The FastDay Forum

I would echo the advice re driving around, and consider hiring a satnav with the car. This is not to put you off exploring in any way, it's just we want you to leave having had a good time!
If you are thinking of visiting Stonehenge, do go to Avebury. It's rather special.
But do tell us more about the sort of things you want tospend most time seeing. Scenery, culture, food, nice places to mooch? Sport? Wimbledon starts on 29th June!

Hi,
If you are touching Scotland, you really ought to visit the Scottish Highlands. At the very least, I'd recommend heading up Loch Lomond from Glasgow and then across Rannoch Moor and through Glen Coe. The scenery is spectacular throughout the Western Highlands; it would be a shame to miss, if you are so close.

Bracken.

Goodness me, what a fabulous selection of ideas, all of which I think are worth considering but obviously you won't be able to do them all, let's face it, I've live in Britain for 67 years and I've not done half these things. I agree with Rawkaren about Edinburgh and York, both fabulous places, full of history and easy to get around. All this is making me want to get travelling. Other places worth a mention are Port Merion, been meaning to get there for years and not managed it yet, Cheddar Gorge, not been there either or how about Belfast, another place as yet safe from a visit from me? Good luck for wherever you decide to visit, you will have a great time,

Ballerina x

Thank you everyone what wonderful ideas. This is going to take some planning!! We haven't been before apart from a stopover in London. As for driving, hubby drove us through Rome and they drive on the wrong side of the road so no worries there. I'm getting all excited now, can't wait to come over

If you can drive in Rome, I think you'll be OK here!

I am sure you will have a fantastic time - there is so much to chose between! Walking around London is wonderful, and using the buses and tube to go longer distances works well. So many iconic buildings to see. I have really enjoyed walking in the Lake and Peak districts, Yorkshire moors and Dartmoor, and along the coast in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset. North and South Wales also great, and Scottish Highlands. Historic cities such as York, Edinburgh, Oxford, Cambridge, all wonderful. And driving through the countryside - so much is lovely, in particular the little villages, where people seem to really care about their gardens. I am sure you will have lots of fun in planning!

For our most recent visit we purchased UK maps for our own satnav, which worked well - cheaper option maybe. The satnav did sometimes take us down lanes where the vegetation touched BOTH sides of the car...!! That's another UK driving experience... I love the motorways (not at peak hour tho) as the traffic is so disciplined compared to Australia - overtaking is only allowed on the right and drivers go back into the original lane after they have overtaken, and in general drivers seem to stick to: fast in left lane, faster in middle lane and very fast in right lane (!). Roundabouts can be a challenge, but often the road number is on the road of the lane you need to be in. If in doubt, go around again!

Happy travels. :

PS We are also going be in England next June, either side of a bus trip through Italy. We have 4 days in London at the start of the month, mainly to visit friends who live close to London, then on return from Italy we will hire a car and in 9 days race around from Heathrow, to Dorset, to Yorkshire to Buckinghamshire then back to Heathrow, again mainly to see friends and family. Will also try to meet up with some forum members - will post on this nearer the time.

[janeg]

Please don't be in too much of a hurry to leave Scotland!
Glasgow has so much in the way of culture, beautiful buildings, museums, galleries (all free) and food/restaurants/bars!
We tend to stay in the city centre self catering as log as it has parking and have a blast. It is so close to the Trossachs and Stirling with the splendour of mountains and lochs. The Kelpies at Falkirk and the Falkirk wheel are stunning, well worth a look and an hours drive from Glasgow.
I am totally biased and love my country and am very fortunate to know it rather well (except the Borders!).
The Central belt has the glory of the Highlands in miniature if you don't have the time to go further north.
if you DO have time to go up the way you will not regret it.
But as you are travelling southwards to Nottingham then it's maybe not ideal.
I do hope you come up with a good plan and have a ball. There's always more to see and that is a great reason to come back!

I live about 15 miles south of Nottingham. I would echo comments about the Peak district if you like walking - Dovedale is very beautiful. We also like Stratford - if you like going to the theatre do try and book to see a shakespeare play - they are in a different league and the theatre is very interesting to look round. If you like historic buildings Warwick castle is good if a bit theme parkish.There are several historic houses in the area - Calke Abbey, Hardwick Hall and House for example which both have interesting gardens.You could look at the National Trust and English Heritage websites for more ideas. There are lots of towns and cities with a long history. Some we have visited recently are Colchester, Gloucester, Ipswich, Cirencester. I'm sure others will chime in with other ideas If you like gardens Hidcote Manor which is in the Gloucestershire is hard to beat although it is a bit of a distance from Nottingham. If you want a taste of India Belgrave road in Leicester is the place to go. You

I'm so excited for you--Back in 1988 OH and I spent 3 weeks in the UK and saw almost everything that people have mentioned here. Were so pleased to be in Cambridge during exam time and see some students breaking out the champagne to celebrate their receipt of good grades--and then to walk into King's College Chapel with a Rubens painting hanging there for all to see, free of charge. Stonehenge was such a thrill--I loved the way that you could stand there looking out over the plain (the highway and car park invisible from the rise) knowing that those hillocks were actually ancient barrow tombs.

