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| Request for help or suggestions 15/11/2014 at 01:41 #65601 | |
nroberts
227 posts |
Dear Gents and ladies, I start by apologizing for the rather long post. I currently live in Argentina where I was born but my dad was from Yorkshire as well as my granddad and I have inherited a rather profound kinship with all things UK (as well as other more personal things regarding ancestry, language, Anglicanism, belonging to an international order founded around 1717, etc.) I’m trying to plan a month long (approx. 30 days) vacation in the UK with my wife and two kids (not really that small, currently 13 and 17 years old). My experience in the UK was basically 6 months when I was a year old and more recently (17 years ago) when my sister passed away in London when I spent 5 days in London doing paperwork with my late mother. The kids would like to visit about all of the UK in a month, but being reasonable, I would imagine that’s not quite possible. Some of the places I have on my “agenda” include: • Museums and various sites in London (Whitehall, Westminster, British Museum, Buckingham Palace, some of the various gardens) – as well as obvious visits to the tube, Victoria/Waterloo/Euston/Paddington/KingsX/LiverpoolSt/StPancras…. stations (oops, and obviously Clapham Jct.) • NRM at York (cannot imagine not seeing it) • Scarborough (where my family comes from) • Penzance/Cornwall (put this down to an old sim from another company) • Scotland (preferably remote highlands) • Maybe, Isle of Man (the Manx Railways call…) • Some part of Wales (other than the typical coal mine) – due to grandfather’s ancestry and some sort of mystic enchantment with all things welsh Now to the nitty-gritty: What’s the best option to handle these rather dissimilar choices (undoubtedly the work of a feverish mind)? One option I’ve been looking at is to rent a house/apartment (somewhere outside Central London – Central London appears to be abnormally expensive) to use as a base and then move around (probably via rail – if possible on some sort of equivalent to the Eurailpass) Another is to rent a Motorhome (sorry about the Americanism) and use that as a mobile base (I have no idea about fuel costs and what it would cost to stay at some form of camping to park during the night with at least basic services. The third (and almost discarded) is to move around (once again probably by rail) searching for B&B at any place we decide to stay. I would welcome comments, criticisms, suggestions (or outright insinuations of insanity) as to what may be the best option. I’d like to add finally that we have saved up during the years for this occasion buy would prefer not to liquidate all our savings on the trip – as a parameter the combined monthly salaries of my wife and myself are at about U$S 1400 (circa GBP 800). If at all possible, I’d like to try to keep expenses abroad at about GBP 6000 to 8000 (I’ve already “taken out” the airfares, etc.). But, on the other hand, would like to enjoy the trip as much as possible and make the investment in the airfares worthwhile (about GBP 5000). Log in to reply |
| Request for help or suggestions 15/11/2014 at 09:10 #65602 | |
Peter Bennet
5357 posts |
The railpass is probably "Britrail" and there are numerous options/prices. Looks like the adult all-line is around £500 for a month, but there seems to be all sorts of discounts available. T&Cs seem to allow use during peak hours so you don't need to worry about that. I'd suspect renting a house would be the more economical (a month in B&B sounds frightful in any event). You don't say when you intend to travel but avoiding the UK school holidays should make things easier and cheaper. You should be able to rent by the week if you wanted to move bases. Went to the Isle of Man this summer - brilliant, should have done two weeks and my wife suggested I look into asking for a transfer to IoM Customs and Excise (appears we no longer have that ability). Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Last edited: 15/11/2014 at 11:00 by Peter Bennet Log in to reply The following user said thank you: nroberts |
| Request for help or suggestions 15/11/2014 at 11:14 #65605 | |
Danny252
1461 posts |
" said:You don't say when you intend to travel but avoiding the UK school holidays should make things easier and cheaper.For reference, generally the second week of July to the start of September. Easter and Christmas will also have the kids running free for a couple of weeks, though not so many will be on holiday. Quote: Another is to rent a Motorhome (sorry about the Americanism) and use that as a mobile base (I have no idea about fuel costs and what it would cost to stay at some form of camping to park during the night with at least basic services.)£1.30 per litre is a good estimate for fuel (either petrol or diesel) - probably quite a bit more than in Argentina. Last edited: 15/11/2014 at 15:27 by Danny252 Log in to reply The following user said thank you: nroberts |
| Request for help or suggestions 15/11/2014 at 15:23 #65606 | |
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nroberts
227 posts |
I neglected to mention (as Peter asked) the dates. I would expect to spend all May (or maybe the 20 something of April to the 20 something of May). Unleaded petrol in Argentina costs about U$S 0.95/1.00 which I would guess is about GBP 0.50/0.60 (these are in "real" terms of exchange - the "official" and very ficticious rate is around 35% to 40% lower). Then again our salaries in U$S/GBP etc. are probably way lower than the average in the UK  @PeterBennet I would like, for the record, to state I have nothing to declare (at least going in - on the way out my guess is that C&E doesn't probably care too much) :cheer: Log in to reply |
