In this episode, our guest is Cheryl Ridpath Conway who has recently returned with her family from a whirlwind 5½ day trip to London. Cheryl created a fun-filled itinerary for her family which included some of London's most popular attractions such as the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey, a day trip outside the capital, a photoshoot, a visit to Harry Potter Studios plus 2 walking tours.

Cheryl chats through how she prepared for their visit and designed an itinerary which suited her family's interests after deciding to head to London with only 6 weeks to prepare.

Find out about their experiences visiting London in 2022 including reflections on the places they visited, tours they took, where they stayed, how they got around, best experiences and tips to help you make the most of your visit.

Show notes for this episode can be found at https://uktravelplanning.com/episode-13/

You can also find UK Travel Planning on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook

The podcast also has an accompanying private Facebook group where you can meet fellow travellers who are planning their UK travel adventures. Go to the UK and London Travel Planning Facebook group to join our community.

>> Visit our shop for guides and resources to help plan your trip including our popular UK Train Travel ebook

Show Credits:
Presenter: Tracy Collins
Guest: Cheryl Ridpath Conway

Still planning your UK or Ireland trip?

Rabbie's small-group tours are a brilliant way to see more without the hassle of driving or planning everything yourself. With departures from cities such as Edinburgh, London and Dublin, it's easy to add a multi-day adventure to your itinerary. 

Have a look at their tours and any current offers on their website - Rabbies.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 ...

Are you planning a trip to the UK and considering driving for part of your vacation? Perhaps you listened to our previous podcast about driving the North Coast 500 in Scotland and dream of taking a road trip of your own around the UK?

BUT are you feeling stressed and nervous about the thought of driving in an unfamiliar environment and perhaps on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to? We know that this is a huge source of anxiety for many of you considering driving in the UK and is often raised in emails or in the UK Travel Planning Facebook community.

Well, this is the episode for you! In this episode, I am joined by John Cortese founder of Tripiamo which aims to help North Americans understand how to get around safely no matter where they are in the world including what you need to know to stay safe if you are planning to drive in the UK.

After listening to this podcast you will understand how Tripiamo's guides can prepare you for your trip and help allay your fears and stresses about driving in the UK.

Show notes for this episode can be found at https://uktravelplanning.com/episode-12/

You can also find UK Travel Planning on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook

The podcast also has an accompanying private Facebook group where you can meet fellow travellers who are planning their UK travel adventures. Go to the UK and London Travel Planning Facebook group to join our community.

>> Visit our shop for guides and resources to help plan your trip including our popular UK Train Travel ebook

Show Credits:
Presenter: Tracy Collins
Guest: John Cortese

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 ...

Are you planning your UK trip but feeling confused or overwhelmed trying to work out the best ways to get around the country? If so this is the podcast episode for you. 

After listening to this episode you will have a greater insight into the different transportation options available which will help you choose the best ones for you based on your budget, travel style and itinerary and ensure you maximise your UK travel experience.

During the process of planning your itinerary, it is vital to consider how you will get from A – B and evaluate all the options open to you. Whilst the UK is a relatively small country with a fairly decent public transport system, especially in the major cities, it is important to choose the best options for you.

For example, if you are planning to travel around the UK from city to city you will find that taking the train will be most likely the easiest and most cost-effective option. However, if you are planning to visit rural areas of the UK such as the Cotswolds you will discover that it is much easier to hire a car and take a road trip or if you prefer not to drive at all take an organised day tour.

In this podcast, we will cover how to get around the UK by train, car, aeroplane, coach and where necessary ferry! We also include practical tips, considerations, pros and cons plus any relevant advice.

Show notes for this episode can be found at https://uktravelplanning.com/episode-11/

You can also find UK Travel Planning on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook

The podcast also has an accompanying private Facebook group where you can meet fellow travellers who are planning their UK travel adventures. Go to the UK and London Travel Planning Facebook group to join our community.

>> Visit our shop for guides and resources to help plan your trip including our popular UK Train Travel ebook

Show Credits:
Presenter: Tracy Collins

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 ...

Do you dream of exploring Scotland? For many people, the ultimate Scottish road trip is the 516-mile scenic route around the north coast of Scotland known as the North Coast 500.

