Suggestions Invited from UK / Scotland Members

Nick-H · May 5th, 2008, 23:59

The Windermere steamers trip is good, yes, although a car gets you from one place to place much quicker.

puchoo · May 6th, 2008, 10:30

Thanks a lot for the feedback and the suggestions everyone , will sit down later in the evening today and see how much we can incorporate into the trip...i personally would like to spend some more time in Windermere and Scotland and do a few long walks / day treks..lets see.

We will be taking the Oysterz pass , i was on the website a few weeks back and it blew me away, i could not get the hang of the process with the Zone's etc etc, will check out later today but if someone can simplify the process for me and put that here , it would be great.

I did look at hiring a car, but there's a bit of a dispute going on there...Mrs P says better to catch a tour and be with someone who can explain and point out things to us at various places instead of trying to figure it out ourselves, i on the other hand jump oboard at the first sign of a roadtrip so im ok with the car..let see how that shapes out..

...but i believe its not the easiest thing to rent a car there anyway..with insurance being very high, foreign driver etc..?

brownboy66 · May 6th, 2008, 10:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by puchoo

I did look at hiring a car, but there's a bit of a dispute going on there...Mrs P says better to catch a tour and be with someone who can explain and point out things to us

so you'll be catching a bus then!

I've always preferred self drive simply for the fact you get to travel at your own pace (plus it can be a bit of a lottery as to whether or not you end up with a bus full of fun people, or sitting next to someone with a really loud voice and irritating laugh). On the other hand - going on a tour means both of you get to relax and see the country side (and its amazing how much more you get to see when you don't have to concentrate on the driving).

puchoo · May 6th, 2008, 10:46

Yep i agree , hence the toss up...!

steven_ber · May 6th, 2008, 10:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by puchoo

We will be taking the Oysterz pass , i was on the website a few weeks back and it blew me away, i could not get the hang of the process with the Zone's etc etc, will check out later today but if someone can simplify the process for me and put that here , it would be great.

Not really sure what you mean.

Fares within a zone, or from one zone to another are the same everywhere, unless you include zone 1 (Central London), fares in or to/from zone 1 are priced higher.

You're best to just get a 'pay as you go' oyster card rather than a specific zonal period Oyster card.

(eg. a weekly zone 123 Oyster is the kind used by commuters and allows unlimited journeys within the listed zones, but these are expensive to buy)

A 'Pay as you go' card deducts money for each completed journey, but once you get to the point where a one day travelcard would work out cheaper, the Oyster card automatically stops deducting any more money.

As usual, journeys before 09:30 are not advised, you can make unlimited journeys after 09:30 and the most you'll be charged in a day will be about £5.50, this would double if one of the journeys was before 09:30.

kristinm · May 6th, 2008, 10:49

I haven't been there for a while - but from the perspective of one who was a visitor to the UK (lived there for 3 years) I would say Oxford over Cambridge - it's a really beautiful town and of course the colleges and university buildings just resonate with history... and the surrounding countryside is really lovely. We used to love a daytrip along the Thames to Windsor etc etc - have a picnic, look at the swans etc..

And the coast of Scotland lives in my memory as one of the most beautiful places on earth, wild and rugged, quite desolate in parts - amazing colours and changing light.. and the people are just wonderful. All the Lochs are beautiful Loch Ness is no more special than the others (I think I was cross I wasted my time!). I seem to remember Loch Maree (?) being particularly lovely. And the Isle of Skye - just gorgeous and very special - atmospheric, filled with history (go to the castle!), I drove over and stayed in a B&B and had a wonderful night in the pub with the locals... I rented a car from Dundee where I stayed with some friends from London and just set off on my own - it was bitterly cold and I just had a rough guide or some such guidebook and probably a couple of history books I'd say, but I meandered along quite happily, stopping to look at standing stones and barrows and kirks and castles and lochs and the village where Local Hero was shot (Pennan??) - that area is lovely and lots of films etc were shot around there... staying in B&Bs - ended up going all the way up to Ulapool & going to a Caelidh with Russian sailors - couldn't understand a word the Scots were saying, OR the Russians - a very confusing evening!..

London, I can take or leave (sorry) but I would love to go back and take my son around the tourist sights.. Don't forget the V&A!

puchoo · May 6th, 2008, 10:52

For me its a little more than the general hype surrounding the area, been an ardent fan of the subject since i was 10..

, its more about touching base with a place one has read/heard and know about a lot but never visited....