| Request for help or suggestions 15/11/2014 at 16:29 #65607 | |
postal
5190 posts |
Self-catering costs align closely to the school holidays. Easter is early in April so the costs should have dropped back by the time you arrive. You need to watch the late May half-term which most schools take in the week containing the Spring Bank Holiday (last Monday in May) so you will probably find cheaper accommodation towards the end of your stay if you look at 20th. to 20th. rather than the month of May. Looking at your geographical spread you may well be best served by moving your base with separate weeks in 4 different locations. Most self-catering accommodation now comes with things like towels and bed-linen provided and the usual mod. cons like washing machines so you should be able to travel reasonably light if you take that route. Self-catering is now usually advertised through agencies. One site which draws a lot of the information together is Cottages4you. You can see the geographical areas where there is a lot of self-catering accommodation and research further. (I have no relationship with Cottages4you except as a customer). If you are travelling by rail, there are now large parts of the rural UK which are not within easy reach of the rail network. However, it is always worth looking at bus connections. For example, in Scotland there are services to get you from Oban to Fort William or from Kyle of Lochalsh to Armadale (other end of the ferry from Mallaig) so you can do quite a bit of track-bashing without having to retrace your steps. A very handy site is the traveline site which draws together rail, bus and ferry timetables throughout the UK so you can plan a multi-modal trip from one information source. “In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe Last edited: 15/11/2014 at 16:32 by postal Log in to reply The following user said thank you: nroberts |
| Request for help or suggestions 15/11/2014 at 17:00 #65608 | |
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Peter Bennet
5357 posts |
" said:Retail Export Scheme: you may even be able to claim some VAT back (from the retailer). Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply The following user said thank you: nroberts |
| Request for help or suggestions 15/11/2014 at 17:14 #65610 | |
belly buster
368 posts |
Sounds like a great trip you have planned. If you're a bit of a rail fan the monthly britrail pass would work best IMO. The UK is an expensive place and London and the south of England very much so. You might want to base yourself somewhere like Crewe or Doncaster. Not the most picturesque places but will be a lot cheaper and you're at the heart of the rail network. From either you can get to London in an hour and 40 minutes. Both would be closer for many of the other places you would like to visit. This would allow you to have a base so your not carrying a month's worth of stuff with you everywhere you go. Also Scarborough will have lots of reasonably priced accommodation. You can (and should) book accommodation in advance, even B&Bs. Another option is Youth Hostels if your doing 1-2 nights away from base. I think a motorhome would not be such a good idea. Road travel is not pleasant here and traffic can get pretty bad. Fuel is expensive and if you have any mechanical issues that could be a problem. You will still need to find a campsite with an electrical hook-up and this will be extra cost. Suggestions for sights to see/do: London - London Eye. You will be pleased to know many of the national museums in London are free (Science Museum / National History / Imperial War / Victoria and Albert / Tate etc.). England - Alton Towers / Harry Potter studios (if your kids are into those sort of things) Wales - go to Snowdonia - take the train from Llanberis to the top of Snowdon (not cheap though - walk it if you can!). While in Llanberis go to Electric Mountain. Scotland - do a circular Glasgow - Edinburgh - Inverness - Wick (John O'groats) - Inverness - Kyle of Lochalsh - Ferry to Skye - Ferry to Mallaig - Glasgow. (you'll need a few days!) Log in to reply The following user said thank you: nroberts |
| Request for help or suggestions 15/11/2014 at 17:33 #65611 | |
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AndyG
1834 posts |
If it fits in, I'd recommend a visit to MOSI (Manchester Museum of Science and Industry), covers transport as well as Manchester's heritage of cotton and utilities. There are 5 main halls, it will easily fill a whole day and plenty to interest to younger ones. Under the Science Museum umbrella and free entry, on the site of the original terminus of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Also in the area is the Imperial War Museum (northern). All easily reached via the Metro tram link. I can only help one person a day. Today's not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look too good either. Log in to reply The following user said thank you: nroberts |
| Request for help or suggestions 15/11/2014 at 19:45 #65613 | |
GeoffM
6280 posts |
