UK Travel Planning

Carol from Michigan joins Tracy to share her family’s 16-day UK trip: four days in London staying in South Kensington, the train to Edinburgh for five days in Leith, then a hire car for six days in Nairn near Inverness, all with three children aged eleven, nine and seven. She explains how the plan changed after a consultation with Tracy and Doug, what worked, what she would do differently, and her one tip for any family planning a UK trip.

• Why Edinburgh and Nairn replaced Stirling and Inverness as bases
• Apartments and houses: how a family of five kept accommodation costs down
• Preparing to drive on the left with the Tripiamo course
• The tube, contactless with kids, and a stalled train on the way to King’s Cross
• Buckingham Palace walking tour with Robin from Fantastic Walks: the kids’ London favourite
• Sky Garden, Borough Market and the Golden Hinde on a rainy morning
• Harry Potter Studio Tour: worth it, and allow plenty of time
• A Sunday service at Westminster Abbey instead of a tour
• Arthur’s Seat and Calton Hill in one day
• Craigmillar Castle, Stirling Castle and the Historic Scotland Explorer Pass
• A slower week in Nairn: Fort George, Brodie Castle, a family photoshoot in Inverness
• Eating well as a family: lunchtime Sunday roast, meal deals and Nando’s
• Carol’s one tip: you do not need as much as you think you need

Show notes: Episode 226

If you have a question about your own UK trip, leave me a voice message through SpeakPipe. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with anyone planning a trip to the UK and leave a review. 

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🗺 FREE UK Trip Planning Roadmap - plan your UK trip step by step

⭐️ Need help planning your UK trip? Choose the option that works best for you:

• UK Trip Quick Answers - a 30-minute live Zoom for your UK trip questions.
• Video Reviews (available anytime) - send us your itinerary for detailed feedback.
• 1:1 Consultations - live Zoom session with Doug & Tracy. 
• 🚆 Travelling by train? - Get expert help from Doug, our resident rail expert with 25+ years on the UK network.

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We share ten smaller London museums that go beyond the British Museum and the V&A, including a secret underground Mail Rail ride, a Roman temple beneath the City and a ceiling so good it earns the "Britain's Sistine Chapel" nickname. Along the way, we flag what to book, what is free, what works with the London Pass and how to group stops into an easy museum day.

• The Postal Museum and Mail Rail: booking tips and how to see it if you cannot ride the train
• The Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221B Baker Street: queues, price expectations and who will love it
• The Florence Nightingale Museum for nursing, healthcare and Victorian social reform interests
• HMS Belfast for naval and Second World War history, with nearby sights to pair
• The London Mithraeum, a free Roman London highlight beneath Bloomberg's HQ
• The Old Royal Naval College and Painted Hall as a full Greenwich day out
• The Charles Dickens Museum for Victorian London fans, and why December is the time to go
• The Foundling Museum for social history and the human stories behind London's past
• Apsley House for Wellington, Waterloo and grand townhouse interiors
• Leighton House for art, interiors and a peaceful visit to the Arab Hall
• British Library Treasures as a free bonus stop near King's Cross St Pancras

If you have a museum you are thinking of including in your trip and we have not covered it, let us know through SpeakPipe, and we will try to fit it into our itinerary next year. 

You can find all the information, prices and links in the show notes at uktravelplanning.com/episode225. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with anyone planning a trip to London.

Support the show

🗺 FREE UK Trip Planning Roadmap - plan your UK trip step by step

⭐️ Need help planning your UK trip? Choose the option that works best for you:

• UK Trip Quick Answers - a 30-minute live Zoom for your UK trip questions.
• Video Reviews (available anytime) - send us your itinerary for detailed feedback.
• 1:1 Consultations - live Zoom session with Doug & Tracy. 
• 🚆 Travelling by train? - Get expert help from Doug, our resident rail expert with 25+ years on the UK network.

🎤 Leave us a voice message

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November in London means dark afternoons by half past four, fireworks, the first Christmas lights, and a city gearing up for the festive season. This is the third episode of our monthly London bonus series from our sister brand London Travel Planning, where we look ahead each month at what’s on, what to book, and what will sell out before you get there.

This episode is sponsored by City Cruises.

Everything you need to know if you are visiting London in November 2026, from the weather to the Christmas bookings you need to make this month.

