This is doable by public transport, but is way easier as a day tour, plus they usually have some extra stops like Bath. You can read our guide to doing that here:
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/Stonehenge-bath-cotswolds-day-trip-from-london/
So Nottingham is nice (I went to university there), but with limited time I wouldn’t say it was a must do. My suggestion would be to take the train from London to Oxford, and then up to York. A day in each location would work. You are now up to five days in England. Castles are a bit tricky by public transport as many of them are out of cities. I would perhaps suggest extending your time in London and taking the extra day to visit either Windsor Castle or Hampton Court Palace. From York you could head up to Durham which is a beautiful cathedral city.
From Durham the train to Edinburgh is not too far. I’d suggest basing yourself in Edinburgh for at least three days. Two days to explore the city, and then one day to take an Outlander tour. We have specifically done 1 day tour with Rabbies, and thought it was great. We have more suggested day tours from Edinburgh here:
https://independenttravelcats.com/day-trips-from-edinburgh-scotland/
From Edinburgh our recommendation would then be to take the train up to Inverness, from where you can explore more castles, Loch Ness and the Highlands. Again, plenty to do in this area, and there are lots of great day trips to plan. You can see our guide to some of the best here:
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/day-trips-from-inverness-scotland/
I think that should give you plenty to work with – let me know if you have any more questions!
Best
Laurence
Becky says
I just found this page and so glad I did especially your “Best Stately Homes in England” We will be visiting England and Scotland for 2weeks October 16-29, 2019 and I am excited about your itinerary. We have been to Northern Ireland (once)and Republic of Ireland (4 times) so we can leave those out, so are there any other places you might suggest? My husband has driven every time we have visited Ireland so he can handle a manual transmission. We land at Gatwick Airport and I thought we could head to Edinburgh via a easterly route and return to London via a westerly route. We do not have to travel only motorways but don’t wait too many small country lanes (did plenty of those in Ireland). Any suggestions you could make would be greatly appreciated. Love Manor Houses, Castles, rolling landscape, waterfalls, quaint English market towns or villages, etc. THANKS
Laurence Norah says
Hi Becky!
Sounds like you have a great trip planned, and I will certainly do my best to help. It sounds like your route is pretty good already, coming down the west side of the UK gives you the chance to pop into the Lake District, explore towns like Chester, and even larger cities like Birmingham. In terms of stately homes, well, I would obviously recommend the majority of those in my post on stately homes. I’d also add Edinburgh Castle of course if you like castles, as well as the more ruined Craigmillar Castle on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Alnwick Castle on the way up through Northumberland is stunning, as are many of the other castles in Northumberland, like Bamburgh and dunstanburgh. For rolling hills and greenery, the Lake District is lovely, but I can also recommend the Hadrian’s Wall area of Northumberland, particularly the area near Housesteads.
For quaint English towns, of course the Cotswolds would be by number one pick. The counties of Kent and Dorset are also good options.
I think that should get you started, let me know if you need some more ideas!
Best
Laurence
Christine Greentaner says
Hello!!
I stumbled on your site asking google if I could do the this kind of trip and wow, here you are! Unsure of the driving though since we zero experience. However, this two week itinerary gives us something to start thinking about. Thank you so much!!
Christine
Laurence Norah says
Hi Christine!
Driving in the UK is definitely a bit different, especially if you are coming from a country where they drive on the right hand side. Also, if you’re coming from the USA, be aware that most cars in the UK have manual transmissions, so when you rent a car if you are not used to driving a manual you should specify an auto. I have a guide to driving in the Uk which you might also find useful 🙂
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/tips-for-driving-in-the-uk/
Let me know if you have any questions, and have a great trip!
Laurence
Danie marais says
What will it cost for 2 adults
Laurence Norah says
Hi Danie – this really depends on your travel style – you can see a guide to how much travel in the UK costs here for some estimates:
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/cost-travel-uk/
Margaret says
HI , Just wanted to ask. I am getting a little a little worried,as our trip is getting closer and closer.
Your site has helped so much.
Does this sound ok to do. Day 1 arrive late afternoon explore Paddinton.
Day 2 & 3 follow your 2 day guide of london sites.
Day 4 train to oxford, free 2 hour tour. free time to explore oxford
Day 5 train back to oxford ,pick up car. Drive to Cotswold explore.. Drive on up to peak district stay over night . 1 night
Day 6 explore peak district , drive to Manchester and york .explore.
Now I am unsure to travel to the Lake district Or follow onto Alnwick. as some people say not to miss out on the lake district. We dont have enought time to cut back over to Alnwick unsure . We arrive in paddington on the 20th want to leave Edinburgh 31st. So take into account at least 2 night in Edinburgh and head onto Belfast. We will then explore Belfast and Dublin for 2 weeks as we have friends there. follow onto wales Bath but we do want to stay in Southampton for two days once again friends. Can you get to Heathrow airport from Southampton We have 5.5 weeks for this trip but I do want to spend time with friends in Belfast and Dublin. I am so over whelmed .
Laurence Norah says
Hi Margaret!
First, I’m delighted we’ve been able to help 🙂
Your comment covers a few points so I will try to help where I can. For your itinerary, the first six days look good, the only feedback I would offer is that trying to do the Peak District, Manchester and York in one day is likely going to be too much. Even Manchester and York in one day is quite a bit. York would need at least four hours to fully enjoy it, so I might suggest skipping Manchester unless you are particularly invested in it.
For your Lake District dilemma, I can’t really answer this for you. Everyone has a different idea as to what is “unmissable”, so it really depends on your priorities and interests. The Lake District is certainly very pretty, but so is much of the UK 😉
From Southampton you can definitely get to Heathrow airport. It takes around 2 hours by train. It’s not a direct train though, so you do have to change, but it shouldn’t be too difficult. If you would prefer a direct route, I believe National Express operates a coach service between the two locations.
I think for the rest of your trip you might want to reach out to your friends and ask for their advice in terms of what to see and do. I would try to relax and enjoy yourself instead of trying to see everything and becoming overwhelmed if you can. Travel is definitely a bit of work, but ultimately it is supposed to be fun. I always find that the less planned adventures are the more fun ones. So certainly come up with a framework, but don’t spend too much time worrying about it to the tiniest detail, as it will likely detract from the enjoyment.
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Margaret says
Thank you Laurence,
Your advice is so helpful. I have added days, so we can get the most out of our trip 2 days in the Peak District, Manchester and 1 day for York. Now I am on the end part of our trip and once again would like some advice. :
After spending 18 days exploring Ireland.
We will be catching the ferry to Wales.
20th Fishguard pick up car, early afternoon
explore the country driving towards Cardiff, Bristol
Question : Unsure as to time length of time needed
I was thinking, see Cardiff, then drive towards Bristol arrive around tea time. sleep overnight and have full day to explore Bristol.
21st after exploring Bristol drive towards Bath. arrive around tea time, find somewhere to sleep for 2 nights (21st and 22nd)
22nd full day to explore Bath.
23 th drive toward
Stonehenge, Amesbury, drive onto southamption return Car
24th southamption .explore Southamption see family member.
we need to be at Hearthrow airport on the 26th at 9:20 flight take off ,
My next question is , Should I return to paddington for the 25th so I can get the express train to airport , Is my flight to early to return from southamption. Once again . please guide me.
Margaret
Laurence Norah says
Hi Margaret,
My pleasure! I will try to help again. Your timings for Bristol / Bath etc seem reasonable. They are very close together, my only advice is to avoid travelling at rush hour (4pm – 6pm), as it will make your journey much longer due to the traffic.