Quote:

Originally Posted by fsg

I do not understand why people want to see Loch Ness. its not that exciting, and you certainly will not see a monster, only hordes of tourists. Miss it

brishti · May 6th, 2008, 13:27

puff the magic dragon, eh puchoos!
and whilst you're at it - dont miss the bus!

have a great trip - and say hello to neil-da!

:brishti

Nick-H · May 6th, 2008, 13:30

London Transport (Oh, sorry, re-branded TfL) zones are simple. You just check the zones your journey passes through, and pay for those zones, eg 4, 3 and 4, 1,2,3 and 4. You don't have to worry about what route a bus takes, as an off-peak bus pass is usually the best thing to buy, and they cover all bus journeys in the whole of London.

The Oyster card takes all this off your mind, yes. I never got around to it when I was in UK last year. There are some over-ground rail journeys it does not cover.

Car hire in UK is very expensive and could add hundreds of pounds to your budget. You will need to get an International Driving Permit here in India if you are going to drive there. Do remember that most UK drivers, and all UK police have this funny habit of obeying many of the traffic laws! A friend in UK told me last week that petrol is now £1.20 a litre

.

The_Londoner · May 6th, 2008, 14:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by puchoo

We will be taking the Oysterz pass , i was on the website a few weeks back and it blew me away, i could not get the hang of the process with the Zone's etc etc, will check out later today but if someone can simplify the process for me and put that here , it would be great.

Actually travel Zones are much easier than it may seem on website. As traveller, you will hardly venture out of Zone 2. So my advice would be to get Zone 1 and 2 Weekly Tavelcard on your Oyster. This will allow you to use Tube and Buses in these two Central London Zones, and Buses on all Zones if need be. Zone 1 and 2 covers all places you want to visit so you can hope on and hope off without hassle hassle within Central London.

Quote:

Originally Posted by puchoo

I did look at hiring a car, but there's a bit of a dispute going on there...Mrs P says better to catch a tour and be with someone who can explain and point out things to us at various places instead of trying to figure it out ourselves, i on the other hand jump oboard at the first sign of a roadtrip so im ok with the car..let see how that shapes out..

...but i believe its not the easiest thing to rent a car there anyway..with insurance being very high, foreign driver etc..?

Personally I think Mrs P is absolutely right. You will have more time to relax on Coaches and trains, and as Mrs P says, there will always be someone to point places of interest. Then there is less hassle of getting stuck in traffic on Motorway, finding your way around without getting lost and spending loads of money on parking.. Street Parking Meters in London can costs up to £5 per hour, or risk £160 Parking fines by our famous Parking Wardens..

puchoo · May 6th, 2008, 14:10

right.....can we edit that bit before she see's it then??

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Londoner

Personally I think Mrs P is absolutely right.

Uncle_Martin · May 6th, 2008, 16:08

A hire car in London is a bad idea.

Hiring a car when you arrive at Inverness Airport is a more balanced proposition. True there are plenty of tours available in the Highlands and Skye ... but the market wants a 'tartan, shortbread and Bonnie Prince Charlie experience' enlivened by a little Braveheart and Rob Roy ketchup so thats what you tend to get. If you hire a car then you have the expense of insurance, the adjustment to a different set of driving rules and then, joy of joys, when you want to go somewhere really special single track roads with passing places. After experiencing such a road you will understand why tours tend to stick to the well beaten path.

Whilst the West Highland (rail) line is spectacular, so is the drive from the Kyle of Lochalsh (ignore this area except to buy fuel and visit Plockton) down through Fort William and past Loch Lomond to Glasgow. The urban Motorway through Glasgow is yet another new driving nightmare for the inexperienced, but the 350km drive from Glasgow to Kendal could be OK and allow you to break your journey by exploring part of Hadrians Wall, near Carlisle.

Once again the tours of the Lake District do tend to offer what the tourists want, and so one gets the plastic packaged Lakes. If you want to do some walking then a car is a good idea.

Remember that this is the UK and public transport in rural areas can disappear on a Sunday.

It would not be a good idea to drive a car further south than Preston so return the car at Lancaster or Preston and continue by public transport. Or

if you wanted to be ecologically horrific you could drop the car at Blackpool and then fly south to Sanstead using Ryan Air.

Google on Skye, Plockton, Elgol,Glenelg Ferry and follow the links; you could buy the Rough Guide to Scotland to get all the facts and ideas + tips to travel unguided. You may find this link helpful in coming to a balanced decision http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...ack/index.html

fsg · May 6th, 2008, 16:16

Alternative Loch Ness trip

http://www.jacobite.co.uk/cruises-tours/
A bus picks you up from Inverness bus station and takes you on a boat trip on the loch as far as Urquhart castle,[ the nicest bit as well] You will be away from the road and get a pleasant trip. Even I could be tempted on that!