I remember the travel agent at home saying, "England is just set up for tourists" People were so polite and helpful to us. After three nights in a London Hotel, we trained to Brighton to pick up a rental car and spent the rest of the time driving around and staying in B & B, eating mostly in pubs where we sometimes shared a table with local people. While I navigated, OH learned to drive standard shift left-handed, claiming that the dexterity required must be the reason they won the Battle of Britain.

OOO--I'm so envious now. Hope you have a wonderful time.

[wildmissus]

Glasgow is really easy to get around as it has an underground. It is full of beautiful old buildings - The Glasgow School of Art was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and then there is The Willow Tea Rooms in the middle of Sauchiehall St (which is a major shopping street in the middle of Glasgow) also designed by him -

http://www.willowtearooms.co.uk/

There is also the Kelvingrove Art Gallery in the west end which was actually built the wrong way round - the front should have been the back, if you see what I mean. You'll also find Glasgow people very down to earth. The curry houses in Glasgow are fantastic second only to Birmingham.

I agree with @janeg, I used to live in Callander by The Trossachs - a beautiful, peaceful, scenic area. Then the Kelpies at Falkirk and if you go there you'd be as well going to the The Falkirk Wheel as well.

If you do go up to the Highlands, let me know as that is where I live now. As much as I loved living in Glasgow and have fond memories of my younger years there (mostly alcohol induced ) my heart is in the Highlands now.

Wineo - if you're travelling down from the central belt in Scotland to Nottingham, you are simply going through some of the best parts of the country, viz. Northumberland: Berwick, Holy Island, Bamburgh Castle, Alnwick (Castle and gardens - Harry Potter filmed here) Corbridge, Hadrians's Wall (and not as much traffic as elsewhere in UK) Durham and last but not least Yorkshire: besides York, which is fab, there are the Yorkshire Dales to the west, and the North York Moors to the east. James Herriot country. Lots of ruined abbeys - Fountains, Rievaulx, Jervaux,Byland. Lots of small unpretentious market towns - Northallerton, Thirsk, Masham, Helmsley, Pickering,Richmond. All of this on or near the A1 which runs from Edinburgh down towards Nottingham.
Advise staying in bed and breakfasts, like Marybeth did, as you will get much more value for money, and a much more authentic experience. Use tripadvisor, and also Alistair Sawday's website. The latter has places which can be a little more expensive, but still good value, and usually in the countryside or small towns.

@Sassy1 Maybe we will run into each other while we are there. Italy - sigh - its been 10 years since we were there. We drove from the top down to the Almalfi coast then back up to the family in Tuscany. I would love to get over there again soon.

If you have time when you are in Scotland the drive up to the Highlands is worth it and if time allows head over to Orkney .. in my opinion one of the most beautiful places on the planet ....and home of my beloved Highland Park distillery, Ola Gorie jewellery and Judith Glue knitwear .. I would move there in a heartbeat if my job allowed

On your way down don't miss Whitby .. home of Dracula and great fish and chips ..don't have a fast day that day !
If you are stopping in Oxford don't miss out on Cambridge too ... and then come and see us on the south coast in Brighton ..everyone should visit at least once
If wine is your thing we have one of the best sparkling wine vineyards in the country here
http://www.ridgeview.co.uk/
I'm a bit biased as the owner is my old boss but its really really good
Brighton is a great city and there is something for everyone .. and a lot of good food and shopping to be had !

Lets face it @Wineoclock, you'll just have to stay here for three years instead of three weeks, but you still won't have time to see everything wonderful in the UK.
I think the answer is to move here and take the occasional holiday in the Blue Mountains.

[Tracieknits]

That sounds really lovely! We're planning a trip as well, but likely only 7 or 8 nights in the UK - probably only Scotland then. My husband visited a few times last year for work and absolutely loves it. So we're planning on seeing the highlands and looking for standing stones. I have been awed by megaliths since I was a child.

I hope you have a fantastic time!