For your second question, in theory you could get from Southampton to Heathrow in time, but it’s around a 2 – 2.5 hour journey. You’d want to check train times for the day you are going, but the earliest trains are around 5am based on my research, so you would get to Heathrow around 7.30am. So yes, it’s possible, but it depends how happy you are with an early start and also the risk of any train delays. Up to you, but personally I avoid early mornings at all costs, so would personally probably just find a hotel near Heathrow 😉
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Diana Cottrell says
Loved seeing your site. Very helpful since I’m trying to plan a driving vacation for my husband and myself and really didn’t know were to start. I have some questions but will start with only one. We were in London last year but I could go again. Loved it. Hubby sick and had a different feeling. Would it be hard for someone from the US to land at Heathrow and rent a car…then drive to Windsor right after landing? Is it far enough out of London to get comfortable with driving on a different side of the road?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Diana,
So, funny story, after passing my UK driving test the first thing I did was rent a car and drive out of Heathrow! I’m not sure I’d exactly recommend it, you’d be driving onto one of the busiest motorways in the UK (our equivalent of a freeway) which might be quite stressful. It’s possible of course, and I’m sure many people do it, but I would advise caution. Also, make sure you specify you want an automatic as most cars in the UK are manual 🙂
Good luck!
Laurence
Diana Cottrell says
Thanks for the information. Think we’ll skip Heathrow. How would landing in Edinburgh, then heading up through Scotland and back down England (maybe to Bath). Then going up through York and returning back to Edinburgh to return car.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Diana!
That would likely work quite well. My only advice, if you plan on spending time in Edinburgh, is not to pick up the hire car until you leave, as you won’t need it in the city and you’ll just be paying for car rental and parking for no good reason – the city is very walkable.
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Diana Cottrell says
Thanks so much. Will start planning.
Amanda says
This is such a great detailed itinerary! We are planning to get a rental car in Cambridge and then driving to Scotland from there, so some of these places we will definitely have to visit!
I do have one question, about renting a car. Is there a boarder crossing fee or any other type of fee the rental company could charge to go from England to Scotland? We are planning to do a one-way trip so I know there is a fee for that, but in terms of crossing between the two countries is there a fee? When I read about the boarding crossing fee it was unclear to me if that is only if we leave the UK?
Thank so much!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Amanda,
Thanks very much! There’s no fee or anything like that for crossing into Scotland, it’s not really a border like that. It’s all part of the UK, so it’s one country.
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Opal joiner says
Hi
Do I need to purchase a London pass and a heritage pass? Or just one pass?
Opal
Laurence Norah says
It depends what you want to see and where you are travelling, but for London the London Pass will cover the majority of the attractions 🙂 I definitely recommend checking what they cover before purchasing though 🙂
Laurence
Chris Ryan says
From an English persons point of view this is an excellent itinerary. It would be good to include the Lake District and Snowdonia but to cover all this in two weeks would be a nightmare and far too much time on the road. The average Brit would allow at least a month for the whole trip. If only two weeks available I would suggest you save Ireland for another time, it’s sacrilage not to explore more of that country, and maybe see more of the west of Scotland instead.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Chris!
Thanks very much 🙂 I agree, I was actually born in Snowdonia and that part of the world is wonderful. Have spent many happy weekends camping in the Lakes as well. The itinerary was in response to a specific request – we normally encourage folks to slow down where possible and spend more time seeing and less time travelling, but unfortunately many people don’t have much leave to play with and want to try and see as much as possible 🙂
Best
Laurence
Lillie says
Hi! So glad to have stumbled upon your site, as I am planning this trip to the UK in October, and I didn’t even know where to begin. I like the idea of doing all the traveling by road ourselves since we’ll be traveling with our baby who will be 9 month old at the time. I was thinking 10 days, including Ireland, but would you consider that possible? We are really interested in doing the whiskey distillery tours in Scotland and anything and everything related to Harry Potter. We’re also interested in visiting landmarks like the cliffs and stonehenge. We’re usually good at squeezing in a lot in our vacations, but this will be the first time we travel with our son, so I don’t want to set ourselves up for failure either. Any advice on what to cut out or if we need to lengthen the trip?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Lillie!
So, first off, I have to say that we’re not really experts on travelling with children as we don’t have any of our own. So any advice I offer you is based on what friends and other readers have shared with us about the logistics of travelling with a young person. Of course, everyone’s experience will also be different.
Generally, most folks say that you definitely need to slow down when travelling with young children, as you have to factor in things like feeding, changes and so on. This will definitely vary though depending on age and individual personalities 😉
That said, you are trying to do a great deal in 10 days. Scotland and England are around a 6 – 7 hour drive apart, and if you want to get up into the Highlands you’re looking at another few hours. To then add Ireland would make it more of a challenge for sure. It’s not impossible of course, but it would definitely be rushed. It might be that you would be best off focusing on Ireland and Scotland on this trip, perhaps five days in each, rather than trying to see everything and just having a stressful time. Alternatively, add 3 or 4 days and include some time in England 🙂
I hope this helps a bit!
Best
Laurence
Ashok Agarwal says
Wow. I looked up the WWW for a 2 week itinerary for the UK and am glad I clicked on your site, from the numerous options that sprang up. The information contained here is so so exhaustive. Not only did I get a fantastic plan but ab amazing read, too. We are planning our first visit to the UK in October and are going to follow your tips to the T. You guys are fantastic. Thanks.
Laurence Norah says
Thanks very much Ashok! Much appreciated 🙂
magda says
Dear Laurence!
Thank you SOOOOO much for your inspirational itinerary and all other articles you provide here. They’re great help!
We are going to spend 15 days in UK in August and this is cause we’ve planned to take our son to Warner Bros HP Studio as we are all massive HP fans :). We’ll start and finish in London, though initially we want to hire a car at the airport and start a trip and spend couple of days in London in the end.
Could you kindly give us some advice / decide whether it is possible, to plan a trip considering these simple priorities:
1) we’d love to see Scotland with its green hills, waterfalls etc.
2) we would really like to visit Snowdonia
3) I guess Stonehenge is sth 8-year-old traveler to England must see
4) I personally have dreamt all my life too see PUFFINS (I mean – free puffins)
5) we can skip Irelnad, no problem 😉
I must admit – reading about UK – I am getting a bit lost in huge amount if options and sites one must visit, so I’d be grateful for some advice.
Thank you!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Magda!
My pleasure 🙂
So my first tip, if you haven’t already booked the Harry Potter Studio Tour is to do it as soon as possible as it books out well in advance 🙂 I also have a guide to visiting which you might have already seen, but just in case you haven’t, it’s here:
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/taking-a-harry-potter-studio-tour-everything-you-need-to-know/
Then, on to the question of your itinerary. Assuming two days in London, that gives you around 12 – 13 days to play with. I would suggest you spend them as follows. Given that you are Harry Potter fans I’m also including some HP filming locations you might enjoy 😉
Day 1 – head to Oxford, overnight here. Lots of awesome history, plus lots of Harry Potter filming locations to explore.
Day 2 – head to Bath via Stonehenge
Day 3 – head up to Snowdonia. Will be a bit of a drive, but worth it. I’d advise a couple of days in Snowdonia to do some hiking and exploring the towns, castles etc. The roads are slower here so it will take longer go get around
Day 5 – Head across to York
Day 6 – Drive up to Alnwick Castle, another HP filming location. Then continue on to Edinburgh.
Day 7 & 8, Edinburgh. Lots to see, lovely castle. Where Rowling wrote many of the HP books. Note the Edinburgh festival will be on so the city will be very busy. If you decide to stay in Edinburgh, you need to book now. Also, if you want to see puffins, the Isle of May just near Edinburgh is one of the best places to get up close to them. You need to book a trip, which you can do here: https://seabird-centre.seafari-edinburgh.co.uk/forth-ferry-and-isle-of-may
Day 9 – head across to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. Overnight here or in Oban
Day 10 – head up to Fort William / Glencoe. You can ride the HP train from here, or go see the viaduct at least
Day 11 – head down to Glasgow, overnight
Day 12 – drive down to Liverpool, overnight
Day 13 – return to London.
I would say that would be a good way to do it! We have lots more info on Harry Potter sites if you are interested:
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/london-harry-potter-locations/
https://independenttravelcats.com/guide-top-harry-potter-sites-in-edinburgh-scotland-jk-rowling/
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/harry-potter-filming-locations-uk/
https://independenttravelcats.com/harry-potter-filming-locations-in-scotland/
Enjoy!
Laurence
magda says
Dear Laurence!
