The Ultimate Itinerary for 2 Weeks in England and Scotland

Heather

7 years ago

Planning my ultimate itinerary for 2 weeks in England and Scotland took time to research and plan. I first started listing out every place I wanted to visit. I mostly get ideas through travel books such as The Little Black Book of London, 2016 Edition . Next, I start looking at Pinterest for ideas. Once I have them all, I start going through them and piecing my 2-week UK trip together one day at a time. I look at where each place is located to see if I can group any. Here is a quick look at my ultimate itinerary for 2 weeks in England and Scotland.

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2 Weeks in England and Scotland

First Day

London, Buckingham Palace, Soho

I start my first day in a new place, walking and exploring the neighborhoods. I was staying at the Hilton DoubleTree – Westminster for my duration in London, and it wasn’t a far walk to get to the iconic landmark of Buckingham Palace. Many people are stuck to the gates trying to get pictures of the guards and taking selfies. I found it best to move to the side to get an unobstructed view of the guards.

After taking my fill of pictures, I walked through Green Park to head to Soho. It was surprising to see so many people in the park sitting on the grass in the middle of a workday. After some more thought, I can understand this a bit when you have as much rain as London gets. You have to get out and enjoy the sunshine when it shows up.

One of the neat things about exploring is coming upon something unexpected. While exploring Soho, I saw the Tour of Britain bike race. A first for me!

Soho is eclectic, with its crazy shops mixed in with high-end stores. Plus, the vibe is very relaxed. Despite the number of people on Carnaby Street, I enjoyed walking through the area. The crowds just made it more enjoyable for people to watch.

Day 2

Windsor Castle, Oxford, Stonehenge

I occasionally like to mix up my solo traveling with group tours. I signed up for a tour with Evan Evans to experience Windsor Castle, Oxford, and Stonehenge. Windsor Castle, the Queen’s home, is massive, and I only had an hour to see the whole place. I would have liked more time, but I made the best of my time here. I could tour the State Apartments, Mary’s gigantic Doll House, and St. George’s Chapel.

Oxford is amazing! I instantly fell in love with the architecture and the city. Oxford University has 38 different colleges. We visited Christ Church, which is the setting for many movie sets, including the Harry Potter films.

The highlight of this tour is seeing Stonehenge and being in the inner circle at sunset. This tour is one of the few select tours allowing you to enter the inner circle. We had 30 minutes in the stones for pictures and to experience the sunset. Capturing the sunset through the stones is amazing! This experience is a definite must-have compared to standing outside looking in.

Day 3

Westminster Abbey, Southbank, Tower Bridge, Tower of London

Today’s adventure took me to the Southbank of London after a walkthrough of Westminster Abbey. The audio tour is beneficial in identifying all the famous memorials throughout the abbey. There are memorials & statues on the walls and even on the floor for hundreds of famous dignitaries and royals.

After the Abbey, I crossed the Thames to walk along the river on the South Bank. Right by the London Eye are the cheezy tourist traps, but as you go further, you see where the locals hang out to eat their lunch. On your walk, you will also pass the Shakespeare Globe Theater, the ruins of Winchester Palace, and many other interesting sites heading to London Bridge. If you get hungry, head over to Borough Market.

Tower Bridge is an impressive sight to see up close. If you have time, settle down in the grass, and you might see the bridge lift. My last stop of the day is the Tower of London. The Tower of London is right on the other side of the bridge. I started the self-guided tour along the walls surrounding the fort. The Fusiliers’ Museum, White Tower, Bloody Tower, and of course, the Crown Jewels are places to visit within the tower.

Day 4

Trafalgar Square, Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace, Harrods, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, Notting Hill

Day 4 in London took me in another direction to explore. I had a timed ticket for a Buckingham Palace Tour, so before that, I walked around London toward Trafalgar Square. This is a busy area with traffic and crowds by the National Gallery but with amazing architecture.

Walking through the Mall to the front gates, I was still early for my 11:15 a.m. tour. I decided to visit the Royal Mews while I waited to get into Buckingham Palace. It was a bit lackluster because I expected to see more horses. But the coaches are beautiful to see.

Buckingham Palace is an amazing experience. I was there for a while, walking through the State Apartments and seeing the display of the fashion of the queen over the years. The tour ends in the back, so you can walk through the gardens on your way out of the grounds. The next stop was to explore Kensington Palace, but I found a couple more stops to visit along the way. First was the Harrods department store. You can get lost exploring all seven floors of amazing departments. The building is a work of art, with each escalator area with a different theme. The food hall on the ground floor is a perfect place to grab lunch.

