Tour overview

This 19-day small-group trip travels across Great Britain mostly by train, from London through the English countryside and Wales to the Lake District and the Scottish Highlands, finishing in Edinburgh. Groups have up to 12 travellers aged 15 and over, with a leader throughout. You stay eighteen nights in hotels and guesthouses on a twin-share basis, with two nights on the Isle of Skye. Breakfast is included on most days, with a lunch at the Hook Norton Brewery in the Cotswolds and a lunch on the Snowdonia hike, leaving plenty of freedom to try pubs, cafés and local restaurants along the way.

From London a train takes you to Oxford, where you try punting on the river and have a free day for the colleges and museums. A day trip to the Cotswolds brings honey-stone villages around Moreton-in-Marsh and a visit to a traditional brewery, before you cross into Wales for a guided tour of Cardiff, the Welsh capital.

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In Eryri, better known as Snowdonia National Park, you join a guided hike on the Lôn Gwyrfai trail from Rhyd Ddu to the village of Beddgelert. A train brings you to Chester, a Roman and medieval city, and on to Liverpool, hometown of the Beatles, with two nights to explore its waterfront and music history. Two nights in Windermere let you explore the lakes and fells of the Lake District National Park.

Crossing into Scotland, you visit Edinburgh and Glasgow, then ride the West Highland Line, one of the world's great railway journeys, past lochs and moorland to Fort William and on to Mallaig. Two nights on the Isle of Skye include a short guided hike among its dramatic landscapes. A bus over the Skye Bridge takes you to Inverness for two nights, with a visit to the Culloden battlefield, before a final train to Edinburgh, with its castle, cobbled streets and literary heritage.

The physical rating is medium, with walking, hiking and carrying luggage on trains. This trip suits active travellers who want to see Britain at ground level, travelling like locals with a small group. Pack light, as you carry your own bags on and off the trains.

Trip highlights

  • Punting in Oxford (Day 2)
  • The Cotswolds and a brewery lunch (Day 4)
  • A guided hike in Snowdonia (Day 6)
  • Liverpool and the Beatles (Day 8)
  • The West Highland Line (Days 13–14)
  • Two nights on the Isle of Skye (Days 14–15)

Your route

16 stops from London to Edinburgh

19-day route: London – Oxford – Cotswolds – Cardiff – Snowdonia – Liverpool – Windermere – Glasgow – Skye – Inverness – Edinburgh
  1. London Day 1
  2. Oxford Days 2–3
  3. Moreton-in-Marsh Day 4
  4. Cardiff Day 5
  5. Beddgelert Day 6
  6. Bangor Day 6
  7. Liverpool Days 7–8
  8. Chester Day 8
  9. Windermere Days 9–10
  10. Edinburgh Day 11
  11. Glasgow Day 12
  12. Fort William Day 13
  13. Mallaig Day 14
  14. Isle of Skye Days 14–15
  15. Inverness Days 16–17
  16. Edinburgh Days 18–19

Why choose this tour

England, Wales and Scotland by train, with time in national parks as well as cities. Small groups of up to 12, with guided hikes in Snowdonia and on Skye.

Best suited to

  • Active travellers
  • Rail enthusiasts
  • Solo travellers looking for a small group
  • Overseas visitors and UK residents exploring at home
Punting on the river in Oxford

Day-by-day itinerary

19 days from London, United Kingdom to Edinburgh, United Kingdom

  1. Day 1 · London Arrive in London

    A welcome meeting in the capital.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  2. Day 2 · Oxford Oxford

    A train to Oxford and a go at punting.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · Oxford Oxford

    A free day for colleges and museums.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  4. Day 4 · Moreton-in-Marsh, Hook Norton The Cotswolds

    Cotswold villages and a brewery lunch.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  5. Day 5 · Cardiff Cardiff

    Transfer to Wales for a city tour.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  6. Day 6 · Rhyd Ddu, Beddgelert Snowdonia

    A guided hike in Eryri National Park.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  7. Day 7 · Chester, Liverpool Chester and Liverpool

    A Roman city, then on to Liverpool.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Liverpool Liverpool

    The waterfront and the Beatles.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  9. Day 9 · Windermere Windermere

    A train into the Lake District.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  10. Day 10 · Lake District Lake District

    A free day among the lakes and fells.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  11. Day 11 · Edinburgh Edinburgh

    A train to Scotland's capital.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  12. Day 12 · Glasgow Glasgow

    Explore Scotland's largest city.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  13. Day 13 · West Highland Line, Fort William Fort William

    The West Highland Line to Fort William.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  14. Day 14 · Mallaig, Isle of Skye Isle of Skye

    Complete the rail journey and cross to Skye.

    Hotel
    Hotel or guesthouse
    Meals
    Breakfast
  15. Day 15 · Isle of Skye Isle of Skye

    A short guided hike.

    Hotel
    Hotel or guesthouse
    Meals
    Breakfast
  16. Day 16 · Skye Bridge, Inverness Inverness

    Over the bridge to Inverness.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  17. Day 17 · Culloden Battlefield Culloden

    A local bus to the battlefield.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  18. Day 18 · Edinburgh Edinburgh

    A final train to Edinburgh.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  19. Day 19 · Edinburgh Trip ends

    The trip ends after breakfast.

    Meals
    Breakfast
Stone cottages in Bibury in the Cotswolds

Where you stay

  • London (1 night) Hotel
  • Oxford (2 nights) Hotel
  • Moreton-in-Marsh (1 night) Hotel
  • Cardiff (1 night) Hotel
  • Snowdonia (1 night) Hotel
  • Liverpool (2 nights) Hotel
  • Windermere (2 nights) Hotel
  • Edinburgh (1 night) Hotel
  • Glasgow (1 night) Hotel
  • Fort William (1 night) Hotel
  • Isle of Skye (2 nights) Hotel or guesthouse
  • Inverness (2 nights) Hotel
  • Edinburgh (1 night) Hotel

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 18 nights in hotels and guesthouses
  • Meals 17 breakfasts and 2 lunches
  • Trains, private transfers and local buses
  • Punting in Oxford and a Cotswolds village visit
  • Hook Norton Brewery visit and lunch
  • Cardiff city tour and Snowdonia guided hike
  • West Highland Line and a guided hike on Skye
  • Leader throughout

Not included

  • Flights
  • Meals not included 1 breakfast, 15 lunches and 18 dinners
  • Optional activities
  • Tips, travel insurance and personal spending
Lake Windermere from Orrest Head

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want luggage handled for you — you carry bags on and off trains
  • You want many meals included — most are free to choose
  • You want luxury — accommodation is simple
  • You dislike walking

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 2–11 and 13–19 · Lunch: Days 4 and 6 · Dinner: none included
Mountains and a lake in Snowdonia

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £5,840 per person, twin share, tour only. 39 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

How do we travel?

Mostly by train, with private transfers and local buses where needed.

Do I carry my own luggage?

Yes, on and off trains, so pack light.

How hard are the hikes?

A guided trail walk in Snowdonia and a short hike on Skye, both suitable for most active travellers.

Are rooms shared?

Rooms are twin-share, with solo travellers paired. Facilities may sometimes be shared.

What is the minimum age?

The minimum age is 15.

How many people travel together?

Up to 12 travellers, with a leader.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary

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