I would imagine the motorhome to be expensive on fuel, would be hard to park/drive in some areas, and could be quite claustrophobic for weeks at a time with four of you. Watch out for cleaning fees and stuff not included in the base rate. Many of the bigger, well known museums are free (or look like they're paid admission but are just strongly directing you towards donations) so you could aim for those if given the choice. This includes the NRM in York, the Science museum in London, and several more. The ideas of renting a cottage or something on a self catering basis sounds good. But book well in advance. At least that way you've got a place to go back "home" to each night without worrying about hotel bars/restaurants. On that note, Wetherspoons pubs are child friendly (well, most venues, not all) and sell cheap food and drink which, while not exactly gourmet or cooked from scratch on the premises, is definitely good enough for me. Ibis, Holiday Inn Express, Travelodge (widely varying quality so check the reviews), Premier Inn are all relatively cheap "motel" kind of brands. Some even with free breakfast. SimSig Boss Log in to reply The following user said thank you: nroberts |
| Request for help or suggestions 16/11/2014 at 00:48 #65615 | |
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nroberts
227 posts |
" said:" said:This trip is beggining to sound even better :cheer:Retail Export Scheme: you may even be able to claim some VAT back (from the retailer). Thanks Peter for the link to Britrail. The passes seem excellent value for money (I've seen the different comments on various fares on the forum and extrapolating seems really worthwhile). Also I'd completely forgotten about the possibility of VAT reclaiming (here in Argentina there's also a similar scheme but *definitely* not publicized at all  ).We've almost abandoned the Motorhome idea. We would probably arrive in Madrid and rent a car and drive through Barcelona up to Paris (and using the discount on Eurostar) use the train to the UK. From what I've gathered here on the forum as well as searches on the internet, Motorhome is out (quite expensive, unknown overnight costs at campings, fuel, etc.). Now I'm looking into 20 to 30 day rental of a comfortable flat or house outside London to use as a base and then move around by rail. Thanks Geoff for the tips on motel lodging. Very usefull to know for overnights around the UK where maybe full comfort and amenities are not the most important part. Also thanks for the Wetherspoons tip. My oldest will still be 17 in May and I would really enjoy him being able to have outings to a pub (although not able to drink!). AndyG, bellybuster, thanks for the tips on Museums as well as suggestions for sightseeing. I'm hoping to be able to do the Heart of Wales at some point as well as the "Island route" (Glasgow - Fort William - Mallaig -> ferry to Kyle -> Inverness) for the magnificent scenery. Postal, thanks for the link to the Cottages4U site. Not lucky as yet in a search but appears to have a wide variety of accomodation to look through. Also I'll be doing heavy traffic on the Traveline website these following days. A great many thanks to all who've answered and to all please do keep comments coming. I'm really looking forward to taking the kids (and the wife as well) "back home" to my dad's country. All tips, comments and suggestions certainly help. BTW, I've come to notice that one month is not going to be enough. Maybe in another 10 years or so I can rake up enough cash for a second visit!!! Once again, thanks gents. Log in to reply The following user said thank you: postal |
| Request for help or suggestions 16/11/2014 at 10:38 #65616 | |
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Ron_J
329 posts |
" said:
Be aware that to do that will involve as a minimum three nights away from London. As an example you could get the sleeper train from London Euston at 21:15 to Fort William, which arrives at 09:55, then take the 12:12 train to Mallaig. That will get you there for 13:34. The ferry for Armadale on Skye sails at 16:00. Watch out for the weather because if it's particularly rough the ferry won't sail (I've been caught out by that before). When you get to Skye you'll need to stay overnight somewhere and probably Portree would be the best place, so you'll need to get the bus there. The next day you'd need to get the bus from Portree to Kyle of Lochalsh (no ferry crossing this time, it's a big bridge) then get the train to Inverness. If you got the 12:05 departure - that allows for a fairly relaxed start in Portree in the morning and there's nothing to see in Kyle - then you would be in Inverness for 14:40. The sleeper train for London leaves at 20:44 and will get you back to London for 07:47 the next morning. You could, of course, do the same journey in reverse. That's a pretty intense itinerary with lots of travelling but not much time to stop and eat or look around; would I do it myself? Probably yes. Would I like to try it with two teenagers and a wife? Perhaps not... It may be better to spend a full week of your holiday in Scotland, if that's where you would like to go. Scotland is small when compared to Argentina but the difficulty in seeing lots of it in a short time comes from the public transport timetables. The places mentioned, Mallaig and Kyle of Lochalsh are just small villages and there is very little there to entertain you while you wait for ferries or trains. Also it's worth pointing out that are no sleeper trains on a Saturday night - that is Saturday into Sunday - and the timetables on a Sunday give a much reduced service for all modes of transport. Log in to reply The following user said thank you: nroberts |
| Request for help or suggestions 16/11/2014 at 11:17 #65617 | |
