the grand tour of britain - what would be 'must sees'?

[laurawaterford]

We hope to spend a couple of weeks exploring the UK. We have a weeks offer of a house in lon don - yippee! and are considering a week on the river exploring the thames, or a week driving. Where should we go?? Can anyone come up with a grand tour?? my head is done in. We are coming from Ireland although I am English but been away a long long time...Would love to show it off to my family!!

[TotalChaos]

, Devon coast, Cotswolds Snowdonia, Ludlow, Lake District, Borders, Edinburgh

[fairylights]

would say definitely devon and cornwall coasts (i am from devon!) esp the northern ones..and the moors around there, dartmoor and exmoor. But the lake district and snowdonia are just amazing - as long as you walk far enough away from your car to lose the crowds.
Would also really rate the yorkshire dales and moors..ooh it really is a lovely country!
We went away for a year travelling around the world and it was amazing but i appreciate this little island a lot more now - it really is beautiful and full of character too {bit like Ireland really!)

[Bridie3]

Oxford. Windsor Castle.

[MegBusset]

If you've only got a week you'll just have to pick one area really, otherwise you will spend all your time in the car. You can't go far wrong with Cornwall (if you like beaches), or the Lake District (if mountains and lakes are your kind of thing).

[PeachesMcLean]

Personally wouldn't try and do the whole country - would do, say, Blenheim Palace, Oxford, Dorset (Lyme Regis), Longleat Safari park, and just smaller local places really.
You have to sit on a sea front eating fish and chips though, proper English pub, etc.

[fairylights]

sorry didn't notice that you only have one week! yes, just choose one area, preferably easy to get to from london..

[fairylights]

sorry didn't notice that you only have one week! yes, just choose one area, preferably easy to get to from london..

[mymama]

Am from Australia and just did a 3 month tour of UK.

We loved York, Windsor, London, Bath. Long way from York to London though.

Depends what you want to see. We skipped the coasts as we come from Australia - the best coasts there are

[mymama]

Best fish and chips we had were in Edinburgh . The few we had in England were not great.

[hedgehog1979]

why has no one mentioned stonehenge - admit not much to do there but you can see it as long as you go on the A303 to longleat/dorset.
Being a west country lass I would vote for Lyme Regis, Devon, Cornwall etc

[mymama]

we saw stonehenge too and stratford-upon avon too and loved them.

[UnquietDad]

Get away from London! Go Oop Noorrth. Derbyshire. Yorkshire.

[laurawaterford]

ooh I LOVE Cornwall - use to go there to holiday in a place called camelford and visited boscastle - the witches museum ring a bell? Of course Stonehenge - a MUST see and I forgot about it too. I am originally from Wiltshire so love Bath and Oxford although havent been there for 20 years probably. We also love mountains and country walks. However probably makes sense to stay around the one area. U must be from London unquiet Dad, if you are suggesting we leave London! We were at the imperial war museum (our only trip to London) a few years ago and thought it was fantastic!! Anywhere in London we HAVE to see??

Anymore routes leading from London that would be doable in a week?? Thanks for all your brill suggestions so far, please keep em coming!

[jenkel]

Scotland - Inverness/Loch Ness, Edinburgh, Isle of Skye, you could stop off on route in Yorkshire or Lake District

Wales - Pembrokeshire, North Wales, Snowdonia

Devon/Cornwall - Eden, Goonhilly, Beaches and you could stop off on route at longleat, Stonehenge, Bath, Bristol