England, Scotland, and Ireland Backpacking Trip Itinerary
Day 1 - Thursday, June 25th:
Depart LAX at 12:30pm on Delta Flight #152 to Atlanta
Arrive in Atlanta at 8:05pm
2 Hour 5 Minute layover in Atlanta
Depart Atlanta at 10:10pm on Delta Flight #10 to London Heathrow
Day 2 - Friday, June 26th:
Arrive in London at 12:00pm in Terminal 4
Spend the afternoon/evening sightseeing some of London's main attractions such as: Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, London Eye and more
Spend the night at Astor Victoria Youth Hostel
Day 3 - Saturday, June 27th:
Meet Premium Coaches Tours at the Victoria Coach Station Gate 6 at 8:10am for the Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford, and the Cotswolds Tour
Make way to Stratford-upon-Avon and see the birthplace of William Shakespeare
Head to the Cotswold’s and see the town before having lunch in a 15th century inn
Next stop is Oxford where we tour Christ Church College, and see Oxford’s Cathedral and the university’s largest quad
See the college’s dining hall where scenes from Harry Potter was filmed
Make way to Warwick Castle which has history that dates back over 1,000 years
Enter over the footbridge and explore the castles ramparts, towers and gardens
Visit the waxwork displays of Madame Tussauds
Then take a look at the ghostly dungeons where prisoners were tortured
Head back to London and arrive back around 7:00pm
Spend the night at Astor Victoria Youth Hostel
Day 4 – Sunday, June 28th:
Take an early morning walk through Hyde Park and see Kensington Palace, the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, the Wellington Arch, and the Albert Memorial
Meet at the Tower Hill Tube at 10:45 for the London Walks Westminster & the West End Tour
Walk over to the British Museum and spend some time inside
Sightsee for the remainder of the day
Spend the night at Astor Victoria Youth Hostel
Day 5 – Monday, June 29th:
Meet Golden Tours at the Golden Tours office at 8:30am for the Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral, Dover & Greenwich River Cruise Tour
Drive through the countryside of Kent to Leeds Castle for a private viewing of the castle before it opens to the public and even step inside the castle cellar and sample some mead
From there, head to Canterbury and go inside the Canterbury Cathedral and see the medieval city, which is the centre of English Christianity
Stop for lunch near the cathedral before heading to the White Cliffs of Dover
See Dover Castle, which was a key film location for The Other Boleyn Girl
Move on to Greenwich and see the Naval College and Royal Observatory
Board an evening boat cruise along the Thames River from Greenwich to Embankment Pier around 6:00pm
Meet at the Tower Hill Tube at 7:30pm for the London Walks Jack the Ripper Tour
Spend the night at Astor Victoria Youth Hostel
Day 6 – Tuesday, June 30th:
Meet Evan Evans Tours at the Victoria Coach Station Bays 1-5 at 8:45am for the Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Bath Tour
First stop is Windsor where we tour Windsor Castle which is the largest continually occupied castle in the world
Tour St. George’s Chapel and the state apartments
Stop and Stonehenge and see 5,000 year old standing stones
Final stop is in Bath where we have a panoramic tour of the city and visit Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent, the Circus, Assembly Rooms, and the Pulteney Bridge overlooking the river Avon
Enter the Roman Baths and explore the thermal springs which have been supplying water for over 2,000 years
Head back to London and arrive back around 8:00pm
Spend the night at Astor Victoria Youth Hostel
Day 7 – Wednesday, July 1st (My 20th Birthday):
Take an early tube/bus ride to St. Paul's Cathedral around 8:00am
Enter the Cathedral at 8:30am and spend a few hours seeing the cathedral and its galleries
Take a quick bus ride to Tower Hill tube station at
Meet at 10:45am outside the exit of the Tower Hill Tube station for the London Walks Tower of London Tour
Take the tube to Westminster Tube Station
Visit Westminster Abbey around 2:30pm and go on an audio tour of the abbey's Chapter House, Cloisters, St. Catherine's Chapel Garden, and more
Meet at 7:00pm at the Mansion House Tube, exit 1 for the London Walks Along the Thames Pub Walk
Spend the night at Astor Victoria Youth Hostel
Day 8 – Thursday, July 2nd:
Take early morning tube from Pimlico to Kings Cross around 7:00am
Take 7:45am train from London King's Cross to Cambridge