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Peter Bennet
5357 posts |
To follow on from what Ron says, my wife and I did a quick trip by train to Wick from Perth last Easter; staying overnight coming back next day. Journey, scenery and weather brilliant but we "did" the town in an afternoon. But while we were waiting the 12.30 train home next day we visited the heritage museum which was a fascinating place to visit, in fact so engrossed were we that we ended up having to dash for the train having spent the best part of 2+ hours in the place and missed a large chunk. It has to be said the visit was helped by the curator giving us a personal tour (sadly not a busy place). In fact he was able to help me with a vague memory had of a holiday in 1974 on Orkney when we travelled by ferry and where the cars were winched aboard by crane one by one. It was the St Ola II and there was a second car-only ship (St Clement II) which ran behind us with the rest of the passengers' cars. I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Last edited: 16/11/2014 at 11:17 by Peter Bennet Log in to reply The following user said thank you: nroberts |
| Request for help or suggestions 16/11/2014 at 11:57 #65618 | |
Steamer
3920 posts |
If you're planning to visit the West Highlands, you might want to consider The Jacobite. There are two steam-hauled trains per day between Fort William and Mallaig. The morning service connects* with the sleeper from London, so it could form part of a 3 day holiday away from your base: Day 1 Base- London, Day 2 Sleeper to Fort William, Fort William- Mallaig- Fort William, Sleeper to London, Day 3 London- Base. If you want to do this, book early (bookings open 1st December) as tickets sell fast! *There's 20 minutes between the Sleeper arriving and the Jacobite leaving, you may want to check to see how long they'll hold the Jacobite for if the Sleeper is running late, if it's held at all. nroberts said: Now I'm looking into 20 to 30 day rental of a comfortable flat or house outside London to use as a base and then move around by rail.Considering the range of places you want to visit, you might be better off spending a week in different places. For instance, you could spend a week in Shrewsbury, which has direct trains to the North Wales Coast, Cambrian Coast, South Wales (Cardiff, Swansea and Carmarthen), and is the northern terminus for services over the Heart of Wales line. If you fancy a day in the city, Birmingham and Manchester are less than an hour and a half away. A week in the Central Scotland area will put most of Scotland in easy reach (although you'll probably have to spend a night away from Base for the more remote parts of the country). If you stay in one place for a month, you'll probably have to spend nights at hotels- if you're staying in, say, the Sheffield area, by the time you get to Scotland or the South West, you'll have a couple of hours off the train before it's time to come home. I can highly recommend The YHA for cheap accommodation. Get the £5 breakfast as well- you won't need to have a big lunch! A few also do evening meals. EDIT TO ADD: A word of warning- I did a 14-day All Line Rover last summer, and I was definitely flagging by the end of it! Make sure you spend plenty of time off the trains, otherwise you won't appreciate being on them as much as you might. "Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q) Last edited: 16/11/2014 at 12:08 by Steamer Log in to reply The following user said thank you: nroberts |
| Request for help or suggestions 16/11/2014 at 17:50 #65628 | |
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meeko
33 posts |
My experience on a 2 week vacation a few years ago, was you could do better than the BritRail Pass if you planned ahead and got Advance tickets where possible. The BritRail Pass does give you total flexibility, though. I did:
The NRM was excellent, definitely the best (and cheapest, i.e. free) railway museum I've visited. Also the Glasgow Museum of Transport, which has since moved to new premises, was very good, and also free. The York Army Museum (£4) is small, but interesting, too. Also, on another trip, I did a week in London, visiting:
I also saw:
I stayed in a guesthouse in Raynes Park, and took either the bus & Tube or the train into the city, depending on which got me closer to my first destination of the day. Also, one day I was finished with my planned sights for the day, but it was still early to head back to my room and I'd already hit my daily Oyster cap, so I took the tram to Croydon and back. After London, I took the train to Penzance to spend a week with family in Porthleven, visiting The Lizard, Falmouth, Padstow and Truro. Log in to reply The following user said thank you: nroberts |
| Request for help or suggestions 17/11/2014 at 10:19 #65642 | |
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kbarber
1711 posts |
If renting a cottage/flat, may I suggest you make personal contact with the owner using their contact details on the advert. There have been some problems with websites being hacked and holidaymakers turning up to find no booking but their cash has been taken. The problem comes with the 'contact us' option if it presents a form where you fill in your details and a message, that gets hacked and you then deal with the hackers/thieves who get your cash but (obviously) don't let the property owners know. If you use the phone number that most owners will put up on their advert, you know you're dealing with the right person and that there is a booking in your name.