Thank you a lot for your advice! The plan sounds great and we are definitely going to follow it step by step :)))
with best regards!
Vince says
Hi, what a great article! However, do you have any tips for hire car? Are there any fees/ extra charge or need to notice the supplier that the road trip route is involve Wales, Ireland and Scotland?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Vince,
Thanks very much!
For driving in Wales and Scotland it won’t matter because they are part of the united Kingdom, so it’s still the same country.
The republic of Ireland however is a separate country, plus you have to take a ferry to get there. So that would be something you would need to check with the rental agency.
S. Steinback says
Hi, my daughter and I are leaving mid August to the UK for 2 weeks. We are planning to start our trip in London. Then wanted to see Brighton, Cornwall, Wales and Scotland. We also want to see Bath and Oxford too. Is this doable using the train? We are unsure of how we should book our traveling using train, car or bus. Can you provide and manageable itinerary and recommendations on how we should travel from each place on a 2 week trip?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Sabrina,
So you should be able to see most of what you want to see by train. As an example, I’d suggest:
2 days in London
1 day in Brighton (train to Brighton takes about an hour, so can be done as a day trip from London or overnight)
1 day in Oxford (1 hour train from London to Oxford, overnight in Oxford)
1 day in Bath (1 hr 40 minute train from Oxford to Bath, overnight in Bath)
2 days in Cornwall (around 3 hours by train from Bath to Cornwall. You might want to take a tour in Cornwall as there is less public transport to get around)
3 days in Wales (train from Cornwall to Cardiff is around 3 – 4hours, but then you will have to plan how to get around Wales. Again a tour might be easiest)
3 days in Scotland (you can either fly from Cardiff to Glasgow / Edinburgh, or take the train, but the train will take around 8 hours)
I’d also suggest looking into Rabbie’s Trail Burners. They do a number of tours from London which might suit what you want to do and save you the hassle of planning. These cover the majority of the destinations you want to visit.
I hope this helps a bit with your planning!
Best
Laurence
Ed Hyland says
Thankyou for your guide it was really helpful
I am living in Argentina and j am planning on bringing Argentinian tourists to Wales and central England on a tour of castles and important historical sites .I plan on bringing groups of around 10 people and using a rented mini bus to move around.
Do you have any helpful tips as this will be our first tour ,we are planning on visiting early September
All the best .Ed,x
Laurence Norah says
Hi Ed,
My pleasure. So I don’t have any experience of running this kind of trip, so it’s tricky to give very specific advice. I am sure you have considered things like insurance and liability and so on, as well as any other legal requirements involved with running a tour.
THe only tips I have would be around admission to sights – there are usually group discounts available for attractions that you might be able to take advantage of, although you might need to call in advance to arrange these. I’d also advise to definitely book your accommodation in advance as you have a larger group.
Otherwise, I hope you have a great trip!
Laurence
Ryan says
I was planning this itinerary since I saw and had 15 days in the region. After more research I am now wondering what it takes to get a rental car from London to Ireland and back? Do you use the same car the entire trip, or would you switch cars at the water crossings in order to not have to pay to ferry the car across? Also I’ve heard rental agencies in England don’t really allow their rentals (or at least coverage) in Ireland? And yet another concern is time, I keep hearing that driving over there is quite a bit slower going than say the US, or by train, would this itinerary still give enough time to enjoy the locations or would it be quick stops and rushed in order to get to the next place? Sorry a lot of questions, just trying to decide if I need to break the trip up to just one or two countries. Thanks. And love you blogs and all the information and amazing photography.
Laurence Norah says
Hey Ryan!
So it is certainly possible to take a hire car on the ferry, it just depends on the hire car company, and some of them charge a fee for doing so. Here’s an example of the Enterprise UK policy: https://www.enterprise.co.uk/en/help/faqs/driving-across-borders.html
Obviously you also then have to pay the ferry fee for the hire car as well. So an easier option to be honest is just to fly, for example to take a flight from Edinburgh to Belfast or Dublin. You would drop off the hire car in Edinburgh and pick up a new one in Belfast.
I appreciate this might be a bit of hassle, so certainly adjusting the itinerary so you skip Ireland is another option. In this case, I’d suggest either spending more time in Scotland, or coming down the west coast of the UK, visiting the Lakes and Wales.
The roads in the UK are definitely a bit busier and can also be slower than roads in the USA. This itinerary is definitely doable, but I’m always a fan of slowing down and seeing more, so that is a good option too 🙂
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
David Cameron says
“You’ve packed up every possible solution in this one blog. I’m over the moon! I really am! How much would this trip cost, approximately? And if I’m going on this trip, Ireland will definitely be included coz from the moment I saw P.S I love you and Leap Year movie, I’ve been dreaming of visiting those places.
Thank you. Thank you so much, Laurence !”
Laurence Norah says
Hi David,
Thanks very much! So it’s hard to give an exact price as it will depend on your travel style. The best option is to cross reference this post with our guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK, which will let you come up with a budget based on your travel style 🙂
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/cost-travel-uk/
Have a great trip, and let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Usha Gupta says
Hi, we are travelling to London for a holiday from India. My 2 sons (29 & 27) and I are planning on spending 2 weeks in London and Wales.
13th-18th in London
19th-21st in Wales
22nd-26th in London
Please advice how best to spend our holidays?
We do not want to visit any of the normal places as we have seen n visited them all.
What are the best places in wales to see and visit? We have not been to wales.
Is it safe to take a road rrip from London to wales?
Are 3 days in wales enough to get around?
Pl advice
Laurence Norah says
Hi Usha,
Well, there’s a huge amount to do and see in London beyond all the normal tourist things that you have likely already done. I can advise visiting Greenwich for example if you have not been out there already, and perhaps some of the palaces out of the city, like Kensington or Hampton Course. Sometimes we like to pick up the London Pass and visit some of the many attractions we’ve not been to before!
Wales is lovely but it is quite big so you will want to consider visiting a region. My favourite part of Wales is the northern part, including the Snowdonia national park and towns like Caernarfon, but there are many nice regions and places to visit. If you want to see more you will likely want a few more days in Wales.
It is certainly safe to take a road trip from London to Wales, of course, I can’t guarantee your safety, but it is no less safe than travel anywhere else in the UK 🙂
I hope this helps – have a great trip!
Laurence
Usha gupta says
Ty for you advise. We decided to spend all our time in London and do day trips, theatre etc.
Laurence Norah says
My pleasure. Enjoy!
Darlene Williams says
Lovely ideas here!
My Granddaughter and I did a trip last summer to the Cotswolds, London and Paris. I’m thinking of a trip with my Granddaughter (18) in 2020 and would like to base myself in the Lakes District or Wales and take in Ireland and Scotland in a 2 week trip. Since I’ve been there I’ve decided I could probably drive it myself or possibly rent cars when needed and travel via train/bus/tours between Ireland & Scotland. I’m guessing the Highlands is probably out of reach for a 2 week trip? I would welcome your knowledge and suggestions.
Thank you,
Darlene
Laurence Norah says
Thanks very much Darlene!
I would definitely recommend hiring a car for the Lakes – it’s a more remote part of the UK, and there are fewer public transport options, both for getting there, and for getting around. I would say that it would make for a good base, but just to be aware that the roads are not very fast in either the Lake District or Wales, so it can take a bit of time to get from place to place.
The Highlands would be achievable, but it would involve a great deal of driving, and if you wanted to head up there i would suggest that as a standalone trip, perhaps flying to Inverness (or overnight train from London), and then renting a car from there 🙂
Do let me know if I can provide any more specific information to help you plan!
Laurence
Deep Shah says
Hello Laurence and Jessica,
It has been a pleasure reading about all your experiences in and around UK. I am planning to visit UK between April 22 and May 1. I am planning to start my trip from Edinburg cover a bit of scotland and than move on and end my trip in London.
