Doing a week of travel in the UK - ideas please esp. for Dales, Dundee, York or Harrogate

[FinallyMovingHouse]

Hi all, we've decide to do a last (ish) minute week in the UK, just travelling a bit and stopping a bit...no more plans than that as yet. Going before the schools break up.
We had been thinking of a proper driving holiday, but both DH and I are injured, so we're going to head north (Scotland) and then drive south again towards home over 6/7 days. We were considering starting at Dundee (have friends there) and then Edinburgh maybe, although have been twice recently so not essential. We're then thinking of stopping to see Newcastle and then the Dales a bit and also York but not quite sure how to do that bit, as Dales/York would only be a couple of nights and not sure whether to stay in York or in villages? Any suggestions of what to see, where to stay.
Thanks all.

Why not stay in North Northumberland (Lindisfarne / Alnwick / Bamburgh) instead of Edinburgh, if you’ve done it before.

V&A and Discovery ship in Dundee.

We stayed in Bamburgh during half term & it was really nice. Loved Bamburgh Castle & Cragside, not as taken with Holy Island/Lindisfarne though. We stayed in the Old Coastguard Cottage just behind the beach.
We drove up from Somerset & back - stayed a night outside York & two days sightseeing, but we stayed in the Premier Inn at the services - absolutely fine but obviously just to sleep.

You could stay in Leeds. It’s easy to do a day in York from there and then maybe Settle and Ribblehead in the Dales? Or Saltaire is a nice place to spend maybe half a day.

Dundee doesn't have a good rep but I think it's a lovely place with lots to see and do. We really enjoyed the discovery centre and mcmanus galleries. Also Broughty ferry is near by which is a cute wee seaside town with lots of shops and cafes. There is also a castle and beach with esplanade and fun play park for kids.

If driving, I'd then drive over the tay bridge into Fife and take the Fife coastal tourist route to Edinburgh. Obviously, St Andrews is top on the list of places to stop but I'd also take in Crail and Anstruther- stopping for some fish and chips! If you have kids with you, I'd recommend cairnie fruit farm in Cupar for some pick your own strawberries and fun play park. Then onwards over the Queensferry crossing to Edinburgh.

Bear in mind that most (if not all) Scottish schools have already broken up. If starting in Dundee I would cross the river and explore St Andrews and the East Neuk of Fife. Very pretty little villages and if you’re into wild swimming there are nice tidal pools at Cellardyke, St Monans and Pittenweem.

Thank you all, these are some really good suggestions and I'm going to get planning now. x

Schools in Fife and possibly some other areas are in this week but then everyone in Scotland will have broken up. Where are you starting from?
Another vote for following the Fife coast from Dundee to Edinburgh, there's some lovely villages and walks along the Fife coastal path.
Then I'd decide between taking the A1 along the coast or the A68 "inland" route towards Newcastle. The A1 gives you the option of visiting the Northumberland coast along the way or the A68 would offer Hexham and parts of Hadrian's wall.
As much as I like Newcastle, I never feel like it has much to offer tourists in the way of attractions (awaits to be corrected!!).
Durham is nice for a half day of wandering but it's tiny and doesn't really need any more time to explore the city.

Recently been near Edinburgh
Drive to Portobello its nice seaside place then turn right and drive towards Berwick lots of nice places to see and stay, try to stay on the coast road.

Many thanks all. It's now booked, starting at Edinburgh, via all the castles, puffins, Lindisfarne, Alnwick and ending in York. x

If you are going as far north as Dundee, you may as well go see some of the Trossachs on the way, and stop in Stirling area not Edinburgh.

York: Betty’s tea room (go early, queues get long), walk the city walls, visit the castle gardens, visit the cathedral, visit The Shambles, go on a boat tour.

I really miss York.

Drive up Swaledale from Richmond to Reeth on the high back road then back to Richmond alongside the Swale. Good pubs on Reeth green and there used to be an excellent ice cream shop. Richmond is one of my favourite places, lovely marketplace and surroundings.

Ripon Cathedral is worth a visit.

More superb ice cream near Masham, at Higher Jervaulx Farm.

I enjoyed a meander round Northallerton too, lots of independent shops.