Skye.. to do it justice would take about a week. Just buy a photo book for next time

Elgol The must see
Glen Brittle start of the climbs on the Cuillin ridge
Dunvegan castle seat of the Macleods
Fairy bridge
Quirang, wonderful rock
Kilt rock.
then there is Portree and other places mentioned earlier.

You could im sure get to Sligahan hotel for a night by public transport to do some wandering or stay at Kinloch Castle seat of the Macdonalds for first class food and lodging.

When you will be there it will be midsummer, getting light about 4.30am and dark about 10pm........ a really long day

If you use the trains I mentioned you will get as good an overview of the beautiful landscape that is Scotland without any stress, and a damn sight cheaper than driving .

I have not yet mentioned Edinburgh, for another post.

Why has some bright spark not yet said
"This is an INDIA travel forum?'

kristinm · May 6th, 2008, 18:04

Plockton - is that the Local Hero village? Its very beautiful.. it's nice to talk about travel in general sometimes, but you're right I guess - but Puchoo is Indian... so ....

I loved Edinburgh too..

fsg · May 6th, 2008, 18:42

The remark about India travel forum was said with tongue in cheek!!!

yes Plockton is worth an overnight esp as the train passes by.

Incidentally Sir Daniel Hamilton, a Scottish philanthropist who spent many years in W Bengal in Gosaba spent his final years in Dunrobin castle. I cant think of any 2 more different landscapes to live in, The flat of the river delta in India and the magnificence of West Scotland.

May 5th, 2008, 23:59	#31
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,881	The Windermere steamers trip is good, yes, although a car gets you from one place to place much quicker. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

May 6th, 2008, 10:30	#32
puchoo Maha Guru Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: New Delhi & Himachal Pradesh (Shimla) Posts: 3,415	Thanks a lot for the feedback and the suggestions everyone , will sit down later in the evening today and see how much we can incorporate into the trip...i personally would like to spend some more time in Windermere and Scotland and do a few long walks / day treks..lets see. We will be taking the Oysterz pass , i was on the website a few weeks back and it blew me away, i could not get the hang of the process with the Zone's etc etc, will check out later today but if someone can simplify the process for me and put that here , it would be great. I did look at hiring a car, but there's a bit of a dispute going on there...Mrs P says better to catch a tour and be with someone who can explain and point out things to us at various places instead of trying to figure it out ourselves, i on the other hand jump oboard at the first sign of a roadtrip so im ok with the car..let see how that shapes out.. ...but i believe its not the easiest thing to rent a car there anyway..with insurance being very high, foreign driver etc..? __________________ Cheers! Sidharth puchoo.wordpress.com

May 6th, 2008, 16:08	#42
Uncle_Martin Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: W.MidsUK Posts: 94	Swings & Roundabouts A hire car in London is a bad idea. Hiring a car when you arrive at Inverness Airport is a more balanced proposition. True there are plenty of tours available in the Highlands and Skye ... but the market wants a 'tartan, shortbread and Bonnie Prince Charlie experience' enlivened by a little Braveheart and Rob Roy ketchup so thats what you tend to get. If you hire a car then you have the expense of insurance, the adjustment to a different set of driving rules and then, joy of joys, when you want to go somewhere really special single track roads with passing places. After experiencing such a road you will understand why tours tend to stick to the well beaten path. Whilst the West Highland (rail) line is spectacular, so is the drive from the Kyle of Lochalsh (ignore this area except to buy fuel and visit Plockton) down through Fort William and past Loch Lomond to Glasgow. The urban Motorway through Glasgow is yet another new driving nightmare for the inexperienced, but the 350km drive from Glasgow to Kendal could be OK and allow you to break your journey by exploring part of Hadrians Wall, near Carlisle. Once again the tours of the Lake District do tend to offer what the tourists want, and so one gets the plastic packaged Lakes. If you want to do some walking then a car is a good idea. Remember that this is the UK and public transport in rural areas can disappear on a Sunday. It would not be a good idea to drive a car further south than Preston so return the car at Lancaster or Preston and continue by public transport. Or if you wanted to be ecologically horrific you could drop the car at Blackpool and then fly south to Sanstead using Ryan Air. Google on Skye, Plockton, Elgol,Glenelg Ferry and follow the links; you could buy the Rough Guide to Scotland to get all the facts and ideas + tips to travel unguided. You may find this link helpful in coming to a balanced decision http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...ack/index.html

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May 6th, 2008, 10:46	#34
puchoo Maha Guru Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: New Delhi & Himachal Pradesh (Shimla) Posts: 3,415	Yep i agree , hence the toss up...!