Here is my itinerary Inverness (23 April) –> Isle of Skye (24 April) –> Fort William (25 April) –> Edinburgh (26 April) –> Jedburgh (27 April) –> York (28 April) –> Cambridge (29 April) –> Cotsworld (30 April) –> London (1 May)
Do you think this is doable? Or any particular section is too aggressive? Your help will really help me plan this better.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Deep,
This is in theory do-able, but you will be spending a lot of time driving. From Inverness to the Isle of Skye is a 2.5 hour drive for example, and then there’s a lot to see and do on the island which will also require driving. If you are ok with lots of time driving then yes, this is doable, I just wanted to be sure you knew 🙂
Laurence
Deep says
Hi Laurence,
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I am aware that we will have a lot of driving. But thats ok with me. Thanks again for your time. I have made the reservations to follow this itinerary. Will let you know how it goes.
Thanks for sharing all the information on your website.
Deep
Laurence Norah says
My pleasure – have a great time and do let us know how it goes! You can drop in here or in our facebook group 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelloversandphotography/
Omker Mahalanobish says
Hello,
Thanks for your detailed itinerary. Looks exciting.
By the way, could you please let me know, what should be the expected cost for the said trip?
Further : I dont want to drive. Me and my wife would be travelling, and we would rather prefer a chauffer driven cab.
Thanks,
Omker
Laurence Norah says
Hi Omker,
I have a guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK here: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/cost-travel-uk/
However, if you want to travel with a private guide, this will generally cost in the region of £500 – £800 per day for the car / driver guide, and then you would need to add accommodation expenses and so on on top of that. We recommend Robina Brown for this sort of trip: http://driverguidetours.com/
Best
Laurence
Heather Reid says
This site is the most perfect one for my needs. I am a solo traveler female aged 74 and I wish my 75th Birthday be spent on the next trip. If there be another solo person I would be happy to meet up before departure….male or female.
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Heather – have a great trip, and we hope you find someone to travel with!
Phillip Armanas says
Stumbled over your website while looking for ideas for a two week trip to the UK, glad I did. You’ve got a fantastic itinerary which includes a number of destinations my wife and I had in mind already.
We are a retired couple, living in Australia six months of the year, and Atlanta, Georgia the other six months. This gives us great flexibility in travel terms, both in SE Asia and from the USA to many places including UK/Europe.
A question I have is whether you have done any family history work on any of your travels? My ancestry is Scottish in the mid-1800s when my great-great-grandfather arrived into Port Adelaide, Australia. As yet we have been unable to track him accurately back into Scotland, but his surname is from a very ancient clan that can be traced back to the 13th century in Fife county. Have you any tips on places I might visit to pursue my elusive ghosts?
Phill & Patti
Laurence Norah says
Hi Phill & Patti!
We’re delighted you have found our content useful : ) So this isn’t something we have personally done, however I have some resources that might be helpful:
http://www.scottishgenealogyresearch.com/
https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/research-your-ancestry/steps/
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/family-history
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/local-family-history-centres
It helps if you know the person’s name you are researching and where they lived before leaving Scotland. If you know this, you can look for a local research center or records office or clan center. The Visit Scotland link above is a good place to start. The Scottish Genealogy Research is a professional service that will do research for you for a fee.
Good luck, and have a great trip!
Laurence
Ronald Rieder says
My wife and I would like to take your “ideal itinerary” beginning Sept. 30, 2019.
Is there anyone or any group that we could join?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Ronald,
So this itinerary is a self guided tour for those wanting to drive themselves. However, we appreciate not everyone wants to do that, and we’ve put some suggested tours that will allow you to do a similar trip but in a group tour format. My suggestion for that would be to focus on England and Scotland, and to take this small group tour followed by this five day tour of the Scottish Highlands and Skye.
I hope this helps – let me know if I can offer any more advice!
Best
Laurence
Cass Baron says
Laurence and Jessica,
We are from Utah, United States and have never traveled abroad (except a short trip to Canada and a Western Caribbean cruise). It has been our dream to come to England and retrace our family history roots. We were looking for trip ideas that covered the areas for both a historical trip as well as a family roots trip. We found your site and loved everything that you have written about. We like the 2 week itinerary but don’t want to do the Ireland and Wales portion. We would like to include Nottingham and Hastings areas, do you have any suggestions to add these in for the same amount of time. We are planning on this May. Thanks!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Cass,
Certainly. I’d recommend Hastings first, then heading from there along to Stonehenge and Bath, then the Cotswolds and Oxford. From there, start heading north, with Nottingham your next stop, before continuing with the itinerary. You could even drop the car off in Edinburgh and fly out from there if you didn’t want to drive back down to London 🙂
I hope this helps – let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Lashaun says
Hello.
If we skip the Ireland portion where should we extend our time or add another destination for the 2 week adventure? Also we’d like to see a football game, suggestions for city (Manchester, Liverpool?), tickets etc?
thank you!
Laurence Norah says
Hi there
I’d say you could extend by visiting the Lake District and northern Wales, or by heading further north into Scotland, where there’s lots to see. You definitely won’t have trouble finding places to see!
For football, if you don’t have a particular affiliate with a team, then Manchester will likely be a good option as they have the largest stadium. Tickets can be bought online in advance for any of the teams from their official websites, just be aware that they can sell out so you’ll want to book well in advance to be sure of getting a spot.
I hope this helps! have a great trip 🙂
Laurence
Steve Geller says
Hi there, Curious if this itinerary, or part of it, could be done in a motorhome (midsize RV) for a family of 2 adults and 2 kids. I’ve never been to most of these places, outside of some brief time in London and Dublin. For itineraries like these where there is a lot of moving around, I like the idea of a motorhome vs going from hotel to hotel (or apt to apt).
Thanks!
Laurence Norah says
Hey Steve!
So yes, it would be possible to do this is a motorhome. However, I’d probably advise modifying the itinerary fairly substantially, especially the city parts. Most UK cities don’t have centrally located motorhome camping locations, and the streets tend to be fairly narrow, which can make driving and parking a motorhome very challenging. I would instead suggest, if you wanted to do a motorhome holiday in the UK, to look at a driving route like the NC500 (see our camping itinerary for the NC500 here), or adjusting this route so it visits more of the countryside parts, like the Cotswolds, Peak District, Lake District and Northumberland.
Let me know if we can answer any more questions!
Laurence
Iskandar Zulkifly Bin Ali says
Hello there ! finding this website was such a blessing for me! i am a student who wishes to travel around UK for 2 weeks before i go outside UK ( around Europe for a month ).
my only problem is, i am studying in london therefore i’m gonna skip london from this amazing itinerary, and am also skipping Scotland cuz i went there last Dec already. which will give me extra days to fill in to make it 2 weeks. would you please help me to suggest places to fill in between the itinerary ? ps; i really really want to see Jurassic coast and cambridge and watergate bay. where should i put these places in terms of best route wise?
thank you in advance for your time !! you got a follower on your ig !
Laurence Norah says
Hi Iskandar!
Thanks for your lovely comment and following on IG! We’ve actually just recently visited Cambridge and written a detailed guide to the city, which will be live on the blog in the next few weeks 🙂
To answer your question, first I have to assume you are driving. If not, this might have to change a bit to accommodate public transport. But I would say I would go from London to Cambridge, then up to the Peak District, Manchester and York. You could then go across to the Lake District if you wanted, then across to Holyhead and to Ireland (if you wanted to visit Ireland). Then south wales, Oxford and the Jurassic coast.
I hope that works for you 🙂 Have a great trip!
Laurence
HANNAH JOHNSON says
This has been an amazing help! If possible, I did want to ask about more recommendations as far as castles/history goes. This is a very close itinerary for what I think we want to do, but I was wondering if you had any more info on what I could add/take away from this list in order to do more of that. Also, we will be departing from the atlanta, GA airport, and returning back to (or starting from) england isnt entirely necessarily. I definitely agree and would take your advice of ending in dublin and returning from there or wales, but im basically trying to avoid flying/ferrying more than need be. What would be your recommendation for doing everything in the UK in one vehicle and then only crossing into ireland once? if that makes sense
Laurence Norah says
Hi Hannah!
