Charles H Posted January 25 Posted January 25 Hi everyone - I did not know there was a travel section on the forum! With so many Brits and Irish folks here, I figure it is a great place to ask for suggestions. Nerida (my wife) and I are traveling to London from Australia on April 1. So far we've organised everything until April 20. Just quickly, we arrive at Heathrow early in the morning on April 2, and then fly to Manchester about noon. We're there for two nights (doing a Peak District small group guided tour), then train to Liverpool, where we also have two nights. I was disappointed the Maritime Museum there is closed for massive renovations, but still lots to see. We then go by train to Edinburgh, where we are based for a week, including a 4-day tour of the Isle of Skye and Western Highlands. Nerida has been there before, in 2015. We then go to Inverness by train, where we are based for a week, including a 3-day tour of the North Coast 500 and day trips to Loch Ness and Cairngorms National Park. We intend to leave Inverness on April 20... but we've no idea exactly where (or how) to go from there! We have to be back at Heathrow by the evening of April 29, to fly home the next morning... but (clearly) I have not done any intensive research yet, for these nine days. Thinking of a guided tour around Ireland for maybe 5 days, perhaps, OR going to other places in England on the way south. We can't rush around and do bits of both - we're both 65! If we go to Ireland, Dublin, and the Cliffs of Moher, but obviously there's much more than that! My wife has been there before, too, but her memory is not that useful! She didn't go to Northern Ireland. If England, we'd particularly like to visit the Lake District, where I know we can get around on regular local bus routes. Other possible places include (in no order, or in any geographical logic): York/Dales (although we've been there before, in 2014; I was born in Harrogate and lived in York until we moved to Australia in 1963) Lincoln (including Bomber Command museum!) Yeovil (including Fleet Air Arm museum; my father flew strike and ASW planes from HMS Eagle and HMS Bulwark, etc, in the 1950s-early 60s) - possibly could go there en route to London, even if we go to Ireland first. And perhaps Cornwall etc, if we stay in England. London itself - would like to do a trip on the Thames (if even possible) from the Barrier to the Estuary, *especially* if any sort of "hop on/hop off" river services exist. Have been to London before, staying in West Brompton, so of course I know it is expensive. Any suggestions/comments would be much appreciated, please! cheers! Charles
Philly1860 Posted January 30 Posted January 30 G’day Charles, sorry for not replying sooner, I’m just over the flu (It hit me hard). I’ll pm you later today with my comments on Irish leg of your trip. Regards Colin.
Rob G Posted January 31 Posted January 31 Your plans are made, but why fly into Heath-deleted-row? Fly direct into Manchester instead, save yourselves all the faffing about with the LHR mess and a flight change. I took my Mum across to Notherrn Ireland last year (for her 80th, coincidentally we were there at the same time as you will be, early April), and that's what we did; the airport was in the middle of a huge upgrade, even with that it was a better experience than the lunacy of LHR.
Farmer matt Posted January 31 Posted January 31 Hi, if you choose London, there are indeed River bus services although I have never tried to use them. TfL are the umbrella for the majority of London' s transport (tube and bus). The river is contracted to Uber . Link below will give idea. https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/river/about-river-bus?intcmp=1516 Some sightseeing tour bus operators include a river 'cruise' in their itinerays too. Much of central London itself can be seen most easily on foot, or the top deck of a bus. Journeys to places like Hendon for the RAF Museum are best done on tube. For service buses and tube you will need a pre -paid Oystercard ticket. Hope you enjoy your trip. Matt
-Ian- Posted February 1 Posted February 1 (edited) In London, definitely visit Greenwich (or even stay there and use it as your base when visiting the central London attractions), far less crowded than central London but plenty to see (maritime museum, Cutty Sark and the Observatory being the highlights) and some nice pubs, restaurants and shops. You can get the river bus or the DLR from there to central London. If there's clear weather and you have the time, head a little further east to take the cable car across the Thames, it was a bit of a white elephant as neither end is much of a visitor draw but it does gives a brilliant view down the Thames to central London. Edited February 1 by -Ian-
Fatcawthorne Posted February 1 Posted February 1 On 1/31/2025 at 8:05 AM, Farmer matt said: Hi, if you choose London, there are indeed River bus services although I have never tried to use them. TfL are the umbrella for the majority of London' s transport (tube and bus). The river is contracted to Uber . Link below will give idea. https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/river/about-river-bus?intcmp=1516 Some sightseeing tour bus operators include a river 'cruise' in their itinerays too. Much of central London itself can be seen most easily on foot, or the top deck of a bus. Journeys to places like Hendon for the RAF Museum are best done on tube. For service buses and tube you will need a pre -paid Oystercard ticket. Hope you enjoy your trip. Matt You could combine a tourist bus trip and your river boat trip with this: https://www.londonducktours.co.uk/ For travel in London I would get a pre-paid debit card (assuming that an Oz bank will fleece you for small value card transactions abroad, if no penalty/charge then your own contatctless debit card will do!) to use the bus & tubes as you can tap in and out (but remember to tap out on the tube where there are not gates) with your debit card rather than stumping up for an Oyster Card or two. If you're doing tourst traps like Covent garden, or Theatreland then that's where the London Transport museum is. If you're a true digger then Surrey will be playing Somerset at the Oval 25-28 April, and it's just round the corner from the Imperal War Museum.
Farmer matt Posted February 1 Posted February 1 Sadly I think the DUKWs stopped a few years ago because the slipway they used got compulsory purchased. As @-Ian- says the cable car doesn't really go anywhere, but is easily reached and gives an excellent view over the estuary as well as inland, and only takes a few minutes. Matt
Paul821 Posted February 1 Posted February 1 The key questions are: what are your joint interests, what have you done on previous trips and will you be relying on public transport or a hire car? From what you have said about your already organised itinerary, I would suggest touring the South/South West. We have had three excellent breaks in Exeter, Plymouth and Salisbury. Each time we used a mixture of rail Ranger/Rover tickets, along with buses, to get around. See http://www.railrover.org/ My personal view is that unless you have something specific you want to see avoid central London.
Philly1860 Posted Thursday at 05:00 PM Posted Thursday at 05:00 PM Hi Charles, Just sent you another email with more info for the Irish leg of your trip. David Campese (Campo) did have a shop in the Rocks but it apprantely closed a goog few years ago. Regards Colin
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