There aren’t a lot of places to sit, but Hyde Park is nearby if you want to enjoy your meal outside. Hyde Park is an excellent way to relax your feet from all the walking and watch the swans. The Diana Memorial Fountain is also along this walk to Kensington Palace.

Compared to Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, the Kensington Palace tour was a bit of a disappointment. The rooms seemed run-down, and there wasn’t as much opulence in the State Apartments fitting a Palace. I am surprised by the limited references to Lady Diana in all these palace tours and gift shops. There were some in Kensington Palace that I was glad to see, considering how popular she still is today.

My last stop on my walking tour of London is Notting Hill. I stopped at the Travel Bookstore, and surprisingly there were no books. Portobello Road has some beautiful photo opportunities for homes. There are also many London gift choices with all the shops in Notting Hill. If you are looking for a wonderful book store, head over to Cecil Court.

Day 5

Kew Gardens & Kew Palace

I took the tube out to Kew Gardens. This stop is a bit confusing to figure out which direction to go in, but it is a short walk to the gardens once you figure it out. The gardens are beautiful! The palm and lily houses are humid, so remember to protect your camera. Queen Charlotte’s cottage was neat to see on the outside. It is open to see inside the cottage at certain times of the year. The grounds are massive. There are many paved, unpaved, and elevated paths to follow and see the peaceful gardens and lovely landscapes.

Kew Palace, in my opinion, is nicer than Kensington Palace. The history of this palace circles around King George’s mental illness and how the royal family lived here to keep it from the public. It is also interesting to see how the family slept on separate floors. The King is on the Ground Floor, the Queen on the 1st floor, and the princesses on the 2nd floor. A different life compared to the modern family of everybody on the same floor.

If you have more time in London, another place with delicous food, tons of street art, and excellent vintage shopping for you to check out is the Brick Lane Market that is open on the weekends.

Day 6

York

York is a very attractive old medieval town with fortress walls surrounding the city. You can easily spend a few days here because there is so much to see. The Yorkshire Museum Gardens are beautiful, and St. Mary’s Abbey’s ruins are breathtaking to see up close. York is filled with Viking & Roman military history, museums, shops, and restaurants; of course, York Minster is abundant with choices for you to explore. I even got to hear the Minster Choir sing. There are no words.

I stayed at Alcuin Lodge Guest House for one night while visiting York. The rooms are nice, and it is a pretty walk to the center of York through the Museum Gardens, where you walk right past the ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey. Remember that the gardens close early, so if you are in town late, you need to know another way back. Trust me. It is not pleasant walking around a new town when it is dark. Although some really nice people live here, and they will help point you in the right direction.

Day 7

Hadrian’s Wall, Edinburgh Castle, Calton Hill

I took the scenic route (A68) from York to Edinburgh. I stopped at Chesters Roman Fort and the Clayton Museum along the way. This stop also has an exposed portion of Hadrian’s Wall. This break in the trip is a nice stop for an hour or so to see the ruins of the barracks, baths, towers & gates along the River North Tyne.

I made it to Edinburgh by late afternoon. Walking along the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle, I admired the street performers and window shopping; there is much to see here. The castle sits atop Castle Rock and has a commanding city view. Plan to spend a couple of hours going through all the castle buildings.

If you have some time at the end of your day, Calton Hill is an excellent spot to view the city and capture the sunset. Come early to find a good place to sit. It does get crowded, so plan. But the view and shots you get are worth it!

I stayed at Adria House, a beautiful B&B and a short walk to everything in Edinburgh. I stayed here for 3 nights while I explored the city and took day trips from this central location. They have a great breakfast and nice-sized rooms with great park views across the street. One thing to know is that the rooms are on the 2nd floor so you must haul your suitcase up the stairs. Remember to pack lightly!

A couple of other options for you while exploring Edinburgh is taking a bus ride out to Rosslyn Chapel. This is where they filmed scenes from the Da Vinci Code and, if you are a fan, the Mystery of Oak Island. And if you like the darker side, try one of the Edinburgh Ghost Tours. They are highly entertaining after a day of sightseeing in the Scottish countryside.

Day 8

Linlithgow Palace, Palace of Holyrood

Today’s adventure starts at Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station with a ticket purchase to Linlithgow Palace. Remember to make sure you plan your days because no trains run before 11 a.m. on Sundays. Linlithgow Palace is a remembrance of the Stewart Monarchs. Although this Palace is crumbling away, it still is an impressive part of history. You can freely walk around the castle and up and down stairways.