So there are a lot of great castles in the UK, and it’s hard to travel anywhere without finding history! Some of my favourite castles are in Scotland and the Northumberland area, and you’ve also got Hadrian’s wall up there. But York has all the Viking history too, and then cities like Oxford or Cambridge have more from the middles ages, Bath has the Roman empire.. So there’s really no shortage of history to find.
If it was me though, I’d spend a bit more time exploring some of the castles in Northumberland like Alnwick, Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh, as well as some in Scotland.
If you want to do everything in the UK that would be possible, just continue from Oxford to Bath and Cardiff, and then head north from there to York. You might want to bypass Manchester in order to get more of the history you are interested in as it’s more of a town that had it’s heyday with the industrial revolution, which might be a bit too recent history for your interests. You could instead add Warwick, which has a popular castle and a lovely town centre.
I hope this helps a bit!
Have a great trip and let me know if I can be of any more help!
Laurence
Hannah says
For sure! Thank you so much.
Maribel says
Hi, I am planning a 2-week trip to Great Britain flying from Mexico City to London. Your post is very helpful. My trip HAS to include the Isle of Man but I do want to go to Edinburgh and Ireland. What do you think would be the best route? Thanks for your amazing post!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Maribel!
Great question, and the first time anyone has asked me about the Isle of Man, which I have to admit, I haven’t been to!
There are direct ferry connections to the Isle of Man from Belfast, Dublin, Lancaster and Liverpool.
So assuming you want to do a fairly similar route, mug suggestion would be to follow the general outline of this trip, but take the ferry from Dublin to the Isle of Man, and then on to Liverpool, instead of from the southern end of Ireland to Fishguard. I think that’s the most logical option.
There are other option too – you could go London -> Oxford -> Liverpool -> Isle of Man -> Dublin -> Belfast -> Cairyan -> Edinburgh -> London.
So up to you really! Have a great trip, and let us know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Maribel Felix says
Laurence,
Muchas Gracias! I appreciate you advice very much. I will send you an update of my trip on my way back to Mexico.
Laurence Norah says
Please do Maribel – we love to hear back from people on how their trips go, and incorporate feedback into our content to help everyone!
Sara says
Hello! I am planning a 28 day trip in in May 2019. What would you recommend to fill in the extra days? Thank you so much! And thank you for sharing such a lovely itinerary!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Sara! It’s hard to give a precise answer without knowing your interests, but if it was me I would extend my trip up into the northern half of Scotland, perhaps spending 7-10 days driving the North Coast 500, visiting the Isle of Skye and seeing the highlands. You could also head out to the some of the other islands, like Lewis. May is a great time to head up into that part of Scotland.
Other options include Wales or Cornwall, or extending your time in Ireland. There’s so much to see and do, even 28 days will be filled easily!
Nathaniel says
Could I use this itinerary for a school project. You will be credited and cited, obviously. Thank you if yes and thanks anyway if no. This was fun to read, regardless of your reply
Thank you again,
Nathaniel
Laurence Norah says
Hi Nathaniel,
Thanks for asking! Could you e-mail me about this so I get more of an idea of the use? It’s laurence@findingtheuniverse.com 🙂
Thanks!
Laurence
Sam says
We are planning a 3 week trip to UK (2 weeks) and Amsterdam (1 week).. We will fly to Amsterdam from London. We were looking at your 2 week itinerary and wanted to ask what would you suggest instead of Ireland, We only want to visit London, Wales and Scotland start at London and return to London. Family with kids who like a bit of adventure, culture so interested in castles, nature etc. Also would like to visit Whisky distilleries preferably Glenfiddich and Aberlour. Also we will be hiring a car in London and return there. Would really appreciate your suggestions.
Laurence Norah says
Hey Sam,
So my suggestion would be to do a loop from London, similar to that I’ve described here, but instead of going across to Ireland, to head down the west coast of the UK, and then visit the Lake District and Wales on your way down.
In terms of distilleries, certainly, Aberlour and Glenfiddich are achievable from Edinburgh, but you are looking at a three hour drive each way. So you might prefer to visit a closer distillery like Deanston, which is also right next to Doune Castle, which I’m sure your kids will also enjoy 🙂
Hope this helps a bit!
Laurence
Navtej says
Hi, a very helpful article. As I plan my next year travel to Europe after a gap of 15 years…it’s a god send. I propose to spend a few days in Amsterdam-Bruges and then fly to London. Here I catch up with another couple and there 12 year old daughter and plan to drive to Scotland and Ireland. We have a total of 10 / 11 days for this.
Am thinking will cut Wales from my itinerary and which other place would u recommend I skip ?
Many thanks
Navtej from New Delhi, India
PS another slighlty unrelates question : If I fly into London should I take a flight into Amsterdam and the train back from Bruges or is this complicated and expensive?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Navtej,
It’s hard to give specific recommendations as to what to skip as I’m not sure as to your personal interests. If you are more interested in culture / museums etc, then you will want to include more of the cities, and less of the countryside. Conversely, if you are less interested in the outdoors, perhaps leaving out some of the countryside attractions would be a good idea 🙂
Generally my advice would be just to stick to flights as it’s likely going to be easier and probably less expensive. The train though can be a good option if you book far enough in advance, it will just take a little bit longer.
Hope this helps – have a great trip!
Laurence
Leslie says
Four women from Texas will be traveling to the UK in September and wanted to drive (one of us is brave enough to drive on the wrong side of the road). We spend 8 days in London last September with side trips to Bath and a tour to Oxford and Cotswolds and Warwick Castle. We have relatives in Glasgow, so plan to see that area of Scotland. Your information is a Godsend and thank you so much for all your planning. We will let you know how it goes!
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Leslie – please do! We always love to hear feedback as to how our posts help people (or if they need changing, we love to hear about that too!)
Have an awesome trip!
Laurence
Ruth Deane says
A good travel guide to the UK. I know it is difficult to provided a balanced approach due to limited wordage but the emphasis should be on the UK. N. Ireland and its capital Belfast have been sadly neglected in this article and the focus was Dublin which is not part of the UK. Surely something coulf have been added about Belfast and N. Ireland in general. It is a beautiful place. The author did make a reference to the Dark Hedges but associates them with Dublin. Last time I checked they are quite definitely in N. IRELAND. Hope this criticism is constructive. N. Ireland continues to get a bad press but it is a beautiful place and the majority of the people are that bad either.
Ruth
Laurence Norah says
Hi Ruth!
Constructive feedback is always welcome! We’re actually visiting Northern Ireland next week for a week to fully explore Belfast and the Coastal Causeway, and will be updating our content (and creating new content!) to have more information on this part of the UK 🙂 Stay tuned!
Laurence
Craig Grimston says
Thank you!!
September is a perfect month to come to Texas – the weather is perfect then! I’d be happy to answer any questions you have to the best of my ability (I’m not a native Texan – originally from Australia), but there is a lot of great things to do here. Austin and San Antonio are great too.
Thank you for offering to answer any questions! We are going in a group, so I’m sure a lot of questions will come up! I’ll try not to bombard you with them, but I may just hit you with a few! We are planning for somewhere in June to August next year (I plan ahead big time!) and couldn’t be more excited to see your beautiful country!
But please, definitely hit me up with any questions you have about Dallas or Texas. If I can’t answer them, I can track someone down who can!
Thanks!!
Craig
Craig Grimston says
Hi Laurence and Jessica,
I just wanted to say thank you for posting this itinerary. I really wanted to plan a road trip in the UK and after googling about it all I got was a bunch of blogs pointing out all of the negative things and basically saying “don’t bother”!
As I was about to give up and go the typical tourist route, I came across your website. It was exactly what I was looking for! It is inspirational, and put the joy and adventure back into my travel plans.
I’m pretty much going to stick to your itinerary with the exception of Ireland (I wanted to check out the Lake District and Liverpool), so Ireland may have to be a separate road trip!
I have a million questions, but I’m going to spare you of that! LOL. I really just wanted to say a big thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge!