In this episode of the podcast, we chat to guest Chris Wheable who has recently returned with his partner from a 9 day trip following the North Coast 500 around northern Scotland in their self-built camper van.

Chris shares his day to day itinerary, highlights of the trip and tips for anyone planning to drive the North Coast 500. Hear about destinations including the Isle of Skye, Smoo Caves, Puffin Cove, Ullapool and their 2 day trip to the Orkneys.

Also discover where the northernmost point of the UK is (clue it isn't John O'Groats), why Chris decided to drive the route anticlockwise and his experience of driving Applecross - not only one of the scenic drives in Scotland but also the road with the steepest ascent of any road climb in the UK.

Show notes for this episode can be found at https://uktravelplanning.com/episode-10/

You can also find UK Travel Planning on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook

The podcast also has an accompanying private Facebook group where you can meet fellow travellers who are planning their UK travel adventures. Go to the UK and London Travel Planning Facebook group to join our community.

>> Visit our shop for guides and resources to help plan your trip including our popular UK Train Travel ebook

Show Credits:
Presenter: Tracy Collins
Guest: Chris Wheable

Still planning your UK or Ireland trip?

Rabbie's small-group tours are a brilliant way to see more without the hassle of driving or planning everything yourself. With departures from cities such as Edinburgh, London and Dublin, it's easy to add a multi-day adventure to your itinerary. 

Have a look at their tours and any current offers on their website - Rabbies.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 ...

In this episode discover how we planned our 3 month UK travel itinerary. We share our tips and tricks to help remove the overwhelm and help you put together your own itinerary (whether you are visiting for 3 months or 1 week) 

Interviewed by Karen (a fellow travel writer and owner of the Smart Steps to Australia travel brand and community) I share our itinerary and how we decided (from the many places we wanted to go) what to include, the logistics behind choosing how best to get around the UK for specific destinations,  my packing tips, choosing tours and accommodation plus tips on how to keep all your UK travel plans organised.

If planning your trip to London, England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland is leaving you feeling overwhelmed this is the podcast for you. 

Show notes for this episode can be found at https://uktravelplanning.com/episode-9/

You can also find UK Travel Planning on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook

The podcast also has an accompanying private Facebook group where you can meet fellow travellers who are planning their UK travel adventures. Go to the UK and London Travel Planning Facebook group to join our community.

>> Visit our shop for guides and resources to help plan your trip including our popular UK Train Travel ebook

Show Credits:
Presenter: Tracy Collins
Guest: Karen Bleakley

Still planning your UK or Ireland trip?

Rabbie's small-group tours are a brilliant way to see more without the hassle of driving or planning everything yourself. With departures from cities such as Edinburgh, London and Dublin, it's easy to add a multi-day adventure to your itinerary. 

Have a look at their tours and any current offers on their website - Rabbies.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 ...

On February 6th 2022 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated 70 years as monarch of the United Kingdom, Realms and Commonwealth. This year to mark this historic event Platinum Jubilee celebrations are planned in the UK and across the world including in Australia, Canada and other nations of the Commonwealth.

In this episode, I talk to guest John Coupland of John England Tours about the importance of this event and also share some of our memories of the Jubilee celebrations in 1977 when the Queen marked her Silver Jubilee.

Discover which events are planned over the long weekend in June and how to participate and/or follow along with these whether you are in the UK or not.

Show notes for this episode can be found at UKTravelPlanning.com/episode8

You can also find UK Travel Planning on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook

Still planning your UK or Ireland trip?

Rabbie's small-group tours are a brilliant way to see more without the hassle of driving or planning everything yourself. With departures from cities such as Edinburgh, London and Dublin, it's easy to add a multi-day adventure to your itinerary. 

Have a look at their tours and any current offers on their website - Rabbies.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 ...

Welcome to episode 7 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast. Do you have questions about visiting England in relation to the often unspoken social rules, expectations and etiquette? Asking for information and expectations around tipping for example is one of the most commonly asked questions in our Facebook group and by email.

In this episode of the podcast discover 14 things that are useful to know when you’re visiting England for the first time. This episode will answer a few of those questions that you have at the back of your mind and possibly surprise you with some of the quirks of being English!

