Suggestion needed for travelling in UK

[Mile Cruncher]

Hello,

I will be in London for participating in LEL. Post event my wife will join me and we have around 6/7 days in hand for travelling in UK.

We want to leave on August 6 th night from London and reach back by 13 th night.

Since it is first time, I'm utterly confused to choose among many choices. Also it is tough to pickup a location among Wales,Scotland and Northern Ireland. I'm primarily interested in culture, traditions and wish to spend most of our time country side. Even in that, I want to be there in Scotland. I love listening to bagpipe and my love on Scotland intensified as I read Too deep for Tears, by Kathryn Lynn Davis. I want to witness beauty of scottish country side she explained in Novel. With some browsing over net, we have concluded on these plans below. I would also like to mention that, we are not much interested in buildings and museums. Spending time with Nature is our first preference and just want to visit even Northern Ireland if it fits.If there any other places which might fit our description and budget, you are most welcome to suggest.

1. Inverness ( or other place in Scottish Highlands) and then to LondonDerry ( to stay in a walled border city, isn't it great ?!).
2. Snowdonia, swansea and Mumbles.( if bored- a quick tour to Glasgow and back ,just to visit Scotland namesake)
3. Glasgow and around then to Dublin/Londonderry.
4. Couldn't think of any..!!

 We are on a budget and prefer hostels, if you can suggest. (I'm aware it's a holiday season there , with even schools closing for summer) Our budget for stay currently is £50~60  per night. The prices at travel inn's are scaring us as they are all above ~£150.

Thank you.

[Mrs Pingu]

If you want to spend time with nature Inverness wouldn't be my first choice to stay. Unless you want to do nature in the day and wine/dine/pub at night.

You could do the nature thing very well on the West Coast or the Isles. Alternatively less midges (or biting bastards as Woolly OTP calls them)  on Orkney and Shetland.

[hellymedic]

The 'Room at the Inn' thread in 'Rides & Touring' contains names of some posters here who might be able to let you stay in their home.

The list is a little out of date and I know some folk have moved on or passed on.

[mrcharly-YHT]

West Coast of Scotland rather than East.

Train travel is expensive unless booked well in advance.

Don't discount YHA as a place to stay and also check AirBnB

I suggest going to Edinburgh rather than Glasgow. Edinburgh is by far the more spectacular city (with walks up hills in the city) and it is similarly easy to get to the west coast from there.

One day in Edinburgh and you'll have your fill of bagpipes.

[Lady Cavendish]

That is a LOT of travelling to pack into 6/7 days.

Agree, definitely Edinburgh instead of Glasgow, and I'd go to the west coast from there rather than bother with Inverness.

If you do go over to Ireland, I didn't find Derry/Londonderry great I'd prefer Belfast over Derry, Dublin, yes for sure.

I think if it was me (you'll get loads of different answers!), from your options given, I'd do Edinburgh, and bit of Scotland west coast, ferry from Stranraer to Belfast, down to Dublin, then ferry back to Holyhead/Snowdonia. How are you travelling, car or trains?

[Karla]

West Coast of Scotland rather than East.

Train travel is expensive unless booked well in advance.

Don't discount YHA as a place to stay and also check AirBnB

I suggest going to Edinburgh rather than Glasgow. Edinburgh is by far the more spectacular city (with walks up hills in the city) and it is similarly easy to get to the west coast from there.

One day in Edinburgh and you'll have your fill of bagpipes.

A lot of the hostels in Scotland are independent.  See here.

If you want to see Scotland, Torridon and the Applecross peninsula are a bit out of the way but are really, really worth it.  You can get to the Isle of Skye from there too.  You can get there by train but getting about is a bit of a pain unless you want to cycle - which I presume you won't after LEL, so your best bet might be to get the train to Fort William and hire a car from there.

Personally I wouldn't rush it: spend a day in Edinburgh, go to Fort William, drive up the west highlands to Torridon and Applecross, take a trip across to Skye, then back south again.  That should be plenty to fill your time.  If you want to go hillwalking, that's some of the best country around so you'll definitely have your hands (boots?) full.