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| Request for help or suggestions 17/11/2014 at 16:25 #65643 | |
madaboutrains
307 posts |
NRM (National Railway Museum) in York would be a good visit. Has it still got the screens from the nearby York IECC?
RIP Feltham Panel 1 Log in to reply |
| Request for help or suggestions 17/11/2014 at 17:09 #65644 | |
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Muzer
718 posts |
Last time I went (July), yes.
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| Request for help or suggestions 17/11/2014 at 18:56 #65645 | |
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postal
5190 posts |
" said:If renting a cottage/flat, may I suggest you make personal contact with the owner using their contact details on the advert. There have been some problems with websites being hacked and holidaymakers turning up to find no booking but their cash has been taken. The problem comes with the 'contact us' option if it presents a form where you fill in your details and a message, that gets hacked and you then deal with the hackers/thieves who get your cash but (obviously) don't let the property owners know. If you use the phone number that most owners will put up on their advert, you know you're dealing with the right person and that there is a booking in your name.One of the advantages of booking through an agency (usually) is that you pay the agency and they then pay the owner. A visit to somewhere like TripAdvisor will normally give you a clue as to whether there are any problems with the agency. “In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe Log in to reply |
| Request for help or suggestions 18/11/2014 at 15:52 #65652 | |
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njimiller
138 posts |
Yes the screens from the IECC are there. Took this pic there on Tuesday as due to signalling problems at Church Fenton everything seemed to converging on York at once with a queue to arrive from the Leeds and London lines. Nick 
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| Request for help or suggestions 18/11/2014 at 18:55 #65653 | |
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mfcooper
707 posts |
" said:The locations I have marked with ' [sup]*[/sup] ' above and many more are part of the London Pass, which is excellent value over multiple days. My sister and I decided to go and see the tourist attractions that we had never got round to visiting, and this pass was great. Admittedly, we did run around places and didn't spend as much time as we *could* have done there, but we did see loads. Worth Investigating. EDIT: It seems that St Paul's has been removed from the London Pass :-( Last edited: 18/11/2014 at 18:57 by mfcooper Log in to reply |
| Request for help or suggestions 19/11/2014 at 02:59 #65659 | |
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meeko
33 posts |
Oh, one other thing that I kind of want to do some time, but probably not something to do with wife and kids in tow: Land's End to John o'Groats by public transit. You get the bus from the Land's End car park to Penzance, Penzance-Plymouth-Birmingham-Crewe by train to meet the Highland Sleeper to Inverness, then the bus from Inverness to John o'Groats. According to Wikipedia, it takes 22 hours and 45 minutes to go straight through. Log in to reply |
| Request for help or suggestions 19/11/2014 at 09:15 #65660 | |
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postal
5190 posts |
" said:Oh, one other thing that I kind of want to do some time, but probably not something to do with wife and kids in tow: Land's End to John o'Groats by public transit.The bus/coach is probably quicker from Inverness to John O'Groats, but you can get the train north from Inverness to Georgemas Jn, Wick or Thurso before the last lap on the bus. “In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe Last edited: 19/11/2014 at 09:18 by postal Log in to reply |
| Request for help or suggestions 19/11/2014 at 12:33 #65661 | |
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John 23
173 posts |
If you're going to travel by using advance fare tickets, beware of Cross Country Trains. I have never managed to get an advance ticket from that TOC yet!
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| Request for help or suggestions 19/11/2014 at 13:52 #65662 | |
headshot119
4869 posts |
" said:If you're going to travel by using advance fare tickets, beware of Cross Country Trains. I have never managed to get an advance ticket from that TOC yet!Plenty of advance tickets available with Cross Country, even available shortly before departure. "Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply |
| Request for help or suggestions 19/11/2014 at 17:58 #65665 | |
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postal
5190 posts |
" said:" said:And you get a reserved seat so you can really annoy someone who sat in a seat that was not reserved when they boarded earlier in the journey and which you have now gazumped.If you're going to travel by using advance fare tickets, beware of Cross Country Trains. I have never managed to get an advance ticket from that TOC yet!Plenty of advance tickets available with Cross Country, even available shortly before departure. “In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe Log in to reply |