Arrive in Cambridge at 8:35am
Spend about an hour of leisure time
Take a guided punt tour on the River Cam around 10:00am
Meet at the Cambridge Visitor Information Centre by 11:30am to go on a 2 hour guided walking tour of the city
See the most important aspects of the city and Cambridge's best known sites including entrance to Kings College and its Chapel
Take 3:00pm train to York (get on 2:00pm train if possible)
Arrive in York at 5:34pm (arrive at 4:21pm if made earlier train)
Check in and drop off luggage at the YHA Youth Hostel
Spend some time walking around York
At 7:30pm meet in the Shambles for The Ghost Hunt of York Tour - An evening walking tour of York's haunted locations
Stay the night in York's YHA Youth Hostel
Day 9 – Friday, July 3rd:
Go on a 2 hour Mp3 walking tour of York around 6:00am
See various sites such as St. Helen's Square, Mansion House, Assembly Rooms, York Art Gallery, King's Manor, Museum Gardens, Clifford's Tower, Jorvik Viking Centre, Merchant Adventurers' Hall, Shambles, Holy Trinity Church, and the Monk Bar
Go inside the York Minister around 9:00am and do various things like climb 275 steps to the top of the central tower, descend to the Undercroft and see remains of ancient buildings, see the treasury and crypts, and the Chapter House which contains some of the Minister's finest carvings.
Take 12:13pm train to Windermere
Arrive in Windermere at 4:00pm
Go on a bike ride around Windermere and surrounding locations
Stay the night in the Lake District Backpacker’s Lodge
Day 10 – Saturday, July 4th
Go on an early morning bike ride before returning the bike at 9:00am
Meet Lakes Supertours at Lakes Hotel at 10:00am for the Coach & Boat to Borrowdale, Buttermere and Ullswater Tour
First stop is at the town of Grasmere
From there we continue north over Dunmail Raise, along the shores of Thirlmere to Ashness Bridge and Surprise View for views over Derwent Water and Bassenthwaite Lake
Spend time in the market town of Keswick for some sightseeing and lunch
Go on a lake cruise following lunch, the make way to Honister Mountain pass and descend Gatesgarthdale for a view of Buttermere Valley and Crummock Water
Drive over Newlands Pass and see the Moss Force Waterfall and continue into Newlands Valley
Next stop is the 5,000 year old Castlerigg Stone Circle which is set in a panorama of mountain ranges
Continue on to Gowbarrow Park and take a short walk through the woodlands and over stone bridges to see Aira Force Waterfall
Make way back to Windermere along Ullswater's shores, over the Kirkstone Pass – The Lake District’s highest mountain pass, and through the Troutbeck Valley
Arrive back in Windermere around 5:30pm
Take 9:40pm train to Manchester
Arrive in Manchester at 11:47pm
Stay the night at The Hatters Hostel in Manchester
Day 11 – Sunday, July 5th
Take the 8:27am train from Manchester to Chester
Arrive in Chester at 9:45am
Spend the morning touring Chester
Take 11:28am train to Gloucester
Arrive in Gloucester at 2:21pm
Go on a guided tour of the Gloucester Cathedral and see where scenes from Harry Potter were filmed
Take final train back to London at 4:47pm
Arrive at London Paddington Station at 7:10pm
Take the tube back into Central London to spend the evening
Spend the night at Astor Victoria Youth Hostel
Day 12 – Monday, July 6th
Meet at the Haggis/Busabout Office in London at 7:15 for the Haggis Adventures 5 Day Welsh Explorer Tour
Head across the Severn into South Wales and stop at Tintern Abbey
Next we will venture down into a Welsh Mine at the Big Pit
Then take a hike in Brecon Beacons
Spend the evening and night in Cardiff, the capital of Wales
Day 13 – Tuesday, July 7th
Leave Cardiff and travel through mid-Wales
See the town of Llangollen, and the Elan Valley
Stop at the world famous second hand book capital, Hay-on-Wye
Retreat to a rural Welsh farmhouse for a feast and to stay the night
Day 14 – Wednesday, July 8th
After breakfast we head to Conwy and then across the Menai Strait to Anglesey
Travel back to the mainland and explore Snowdonia National Park and see the spectacular North Wales scenery
Spend the evening on the north coast in Caernarfon and see the castle
Day 15 – Thursday, July 9th
Drive along the coastal routes back to South Wales
Stop along the way to sample some Welsh rarebit and Welsh cakes
Spend the final night in Carmarthen
Day 16 – Friday, July 10th
Leave to see Mumbles and scenery of the Gower peninsula.
