Best Way to see British Isles for the 1st Time?

[Firepath]

We've been looking at cruises, but also considering guided tours for spring 2021. We want to see Ireland and Scotland both. I've noticed that the guided tours sell out very quickly and it looks like cruises get full pretty quickly as well. We have never been to Europe at all. We are fairly active but not super adventurous. How have any of you who've traveled to the British Isles done it and is there anything you'd do different? Also, which cruise lines have this itinerary?

[CruiserBruce]

The best way to see virtually anywhere is on a land tour that you do yourself.

[FlyerTalker]

Take the trains.  Extensive coverage throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

[clo]

10 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

Take the trains.  Extensive coverage throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

Is flying the only way to get from Ireland to Scotland?  It's all I know of.  We've driven everywhere but I can understand if they don't want to deal with all of that.  I remember in Scotland, after dropping Bob off to golf, I had to drive a manual transmission car, on the "wrong" side of the road, through two roundabouts (which weren't very common here at the time). I'm the last thing from a religious person but remember praying out loud to get through those 🙂

[Ashland]

We did a great Ireland, Iceland & Scotland cruise with Celebrity...Really gave us an overview of where we would like to return. We tend to like this approach for first time visits...JMHO.

[Shorex]

Cruises are wonderful. However, you do only get to visit the coast (and as far inland as a day trip on bus excursion can get you.) Tauck is the best of available land tours of the British Isles to see what you'll never see from a traditional cruise ship. For more independent travel, trains and ferries. Have a look at The Man in Seat Sixty-One to get a sense of the extensive train service in the U.K.  (and the rest of the world)  (And yes, ferries from Northern Ireland to Scotland. Google is your friend.) Or combine trains with a tour here and there, like Rabbie's Tours of UK and Europe. Which reminds me, doing a Rabbie's Whisky tour of Scotland is still on the bucket list.

[Heidi13]

Cruises are OK, if you are happy seeing the ports and some glimpses of the coast.

 

We spent 5 months in UK a couple of years ago, travelling by car ( great option if you are comfortable driving on the other side of the road) and staying in B&B's. The other options are a Brit Rail Pass or picking up one of the many discount rail passes - the 2 for 1 and senior cards have good discounts.

 

Unless you are going for many months, suggest identifying a few key areas and focusing on them. Might be a fraction of the size of USA, but still lots to see.

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, clo said:

Is flying the only way to get from Ireland to Scotland?  It's all I know of.  We've driven everywhere but I can understand if they don't want to deal with all of that.  I remember in Scotland, after dropping Bob off to golf, I had to drive a manual transmission car, on the "wrong" side of the road, through two roundabouts (which weren't very common here at the time). I'm the last thing from a religious person but remember praying out loud to get through those 🙂

You have ferry options from P&O (Larne) & Stena (Belfast)  between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

 

HaHa - You are braver than DW, who in numerous visits to UK over the past 40 years has never driven, even an automatic.

[clo]

12 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

HaHa - You are braver than DW, who in numerous visits to UK over the past 40 years has never driven, even an automatic.

I forgot to mention also that I was shifting with my left hand.  That was about 30 years ago and I'll never forget it 🙂

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, clo said:

I forgot to mention also that I was shifting with my left hand.  That was about 30 years ago and I'll never forget it 🙂

I’ve driven a lot in England - having two sisters living there and going practically every year.  I have always found that having the shift lever on the “wrong” side (as well as the wheel) serves as a constant reminder to drive on the “wrong” side.   I do have to mutter “stupid Brits” or the like to myself to keep sharp  when approaching a roundabout.  What was tough was driving my sister’s right-hand drive car across France when we ferried across to Boulogne.

[Bizmark'sMom]

Honestly, research what, exactly, you would like to see and do it as a land tour.  I recently spent 3 weeks touring Scotland and northern England -- and I still didn't have enough time on Orkney, in Glasgow, or in York.  And if you are into neolithic stuff, Orkney needs to be on your list.