Kindest Regards,
Craig – Dallas Texas
Laurence Norah says
Hi Craig,
Thank you so much, it always means a lot to hear that people are finding our content useful. I think you are making a sensible choice – there is a lot to see on the mainland of the UK, and it’s also less hassle to worry about rental cars and ferries if you leave Ireland for another trip 🙂
We’re happy to answer any questions you have. We’re actually planning a trip to Texas for late September, and will be swinging by Dallas, so may have some questions for you in return!
Have an awesome trip!
Laurence
Vanessa says
I’ve googled “hire car” and it says “rental car.” But on your site here it seems that a rental care and a hire car are different things. What exactly is the difference?
Thank you!
And also thank you for this post – it’s amazing and I think I will definitely base my trip -whenever that may be… – around it. Bookmarking this page!!
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Vanessa! I think in the UK we use the term hire car, wheras in the USA it’s more likely to be called a rental car. But yes, they are the same thing in my mind, you can use the terms interchangeably as far as I know 🙂 Have a great trip, and don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any questions at all 😀
Saurabh says
Hi Lawrence, This is a great post! I think I can use some help. We are planning a 2 week trip to UK in August with a 1 year old toddler. What from above or otherwise will be a good itinerary for us. How realistic is it for me to cover what you have listed here? Appreciate any help. Thanks!
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Saurabh! First, I should say that not having kids ourselves this isn’t an area of expertise for us 🙂 However, based on experiences of friends who travel with family, my suggestion would be to probably cut the itinerary in half, and focus on some of the major cities. As it is, it’s quite a busy itinerary, and I think you will have a better time doing a bit less and having the time to really explore some of the cities on the itinerary. So for example, maybe just do England and Scotland, and skip Ireland and Wales. This will reduce your travel, and let you spend a bit longer in each city. I’d also advise finding accommodation close to the city centres and attractions, so at least one of you can go out sight-seeing if one of you needs to stay behind for naps etc. I hope this helps – have a wonderful trip!
sarah says
My husband and I are following this itinerary this summer, flying round trip into Gatwick from Canada. I was looking at the cost of the ferry from Scotland to Ireland and than Ireland to Wales and was shocked at the cost. Do you know of any Ferry discounts?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Sarah – you can try the various ferry search companies like directferries or a1ferries I think they are called. Unfortunately that time of year is school holidays, and there aren’t many companies operating the routes, so the prices go up. You might consider instead flying from Edinburgh to Belfast or Dublin instead, and hiring a car in Ireland rather than taking the ferry, if that is a cheaper option!
Badariah says
Awesome
I am planning for a 2 week get away to UK. Your article helpsss a lot.
Planning to go in mid sept till end of sept
Laurence Norah says
Thanks very much – have a wonderful trip!
sneha says
hi lawrence
me n my wife middle aged planning to do england and scotland in 15 days in july
which would be ideal places to cover by public transport.
i am open to hire a car for 2 to 3 days if required.
please suggest us best possible train route for this trip
we are flying in n out of london
thanks
waiting for ur reply
Laurence Norah says
Hey there,
My advice would be to follow my 10 day UK itinerary, which is designed for public transport: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/10-day-uk-itinerary-public-transport-train-bus/
You could spend a little extra time in each location, or you could add a couple of stops. My advice would be to add 1 day in Bath near Bristol, stop in Manchester between Liverpool and York, and think about stopping in Newcastle on the way to Edinburgh. If you wanted to see the Cotswolds, you could do that with a hire car from Bath, or on a tour from London.
I hope this helps! That post also has lots of information on using public transport in the UK. Have a great trip!
Christine says
Hello and Thank You!! I was just wondering, I’m not the best with timelines haha, but exactly how many hotel stays are there in total in each location? I’m just trying to determine if you actually spent the night in each location for both nights or if you spent the day touring then drove to the next location and got a room, especially for the 1 day places… if that makes sense? My husband and are are arriving March 10th and fly back out the 24th so just trying to sort out the timelines… Also it was suggested to me to go to Cornwall or Leeds, what are your thoughts? Thanks!
Laurence Norah says
Hi! And my pleasure 😀
So you’d be looking at:
2 nights in London
1 night in Oxford
1 night in the Cotswolds
1 night in the Peak District
1 night in Manchester (could do Leeds here instead)
1 night in York
2 nights in Edinburgh (could do one night in Northumberland on the way up)
3 nights in Ireland / Northern Ireland
1 night in Cardiff
1 night in Bristol or Bath
You could of course spend more or less time in each destination, and leave say London after two full days but only one night, and overnight in Oxford. So really it’s up to you 🙂
Leeds you could easily fit into this itinerary. Cornwall would be a bit harder as it’s a bit further away. If you wanted to do Cornwall, you might need to leave Ireland out for example to give yourself enough time. Hope this helps!
Matthew says
Awesome Itinerary, I would add Canterbury to this list 🙂
Laurence Norah says
I’ve only briefly visited Canterbury, must return!
Saurabh says
Hi Laurence,
This came a blessing in disguise after searching for a week almost and making all shit loads of itineraries. I am thinking of blindly following this as it looks great to me. Need your help on a few points here if it doe snot bother you much, it would serve a great deal of planning for me in addition to what it already has,
1. Was this too hectic considering the number of places you covered?
2. Was driving time included in the time spent at each place you mentioned?
3. Is driving safe in and around England?
4. Is driving a cheaper option than using rail/bus transport?
5. How much did this two week trip cost you?
6. How much does the drive part of the trip cost?
Laurence Norah says
HI Saurabh!
Pleased to hear you found the itinerary 🙂 I’m happy to answer your questions of course.
1. This is definitely a busy itinerary, although as you can see from the other comments, many people have enjoyed it. So it really depends on your own personal style of travel and your preferences, as well as who you are travelling with. If you want a less hectic schedule, I’d suggest perhaps leaving the Irish part of the trip out, and maybe focusing on England and Scotland, and perhaps extending your time in cities like London and Edinburgh.
2. Yes, driving time is included. Driving time is not too great in the UK as distances are not large and the motorways are good, however, be aware that traffic can be bad around rush hour in the morning and evenings.
3. Yes, driving is very safe. Of course, accidents happen like anywhere in the world, but for the most part you shouldn’t have any trouble.
4. It depends on a few factors – mostly how many of you there are. For one person, it might be more cost-effective to take public transport. Also, if you book public transport well in advance, especially trains, this can be much cheaper than buying tickets on the day. Car hire also depends on the size of the car, but you can get pretty good value car hire. Fuel is quite expensive, but most modern hire cars are very fuel efficient. I am shortly going to publish a post with a similar itinerary that focuses on travelling in the UK by public transport, so stay tuned for that 🙂
5. Cost is really up to you, as it depends so much on what you want to see! I’d say you can hire a car for around £180 – £250 a week, fuel costs will be in the region of £50-£70 a week, and accommodation is likely to be in the range of £80 – £150 a night for two people sharing. You can of course get cheaper and more expensive accommodation options, it really depends on your style of travel.
6. The main costs for the car are the car hire, fuel, and any insurance you buy. I’d say between £200 and £300 a week, plus any parking fees. I’d definitely advise always booking a hotel that includes free parking.
I hope this helps with your planning – have a wonderful trip, and don’t miss my one week itinerary post for more ideas 🙂
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/UK-Itinerary-One-Week-Road-Trip/
Steve and Cheryl Bales says
Thank you for the wealth of information! We are planning to take a trip to visit our daughter who is in the Air Force in the UK this May. I’ve read your itinerary and the questions and answers that followed. There were a couple of questions that popped up for me and I was hoping you could answer them. You mentioned taking a car over on the ferry to Ireland. We will be driving our daughter’s car, but I was wondering if we needed special insurance on the car to have it ferried. My husband are both disabled to a degree; neither of us are capable of walking long distances or sitting for any duration. Is there a need for concern over these issues? And, what is the cost of a London Pass and how many people does it cover, there will be four in our group? Any information would be much appreciated, thank you in advance. Steve and Cheryl
Laurence Norah says
Hi Steve and Cheryl,
Thanks for reaching out, and I’m happy to hear you have found the content useful. You don’t normally need special insurance on a car to have it ferried, but you will likely need to check with your daughter’s insurer to make sure it is covered in Ireland. As far as I am aware it should be covered in Northern Ireland with the full coverage, and most UK insurers do provide at least some level cover for the EU, which Ireland is a part of, but worth checking.