Stop at Caerphilly and see one of the largest Norman castles
Return to London around 6pm
Spend the night at Astor Victoria Youth Hostel
Day 17 – Saturday, July 11th
Take BMI Flight #121 at 7:00am to Dublin
Arrive in Dublin at 8:20am
Take Dublin Bus Route 16a at either 8:40am or 9:00am to O'Connell Street and arrive at either 9:20am or 9:40am
Drop luggage off at The Shining Hostel
Spend some time walking around Dublin
Meet in front of Trinity College at 11:00am for Dublin's Historical Walking Tour
See various sites such as: Trinity College, Old Parliament House, Temple Bar, City Hall, Wood Quay, Four Courts, and more
Go inside and tour Dublin Castle around 2:00pm
Head to Christ Church Cathedral at 4:00pm and go inside for a tour
Spend the rest of the afternoon and evening sightseeing places like St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. Stephen's Green, and more
Spend the night at The Shining Youth Hostel
Day 18 – Sunday, July 12th
Meet Day Tours Unplugged at 8:50am for the South Coast Wicklow Mountains Adventure and Glendalough Tour
Leave Dublin and make first stop in Dun Laoghaire and Dalkey, coastal heritage towns complete with heritage castles
Stop at Avoca Handweavers which is Irelands oldest coffee and craft shop
Head into the Wicklow Mountains and see its many hidden lakes including Loch Tay
See the source of Dublin's River Liffey
Stop at Sally Gap which is 759 meters above sea level
May way to Glendalough, the valley of two lakes
See a 6th century monastic settlement and explore its round towers, cathedrals, and high crosses
Enjoy some time strolling through the valley to two lakes
Return to Dublin around 5:00pm
Spend the remainder of the day sightseeing in Dublin
Spend the night at The Shining Youth Hostel
Day 19 – Monday, July 13th
Meet Paddywagon Tours at Paddy’s Palace Youth Hostel at 8:00am for the 10 Day All Ireland Tour
Stop at Drogheda and visit the St. Peters Cathedral where the preserved head of St. Oliver Plunkett lies (executed 1681)
View some Celtic crosses in Monasterboice
Cross the border at South Armagh and enter Belfast
Spend the evening out and about in Belfast
Spend the night in a Belfast youth hostel
Day 20 – Tuesday, July 14th
Leave Belfast and head north to tour the coast
Cross the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge
Explore the Giant’s Causeway
View the Dunluce Castle
Spend the evening and night a Derry youth hostel
Day 21 – Wednesday, July 15th
Begin with a walking tour of Derry’s walls (erected in 1601), and the Bogside district
Take a half day tour of Donegal and the Glenveagh National Park
Spend the night in a Derry Youth Hostel again
Day 22 – Thursday, July 16
Leave Derry and drive through Sligo
Visit the grave of Poet and Nobel Prize Laureate, WB Yeats
Explore archaeology and culture in the North West Coast
Make a beach stop in Strandhill
Spend the night in the town of Cong in a youth hostel.
Day 23 – Friday, July 17th
Leave Cong and stop in Westport
Climb the Croagh Patrick mountain
Drive through Doolough and Connemara and see the beautiful scenery
Arrive in Galway for the evening and spend the night in a youth hostel.
