Ship of Fools: Top seven things to do? I'm going on my first vacation ever. Ireland and the UK

Thread: Top seven things to do? I'm going on my first vacation ever. Ireland and the UK Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

To visit this thread, use this URL:
http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=70;t=028963

Posted by king in exile (# 18277) on :

I've noticed after joining the ship that although this is an open community, this is also largely a Brittish Forum. I'm visiting Ireland and the UK, and this will be my first ever vacation. It will be the second time I've ever flown on a plane (my first was flying here to the Middle East for work several months ago). I'll be in the Temple bar, Glasgow, Eidenburg, London, etc. any advice on things I shouldn't miss, essential experiences, or ways to meet people? What are, let's say, seven things I should do while visiting?

Posted by Albertus (# 13356) on :

Wow- so much to suggest, and I'm sure people will be very willing to help! How long will you be here?

[ 20. May 2015, 19:50: Message edited by: Albertus ]

Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :

Well, the first thing is to post this thread in All Saints. That is the section of SOF where your concerns will best be addressed. In the Circus, it is just games, the helpful people are over in All Saints.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

What lilBuddha said. There are Shipmates in all the localities you mention who would be happy to give you detailed directions to all the delights on offer.

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :

Yep. Moving on up...

Imaginary Friend
Circus host

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :

But now we're in the Better Place™, my advice would be to venture outside London and Dublin. Both countries have so much to offer that is not in their capital cities (as nice as they are).

And if you enjoy scenery and hiking, then try to get to the Lake District. It's fabulous. [Smile]

Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :

And, don't forget the Scottish Highlands.

But, really the big question is how long you'll be around. If it's a week then it may well be worth just visiting a small number of places rather than spend all that time travelling between places. If it's a month then it's another matter.

And, related to that is will you be reliant on public transport, or will you be able to hire a car (for at least some of the time)?

Posted by Arethosemyfeet (# 17047) on :

Take the Caledonian sleeper service from London Euston to Fort William, then catch one of the steam-pulled services out to Mallaig. The sleeper service is an experience in itself, and if you do it at the right time of year the last couple of hours of the journey will be dawn in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK. Then the journey on to Mallaig is absolutely gorgeous.

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :

Welcome aboard, king in exile. Smooth sailing. There is a thread for introductions if you wish, at the very top of the All Saints board.

Read the Ten Commandments, link at top of page and acquaint yourself with the other boards.

I can't help you with your enquiry, but come Downunder and there are Shipmates who would happily suggest places for you to see.

Lothlorien
AS host.

Posted by Jengie jon (# 273) on :

To echo earlier, how Long?

What time of year? I would recommend significantly different things in winter to summer here.

What is your primary mode of transport: Public or Motorcar?

What are the things you enjoy doing for leisure?

How fixed are your stops? Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and Belfast are not central to the countries they are in.

Great Britain is a very dense with attractions that may interest visitors. Choosing the right ones is about selection. If you have must visits then there may well be easy minor visits that we would not recommend if you were not doing the major but with it makes a lot of sense.

Jengie

Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :

Wherever you go, see if you can organise a shipmeet, usually done through this board, as you have probably noticed. There was a very pleasant Cotswolds meet a few weeks ago.

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :

What sort of things interest you? You can very easily spend a month in London if you're interested in galleries and historic buildings - and taking a flat for a month is cheaper and more comfortable than in a hotel. You can do day trips by train to Canterbury, Oxford, Cambridge, Bath and so forth as distances are very short and travel times brief.

If you're after good quality tourist Britain, we'd say that in London the National Gallery, Wallace Collection, the Tate, Westminster Abbey, and St Paul's are absolute musts. Don't particularly bother about the Tower, but if it's tolerably fine, try Hampstead Heath. Out of London, Canterbury is a very short train journey, and ranks high on our list. We'd prefer Oxford and Bath to Cambridge, but Wells is great if you have time, as are Worcester and Hereford for places off the regular tourist track.
The same for Lincoln, and you can get fit walking up the hill to the cathedral and castle.

If you just want to see countryside, training to Fort William will show you a lot of scenery, more if you split your journey over 2 days rather than take the night train (remember no private showers or toilets on ordinary British trains). If money is little problem, and you like scenery, then taking a train like the Royal Scotsman would be comfortable ( and get you a private bathroom) with travel in daylight hours. It won't get you more than a bit of the surface though.

Driving in England is a mix. Distances are small, but with such a high population density roads are crowded. It will get you to places such as Walsingham and Little Gidding more easily than public transport.

More information from you will get you better quality replies.

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :

Gee D is right - the more we know about how long you're staying, where you're expecting to be based and what mode(s) of transport you'll have, the better advice we can offer.

I'm a Brit in exile - originally from Orkney, I'd always suggest trying to get there, but if your time is limited, it's a bit of a trek.

As someone said, you could easily spend a month in London alone and not do half the things available.

Let us know what floats your boat, and I'm sure the ideas will come flooding in.

Whatever you end up doing, I hope you have a wonderful time.

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :

No-one's mentioned Wales! Yes, we're part of Great Britain, but we're a seperate country with it's own language and culture.

Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :

quote:
Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
No-one's mentioned Wales! Yes, we're part of Great Britain, but we're a seperate country with it's own language and culture.

Mae pobl yn anghofio Cymru bob amser / People always forget Wales.

Posted by mark_in_manchester (# 15978) on :

quote:
I'll be in the Temple bar

I don't know how much places really change (in which line I might say that Temple Bar is full of madey-uppey theme bars and restaurants which cater for folks who go looking for that kind of thing), how much we change (in which line the above might always have been true, but when I was in my 20s and courting my wife the whole place looked new and exciting) and how much the world just changes (capital cities - including Dublin - can no longer have a happening flea-market with 2nd hand clothes, bars, music, 2nd hand bookshops and condom shops (!) all right in the city centre - rents just won't allow it now the inner city is no longer the byword for post-apocalyptic wasteland that it used to be).

In all - if you want to find a real pub, you might have to look at bit harder. Grogan's Castle Lounge is still really good - near the designer-shopping-hell of the Powerscourt Townhouse, and not far from Temple Bar. Save up. Drinking in the city costs a fortune.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

If you want to look at historic Britain there are a number of places to visit, you won't find much of that in London.

Ludlow is one of the best historic towns, and less touristic than Stratford on Avon.

UBB.classic^TM 6.5.0