Show notes for this episode can be found at UKTravelPlanning.com/Episode-7

The podcast also has an accompanying private Facebook group where you can meet fellow travellers who are planning their UK travel adventures. Go to the UK and London Travel Planning Facebook group to join our community.

You can also find UK Travel Planning on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook

>> Visit our shop for guides and resources to help plan your trip including our popular UK Train Travel ebook

Show Credits:
Presenter: Tracy Collins

Still planning your UK or Ireland trip?

Rabbie's small-group tours are a brilliant way to see more without the hassle of driving or planning everything yourself. With departures from cities such as Edinburgh, London and Dublin, it's easy to add a multi-day adventure to your itinerary. 

Have a look at their tours and any current offers on their website - Rabbies.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 ...

We believe that to get the most out of a destination taking a guided tour with a professional tour guide can't be beaten. So in today's episode, I am excited to talk to John Coupland the founder, owner and professional driver-guide behind John England Tours. For those of you visiting South East England John's personalised private tours will provide you with a memorable experience of the authentic England many visitors miss. 

In this episode, John shares information about his private day tours to various destinations in South East England including the popular Hampton Court Palace, castles such as Hever, Leeds and Dover, some hidden gems plus his London walking tours. 

John also discusses the many advantages of taking a driver guided tour including being able to sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful English countryside without the worry and stress of driving yourself, the ability to visit smaller villages and areas of interest that coaches can't even get to, tailor-making your itinerary to your specific interests and of course access to local knowledge and expertise

John also shares tips about what to look for if you plan to book a driver-guided tour and how to ensure you get the best out of your day.

Show notes which include all the information and links discussed in this episode can be found at UKTravelPlanning.com/episode-six

The podcast also has an accompanying private Facebook group where you can meet fellow travellers who are planning their UK travel adventures. Go to the UK and London Travel Planning Facebook group to join our community.

You can also find UK Travel Planning on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook

>> Visit our shop for guides and resources to help plan your trip including our popular UK Train Travel ebook

Show Credits:
Presenter: Tracy Collins
Guest: John Coupland

Still planning your UK or Ireland trip?

Rabbie's small-group tours are a brilliant way to see more without the hassle of driving or planning everything yourself. With departures from cities such as Edinburgh, London and Dublin, it's easy to add a multi-day adventure to your itinerary. 

Have a look at their tours and any current offers on their website - Rabbies.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 ...

There are many fantastic train journeys to take across the UK and travelling by train is a popular choice for many visitors. If you are travelling from London to Scotland, and want to make the journey extra special, one possibility is to take the Caledonian Sleeper. It is one of our favourite train journeys anywhere in the world and one we highly recommend to train lovers or those who are simply seeking to experience something a little special.

In this episode of the podcast, I am joined by my husband and co-founder of the UK Travel Planning Website and author of the Guide to UK Train Travel ebook Doug Collins who is not only passionate about train travel but with 25 years of experience working on the UK rail network, he is the perfect person to ask questions about travelling the UK by train.

In this episode, Doug shares information about travelling on the Caledonian Sleeper plus tips to ensure you make the most of this iconic train journey.

Show notes which include all the information and links discussed in this episode can be found at https://uktravelplanning.com/episode-5-guide-to-the-caledonian-sleeper/

>> Visit our shop for guides and resources to help plan your trip including our popular UK Train Travel ebook

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 ...

Are you planning a trip to London?

If this is your first time visiting London, it can feel quite overwhelming when it comes to planning your visit.  You may be wondering when is the best time for your visit? How many days to spend in London? How to plan your itinerary to include the sites, attractions and landmarks on your bucket list? Where to stay in London and what to budget for your trip?

After not only living in London (but also visiting the city many times as a tourist) in this episode I share 6 steps to help you plan your London trip to reduce stress and overwhelm plus essential travel tips to help you make the most of your visit.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoy our show we would love you to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes.

Show notes which include all the information and links discussed in this episode can be found at https://uktravelplanning.com/visiting-london-practical-tips/

>> Visit our shop for guides and resources to help plan your trip including our popular UK Train Travel ebook

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 ...