After taking the train back to Edinburgh, I trekked on the Royal Mile away from Edinburgh Castle and ended up at the Palace of Holyrood. Pick up an audio self-guided tour of the palace and the abbey ruins. You can walk through the Royal and Historic Apartments and see Queen Mary of the Scots rooms. So much violent drama surrounded her at Holyrood Palace.

Day 9

Glencoe, Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness

Scheduled another group tour for this day. This tour was with Timberbush for a one-day tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the Highlands. Glencoe was picture-perfect, with the rolling hills giving way to huge mountains. When the mist & rain moved in, it just added to the mysterious Highland atmosphere and gave everything a softer look. We had a couple of quick stops along the tour for breaks. One is at Kilmahog, which has a pair of Highland Cows to photograph. The other stop was for lunch at Fort Agustus.

The stop after lunch is at Urquhart Castle, which resides on the banks of Loch Ness. Mostly ruined now but, still neat to visit. After the Jacobite Rising and Defeat, the British destroyed all potential holdings so; they could not regroup. It is a shame that so many of these impressive structures were destroyed this way, and Urquhart Castle is one of them.

Part of the tour includes a cruise on Loch Ness. This is a nice relaxing boat ride, even though I didn’t see “Nessie.” If you are wondering what a cruise on Loch Ness is like, check out my friend’s blog on a Loch Ness boat trip experience.

Another day tour you could take out of Edinburgh is Rabbies’s Outlander One-Day Adventure. If you enjoy the books or show Outlander, you will thoroughly enjoy this tour. I highly recommend it!

Day 10

Culross, The Hermitage, Blair Castle, Inverness

Driving from Edinburgh to Inverness, I couldn’t help stopping at several places. First is the village of Culross. Culross has been the backdrop of one of my favorite shows at the moment, Outlander. I walked around the village to photograph the houses and Culross Palace. I also walked up to Culross Abbey. The abbey grounds have some ruins, but the church is still functional today.

The next stop is The Hermitage, part of the National Trust for Scotland. This is another great stop for hiking and stretching the legs between car rides. You walk on paths along the River Braan, and after a while, you can hear the roaring water of the Black Linn Falls. The best way to view the waterfall is within Ossian’s Hall.

Since I was close and already on the Duke of Atholl’s land, I decided to stop at Blair Castle. The castle is privately held and not within the National Trust for Scotland. The fee to tour the castle and gardens is 10 pounds. The Duke of Atholl was a game hunter. There are antlers everywhere within the castle. He even had deer and stag for pets. As I left the castle, a Scottish Highlander played the bagpipes in the castle’s forecourt. Lovely music!

While in Inverness, I stayed at Corran Guest House for two nights while exploring the Highlands. The hosts’ John & Caroline, were super friendly, especially since I was celebrating a birthday there. The B&B is conveniently located and easy to walk downtown. Caroline has an excellent sense of interior decorating, and there are nice touches everywhere within the house (lilac candles in the bathroom, a vanity magnifying mirror, a little heart hanging from the door of the armoire, a chandelier of lights in the bedroom). She is very personable, and John is an excellent cook. Unfortunately, they are closed. But there are plenty of other great places to stay in Inverness.

Booking.com

Day 11

Culloden Moor, Clava Cairns, Brodie Castle, Inverness

This day was spent visiting more somber sites of Scottish History. My first stop is Culloden Moor. What an unbelievable experience. It is so serene and quiet that it is hard to believe the Highland Clans were wiped out so quickly here in 1746. How different Scotland would be if this battle had ended differently.

After Culloden Moor, I drove a short distance (5 minutes) to Clava Cairns. One of the few Standing Stones left in Scotland. The area has burial chambers along with standing stones. Since it was my birthday, I thought if it were going to happen, it would be today as I put my hands on the standing stones hoping they would whisk me away to the past. No such luck.

I also visited Brodie Castle. I took my first guided tour of a castle. It was very informative on the history of the Brodie family. Seeing the secret doorways and passages connecting all the rooms on tour was exciting. The National Trust for Scotland owns and runs Brodie Castle. You can also walk the gardens, which are covered in daffodils in the spring. The rest of my day was spent exploring Inverness and visiting churches, bookstores, and shops. If you have time, try to visit Inverness Castle. What a wonderful Highland city!