• November weather: highs around 12°C (54°F), lows around 7°C (45°F), and rain on roughly one day in three
• Daylight: sunset around 4.30 pm at the start of the month and just before 4 pm by the end, and how to plan your days around it
• What to pack: a warm waterproof jacket, layers, waterproof comfy shoes, a hat and gloves, so you stay warm without overheating on the Tube
• Bonfire Night, Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day
• The Lord Mayor’s Show on Saturday 14 November, back on the river for 2026
• Afternoon tea on the Thames with City Cruises, plus the £9 one day River Pass
• Christmas lights: switch-on dates for Carnaby Street, Regent Street and Covent Garden, and Oxford Street’s Harry Potter lights
• Christmas at Kew, the ice rinks and the Christmas markets
• Hogwarts in the Snow at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour
• Theatre and exhibitions: Lear with Ian McKellen, One Day the Musical, Agatha Christie at the British Library and Van Eyck at the National Gallery
• The Bayeux Tapestry: sold out for 2026, and when the next tickets are released
• Book in November: Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve cruises, the Ceremony of the Keys, Christmas at Kew, theatre and Christmas Day restaurants

EXCLUSIVE LISTENER OFFER: 10% off the City Cruises afternoon tea cruise with code UKPLAN10. Book and travel by 31 December 2026. Valid on the standard afternoon tea ticket only, not festive or special event cruises.
👉 Book the afternoon tea cruise here

Planning London at Christmas? Our Festive London Planning Guide has the full festive calendar, what to book and when, and a map for your phone.

Do you have a question about visiting London? Leave us a message on SpeakPipe, and I will answer it in the next bonus episode, London in December. If you know someone heading to London this winter, do share this episode with them.

📝 Show Notes - Bonus episode 3

Support the show

🗺 FREE UK Trip Planning Roadmap - plan your UK trip step by step

⭐️ Need help planning your UK trip? Choose the option that works best for you:

• UK Trip Quick Answers - a 30-minute live Zoom for your UK trip questions.
• Video Reviews (available anytime) - send us your itinerary for detailed feedback.
• 1:1 Consultations - live Zoom session with Doug & Tracy. 
• 🚆 Travelling by train? - Get expert help from Doug, our resident rail expert with 25+ years on the UK network.

🎤 Leave us a voice message

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Disclaimer: Some links are affiliate links. Using them supports the podcast ...

A city where you can walk a Roman wall, shop in a medieval gallery and be in Wales twenty minutes later. Briony Wilson from Mountain Goat spent ten years living in Chester, and she’s back on the podcast to share what you need to know before you visit, from what to see and how long to stay to using the city as a base for North Wales, Liverpool, and Manchester.

• Where Chester is, and how to get there by direct train from London Euston or via Liverpool and Manchester airports
• Getting around on foot, and whether you need a car
• The city walls, the Rows and the Cross explained
• The Eastgate Clock and where to take the photo
• Where to stay: inside the walls, or just outside for more space, parking and spa hotels
• How many days to give Chester
• Race days and why they matter for your plans
• Big days out: Chester Zoo, Jodrell Bank, Tatton Park and more
• North Wales from Chester: Llandudno, Conwy, Caernarfon and Eryri
• Chester as a base for football fans
• Briony’s full day in Chester, from walking the walls anti-clockwise to the Roman Gardens and Watergate Street
• Quickfire picks: Oddfellows, the pasta stall at Chester Market, the view from the Groves and Cheshire cheese

Use code UKTRAV10 for 10% off Mountain Goat tours. The link is in the show notes: https://uktravelplanning.com/episode-224/

If you have a question about your own itinerary, leave me a voice message through SpeakPipe. 

If you know someone planning a UK trip, please share this episode with them, and if you’re enjoying the podcast, a review really helps other travellers find us.

Support the show

🗺 FREE UK Trip Planning Roadmap - plan your UK trip step by step

⭐️ Need help planning your UK trip? Choose the option that works best for you:

• UK Trip Quick Answers - a 30-minute live Zoom for your UK trip questions.
• Video Reviews (available anytime) - send us your itinerary for detailed feedback.
• 1:1 Consultations - live Zoom session with Doug & Tracy. 
• 🚆 Travelling by train? - Get expert help from Doug, our resident rail expert with 25+ years on the UK network.

🎤 Leave us a voice message

➡️ Sponsor our show
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Work With Us - Contact [email protected] for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Disclaimer: Some links are affiliate links. Using them supports the podcast ...

It’s raining in London and your plans for the day were a walking tour and a wander through the parks. We share how much it really rains, what to pack, 12 things to do when it’s wet and a one-day itinerary that keeps you almost entirely under cover.