For the itinerary I’ve put together, it’s really up to you how much you do. All the major cities have good public transport if you choose not to drive, as well as sight-seeing buses and things like that.
The London Pass prices vary – you have to buy one price per person, so that would be four passes total. Again, the value is up to you and how much you can get out of them. My only concern would be to get real value out of them you do need to try and pack quite a lot in – if you aren’t sure if that’s going to be possible you might end up being better off not getting them and just paying the ticket prices. Also, I’m not sure of your ages, but many attractions have senior concessions, which might also save you money rather than getting a pass. Worth checking the individual websites for the different attractions you want to visit to see what those might be.
You can see the London Pass prices here; https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011lbTW/pubref:FTU2WeekQuestion/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.londonpass.com%2Flondon-pass-prices.php
Have a great trip!
Derian Quek says
This trip seems a bit rushed when driving over to Ireland..I am also planning a 2 weeks this December to January. Any tips on this? Am planning London/Manchester/Lake district/Edinburgh/Cotswolds/bath/Stonehenge/Paris
Laurence says
Hey Darian,
This trip is definitely quite fast – unfortunately folks don’t have too much time sometimes, and are keen to see as much as possible, which is what I try to achieve on this itinerary.
Regarding your itinerary – at that time of year do be aware that the weather obviously won’t be great and it will be getting dark around 4pm – just something to bear in mind. Certainly your plan is possible but will also be quite packed. Perhaps focusing on a few less locations and seeing more. From your list I’d suggest London, with a day trip to bath, the Cotswolds and Stonehenge, then Edinburgh and Paris. You could add in Manchester as well of course. It would also depend on if you have visited any of the locations before and how you plan to travel. I’d suggest train from London to Edinburgh, and a cheap flight from Edinburgh to Paris.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Derian Quek says
Hi Laurence. It would actually be my first time to the UK. I’m visiting Manchester because I would wanna catch a game at old Trafford and that’s probably the only reason why. Flight from Edinburgh to Paris sounds like a good option though I would most likely be self driving from London up north. I’m thinking 3 days in London, 1 day in manchester, 2 days in lake district, 3 days in Edinburgh, 1 day to cotswolds and then 3 days in Paris via eurostar before heading back to London for my return flight
Mital Khona says
Hi Lawrence, Thanks a bunch for this wonderful itinerary…
1. We are travelling this September with 2 Kids ( 2 years old and 8 years old) and2 parents ( senior citizens).. Is this still doable.. I was thinking of picking up train for journey from London to Edinburgh
2. We would like to spend 3 days on the alternative route to Ireland suggested by you above. Can you help on the route/ time we should allot to Snowdonia, etc(west coast of the UK, including Glasgow, the Lake District, and Liverpool, as well as popping into Wales for the stunning Snowdonia national park)
Laurence Norah says
Hi Mital! It really depends on your kids and grandparents and their stamina. I think this trip might be a bit much for some, and you might find it easier to go a bit slower and take things in a bit more. So perhaps a trip focusing on Edinburgh / London, with a hire car for the return journey down the west coast of the UK. I’d say three – four days in London, two to three days in Edinburgh, and then the rest of the time on the drive down the west coast would work!
Sussex Bloggers says
Can’t believe you’ve completely skipped Cornwall and the rest of the south coast. Such beautiful scenery all along the southern coastline and some wonderful towns and villages. Here’s a little teaser!
ipsita bhattacharya says
Hi guys,
We are planning a trip to the UK in August/September 2017 and this 2-week itinerary is proving to be of great help! But if we plan to take public transport instead of driving, how much of this is doable? We are also looking at two weeks and while I understand taking trains/buses will eat into our travelling time, we are not sure we want to drive. Please advise. And thanks for this wonderful travel plan!
Laurence says
Hi Ipsita!
Our pleasure. Much of this is doable, certainly between the major cities by train at least. We’d advice flying from the UK, likely Edinburgh to Dublin, and then back from Dublin to Cardiff or London. It’s definitely achievable in part though 🙂
Jessica says
Hi Laurence,
I am so glad that I found your itinerary as we will be visiting the UK for a little over two weeks this coming summer. I do have question for a part of the trip when you have to ferry from Scotland to Ireland, is it easy to find ferries that will take your car across? Also do you recommend a car for the entire trip or to break it up with trains? Such as from London to Edinburgh? Thank you and I hope to hear back from you soon.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Jessica! Sorry for the slow response. Most of the ferries take cars, but the question is as to whether or not your rental car company will let you take the car on the ferry. So you would need to check with them. If not, you might find it easier to say fly from Edinburgh to Belfast or Dublin to continue to journey, and perhaps pick up a hire car in Ireland instead.
Nishant says
My family of 4 is planning in Aug’17 for 2 week and i like your write up here. we would be staying with our friend’s family (4 member) in LONDON and then accompany them to this tour plan. we wish to know approx budget in INR apart from AIR Ticket required for this kind of tour. Consider AIR BnB stay, Home cooking where ever possible, car drive and budgeted expense suitable for family.
แอโรคอม บริษัทจำกัด says
Hi Laurence and Jessica,
Your 2 weeks itinerary seems very good. I am concerned with parking space in tourist attractions especially in big cities. Is it not so difficult to find parking area in all these recommended places (except London)? How much is a typical parking fee?
Thanks in advance!
Pairoj S.
Laurence says
Hi Pairoj,
Thanks very much! Parking fees really vary depending on where you want to park. On road meter parking is usually the most expensive, around £3 an hour. I’d suggest finding a larger car park, like a multistorey operated by a company like NCP. These are more reasonable, and you would pay on a sliding scale where it is better value for staying for longer. I wouldn’t worry though, there is usually plenty of parking available, and sometimes if you don’t mind walking a little bit, if you don’t park centrally you can park for free. Have a great trip!
Mittal Shah says
Hi Lawrence and Norah.
I have been trying to plan a road trip in UK around July end for approximately 12days and have found a lot of helpful information.There are certain things i would like to know from you:
For road trip should i consider hiring a caravan or a car( 4 of us travelling)?
Is it better to book a hotel or bnb?
Please help. Awaiting your reply
Laurence says
Hi Mittal!
Thanks for your comment. A car would definitely be the best option, for four of you it would likely be the most cost effective option. I’d also suggest bed and breakfasts are a nice option, although there are lots of great hotels as well, it really depends on your budget,
Enjoy your trip!
rajul parikh says
Hi Lawrence and Norah just been browsing through your site and taking in the information about the 2 week holiday in the UK. We find your information relevant and useful. We live in India and are considering a trip sometime mid June 2017. This would be our first trip to the UK. Lots of questions: would the weather be ok around that time? To cover your suggested itinerary (including ireland) how much driving would one end up doing everyday? Would your stops which are marked alphabetically on the map suggest overnight stay? Since we would like to spend at least 5 days in London we would need to extend our trip to about 21 days. Look forward to hearing from you.
Laurence says
Hi Rajul,
Happy that you found it useful! Yes, the main stopping points suggest an overnight stay. The weather is likely to be good in June, however, the weather in the UK can be very unpredictable. Coming from India, you’ll probably find it fairly cool 😉 I’d say between 15 and 25C would be the norm, and you should plan for rain whenever you visit the UK.
In terms of driving, the UK is quite small so not too much, probably not more than 2 – 3 hours a day.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Myn Wong says
Hi. May I know the estimated cost of this trip?
George Monaghan says
Finding this site most interesting !
Laurence says
Thanks George, appreciated!
Dave_Toni says
Hi guys,
I’m staying in London for a short time (4 days) and I’m now thinking I should have booked a longer stay, but I’m on route to another destination.
What would you recommend for a four day tour to get the best out of “must see” locations in in short amount of time?
Really enjoying the site, keep up the great information.
Thanks
Dave.
