Overview
Driven straight, North Wales to Edinburgh is more than five hours of motorway. Two days give you the north of England on the way.
You walk Jesse Hartley's Albert Dock, built in 1846 so it could not burn, and spend the night in Grasmere, where Wordsworth wrote at Dove Cottage and is buried by the church. At Gretna Green, the first village in Scotland, you see the anvil runaway couples married over.
It ends in Edinburgh, or across the Forth at St Andrews, the home of golf.
This tour is an example: every trip is planned around the people taking it. How your tour comes together
- Duration
- 2 days
- Group size
- Up to 7 guests
- Vehicle
- Mercedes V-Class
Includes
- Expert bilingual local guide
- Travel in a Mercedes V-Class
- Daily pick-ups & drop offs
- Fully customisable
Excludes
- Food and drink
- Entry fees to attractions
- Heritage & culture
- Mountains & lakes
Itinerary
Day 1 Liverpool and the Lakes
Across the Mersey to the Royal Albert Dock, the largest group of Grade I listed buildings in the country, where the Maritime Museum and the Beatles Story fill Hartley's warehouses. North into the Lake District, along Windermere, the largest natural lake in England, to Grasmere at the head of its own small lake.
-
Jesse Hartley's 1846 warehouses on the Liverpool waterfront
Jesse Hartley's dock, opened in 1846, was built of cast iron, brick and stone with no structural timber, so the warehouses could not burn. It is the largest group of Grade I listed buildings in the country, and now holds the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the Beatles Story and Tate Liverpool, a short walk along the river from the Pier Head. -
England's best-loved national park of lakes, fells and valleys
The Lake District is a stunning national park in northwest England, famous for its beautiful lakes, rugged mountains, and picturesque valleys. It inspired poets like Wordsworth and artists for centuries, and is one of England's most beloved landscapes. A perfect destination for walking, boating, and soaking up breathtaking natural scenery. -
Wordsworth's village in the Lake District, with Dove Cottage
A village at the head of its lake in the heart of the Lake District. William Wordsworth lived at Dove Cottage on the edge of the village from 1799 to 1808 and wrote much of his best-known poetry there; he and his family are buried in the churchyard of St Oswald's.
Day 2 Over the border to Edinburgh
North to the border at Gretna Green, where the Marriage Act of 1753 sent English couples who couldn't wait. Then Edinburgh, its castle on a volcanic rock at the top of the Royal Mile and the Georgian New Town below. For St Andrews it's on over the Forth, to Scotland's oldest university and the cathedral ruins above the harbour.
-
The first village over the Scottish border, where runaway couples married
The first village in Scotland on the old road from England. After the Marriage Act of 1753 required parental consent for anyone under 21 in England, Scottish law still allowed marriage by simple declaration, and eloping couples raced north to marry here. The Old Blacksmith's Shop, where weddings were held over the anvil, still stands at the centre of the village. -
Scotland's capital, its castle on a volcanic rock above the Old Town
Scotland's capital, built along a ridge that runs down from the castle on its volcanic rock to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, with the Royal Mile between them. Below it to the north is the Georgian New Town, laid out from the 1760s, and the Old and New Towns together are a World Heritage Site. A starting and finishing point for transfers to and from North Wales. -
The home of golf, with Scotland's oldest university and a ruined cathedral
A town on the Fife coast known as the home of golf, where the Old Course has been played since the 15th century. The university, founded in 1413, is the oldest in Scotland, and the ruins of the cathedral, once the largest church in Scotland, stand on the headland above the harbour. A starting and finishing point for transfers to and from North Wales.
Frequently asked questions
- Can we do this the other way round?
Yes. It runs just as well from Edinburgh or St Andrews down to North Wales at the start of a tour.
- Is the overnight hotel included?
No, accommodation isn't included. We'll suggest somewhere in the Lakes that suits the second day, and plan the morning from its door.
- Can we go by train instead?
Yes. If you'd rather not spend two days on the road, we can take you to Runcorn station for the train to Edinburgh.
- Can we change the itinerary?
Yes. Every tour we run is customised, so treat this itinerary as a starting point. Tell us what interests you and we will build the days around it.
- How many of us can come?
Up to 7 guests, travelling together in our Mercedes V-Class. Seven can be tight, so we usually recommend no more than 6. For a party of 8 or more, get in touch and we will make special arrangements.
- How far ahead should we get in touch?
Whenever suits you. Some guests write eight months ahead, some a few weeks before. It's best to confirm availability as soon as possible.
- Can children come?
Children are welcome. Not every tour suits every age, so tell us their ages when you get in touch and we will plan the day around them. We are not able to accommodate infants and babies.
- Can this tour be combined with other tours, or made longer or shorter?
Yes. A day tour can be built into a multi-day tour, and a multi-day tour can be shortened, extended or joined to another. Tell us how many days you have and we will plan around them.
- Are admission fees included?
No. Entry to castles, gardens and other attractions is paid on the day, where a fee applies. Most of the castles are maintained by Cadw, part of the Welsh Government. Please visit cadw.gov.wales. We can advise you on the best deals when you book your tour with us.
- Is food included?
No. As we tour we will suggest eating places that our guests have enjoyed.
- What should we wear and bring?
Sensible footwear for some light walking, and a rain jacket, just in case.
- How much walking is involved?
Some, and none of it strenuous: the walk from the car to a castle gate or a viewpoint. If walking is a concern, tell us and we will plan the stops accordingly.