May 6th, 2008, 10:49	#36
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,414	I haven't been there for a while - but from the perspective of one who was a visitor to the UK (lived there for 3 years) I would say Oxford over Cambridge - it's a really beautiful town and of course the colleges and university buildings just resonate with history... and the surrounding countryside is really lovely. We used to love a daytrip along the Thames to Windsor etc etc - have a picnic, look at the swans etc.. And the coast of Scotland lives in my memory as one of the most beautiful places on earth, wild and rugged, quite desolate in parts - amazing colours and changing light.. and the people are just wonderful. All the Lochs are beautiful Loch Ness is no more special than the others (I think I was cross I wasted my time!). I seem to remember Loch Maree (?) being particularly lovely. And the Isle of Skye - just gorgeous and very special - atmospheric, filled with history (go to the castle!), I drove over and stayed in a B&B and had a wonderful night in the pub with the locals... I rented a car from Dundee where I stayed with some friends from London and just set off on my own - it was bitterly cold and I just had a rough guide or some such guidebook and probably a couple of history books I'd say, but I meandered along quite happily, stopping to look at standing stones and barrows and kirks and castles and lochs and the village where Local Hero was shot (Pennan??) - that area is lovely and lots of films etc were shot around there... staying in B&Bs - ended up going all the way up to Ulapool & going to a Caelidh with Russian sailors - couldn't understand a word the Scots were saying, OR the Russians - a very confusing evening!.. London, I can take or leave (sorry) but I would love to go back and take my son around the tourist sights.. Don't forget the V&A!

May 6th, 2008, 13:27	#38
brishti just another member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: india Posts: 1,660	puff the magic dragon, eh puchoos! and whilst you're at it - dont miss the bus! have a great trip - and say hello to neil-da! :brishti

May 6th, 2008, 13:30	#39
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,881	London Transport (Oh, sorry, re-branded TfL) zones are simple. You just check the zones your journey passes through, and pay for those zones, eg 4, 3 and 4, 1,2,3 and 4. You don't have to worry about what route a bus takes, as an off-peak bus pass is usually the best thing to buy, and they cover all bus journeys in the whole of London. The Oyster card takes all this off your mind, yes. I never got around to it when I was in UK last year. There are some over-ground rail journeys it does not cover. Car hire in UK is very expensive and could add hundreds of pounds to your budget. You will need to get an International Driving Permit here in India if you are going to drive there. Do remember that most UK drivers, and all UK police have this funny habit of obeying many of the traffic laws! A friend in UK told me last week that petrol is now £1.20 a litre .

May 6th, 2008, 16:16	#43
fsg Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: U.K Posts: 225	Alternative Loch Ness trip http://www.jacobite.co.uk/cruises-tours/ A bus picks you up from Inverness bus station and takes you on a boat trip on the loch as far as Urquhart castle,[ the nicest bit as well] You will be away from the road and get a pleasant trip. Even I could be tempted on that! Skye.. to do it justice would take about a week. Just buy a photo book for next time Elgol The must see Glen Brittle start of the climbs on the Cuillin ridge Dunvegan castle seat of the Macleods Fairy bridge Quirang, wonderful rock Kilt rock. then there is Portree and other places mentioned earlier. You could im sure get to Sligahan hotel for a night by public transport to do some wandering or stay at Kinloch Castle seat of the Macdonalds for first class food and lodging. When you will be there it will be midsummer, getting light about 4.30am and dark about 10pm........ a really long day If you use the trains I mentioned you will get as good an overview of the beautiful landscape that is Scotland without any stress, and a damn sight cheaper than driving . I have not yet mentioned Edinburgh, for another post. Why has some bright spark not yet said "This is an INDIA travel forum?'

May 6th, 2008, 18:04	#44
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,414	Plockton - is that the Local Hero village? Its very beautiful.. it's nice to talk about travel in general sometimes, but you're right I guess - but Puchoo is Indian... so .... I loved Edinburgh too..

May 6th, 2008, 18:42	#45
fsg Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: U.K Posts: 225	The remark about India travel forum was said with tongue in cheek!!! yes Plockton is worth an overnight esp as the train passes by. Incidentally Sir Daniel Hamilton, a Scottish philanthropist who spent many years in W Bengal in Gosaba spent his final years in Dunrobin castle. I cant think of any 2 more different landscapes to live in, The flat of the river delta in India and the magnificence of West Scotland.

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