@retiredtraveler wrote:
I'll give some very generalized comments. But I don't believe many people travel as I do.
Destination: I take an annual trip to the UK, going to a different part of the country every year.
- Duration: Always in the 16-21 day range
- Transportation: Plane to London. Train to destination out of London. Get around strictly on public transportation (train and bus). I will not drive on the 'wrong side' of the road (lol), so car rental is out. Public trans in UK is very good in most areas.
- Accomodation: Really enjoy B&B's. Stay at a hotel, in London, last night before getting on a morning flight to make sure I get to airport on time. Hotel is always close to public trans.
- Sights: A bit of everything. Windswept ocean views in Cornwall (what you see in Poldark), Mountain/lakes/river views in the Lake District. Stone cottages with thatched roofs in the Cotswolds (think Ms. Marple or Midsomer Murder)). Walking through rolling fields with sheep or cattle (on marked trails). All types of architecture in Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow.
- Recommendations: See the sights by getting out and walking. Recommend walking tours with a docent in the larger cities. But I definitely recommend spending most of the trip in the smaller villages.
- Things to Avoid: Tourist stuff. Tours (other than docent walks). Moving from town-to-town with your luggage.
- Final Tips & Comments: Spend a lot of time researching by going online to travel sites such as TripAdvisor and try to find highly rated B&B's, tips for walks/hikes, train and bus schedules. I spend a good portion of my winter, on-line time researching next years trip. You need to book early!!!! Booking in Jan-Feb for a summer trip is not too early. Of course, you have to coordinate your plane flight with your accomodations. Look for transportation deals. Many areas have multi-day, unlimited ride passes (bus and train). My main advice is to stay in one area and explore fully rather than constantly moving around. I generally only stay in 2 places on the trip, maybe three (not counting last night), and use public trans to visit towns, get to hiking trails. By staying put, I'm not spending time moving my luggage from place to place, wasting a portion of the day. It's easy to spend a couple of weeks in the Cotswolds, Cornwall, Lake District, Scottish highlands or lowlands.
You're a true Anglophile, just like me! My only change would be to not travel during the summer, when all of the UK and Europe in general is crawling with tourists. I prefer spring or especially fall (or even winter) when crowds are thinner, weather is usually beautiful and prices are generally lower.