[fuaran]

I'd say focus on one area, otherwise you will be spending all of the time travelling. It might not seem like big distances, but it can be slow.
Yes, west Highlands and Hebrides are where to go if you want impressive scenery, nature and wildlife etc. You can stop off at Glasgow or Edinburgh on the way.

How will you be travelling? Public transport can be infrequent in the more rural areas, but is usually possible with a bit of planning.
Cheapest way of getting to Glasgow/Edinburgh/Inverness is Megabus (especially if you book in advance).
There are very scenic railways from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh or Glasgow to Fort William / Mallaig / Oban.
And fun to take a ferry to an island as well. Maybe Skye, or Mull, or Rum.

[rachel t]

If you are thinking of heading upto Scotland it might be worth looking at the Sleeper train up from London, this would have the advantage of possibly gaining extra time in Scotland. If you are thinking of heading to Edinburgh I think the festival may have started so hotel might be a little bit more expensive.

[caerau]

It took me about 4 days before I could walk properly again after PBP in 2015 - just saying

[Legs]

If you like bagpipes... 

[rogerzilla]

I suggest going to Edinburgh rather than Glasgow. Edinburgh is by far the more spectacular city (with walks up hills in the city) and it is similarly easy to get to the west coast from there.

One day in Edinburgh and you'll have your fill of bagpipes.

Glaswegians, of course, will tell you their city is the real Scotland, Edinburgh being full of, and ruined by, the English

[caerau]

Both are great.  Glasgow is in easy reach of the west coast and loch Lomond.  Edinburgh within easy reach of the East Neuk of Fife and maybe the Cairngorms.  Personally I like also the southern areas near Hadrian's Wall - they are often overlooked and very beautiful.


I am in admiration of anyone who can manage such a thing straight away after a 1400 km randonnee.  I stayed in Paris for a few days after PBP and was most definitely hobbling about in a very limited fashion untll well into the week following. 

[mr ben]

I agree with those above saying don't try to do too much, especially after LEL! Better to be able to relax and properly explore a place than trying to fit in too many. It depends a bit on how you plan to travel, if you can plan ahead you should be able to get some cheap(er) train tickets, but if you are thinking of taking your bike with you this will become very complicated.

I would avoid edinburgh if it is festival time.

It's too hard to chose what to recommend! I had a excellent holiday recently on the island of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland. I was camping and used public transport, train to Oban then ferry, and buses on Mull.  There are beaches, hills, lochs, history, wildlife, nature, whisky...

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Glasgow is a fine city with friendly natives (IME).   Livelier than Edinburgh whose inhabitants are more reserved. 

[Mile Cruncher]

Thank you all for such insightful suggestions. We are excited to learn about Hebrides and might want to finalise spending time there by travelling via Glasgow.

We will travel by public transport all along. That's why I started planning very early.

No, I'm not trying to travel a lot after the ride, but just want to look around ,as this is the first time I'm coming there and also this is my first international travel.

If you like bagpipes... 

Thanks a lot for this. I will try to see if it fits in our schedule.

It took me about 4 days before I could walk properly again after PBP in 2015 - just saying

He he, I know. But after the recent 1200, I recovered after a full day sleep.  Just planning based on that experience.

[Steph]

'Snowdonia, Swansea and the Mumbles'? Very difficult getting from the first to the others. Snowdonia for mountain scenery, with castles and coast, and good wildlife especially out to South Stack by Holyhead.

Rather than Mumbles, I'd do South Pembrokeshire. More castles, cliffs, boat trips for seals and puffins and wonderful beaches.

[caerau]

It took me about 4 days before I could walk properly again after PBP in 2015 - just saying

He he, I know. But after the recent 1200, I recovered after a full day sleep.  Just planning based on that experience.

It had occurred to me that I might be talking a far more experienced randonneur than myself - I'm sure you know your own limitations - it just sounded like going off into the wilds of Scotland was going to be tricky by public transport only.  But thanks for taking it in the way it was intended