Day 12

Gretna Green, Lake District, Aria Force, Ambleside

Left Inverness to drive back to England via Gretna Green. This is by far the cheesiest tourist trap so far on my trip. Although there is a lot of history on why so many couples eloped here just across the border to Scotland, the buildings they grouped and the museum don’t do it justice. My thoughts also could have been from visiting this place solo. Who knows, maybe visiting as a couple, you would have an entirely different experience than I did.

The drive through the Lake District of England was the most harrowing I’ve had since being in the U.K. These were truly the narrow roads I was warned about. Even with me white-knuckling the steering wheel, the views are fantastic in this area of England.

One of my sudden stops was at the Aria Force waterfall in Ambleside. This is a nice break from driving to hike to this amazing waterfall. There are lots of photo opportunities along the stone bridge over the falls and even stairs to a path at the bottom of the falls. Beware, there is a lot of mist, so keep your camera covered.

The town of Ambleside, where I stayed overnight, is so quaint, tucked up at the bottom of the mountain. It reminded me of Colorado in the summertime. The town has excellent shops, including many hiking and adventure stores.

The B&B I stayed at overnight is Hillsdale in Ambleside. This is one place I want to come back to and explore more. There wasn’t enough time to see this beautiful town and all it offers. Next time!

Day 13

Cotswold (Broadway, Bourton-on-the-Water)

This day I spent exploring the Cotswold area of England. Broadway came highly recommended to visit. The light amber-colored buildings are so picturesque to view. I walked up to the main street and walked through the residential area. So many houses are for sale; I started to get tempted and think of the future. This village would be a great place to retire.

My overnight stay is in Bourton-on-the-Water. Referred to as the Little Venice of the Cotswold with its many bridges over the River Windrush. The river is full of ducks; the kids love to scare and wade into the water. Many people on the green might seem too touristy. But seeing it fresh in the morning without people is pure beauty. This is a great place to take day trips from and is a small enough town to see the whole place in a couple of days.

I stayed at Broadlands Guest House for a few days while exploring the Cotswolds area. Make sure that you pick the right Broadlands Guest House. There is another one in Windermere, but this one is in Bourton-on-the-Water. It was nice and quiet, hidden from the crowds hanging out by the water. This guest house was conveniently located for my excursions to see the rest of the Cotswolds area and Bath.

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Day 14

Bath

Drove to Bath from Bourton-on-the-water, which took about an hour and 15 minutes. Most of the road is motorways, but, there is a portion that goes through single-lane small towns and villages with people parking right on the road; you have to veer into the other lane. Make sure to watch for oncoming traffic.

Bath has several parks & rides outside the city for easy parking and getting into the town. Bath seemed very touristy walking around the buildings, but that disappeared once you entered the building. The moment you entered a building, you are whisked back in time. The first place to visit is Bath Abbey to see a similar setup as Westminster, with all the memorials and stones on the walls.

The highlight of Bath, though, is the Roman Baths and especially the Great Bath. Even knowing this isn’t how it looked back in the Roman era, it is still just as magnificent. There are interactive displays and a museum below the Great Bath, along with glimpses of the actual bath ruins that put this whole complex in perspective.

The Grand Pump Room is next to the Roman Baths, where the upper echelon of England’s high society would take in the bath waters. Today you can dine here on modern British cuisine.

Another photography site to see is the Pulteney Bridge. The bridge crosses River Avon and consists of rows of shops on both sides of the bridge with a narrow road between them. A tiered waterfall design on the River Avon below the bridge adds to the setting.

The Fashion Museum & Assembly Rooms is an enjoyable site, especially if you are a fan of historical romance novels. The Ball Room looks exactly how I imagined it would be. I can see the ballroom filled with ladies in Victorian dresses waltzing with the gentlemen and all the spinsters sitting along the wall. I sat in one of the chairs, but I do not feel like a spinster.

The last item on my Bath must-see list is the Jane Austen Centre. The museum is devoted to her life in Bath, and her writing is exceptional. Jane accomplished so much before she died at 41 years.

I know this is a lot of information, but I hope you find something worthwhile to add to your list for your 2 weeks in England and Scotland trip. Oh, the places you will see…7 Palaces, 6 Castles, 2 Standing Stone Circles, and amazing landscapes filled with mountains, waterfalls, and sheep.

If you follow this guide for your UK trip planner or have been to any of these destinations, drop me a note and let me know how it was. I would love to hear from you! If you have any questions about where I stayed or want more details on what I did, just ask. If you want to book accommodations for your fabulous trip, use the Booking.com link below. And if you need help finding cheap flights to Europe, I use Skyscanner for all my flight deals. Free flight comparison with Skyscanner; your flight search starts here!

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