Day 24 – Saturday, July 18th
Explore Galway in the morning and see the Spanish Arch and Claddagh area
Cruise down the west coast
Stop in Burren and see the lunar landscape
View the Cliffs of Moher
Spend the evening in Killarney and stay the night in a youth hostel.
Day 25 – Sunday, July 19th
Embark on a full day tour of the Ring of Kerry
Spend another evening and night in Killarney
Day 26 – Monday, July 20th
Short drive to Dingle and see the fishing village
Tour around Slea Head
Spend the night in Annascaul on the Dingle Peninsula
Day 27 – Tuesday, July 21st
Cross Cork and the Kerry Mountains and kiss the Blarney Stone on top of Blarney Castle
Visit Kinsale, Irelands Riviera and culinary capital
Spend the evening and night in Cork City Centre
Day 28 – Wednesday, July 22nd
After exploring Cork City travel through the Golden Vale and Tipperary
Stop in Kilkenny and explore the city
Return to Dublin
Visit Phoenix Park and see the Red Deer
See the Papal Cross and Awas an Uachtarain
View the Guinness Brewery and have a sample
Take either Paddy's Palace shuttle or Airlink shuttle to Dublin airport
Take Aer Lingus Flight #258 at 8:55pm to Edinburgh, Scotland
Arrive in Edinburgh at 9:55pm
Take Airlink airport shuttle to Waverley Bridge
Spend the night at St. Christopher’s Hostel in Edinburgh
Day 29 – Thursday, July 23rd
Meet Scotline Tours at 10:00am for the Scottish Border Abbey’s Tour
Stop at Scott’s View for a photo stop
Visit the Dryburgh Abbey which is also the burial place of Sir Walter Scott
Have a lunch stop in Kelso and visit the Kelso Abbey
See the Jedburgh Abbey and visit Mary Queen of Scot’s House
On the way back we stop at the border town of Melrose and see the Melrose Abbey (dates from 1136), the final resting place of Robert the Bruce’s Heart
Return to Edinburgh by 6:00pm
Spend the night at St. Christopher’s Hostel in Edinburgh
Day 30 – Friday, July 24th
Meet Scotline Tours at 9:30am for the Glasgow and Loch Lomond Tour
First stop is Glasgow – Scotland’s largest city
See the medieval Cathedral - built on the site of St. Mungo's Tomb
Make a photo stop at Kelvingrove Gallery and Glasgow University, as well as may other places as we drive along
Drive to Luss, a small village on the banks of Loch Lomond - Britain's largest body of fresh water
Spend time exploring the Loch and the Village of Balloch where we have lunch and can take an optional boat cruise
Last stop of the day is at Stirling Castle where we make a quick photo stop and see the Wallace Monument in the distance
Pass Linlithgow Palace , the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, on the way back to Edinburgh
Arrive back in Edinburgh around 6:15pm
Spend the night at St. Christopher’s Hostel in Edinburgh
Day 31 – Saturday, July 25th
Hop on the Lothian Bus Route 15 at St. Andrew Square at 8:41am
Arrive at Roslin Hotel at 9:15am, and make the short walk to Rosslyn Chapel
See Rosslyn Chapel which is known for its Masonic and Knights Templar association.