• How much it really rains in London (about half what Sydney and New York get)
• The Met Office and BBC Weather apps, and why the hour-by-hour view matters
• Your three choices on a wet morning: carry on, swap your days or leave London
• What to save for a dry day, including the Tower of London and Kew Gardens
• What to pack: a hooded waterproof, shoes with grip and spare socks
• Free museums and galleries, and the tunnel from South Kensington Tube
• Churchill War Rooms, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s and the London Transport Museum
• Covered markets, arcades and department stores
• Same-day theatre tickets, afternoon tea or a long pub lunch
• Seeing the sights from a red London bus or an Uber Boat
• Day trips by train when it’s drier outside London
• A one-day itinerary around Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden

Everything mentioned is linked in the show notes at uktravelplanning.com/episode-223, including our Ultimate London Travel Planner map. 

If you have a question about your trip, leave us a message through SpeakPipe. We’d love to hear from you. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with anyone planning a trip to London.

Support the show

🗺 FREE UK Trip Planning Roadmap - plan your UK trip step by step

⭐️ Need help planning your UK trip? Choose the option that works best for you:

• UK Trip Quick Answers - a 30-minute live Zoom for your UK trip questions.
• Video Reviews (available anytime) - send us your itinerary for detailed feedback.
• 1:1 Consultations - live Zoom session with Doug & Tracy. 
• 🚆 Travelling by train? - Get expert help from Doug, our resident rail expert with 25+ years on the UK network.

🎤 Leave us a voice message

➡️ Sponsor our show
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Disclaimer: Some links are affiliate links. Using them supports the podcast ...

A 1900s sweet shop, a tram ride through a pit village and a 1950s hair salon, all in one day. I’m joined by Samantha Shotton, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy CEO of Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, in County Durham.

• The 1820s landscape: Pockerley, the waggonway and the new tavern
• The 1900s pit village and town: drift mine, school, sweet shop and dentist
• The 1940s farm and the 1950s town, cinema and hairdresser’s
• Talking to the costumed staff and volunteers
• Why Beamish is one to visit if your family came from the North East
• What to eat: the sweet shop, the bakery and coal-fired fish and chips
• Getting there by train, bus or car, with 25% off if you arrive by bus
• Getting around on the historic trams, buses and steam trains
• Planning a full day, and why Samantha says start at Pockerley
• The pay once, visit for a year ticket, plus Halloween and Christmas evenings
• Where to stay and what else to see nearby
• Accessibility: mobility scooters, the accessible bus and quiet spaces

If Samantha has you adding Beamish to your itinerary, everything mentioned is in the show notes at uktravelplanning.com/episode-222, including the accessibility guide, how to get there by train and bus, and places to stay nearby. 

If you have a question about your own UK trip, leave me a voice message through SpeakPipe. I’d love to hear from you. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with anyone planning a trip to the UK. 

Support the show

🗺 FREE UK Trip Planning Roadmap - plan your UK trip step by step

⭐️ Need help planning your UK trip? Choose the option that works best for you:

• UK Trip Quick Answers - a 30-minute live Zoom for your UK trip questions.
• Video Reviews (available anytime) - send us your itinerary for detailed feedback.
• 1:1 Consultations - live Zoom session with Doug & Tracy. 
• 🚆 Travelling by train? - Get expert help from Doug, our resident rail expert with 25+ years on the UK network.

🎤 Leave us a voice message

➡️ Sponsor our show
➡️ Leave us a tip

Work With Us - Contact [email protected] for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Disclaimer: Some links are affiliate links. Using them supports the podcast ...

The Lake District looks compact on a map, but valleys, passes and narrow lanes turn "nearby" into a proper journey. Briony Wilson from Mountain Goat Tours in Windermere, a Lakes local of more than 20 years, shares how to get there by train, whether you need a car, how many nights to plan and where to base yourself.

• Where the Lakes sit: 90 minutes from Manchester, three hours from London by train
• Why the scale catches first-time visitors out
• Arriving by train via Oxenholme to Windermere 
• Getting around by bus, cruise and tours
• Parking, narrow lanes and steep passes: when a car is more hassle than help
• Mountain Goat tours for first-timers: Ten Lakes, Six Lakes and Beatrix Potter
• How many nights to plan: two minimum, three or four if you can
• Choosing a base: Windermere, Bowness, Ambleside, Keswick or Kendal
• On the water: Windermere, Ullswater, Derwentwater, Buttermere and Coniston
• Literary stops: Dove Cottage, Hill Top and Swallows and Amazons country
• Gentle walks: Orrest Head, Tarn Hows, Aira Force and Miles Without Stiles
• Quickfire picks: sticky toffee pudding, Blea Tarn and Kendal Mint Cake

Mountain Goat Tours discount: use code UKTRAV10 for 10% off. 