Laurence says
Hi Dave
Four days is a good time to see lots of London 🙂 My advice, if you’ve not been before, would be to focus on the highlights, plus allocate some time just to wander a bit. I have a two day Itinerary here:
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2016/06/two-day-london-itinerary-essential-sight-seeing.html
That should help a bit, and then an itinerary that focuses on the region of Kensington:
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2015/07/top-8-things-to-do-in-kensington.html
I also have a guide for getting around London:
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2016/08/guide-public-transport-london.html
Some tips for the best photo spots in London:
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2015/12/best-photography-locations-london.html
And finally, we always recommend the London Pass to save money if you’re planning on visiting a lot of attractions. Here’s a great breakdown to find out if that’s worth it for you or not:
independenttravelcats.com/2016/05/21/tips-using-buying-london-pass-worth/
Enjoy!
Megs says
So so perfect! Planning a 2 week UK holiday in June. This was God-sent!
Laurence says
Wonderful, pleased you found it useful
Ashton says
This is perfect! Exactly what I was looking for to start planning my honeymoon!! Thank you for taking the time to put this together
Laurence says
My pleasure – let us know how it goes and if there’s anything missing we can add to the post!
shiva bhavini says
Hi Laurence & Jessica,
My husband and I are planning to have a 10 days UK trip , reaching London on September 16 and have return flight from london on september 26 , can you please suggest should we take some travel agent to take us around in UK ? Thanks much in advance
Ellana McNulty says
Hi Laurence & Jessica,
My husband and I are planning on following your itinerary when we go over in August. When we first looked at your blog, there was a map at the end that you could zoom in on, but cannot find it now? Is the link still available.
Laurence says
Hi Ellana! Sorry about that, the map was causing issues for mobile users so I removed it. See comment below with a better answer!
Paul McNulty says
Thanks for this Laurence!
Is it possible to have the whole route on the map like you had it before?
Laurence says
Hi Paul, I’ve been battling with google maps over this and gave up as it wouldn’t let me have enough waypoints. So I’ve switched to Bing Maps with the embedded image, and there’s a link to the route here: https://binged.it/2fDQGD2
Sorry for the delay!
Paul McNulty says
Thanks Laurence… we toured the UK in the last half of August using your itinerary. We modified it a bit to suit our personal tastes, but the basis of our trip was thanks to you. And it was even better than we expected!! Cheers.
Laurence says
Brilliant! Delighted you had a good trip 😀
Alicia says
The above link does not have a driving route in it. Is it no longer working (or I am doing it wrong)?
Laurence says
Unfortunately Google wouldn’t let me put together a driving route with this many stops, so this was the best I could do!
Seyne Tee says
Hi Laurence & Jessica,
I plan to visit UK for 2 weeks and rent a car to travel around places outside UK. Your perfect itinerary is exactly what I’m looking for, thanks! I have a problem here, I can only travel with my husband and son in the middle of November, will the weather be friendly enough to carry out activities as per your recommendation?
Laurence says
Hi Seyne!
Well, the weather in the UK can be quite varied, with sun even in November! However it will more likely be cold and grey, temperatures in the range of 3 – 10 degrees C. It will also be dark fairly early. However, that shouldn’t put you off, a lot of this itinerary is focused on the cities, and indoors activities, so you should be fine, although you might want to edit the itinerary a bit to focus more on indoor activities than outdoor ones 🙂
Hope this helps!
Laurence
Stephen Mason says
This trip is incredible! Can you give a price of what the final trip costed?
Laurence says
Hi Stephen – it really depends on many factors, including your budget for accommodation / food. You can find places for £50 / night in most of the locations I’ve mentioned, food per person you could get away with £15 a day, then there’s fuel and car hire, not to mention attraction entry. I’d probably look to budgeting around £700 – £1500 per person, as a guideline, but a lot of variables to take into account 🙂
SharronJ says
This is just what I was looking for. I am planning on visiting your wonderful country for a month next year and just started doing research. Your article is just what I was looking for Thanks so much!
Laurence says
My pleasure! Have a wonderful trip 🙂
Edward says
Thank you for this. I will be going in UK late Spetember to October (one month) and this is a nice itnerary and I can do it in a slower pace. Would you say September and October is a good time to do this? How is the weather usually in those months?
Joe says
It’s the Autum time so you might fair pretty well, considering. It starts to cool down in September and the trees start changing. There will be rain, especially in the West of England and Wales but there always is.
The best time to visit England is May – August, but if you don’t mind getting caught in the rain now and then, you shouldn’t have a problem
Joanne says
Is it possible to do this itinerary relying only on public transportation since I don’t drive? Thank you in advance.
Laurence says
Hi Joanne,
Good parts of it are certainly possible, as the major cities are linked by public transport, and the trains in particular are an excellent and fast way to get around. One tip – book well in advance on specific trains to get the best prices in the UK, the fares you pay on the day are much higher. I’d also suggest flying from Edinburgh to Dublin if you wanted to include the Irish part of the trip.
You might have a bit more difficulty visiting places like the Cotswolds or other “country” parts on your own, however there are plenty of tour operators who can give you a day trip out from London to say the Cotswolds and Stonehenge.
On the whole though, yes, the majority of this itinerary would be more than do-able by public transport!
Nina Tchernova says
Hi Laurence, thank you so much for sharing this! We are planning to go in April, and this is exactly what we were hoping to do. And here it all is, so wonderfully explored and illustrated! One question though – what would you recommend about car rentals -one, or three? when we cross on a ferry to Ireland, do we bring the car, or is it better to rent another one there, and then another when we get back?
Laurence says
Hi Nina!
My pleasure 🙂 The answer to your question isn’t as simple as it sounds. One way rentals, as you’d need if you were to change cars, are generally more expensive than returning the car to the same place. On the other hand, a ferry ticket without a car is cheaper! So you might want to just check the math and see, depending on your budget. Personally, I’d not bother with the hassle of changing cars and just stick with the same one, you just need to check that it’s ok to drive the car in Ireland as well 🙂
Hope this helps!
Nina Tchernova says
Thank you very much, we will have to make a few enquiries.
Darryl Chan says
Hey! Love your itinerary! Is there anyway I can contact you to get more personalised advices from you? Looking forward to your reply!
Laurence says
Hi Darryl,
Sure, you can just drop me an e-mail via the contact page on the site, or just fire away in the comments and I’ll see what I can do,
Pat says
Where’s the castle in your first picture?
Ellie says
The castle in the first picture (with the daffodils) is Alnwick castle in Northumberland. Home to Harry Potter or at least the was some filming taken place there and also some of Downtown Abbey.
Alnwick is also home to Barter Books where the original ‘keep calm and carry on’ poster was discovered.
Northumberland has one of the largest number of castles in the uk. Some of the most impressive I think are Bamburgh Castle, Lindisfarne Castle (on holy island – which needs a visit itself) and Chillingham Castle (known for being pretty spooky).
Contact Wooler Tourist Infomation Office on +44 1668 282123 to learn about accommodation as Wooler is a fantastic base for the best of Northumberland.
Ellie says
Can I also say there is an awesome place for Brits and tourists alike; Beamish, the living museum. It is an outdoor village fashioned perfectly on olden days northern England complete with coal mine, dentis, working sweet shop and more
Monica says
I loved you itinerary and pictures. I’m definitely using your steps to trace some of my own. Thanks for sharing. I’m excited to read through more of your posts.
Laurence says
Thanks Monica, have a great trip!
Andy says
Great review of a nice trip through GB. My wife and I are trying to plan one for May, and we were thinking of spending more time in Scottland. Do you have any suggestions for moving from Endinburgh and into the northern part of Scotland and skipping Ireland. I thinking about Aberdeen and stopping by Ben Nevis, but it’s our first time traveling abroad and I’d love more information. Thanks!
Laurence says
Hi Andy! To be honest I’ve not spent a lot of time in Scotland recently, but I can very much recommend taking the time to visit Glencoe. It’s a couple of hours from Edinburgh, and is an absolutely stunning valley in the highlands. I’ve also heard nothing but good things about the isle of Skye! Sorry I can’t be of much more help right now 🙁