Take a guided tour of the chapel and learn about its history
Wander the chapel's gardens and graveyard, and climb up in the chapels canopy
Walk back to Roslin Hotel and hop back on the Lothian Bus at either 12:26pm or 1:26pm
Arrive back at St. Andrew Square at either 1:08pm or 2:08pm
Meet at the Starbucks Café by the Tron Kirk on High Street for Sandeman's New Edinburgh Free Tour at 3:00pm
See all the main sites throughout Edinburgh such as: Edinburgh Castle, St. Giles Cathedral, Scott Monument, site of witch burnings, Edinburgh University, and more
Spend the night at St. Christopher’s Hostel in Edinburgh
Day 32 – Sunday, July 26th
Meet at Scotline Tours at 9:30am for the A Day in St. Andrews Tour
After leaving Edinburgh we cross the Forth Rail Bridge into the Kingdom of Fife
Stop at the fishing village of Anstruther for some world famous Fish and Chips
Arrive in St. Andrew’s and spend 3 hours to explore the city
See the birthplace of golf, the ruins of a 13th century castle, and The University of St. Andrew's - Scotland's oldest university
On the way back we make a stop in South Queensferry to see this 13th century Old Town along with the Forth Rail Bridge - the largest cantilever bridge in the world
Arrive back in Edinburgh by 6:00pm
Spend the night at St. Christopher’s Hostel in Edinburgh
Day 33 – Monday, July 27th
Meet MacBackpackers Scotland Tours at 9:00am for The 5 Day Skye and Highlands Fling
Head north out of Edinburgh over the Forth Road Bridge and through the Kingdom of Fife.
The first stop is at Scotland’s ancient capital Dunkeld
The next stop is at Edradour Whisky Distillery for a tour and some free whisky
Continue to the city of Pitlochry for some lunch
Continue to the Ruthven Barracks, an 18th century ruined fortress deep in the Grampian Mountains
Head to the Battlefield of Culloden – the site of The Highlander’s last stand
Next we stop at Loch Ness for some monster hunting before reaching Inverness, the capital of the highlands, where we stay the night
Day 34 – Tuesday, July 28th
Leave Inverness and head north over the Kessock Bridge towards the Black Isle
View the Moray Firth – home to a pod of bottlenose dolphins
Stop in the Forest of Rogie and explore
Make way to the wilds of Wester Ross and journey through scenic area towards Gairloch
At Gairloch we will enjoy the white sand beaches, then head through the Torridon Mountain Range
See the oldest exposed rock in the world before arriving at Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye
Day 35 – Wednesday, July 29th
Pass through the Cullin Mountains, then stop in Portree – the island’s capital
Next is the Trotternish Peninsula where we will stop at waterfalls, and see the ruined MacDonald stronghold
Hike up some rock formations, then make way to Faerie Glen before returning to Kyleakin for the night
Day 36 – Thursday, July 30th
Head to the harbor town of Oban
Stop at the Eilean Donan Castle
Continue down the coast through Glen Shiel and Loch Garry
Arrive at Glen Finnan and see the site of the last Jacobite uprising in 1745 and the famous Harry Potter bridge and the route of the Hogwarts Express
Return to Fort William on our way to Glen Coe – the site of the Massacre of 1692, also known for its stunning scenery and mountain ranges
Head south to Oban through the Appin region along the coastline before calling it a day
Day 37 – Friday, July 31st
Head to the land of Kilmartin and visit some ancient burial chambers
See some standing stones and Dunadd hill fort where the kingdom of the Scots was first established
Travel east through Rob Roy country
Last stop is at Stirling
See the Wallace Monument and enjoy the views over the Forth Valley as well as the Stirling Castle
Make way back to Edinburgh and arrive around 5-6:00pm
Spend the night at St. Christopher’s Hostel in Edinburgh
Day 38 – Saturday, August 1st
Walk to Edinburgh Castle and enter around 9:30am
Go on a complimentary guided tour of the castle
See the castles Great Hall which was completed in 1511, the Honours of Scotland (the crown jewels), The Royal Palace, St. Margaret's Chapel, along with great views of Edinburgh, and more
Spend some free time walking around the city and getting a bite to eat
Later in the afternoon, make way to the Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
From inside a Victorian rooftop chamber, see live moving images of Edinburgh projected onto a viewing table
Spend the night at St. Christopher’s Hostel in Edinburgh
Day 39 – Sunday, August 2nd
Depart Edinburgh Airport at 10:55am on Delta Flight #97 to JFK - New York
Arrive at JFK at 1:40pm
1 hour and 40 minute layover at JFK
Depart JFK to LAX at 3:20pm on Delta Flight #247
Arrive at LAX at 6:45pm
and heres me and andrew in Mammoth
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