If you have a question for Briony, leave us a SpeakPipe message, and we'll pass it on. 

Share this episode with anyone planning a Lake District break, and leave a review to help other travellers find the show. 

⭐️ Guest - Briony Wilson from Mountain Goat Tours
📝 Show Notes - Episode 221

Support the show

🗺 FREE UK Trip Planning Roadmap - plan your UK trip step by step

⭐️ Need help planning your UK trip? Choose the option that works best for you:

• UK Trip Quick Answers - a 30-minute live Zoom for your UK trip questions.
• Video Reviews (available anytime) - send us your itinerary for detailed feedback.
• 1:1 Consultations - live Zoom session with Doug & Tracy. 
• 🚆 Travelling by train? - Get expert help from Doug, our resident rail expert with 25+ years on the UK network.

🎤 Leave us a voice message

➡️ Sponsor our show
➡️ Leave us a tip

Work With Us - Contact [email protected] for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Disclaimer: Some links are affiliate links. Using them supports the podcast ...

We break London down into 12 areas so you can choose a neighbourhood that matches your plans, your budget and the kind of trip you want. Doug and I share which area suits each of us, the pros and cons of each one, and three things to check on a hotel listing before you book.

In this episode:
- Covent Garden, Charing Cross and Trafalgar Square: a top pick for first-time visitors who want theatres, restaurants and sights within walking distance
- Tower Bridge and the City of London: beside the river, steeped in history and much quieter once the office workers go home
- South Bank, Bankside, Southwark and Waterloo: riverside walks, the Christmas market and easy day trips from Waterloo station
- South Kensington, Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Chelsea: free museums, great for families and close to Hyde Park, with prices to match
- Greenwich: a village feel, maritime history and an easy trip back by DLR, train or Uber Boat
- Shoreditch and Spitalfields: markets, street art, some of the best food in London and late nights
- Camden and King's Cross: three train stations, the Eurostar and a wide range of accommodation
- Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia: a calmer central stay near the British Museum, and what to check in townhouse hotels
- Mayfair, Marylebone and Oxford Street: special occasions, shopping and Chiltern line trains, and why I would not stay on Oxford Street itself
- Westminster and St James's: Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and St James's Park on the doorstep
- Soho: for theatre lovers who want to walk back after the show, with noise to consider
- Notting Hill and Little Venice: pretty streets, photos and the canal, a little removed from the main sights
- Three checks before you book: a lift, air conditioning in summer, and room and bed size

You'll find our full guide to all 12 areas, with hotel picks at three budgets and a map, at londontravelplanning.com. 

Everything is linked in the show notes at https://uktravelplanning.com/episode-220/, along with Episode 68 on how to choose your area and our Ultimate London Travel Planning Map.

If you have a question, leave us a voice message on SpeakPipe.

If you know someone planning a trip to London, please share this episode with them, and leave a review in your podcast app to help other travellers find the show. 

We also write a free weekly newsletter, The Great British Trip, every Saturday morning. 

Support the show

🗺 FREE UK Trip Planning Roadmap - plan your UK trip step by step

⭐️ Need help planning your UK trip? Choose the option that works best for you:

• UK Trip Quick Answers - a 30-minute live Zoom for your UK trip questions.
• Video Reviews (available anytime) - send us your itinerary for detailed feedback.
• 1:1 Consultations - live Zoom session with Doug & Tracy. 
• 🚆 Travelling by train? - Get expert help from Doug, our resident rail expert with 25+ years on the UK network.

🎤 Leave us a voice message

➡️ Sponsor our show
➡️ Leave us a tip

Work With Us - Contact [email protected] for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Disclaimer: Some links are affiliate links. Using them supports the podcast ...

October in London feels cosy, colourful and much easier to enjoy when you plan around the rain, the shorter days and the half-term rush. This is the second episode of our monthly London bonus series from London Travel Planning, where we look ahead each month at what is on, what to book, and what will sell out before you get there.

This episode is sponsored by WalksDevour, and I am joined again by Charley Sullivan from their London team.

Everything you need to know if you are visiting London in October 2026, from the weather to the tickets to book now for Christmas.