 

On my British Isles cruise, I got 3 hours in Edinburgh. Barely enough time to run up to the castle, take a super quick look, and head back down the Royal Mile before I had to head back to the ship.  That city alone is worth almost a week to thoroughly explore.

[clo]

2 minutes ago, Bizmark'sMom said:

Honestly, research what, exactly, you would like to see and do it as a land tour.  I recently spent 3 weeks touring Scotland and northern England -- and I still didn't have enough time on Orkney, in Glasgow, or in York.  And if you are into neolithic stuff, Orkney needs to be on your list.

 

On my British Isles cruise, I got 3 hours in Edinburgh. Barely enough time to run up to the castle, take a super quick look, and head back down the Royal Mile before I had to head back to the ship.  That city alone is worth almost a week to thoroughly explore.

It's going to be interesting next fall when we hit a lot of Baltic ports.  I'm guessing we'll think the same.  

 

When we were driving around Ireland, we went to the Irish National Stud (where gorgeous horses are bred).  And also Cork that had a wonderful indoor food market.  And I went horseback riding on the Dingle Peninsula.

[Bizmark'sMom]

I need to do a thorough tour of Ireland.  I've only been there during cruise stops. Which means I haven't really explored anything.

[clo]

I don't know if this is allowed but here's an example of the kinds of things available.

 

https://www.travelzoo.com/vacations/europe/-799-Castle-Hopping-thru-Ireland-6-Nights-Flights-2825148/?&_noxout=1&source=Face46Ire#utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Q42019MemberAcquisition&utm_term=Ireland

[clo]

5 minutes ago, Bizmark'sMom said:

I need to do a thorough tour of Ireland.  I've only been there during cruise stops. Which means I haven't really explored anything.

We want/need to go back.  But, dang, there's so much planet.

[cruisemom42]

Honestly the UK seems to have as much variety packed into a small space as we do in a much larger area in the US.  So many different regions with different topography and very different personality. Touring by land is incredibly easy in the UK, after all we share a common language (or do we???) -- so why not do it by land?  

 

I spent three weeks as a young teen with my parents seeing parts of England, Wales, and a wee bit of Scotland. Another week in Ireland later -- it's a place I've always meant to get back to again. I don't know what it's like now, but kissing the Blarney stone then was a very precarious undertaking. I'm frankly surprised tourists were not plummeting to their deaths daily! 

 

I have also spent four separate weeks in London, which is very different from the rest of the country, but I love big, historic cities. And in the last year I've spent time in southern England, the Cotswalds, and did a walking trip along Hadrian's wall. 

 

In short, go to the UK and spend as much time as you can. You won't be bored. 

 

(And P.S. English food is now great. Between authentic ethnic food in London and a hugely revitalized pub food scene, you will eat well.)

 

[cruisemom42]

16 minutes ago, clo said:

We want/need to go back.  But, dang, there's so much planet.

 

I'm always saying this.

[clo]

9 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

but kissing the Blarney stone then was a very precarious undertaking.

Bob kissed it but my fear of heights very wisely kicked in 🙂

[clo]

Just now, cruisemom42 said:

 

I'm always saying this.

And I got a late start.  Didn't get a passport til I was 40.

[iancal]

Years ago we spent six weeks travelling through the UK in a camper van.  Too much, too fast.

 

Since than time we have had numerous trips back to the UK, and to London in particular.   We would suggest that the best way to see the UK is not to try and see all of it in one go.  Pick a few areas and spend time.  Perhaps Yorkshire, the Cotswalds, Wales, Lake District, Cornwall,, Scotland..etc.  Pick two or three areas and spend some time enjoying everything that the UK has to offer.