* October weather: highs around 16°C (61°F), lows around 10°C (50°F), and rain on roughly one day in three
* Daylight and the clocks: shorter afternoons, and the clocks go back on Sunday 25 October
* Half term (26 to 30 October): what it means for the Tower and the Abbey, and the quieter times to visit
* What to pack: a fold-up waterproof, comfy shoes and plenty of layers
* Autumn leaves: St Dunstan in the East, Little Venice, Greenwich Park, Richmond Park and Crystal Palace Park
* Halloween at the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and Kew, plus Charley's picks
* Exhibitions and theatre: Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Frida at Tate Modern, the David Bowie Centre and The Lives of Others with Keira Knightley
* Diwali on the Square and the three NFL games in London
* Book now: Christmas at Kew, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and Bonfire Night at Alexandra Palace
* Sold out for 2026: the Bayeux Tapestry and Her Life in Style, and the dates for 2027 tickets
* Ceremony of the Keys: how to still go this October with the VIP WalksDevour evening
* October's most booked tour: Tastes, Tales and Traditional Ales
* Tour of the month: the new Express Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace tour, and who it suits
* Your questions: visiting in half-term week, and the Changing of the Guard in October
* A quick note: the regular Changing of the Guard runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Sundays have a separate Sunday Parade, so check the Household Division calendar before you go

EXCLUSIVE LISTENER OFFER: 5% off WalksDevour tours with code LTP5. Book before midnight UK time on Thursday 8 October 2026, valid on any tour departing to the end of 2026.
👉 Book with WalksDevour here

Do you have a question about visiting London? Leave us a message on SpeakPipe, and I will answer it in the next bonus episode, London in November, on 29 October.

📝 Show Notes - Bonus episode 2 

Support the show

🗺 FREE UK Trip Planning Roadmap - plan your UK trip step by step

⭐️ Need help planning your UK trip? Choose the option that works best for you:

• UK Trip Quick Answers - a 30-minute live Zoom for your UK trip questions.
• Video Reviews (available anytime) - send us your itinerary for detailed feedback.
• 1:1 Consultations - live Zoom session with Doug & Tracy. 
• 🚆 Travelling by train? - Get expert help from Doug, our resident rail expert with 25+ years on the UK network.

🎤 Leave us a voice message

➡️ Sponsor our show
➡️ Leave us a tip

Work With Us - Contact [email protected] for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Disclaimer: Some links are affiliate links. Using them supports the podcast ...

Many people give York a day and leave wishing they had stayed longer. York local Sinead from York Travel Expert joins Tracy in the next episode of our Before You Visit series, covering what to know before a first trip: how to get there, where to stay, what to book, and when not to go.

• Where York is: two hours from London King's Cross by direct train, roughly halfway to Edinburgh
• Why you do not need a car: cobbles, snickelways and a walled centre you can cross in 15 minutes
• Park and ride at £4 return against £15 to £20 a day to park in the city
• Accessibility: the one step-free way onto the walls, Jorvik's one wheelchair at a time rule, wheelchair hire and accessible toilets
• How long to stay: 2 to 3 days for the city, 6 or 7 to add the Dales, the Moors and the coast
• Inside or outside the walls: character and Minster bells against lifts and parking
• York Minster: what the £20 ticket includes, the free guided tours, the £6 tower climb and the best stretch of wall for views
• One day in York: the Minster first, the Shambles early or late, and which museum to choose
• What most visitors miss: Treasurer's House, Holy Trinity on Goodramgate and the riverside walk
• Day trips: Castle Howard, Whitby, Harrogate, Knaresborough and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
• When not to book: race days, Residents Weekend in late January and Christmas market crowds
• The one thing to book before you go: afternoon tea with a Minster view

Listener discounts
Mountain Goat (small group tours from York and the Lake District): code UKTRAV10 for 10% off
York Travel Expert (Sinead's guide to York)

Full show notes: https://uktravelplanning.com/episode-219/

Planning a trip to York and still have a question? Leave Tracy a voice message on SpeakPipe, and she will pass it on to Sinead. Know someone adding York to their UK itinerary? Send this episode their way, and a review helps other travellers find the show. 

We also write a free weekly newsletter, The Great British Trip, every Saturday morning: https://thegreatbritishtrip.substack.com/

Support the show

🗺 FREE UK Trip Planning Roadmap - plan your UK trip step by step

⭐️ Need help planning your UK trip? Choose the option that works best for you:

• UK Trip Quick Answers - a 30-minute live Zoom for your UK trip questions.
• Video Reviews (available anytime) - send us your itinerary for detailed feedback.
• 1:1 Consultations - live Zoom session with Doug & Tracy. 
• 🚆 Travelling by train? - Get expert help from Doug, our resident rail expert with 25+ years on the UK network.

🎤 Leave us a voice message

➡️ Sponsor our show
➡️ Leave us a tip

Work With Us - Contact [email protected] for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Disclaimer: Some links are affiliate links. Using them supports the podcast ...