 

[NantahalaCruiser]

6 hours ago, Shorex said:

Cruises are wonderful. However, you do only get to visit the coast (and as far inland as a day trip on bus excursion can get you.) Tauck is the best of available land tours of the British Isles to see what you'll never see from a traditional cruise ship. For more independent travel, trains and ferries. Have a look at The Man in Seat Sixty-One to get a sense of the extensive train service in the U.K.  (and the rest of the world)  (And yes, ferries from Northern Ireland to Scotland. Google is your friend.) Or combine trains with a tour here and there, like Rabbie's Tours of UK and Europe. Which reminds me, doing a Rabbie's Whisky tour of Scotland is still on the bucket list.

 

Ocean cruises and even many river cruises can only give you a taste of the area you are traveling to - but for many of us that is sufficient and why we enjoy cruising.

 

Unpack once in your "traveling hotel room" and experience as much as possible with excellent tour guides in the limited time available.

 

With the British Isles, a day trip can get you all the way to the opposite coast and back in the Scottish Highlands! On our British Isles cruise we enjoyed 3 long days in Scotland: about 7 hours in Edinburgh, 8 hours in the highlands from Invergordon to Isle of Skye and back, and another 8 hours up to Sterling Castle and back - learning much about the history and culture from excellent tour guides. Sure, we could have experienced much more with a month in Scotland; but we have neither the money nor time to do so.

 

When possible we also try to add on 2 or 3 days in or around the areas of our embarkation and/or disembarkation ports in order to get a slightly more intense experience of the local history/culture.

Edited November 14, 2019 by NantahalaCruiser

[NantahalaCruiser]

8 hours ago, Firepath said:

Also, which cruise lines have this itinerary?

Predominately three of the mainstream cruise lines offer 10 to 12 night British Isles cruises: Celebrity, Princess & Royal Caribbean.

 

Cunard also has an occasional one.

 

Holland America and Norwegian tend to have itineraries that combine 2 or 3 ports in the British Isles with ports in Iceland or Norway.

[SRF]

10 hours ago, clo said:

Is flying the only way to get from Ireland to Scotland?  It's all I know of.  We've driven everywhere but I can understand if they don't want to deal with all of that.  I remember in Scotland, after dropping Bob off to golf, I had to drive a manual transmission car, on the "wrong" side of the road, through two roundabouts (which weren't very common here at the time). I'm the last thing from a religious person but remember praying out loud to get through those 🙂

 

There are ferries.

 

I have no problem switching to the other side for UK (rented cars in Scotland twice).  But funny thing is, I have a problem when I get home. 😄

[SRF]

I have done two trips to Scotland, renting a car, and being there for more than a week.  Plus a just under 2 week trip to just Edinburgh, and a couple of shorter trips to Edinburgh.

 

And there are STILL many things to see.

 

First trip, we spent about 3 days in Edinburgh.  They drove up to Iverness to see Loch Ness and visit Glenmorangie distillery (a pilgrimage for me 🙂 ).  Then we drove and took the ferry to Lewis and Harris Island and stayed in Storonoway for a couple of days.  Then a longish day back to Edinburgh via the Isle of Skye.

 

Second trip, was a couple of days in Edinburgh, then a drive across the country and a ferry to the Isle of Arran.  Overnight and a day there, then the ferry to Islay.  We stayed on Islay for almost a week, mainly visiting distilleries, but also some museum and other historic things.  Then ferry and drive to Glasgow for a could of days there, then home.

 

Last trip was over Christmas and New Years (Hogmanay) and was FANTASTIC. Just stayed in Edinburgh.  Got transit passes and enjoyed the city.  They do an AMAZING New Years.  Including a torchlight procession the night before 

- 

Look closely, you will see US in the procession. 😄

 

 

[donaldsc]

11 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

The best way to see virtually anywhere is on a land tour that you do yourself.

 

+1 on that.  Also, it will take you twice as long as you think it will take to get from place A to place B so either double or quadruple the length of the trip or pick a small piece of England and see it well as opposed to trying to cover a lot of ground. Roads are narrow and you will not be going fast.  On one trip, I passed a sign for a steam tractor show that I could not stop at because we had to get to place B.  I really regretted that.

 

DON